Is your center console handle FTL? Here's a DIY...

[bimmerfiver]

Our center console's are weak, we have to spend big bucks to get a slightly nicer version with a tiny tray. Me? Dan gave me a bluetooth system and the center console which was a part of it. I had to give Dan 87 XL bags of Chinese Food Ribs (delivered) but it's all good.

That said, the handle in the front, # 10 here:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...67&hg=51&fg=35

Well, sure, you can replace it. And I would've, but I had a few cans of Duplicolor Vinyl and Fabric Spray (flat black) to create my Darth Vader 525 interior mod (headliner and pillars are Vader Black). I needed to spray my sun visors so I figured, why not remove the center console as I wanted to anyway. Why? In my opinion, the center console IS another area that CAN squeak. I can share with you that removing it takes three minutes

Removal see here:

http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/R...%20Console.htm

Lubing the tracks with synthetic grease, which my console now slides on improved it's movement by 110% and TOTALLY removed a tiny ticking noise it would make over bumps/potholes. Heck, this console sat in a garage in Fort Lee for years, the tracks were course, rough and weathered, some lube made them happy.

Now to the main goal, the front handle. It seems this little handle is destined to be abused, the one from Dan looked like it was in a land war in southeast Asia. Maybe it was. It was carved, scratched and pitted badly for a cheesy piece of plastic (see 1st pic below).

So...I used a 150 Grit SPONGE, which is a soft pad or sand paper. Before sanding the dinged-up skin off the handle itself, I using masking tape. Caution, be gentle with the tape as it WILL remove leather when you pull it off.
Sand the area moving east and west only.
The black skin on the handle will come off, be thorough.
Rinse with a slightly damp microfiber towel.
Re-sand the area with 500 Grit, very lightly.
Rinse and dry.
Re-mask and cover the remainder of the console with newspaper to protect it from the paint.
Spray the handle with a LIGHT MIST of DUPLICOLOR VINYL AND FABRIC SPRAY. I used FLAT BLACK, but the GLOSS black might be more to your taste.
SPRAY it LIGHTLY and walk away.
Let it dry for 15 minutes.
SPRAY again VERY lightly and walk away.
Let it dry for 15 minutes.
Repeat this 4-6 times.
Remove masking tape carefully.
Then let it dry for an hour.

LUBE the underside with synthetic grease.

This also afforded me the moment to use 3M electrical tape on my bluetooth's wires, one of them was in need of tape.

Reinsert the console. Place Synthetic Grease on ALL screws going back in place (helps to remove any squeaks).

The next day I sprayed it down with some BLUE Vinylex, it looked perfect. It's been two weeks and the handle has zero scratches and the paint on it is going nowhere, it's on there to stay.

See pics here:

[NYZ93]

Sad to see no one commented on this

good write up i took the easy way out but some 150 grit Sandpaper rubbed it down then hit it with the high grit 500 or 700 i dont remember and left it like that

[kashill]

Thanks for posting..I will be using this link to help with the removal of the center console to set-up my Ipod input jack in the arm rest with hopefully a USB power conection...