Headliner Help in Chicago/North Shore area

[Staszek]

So I am considering redoing my headliner with something darker, like a dark gray or black suede like material. My headliner isnt too bad, its just there are some areas that are pushed in a bit, and the rear pillars are eh, not horrible just not perfect.

Here is the part where I need help. I do not want to do this. Mechanical i can do all day long, I have neither the patients or precision to do upholstery type work. Anyone in the Chicago/North Shore area that wants to help me do this (or do it lol). I will pay you.

[NordmanMg]

Did you bought the material already?

[setconstr]

The hardest part is getting the old Orange goo off it's mixture of the foam backing and adhesive, a mess. I found for me the best way was putting a drop cloth down setting it on saw horses the using my Heat gun and a paint scraper ...... Funny part after all that I bought a new headliner and pillar covers from South Atlanta BMW for $1900.00 plus $39.00 for shipping to So Cal . Took me about 2 hours to put it all back in

[NordmanMg]

The hardest part is getting the old Orange goo off it's mixture of the foam backing and adhesive, a mess. I found for me the best way was putting a drop cloth down setting it on saw horses the using my Heat gun and a paint scraper ...... Funny part after all that I bought a new headliner and pillar covers from South Atlanta BMW for $1900.00 plus $39.00 for shipping to So Cal . Took me about 2 hours to put it all back in

Holly smokes man, 1900 is way to much. Only way I’d pay that much would be a sunroof-less headliner to delete my sunroof. I recently reupholstered my headliner with foambacked suede, and it’s not that bad. I sprayed it with windex and it comes easier

[Staszek]

Did you bought the material already?

Not yet, still thinking about it, a member on the board has left over from when he did his I may pick that up. Mine isnt that bad actually its fine so I would not pay $1900 to change it.

[setconstr]

The headliner was $903.00 but I bought all the pillars also that was $1000.00 more, of course it's not worth it but I paid over $50k for my car in 2002 with 7k miles on it and so I decided to keep it from now on and I'm restoring it completely all the mechanics are done and I just put the Zionsville radiator in it. I'm not really driving it to much anymore just bought a 14 Gran Coupe Black with red leather only 17k miles and 4 more years of warranty.

[NordmanMg]

Not yet, still thinking about it, a member on the board has left over from when he did his I may pick that up. Mine isnt that bad actually its fine so I would not pay $1900 to change it.

There was nothing complicated when I did mine, but you need to buy 4.5-5 yds of 1/4 foam backing and then 4.5-5yds of suede to cover headliner, pillars and rear shelve. There is foam backed suede too but I found out that foam make it less stretchy, so you need to put foam first then suede on top. Without foam it won’t look as nice as you would expect

[acspecialists]

Had mine done at a shop in the same old grey stuff for $360. He said it was a PITA and may never do one again. I removed and installed all of the pieces.

[740ilDuke]

Ive just been to hell and back with this.

I recovered my own headliner and it was a pain in the arse. The glue was easy to get off with a medium bristle brush on Amazon by the Chemical Bros. that attaches to a drill. Downside of this, a small area of glue came through the fabric, which made it look.....crappy.

The sunroof area is very difficult to work with in the corners and the sunroof shade panel itself is another fun point. You have to remove the glass
to get that out to change the fabric.

In short, I replaced mine 2 days ago, going from sand-beige to black/tan. I paid a local shop $200 to cover everything in black knit, alcantara wasnt for me.
When i replaced the glass I re-initialized the sunroof and heard two loud pops. The mechanism somehow destroyed itself beyond repair. So yesterday a friend
let me have the entire sunroof system out of his parts car. So I pulled my headliner back out and had to replace the entire assembly, glass included - the pocket - all of it. Of course, now I have a creame sunshade over my head, and black everything else. Glass removal is not hard, and the shade fits a certain way, so I have no idea why it ripped itself apart. What I did learn was that when I go to do this in my 750, I will pay a shop to do that part, or maybe the whole car. I was quoted $600 by a local shop, which seems fair to cover A, B, C pillars, headliner and rear decks. But, it was rewarding to DIY, minus the headaches.

The rear deck is pretty hard to cover as well, specifically the speaker portion. If you have a shop do the rear, let them know you have a rear sunshade (if opted on your car) I had to have that part recovered as the sealed the hole where the shade comes through.

The pillars in the rear are typically very brittle, so be careful when removing those. I had to source a new one due to plastic being basically dust.

Also, the motion sensor block typically breaks when removed, so be ready to snag one. Only about $18 shipped on eBay.

[georgebest]

Had my done in a shop for $900, they did an excellent job (Philadelphia area)

[DorinDav]

There was nothing complicated when I did mine, but you need to buy 4.5-5 yds of 1/4 foam backing and then 4.5-5yds of suede to cover headliner, pillars and rear shelve. There is foam backed suede too but I found out that foam make it less stretchy, so you need to put foam first then suede on top. Without foam it won’t look as nice as you would expect

Where did you buy your materials? I'm ready to order & headliner and all the pieces are out save for the sunroof panel

[setconstr]

https://www.headlinerexpress.com

[NordmanMg]

I ordered from eBay

[absolutezero273]

Ive just been to hell and back with this.

I recovered my own headliner and it was a pain in the arse. The glue was easy to get off with a medium bristle brush on Amazon by the Chemical Bros. that attaches to a drill. Downside of this, a small area of glue came through the fabric, which made it look.....crappy.

The sunroof area is very difficult to work with in the corners and the sunroof shade panel itself is another fun point. You have to remove the glass
to get that out to change the fabric.

In short, I replaced mine 2 days ago, going from sand-beige to black/tan. I paid a local shop $200 to cover everything in black knit, alcantara wasnt for me.
When i replaced the glass I re-initialized the sunroof and heard two loud pops. The mechanism somehow destroyed itself beyond repair. So yesterday a friend
let me have the entire sunroof system out of his parts car. So I pulled my headliner back out and had to replace the entire assembly, glass included - the pocket - all of it. Of course, now I have a creame sunshade over my head, and black everything else. Glass removal is not hard, and the shade fits a certain way, so I have no idea why it ripped itself apart. What I did learn was that when I go to do this in my 750, I will pay a shop to do that part, or maybe the whole car. I was quoted $600 by a local shop, which seems fair to cover A, B, C pillars, headliner and rear decks. But, it was rewarding to DIY, minus the headaches.

The rear deck is pretty hard to cover as well, specifically the speaker portion. If you have a shop do the rear, let them know you have a rear sunshade (if opted on your car) I had to have that part recovered as the sealed the hole where the shade comes through.

The pillars in the rear are typically very brittle, so be careful when removing those. I had to source a new one due to plastic being basically dust.

Also, the motion sensor block typically breaks when removed, so be ready to snag one. Only about $18 shipped on eBay.

Thanks for the tips. Also, what did you use to upholster the rear deck? The same material as the headliner?

I'm gearing up to do my headliner and pillars.

[pavrom]

So I am considering redoing my headliner with something darker, like a dark gray or black suede like material. My headliner isnt too bad, its just there are some areas that are pushed in a bit, and the rear pillars are eh, not horrible just not perfect.

Here is the part where I need help. I do not want to do this. Mechanical i can do all day long, I have neither the patients or precision to do upholstery type work. Anyone in the Chicago/North Shore area that wants to help me do this (or do it lol). I will pay you.

i had mine done in lake bluff il for 3 or 400 including material ... but i did removal and installation myself