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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Cosmetic and Lighting Modifications (exterior/interior) > E92 Gray Interior to Red/Saddle Brown



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      06-14-2020, 01:45 PM   #1
wes.myers
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E92 Gray Interior to Red/Saddle Brown

I just bought an E92 2008 BMW 335i for a steal, but it has gray interior 🤢. I have been searching for interiors to swap but there really aren't that many options out there for a good price. My idea is to do it in stages.

I found a guy willing to sell me black door panels, carpet, center console, and rear seats for cheap. Have any of yall swapped out carpet and door panels and kept the gray seats? To me, it would give the interior a much cleaner look while I saved up for the next stage.

For the next stage, I have a few options:
  1. Find black seats and dye them either Red or Saddle Brown
  2. Find Red/Saddle Brown seats and center console
  3. Dye my gray seats

The issue with #3 is that I would still have the gray plastic pieces. Is there any DIY solutions for making those black that isn't going to start flaking or look cheap?

Let me know if you guys have experience with any of this and what yall think. Thanks!

Last edited by wes.myers; 06-14-2020 at 02:00 PM..
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      06-14-2020, 02:08 PM   #2
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My E46 had a gray interior and it was bland. If you're committed to black, I would take the guy up on his offer and install the parts. In time, you may find a deal on the front seats but what about the glove box and other bits? There are new seat covers from LSeats and other that was bombarding the forum a few weeks ago but I'd have an Upholsterer swap them out. Like most things in life, it's all about your budget.
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      06-14-2020, 02:18 PM   #3
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My thoughts on putting black carpet, door panels, and the center console is to make the gray seats pop a little more. I don't hate the interior but it is a bit boring. My budget is currently tied up in putting in new injectors, VCG, oil change, and some other preventative maintenance/mods to make sure the car is sound before I start doing cosmetic work. I believe I can just get this bottom half of the dashboard swapped out if I'm not mistaken.

I feel like getting an upholsterer to swap them out will blow my budget pretty quick. I know there is a kit for our BMWs for dying the leather, and from all accounts it appears to be high quality - it feels and looks OEM. But that doesn't help with the gray trim on the seats. I saw a video where a guy just wraps his in suede, but I don't have much experience with doing that and feel it will look janky even if installed perfectly.
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      06-14-2020, 02:58 PM   #4
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A member dyed his interior red and made a thread, it’s an amazing process and I certainly do not have the patience but you might. If it were me, I would think about new covers and do homework on it before attempting. If done right, the gray covers may be sold to recoup a little on the project.
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      06-14-2020, 03:31 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tcphoto View Post
A member dyed his interior red and made a thread, it’s an amazing process and I certainly do not have the patience but you might. If it were me, I would think about new covers and do homework on it before attempting. If done right, the gray covers may be sold to recoup a little on the project.
I checked LSeat, but they don't have covers for the back seats unfortunately. I emailed Mashimarho about their leather dye kit to see if it can be applied to the textured plastic found on the lower dashboard, glove box, center console, and seat back. I'll update when I get an answer back from them.

Another option I found is using a thicker vinyl to wrap onto the backs of the gray seats before dying. There is a product by 3M called Di Noc that some say will work for wrapping this material. I may order some of that to try it out.
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      06-15-2020, 01:57 AM   #6
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I decided I am going to go with option #3. I now have all black door panels, floor trim, and center console.

Found a product called ColorBond that is essentially spray paint for your interior. They have BMW OEM black paint that can be sprayed onto the plastic and dries in 45 seconds. A can is $16.95 and is said to cover 4.5 sq. feet. I am going to try a can out and see if I can recolor the bottom half of the dash and the seat trim.

First, I am going to get the new injectors and valve cover gasket installed and ensure that the car is running good before I pull the trigger on the dye kit and paint.

I am going to be posting before pictures tomorrow, so stay tuned.
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      06-15-2020, 02:04 AM   #7
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Also, I am considering applying the leather dye with an air gun, so if y'all have any recommendations on an inexpensive air gun that will do the job, please let me know.
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      06-15-2020, 10:33 AM   #8
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This thread from member scanspeak is the standard for dying interiors. The pictures seem to be missing but there is a lot of knowledge in the thread. If you have a source for backseats the seat covers for the front will work. Good luck to you.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1220288
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