by "facw" (facw)
Published 05/30/2017 at 19:37
by "facw" (facw)
Published 05/30/2017 at 19:37
No Tags
STARS: 2
So after a nice long drive with the windows down, my headliner has decided that the ceiling sucks, and being ever closer to floor looks like a good idea. I’d like to get this fixed professionally given that a self repair seems complicated and my previous attempt to deal with just the edge resulted in:
Glue on the glass
Glue on parcel shelf
Glue in my eye (wear your safety glasses kids, especially if you are inept!)
The crappy job you can see on the CHMSL.
Ultimate failure to keep the headliner up.
So then I have questions:
Should I just be looking for an automotive upholstery shop?
How much should I expect to spend? I have a sunroof which I assume makes things more complicated?
Is this sort of problem usually dealt with by repairing the existing headliner, or does the whole thing get replaced?
If it gets replaced, will it get replaced with a fabric that doesn’t quite match and bugs the hell out of me?
Any recommendations for Houston?
Thanks for the help. I’ve done some googling, but I’m not finding what I want.
"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
05/30/2017 at 19:45, STARS: 0
I replaced the one in my truck. Pull the board, pull fabric off board, put new fabric on with good glue, then put the whole thing in the car.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
05/30/2017 at 20:03, STARS: 1
I helped replace a headliner on my friend’s old E36. The job lasted for 2 years but fell apart rapidly after that. We weren’t the best upholsterers so that was part of the problem, but I’d pay someone next time.
"E92M3" (E46M3)
05/30/2017 at 20:14, STARS: 1
This is a good time to remind everyone why they should use a sunshade.
Any uphosltery shop should be able to redo it. Usually involves removing the headliner, taking off the old material, using a spray adhesive, lining with new material, drying, and finally reinstalling the headliner.
"facw" (facw)
05/30/2017 at 20:18, STARS: 0
Yeah, I definitely don’t use a sunshade (though I have covered parking at home). The parking lot at work can get up to a few billion degrees though. What really seems to have done it in though is driving at highways speeds with open windows. Especially with the sunroof full open, that’s a lot of buffeting to deal with.
"E92M3" (E46M3)
05/30/2017 at 20:21, STARS: 0
Yeah, that doesn’t help either.
How are your eardrums? Lol
"random001" (random001)
05/30/2017 at 20:34, STARS: 1
An even better time to remind people that convertibles don’t have this problem, so go buy a convertible and give yourself some love.
"Amoore100" (amoore100)
05/30/2017 at 20:57, STARS: 1
MY V50 TOO! P1 Vo’s just have a garbage headliner, IIRC it’s a few hundred to get it done, but we’re lazy and cheap so until it actually obstructs vision we’re not having it done.
"facw" (facw)
05/30/2017 at 20:59, STARS: 1
I’ve definitely noticed similar problems with other first gens. Haven’t observed it on the second-gens, but doesn’t shock me they’d suffer the same problems.
"facw" (facw)
05/30/2017 at 21:11, STARS: 0
Eardrums are good I think? If I only open the sunroof all the way, I get what Volvo describes as “booming noise”, but as long as the windows are down too, I’m happy.
"facw" (facw)
05/30/2017 at 21:12, STARS: 1
This seems like a solid argument to me. I’d like one. Though I think convertibles have other issues.
"Bandit - destroyed his car" (notbandit)
05/30/2017 at 21:12, STARS: 1
My volvo too. Just used pins to hold it up because I’m lazy and its probably expensive.
"MonkeePuzzle" (monkeypuzzle)
05/30/2017 at 21:45, STARS: 0
take it out, strip off the existing fabric, replace with material (about $20 from joanne for foam backed) and spray glue it in.
its about a days work because of drying times
have done it in several cars with no issue or falling after several years
"oldmxer" (oldmxer)
05/30/2017 at 22:16, STARS: 0
on some vehicles nowadays the liner is made of a piece of fiber board, you can take that board out by removing the trim around the edges and strip off the fabric, along with the dome light and grab handles if you have them, we spray painted ours with texture paint closest to the old color and slapped it back in, it looked good enough that no one ever noticed the difference
"V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!" (v8demon)
05/31/2017 at 00:08, STARS: 1
I’ve done a couple of headliners. Pulling it out to replace it will almost assuredly be less messy than trying to fix an edge with it in place. It can be time consuming as you’ll have to remove some trimwork and whatnot as well, but shouldn’t be too difficult. Whether or not you’re gonna do it yourself I think would boil down to if you have the time. For me; I’d spend the $40-50 in materials and do it myself providing the material isn’t anything unique.
Hope this helps.
"random001" (random001)
05/31/2017 at 06:35, STARS: 1
Nope. #convertiblemasterrace
Despite the fact that I really have a Targa, not a convertible...so maybe #targamasterrace?
"AdverseMartyr" (ewilliamson)
05/31/2017 at 10:42, STARS: 1
If you have the cash, take it to a shop, and have them do it. It’s probably a PITA to get the liner down, and out of a door to work on, than it is to have someone else do it, and they should be able to match the color properly if that is what the shop does.
If you don’t have the cash for someone else to do it, then get the trim out of the way, and all the lights/visors pulled, then invite a buddy to help you for beer, and most likely you will need to take it out through the passenger door with the seat all the way back, and fully reclined (or just take the seat out to make it easier), but it will come out easier with that friend to maneuver it.
Then like others have said, scrub all that old foam off, and lay down your new headliner, cut it x(s) for the openings you need for lights and such, then choose a direction for the spray adhesive, and lay it down.
Have fun getting that PITA back in, and getting the old foam off your clothes.
"" (bignslow)
05/31/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 1
Rip the headliner out.
Once out rip that sagging fabric off.
Using a wire brush clean off all the left over residue until you are down to clean backing board.
Get some new headliner fabric.
Lay headliner fabric over the backing board.
Flip half the material over and spay it with headliner glue. Also spray half the board with glue.
Wait until glue is tacky then flip the material back onto the board.
Work out any air bubbles.
Repeat for second half.