Headliner Re-Covered and Re-Installed

[Mach Tuck]

I got the headliner back from the headliner shop yesterday and installed it today. I'm going to go through the steps that I found the easiest. You DO NOT have to remove the windshield in any way, it will come out and go in the passenger door. I did everything by myself but I recommend you have a friend help.

Step 1. Disconnect battery, you may consider rolling down the passenger window first
Step 2. Remove both seats to aid in headliner removal and to keep them from getting fouled by old sticky foam from headliner.
Step 3. Cover dash board and cargo net with a sheet to prevent old sticky foam from getting on it also.
Step 4. Remove door and window trims.
Step 5. Remove rear view mirror.
Step 6. Remove all pillars.
Step 7. Disconnect passenger door hold open rod pin and open passenger door as far as you can without damaging skin. Use rubber to protect door skin and block the door
open. Do not sit or put weight on car as you could damage the door hinges.
Step 8. Remove all headliner hardware holding it up and remove headliner by maneuvering it out of the passenger door. This will require a little minor "flexing" of the headliner
but I found that it wasn't even close to causing permanent damage.

To reinstall headliner repeat necessary steps above in reverse order.

While I had the seats out I installed a remote garage door opener button in the back of the console next to the rear window defogger and installed the remote under the arm rest. I also installed the seat tilt mod. (Sweet). I'm still waiting on LED festoon and 90 degree BAS9 LED's for the map lights. I customized my M cigarette blank and installed it also. PICS tomorrow.

[ticklemejoviemo]

Awesome, thanks! I've gotta do this eventually. Wish you had a few pics though even though it's pretty self explanatory

[Mach Tuck]

Since I was solo I didn't do pics, if you have any questions PM me and I'll give you my number. FYI. I have a sunroof delete.

[ticklemejoviemo]

even better, i also have a sunroof delete will def. get in touch when I tackle that

[Mach Tuck]

Great. It was not as bad as I thought it would be.

[ticklemejoviemo]

everytime I've looked at it I'm thinking thats gunna take foreverrrr. this puts my mind at ease. assuming pillars and stuff clip in?

[Mach Tuck]

Haven't been able to link anything from Photobucket lately so here's some Low Res pics.

HeadlinerSLRes.jpeg

MLighterSLRes.jpeg

GDOpenerSLRes.jpeg

[328 Power 04]

Uuuu, that's a whole lot more work than I expected. I did this with my E36 328is parked in front of a downtown's dealer's parts department in about 20 mins, as I didn't have access to a truck to carry the OEM headliner home.

Thanks for these tips, will do black alcantara to my coupe sometime (much) later.

[JoshS]

Clever. I removed my headliner when I converted the car to a race car in '06. I'm the one who always said it couldn't be done out the door, that it had to either be folded and go out the hatch, or it could go out the windshield intact.

But I never even considered letting the door open farther, that's quite clever.

[Mach Tuck]

I was actually thinking of removing the door altogether but it was a two man job and I didn't have any help at the time.

[Mr Bingley]

Where there's a will there's a way...

[Mach Tuck]

I've always believed you only fail when you quit trying.

[jajou318]

Awesome. Did you recover it yourself ? I definitely need to have this done.

[Mach Tuck]

I considered recovering it myself, but thought better of it after I got it out. $ 200 for a local shop to recover the headliners and pillars.

[BlueM3Racer]

Job well done, Mach Tuck.

Wanted to piggyback onto one of the recent headliner threads:

I recently had my sagging headliner repaired (in case I forgot my car was an E36 variant residing in Florida). I opted for a black suede fabric and had the A and C pillars covered as well 1. because I wasn't convinced the shop's black fabric material would match my OEM covered pillars & that would have driven me nuts 2. because times like these are always an excuse for an upgrade. It was not cheap but they appear to have done an excellent job. I was told by the owner that they've done one or two Z3 coupes prior and their usual procedure was folding the headliner in half and going out/in via the hatch. I was unable to detect any folds in the newly covered piece and thus am a happy camper. Came with a lifetime warranty as well - on this "keeper" that's actually meaningful to me.

[Vinci]

Nice.

I've was worried that standard-width fabric wouldn't be wide enough to cover a headliner with one piece, but it looks like it is.

[Mach Tuck]

Looks great.

[BlueM3Racer]

Thanks. I also had the shop remove the unsightly airbag stickers on the sun visors. I believe they used mineral spirits to do so.

[KeysCoupe]

My headliner started coming loose while up at Der Schuh last month. I just ordered in the faux suede headliner material to do mine real soon. Thanks for the write-up. It seems all of our South Florida cars are having this issue recently.
I also ordered the same faux suede in platinum (light) grey for my Mini Cooper. That will be the practice run to figure out how to DIY headliners!
-Donny

[2santiago]

Did you use 1 or 2 yards for the Z3 Coupe headliner?

[rf900rkw]

On a related note, does anyone know what holds the sunroof switch into the headliner? Dianna's got shot out right in front of the Zentrum.

[BimmerBreaker]

On a related note, does anyone know what holds the sunroof switch into the headliner? Dianna's got shot out right in front of the Zentrum.

Just pressure fitted, I used a trim removal tool coming in from the driver's side and pried it out. Took very little effort, could probably just pull it out by sliding it to one side and pulling down.

[rf900rkw]

Kay, thanks. This one only requires gravity to come out. Time to get creative.

[kornfeld]

Bumping this up because I'll be having my headliner and pillars recovered soon.

Has anyone here gone with a lighter color for the pillars and headliner? I have an all black interior, and I'm considering going with a mid gray color to lighten it up in there just a bit.

[solimans]

I’m considering a lighter color also, or maybe even a pattern 😬

Would love to see pics