PDA

View Full Version : Pillar Upholstery - Looking for Advice/Experiences



SnakeEyes
06-09-2006, 04:10 PM
Sorry this is a long post, but I need a little help and I like to be thorough. . .

I live in Ohio and just bought a Florida car (01 325i). Well. . . my A, B, and C pillars are all losing their upholstery. Now that it's heating up here in the 'Nati, the A's are sagging pretty bad, the B's just started to slide down and the C's are dangling by the dome lights.

Long story that doesn't matter, but it looks like the seller gave it a quick fix and now that things are heating up around here, they're falling apart again.

The way I see it, I have two options:
Option 1: Replacing all the pillar covers with OEM new ones would be approx $40 each x 6 = $240 (pulling off the old ones and putting the new ones on myself).

Option 2: Pull them all off myself and take them to an auto reupholstery shop, have them put new fabric on, then put them back on myself. Hopefully this would be cheaper AND I would get to pick out my own new fabric.

Glueing the old fabric back on is not an option. It's dingy, stretched and would be just as much of a pain in the a$$ as putting new stuff on.

Has this happened to anyone else, especially in hot climates? I know it happens to roof liners, but I couldn't find any references to the pillars.

My car is all black inside and out except for the pillars and roof liner. If I go to an upholstery shop, I will definitely go with black, but is there any texture preference (similar OEM cloth, vinyl, alcantara)?

Thanks in advance for all your help, I know nothing about upholstery.

dyylbb4
12-15-2008, 10:30 PM
did u hear anything on this? my 2003 a pillars are doing the same thing, like sagging at the bottom.

uncle
12-16-2008, 08:54 AM
I re-covered my A and C pillars on my 99 E36 two weeks ago. I pulled the old fabric off, leaving the base mesh, and used 1/8" foam backed headliner material that I bought from WLS. It was very easy to do. Take your time, watch the glue over spray, and keep you hands clean.

weenstan
12-16-2008, 03:01 PM
Mine happened after a retint, seems like it's a common problem on E46s.