Pillar trim falling off: fix or replace? [Archive] - BMW E46 330 ZHP For Sale Forum

Stu

07-25-2011, 01:55 PM

The oh-so-lovely heat from NC has undone the trim on one of my A pillars and one of my C pillars. I can attempt to glue it back on with 3M spray adhesive, but I don't know how well it will come out.

Should I:

a. Replace the trim pieces for $38 a pop (which isn't too shabby considering the price of most trim pieces)

b. Get some $12 spray adhesive and attempt to glue it back

Any repair stories to tell that'll either drive me away or convince me to repair?

Oli77

07-25-2011, 02:20 PM

I have done the repair twice. The first time I removed A pillars, pulled a good bit of the cover off and reglued with the wrong glue.

Within 2 weeks the loose socks syndrome was back

The second time I found black cloth at a local store and reglued all with the right glue (3M).

DIY here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?3677-Story-of-a-college-kid-s-ZHP&highlight=pillar) there (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?3623-How-to-remove-pillars&highlight=pillar) and here (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?3130-A-Pillar-mod...BMW-E46&highlight=pillar)

Can't find my own pictures, argh...

danewilson77

07-25-2011, 02:22 PM

Imho...just get new ones. I have done both. That is my recommendation.

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Oli77

07-25-2011, 02:24 PM

Redone:

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/othibau/DSC06769.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/othibau/DSC06767.jpg

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/othibau/DSC06768.jpg

Stu

07-25-2011, 04:36 PM

Thanks for the DIY big time. I thought one of those threads looked familiar. I'm going to give the 3M a go. I'll let it dry in the warehouse at work. Worst case scenario I just get a new pillar. I'm still seriously surprised at how cheap it is. You'd think it'd be a $100 part considering the price of most other pieces on the car. Also, the work looks absolutely great. Good color combo, too.

danewilson77

07-25-2011, 05:00 PM

Oli....looks perfect. Just like I had on TiAg. I was happy with the results, as I am sure you are.

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static667

07-25-2011, 05:49 PM

I recovered mine with some fabric that I picked up at Wal-Mart. They came out great, but now I can see that they are starting to fade thanks to the hot, hot sun.

Stu

07-25-2011, 06:00 PM

Edit: does the anthracite headliner from the ZHP have different trim pieces, or do I just get the black pillars?

danewilson77

07-25-2011, 07:36 PM

Edit: does the anthracite headliner from the ZHP have different trim pieces, or do I just get the black pillars?

Schwartz ftw.

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Stu

07-25-2011, 07:44 PM

Schwartz ftw.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S25Zf8svHZQ

danewilson77

07-25-2011, 07:46 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S25Zf8svHZQ

Wow. Caught totally by surprise...lol.

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spencers

07-25-2011, 08:42 PM

I replaced mine for $37 a piece and have yet to see them droop. Can't beat the quality

Wow. Caught totally by surprise...lol.
Schwarz* :biggrin

webster

10-19-2011, 02:55 PM

so i noticed my C pillar liner trim starting to peel and sag. i also checked to see the color of the trim piece underneath. sure enough it's a dark charcoal grey - not that far off from the almost-black of the liner. so i'm thinking, why not just rip the lining off and leave it be? would be a lot less work than buying a new piece or glueing/spraying...is that way tacky or just a little tacky?

i'm all about thoroughness when it comes to maintenance/modding but little stuff like this is annoying and i'd rather spend as little effort on it as possible.

danewilson77

10-19-2011, 02:57 PM

Get new pieces.

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SureShot434

10-19-2011, 03:13 PM

danewilson77

10-19-2011, 03:16 PM

Prolly Tischer or ecs.

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SureShot434

10-19-2011, 03:20 PM

Prolly Tischer or ecs.

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ok thanks

webster

10-19-2011, 05:10 PM

i ripped off the driver side c pillar fabric. it looks pretty crappy but who would ever notice but me? lol. still undecided on whether or not to fix/replace

danewilson77

10-19-2011, 05:18 PM

i ripped off the driver side c pillar fabric. it looks pretty crappy but who would ever notice but me? lol. still undecided on whether or not to fix/replace

You need new pillars to go with sezzy ass pillars.

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SureShot434

10-23-2011, 07:36 AM

i ripped off the driver side c pillar fabric. it looks pretty crappy but who would ever notice but me? lol. still undecided on whether or not to fix/replace

I did the same thing....I'm going to just buy new pillars :)

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Hermes

10-23-2011, 08:57 AM

I'm seriously debating buying some Alcantara and re-doing mine, too bad I have more important things to work on first so this idea is gonna wait a while

webster

10-23-2011, 11:40 AM

yeah i decided i am too. added it to the list.

webster

10-24-2011, 07:59 AM

well that didn't last long. couldn't stand looking at those ugly ass pillars any more. broke down and ordered two new C pillars as well as new dash mounting bracket (mine is scratched up pretty good) from ECS.

danewilson77

10-24-2011, 08:31 AM

webster

10-24-2011, 08:43 AM

it looks ok at night but in daylight it's pretty ghet-toe

Stu

10-24-2011, 12:30 PM

At 38 bucks a pop, I concluded that simply replacing the entire trim pieces is easier to deal with than re-gluing. I've had bad luck with the re-gluing process, and it falls off after a while. That'll be on my list of stuff to fix soon.

danewilson77

10-24-2011, 01:46 PM

Yup. I had fairly good luck gluing mine. In fact I think they came out great. When you factor in the prep time....its just not worth it to me....unless your doing something custom.

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webster

08-21-2012, 02:49 PM

bump...so now my passenger side B pillar trim is peeling. from researching some DIYs it seems the B pillars on coupes are a PITA to replace since you have to deal with the seatbelt thingy and the weather stripping. not to mention a replacement piece is 60 bucks! wtf!

so i think i might try just gluing it back. drivers side is still in perfect shape. what's the best stuff to use...3M adhesive glue? anyone who's done this?

danewilson77

08-21-2012, 02:50 PM

bump...so now my passenger side B pillar trim is peeling. from researching some DIYs it seems the B pillars on coupes are a B****. not to mention a replacement piece is 60 bucks! wtf!

so i think i might try just gluing it back. drivers side is still in perfect shape. what's the best stuff to use...3M adhesive glue? anyone who's done this?

I've used 3M Super 77 Spray adhesive.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

az3579

08-21-2012, 04:50 PM

I'd replace it, but that's the OCD in me.
I'll be replacing my front and rear pillar trims soon. They're ALL peeling or wrinkling. So stupid...

webster

08-22-2012, 04:52 AM

I've used 3M Super 77 Spray adhesive.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

thanks dane. best place to buy?

I'd replace it, but that's the OCD in me.
I'll be replacing my front and rear pillar trims soon. They're ALL peeling or wrinkling. So stupid...

i replaced the C pillars with new ones last year, that was a piece of cake compared to the B pillars though.

danewilson77

08-22-2012, 05:30 AM

thanks dane. best place to buy?

i replaced the C pillars with new ones last year, that was a piece of cake compared to the B pillars though.

I think I got it at Lowes.

derbo

08-22-2012, 07:52 AM

new ones. My 3M adhesive is slowing peeling again at the bottom of the A Pillars. I'm ordering new ones dammit.

bullfrogs_M3

02-06-2013, 11:30 AM

My pillars are falling apart, tried to fix last year with 3M spray as well.

Need to order new ones but ECS is quote $70.99 per pillar damn......... oh well, i'll see if I can repair them again

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Interior/Trim/

Dave1027

02-07-2013, 09:45 AM

Why did BMW have to design these pillars this way? When I was shopping for my car every e46 I looked at had pillar rot. First car I ever saw with this shortcoming. First car with cloth on the pillars. Every other car in the world has plastic on the pillars. I'm wondering what I'm going to do when summer arrives and I begin putting a shade up into the windshield. Those A pillars will shred.

I just had the idea to recover mine (when they go bad) with vinyl upholstery.

KevinC

02-07-2013, 06:15 PM

DDub88

02-10-2013, 02:29 AM

7185 7186 7187 any body have issues with the fabric around the seatbelt pillar comming out? Hate to thread jack but this has become really bad in the last month and drives me nuts everytime I get in the car. I've tried to retuck the fabric back in but it pulls from the other side

BimmerWill

02-10-2013, 06:58 AM

any body have issues with the fabric around the seatbelt pillar comming out? Hate to thread jack but this has become really bad in the last month and drives me nuts everytime I get in the car. I've tried to retuck the fabric back in but it pulls from the other side

Mine are doing that as well. Not really sure what else can be done but buy new b pillars.

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DDub88

02-11-2013, 12:08 PM

I may try some kind of glue solution as long as it wont stain the fabric

bullfrogs_M3

02-11-2013, 12:15 PM

My Z4MC has cloth on the pillars, but it's in utterly perfect condition, despite being exposed to Phoenix summers for 6 years. Obviously better stuff, applied better. The pillars in the E46 has horrendously shitty. I hope they got rid of whoever that supplier was. Should have updated them at some point during the model run, but pretty sure the current ones you can buy today as replacements are the same crappy stuff.

Kevin, you are in Phoenix with me. I am going to try out an upholstry shop that North Scottsdale BMW recommended to fix mine. I'll let you know how it goes, if it works out well, then you can try em out as well. I am going to try to go by there on Friday if I have time, we'll see.

Trim Fit Upholstery 602-353-9991

Dave_B

02-11-2013, 12:37 PM

All pillars in mine are doing the same thing.

How long did the glue last you guys? I'd like to replace eventually, but have more important things I'd like to address on the car first.

Oli77

02-11-2013, 03:06 PM

With the 3M glue on my redone A pillars, I am on 1.6 years, and it still looks as good as new.

I found thin black fabric at a fabric store (they sell the glue there).

See post #4 of this thread for pics.

Dave_B

02-11-2013, 03:34 PM

Those look great!

trancenation

04-04-2018, 09:10 AM

I accidentally got some 3m glue on the surface of my headliner/pillar. Does anyone know the best way to remove it? Maybe a magic eraser?

SaltyNC

04-04-2018, 10:26 AM

3M Adhesive Remover works great. I used it when I re-glued my A & B pillars. I just sprayed a microfiber and rubbed gently. It didn't affect the color or texture of the cloth on the pillars. I didn't have any contact with the headliner, so it may behave differently, but probably would work just the same.

cornercarver

04-12-2018, 11:24 AM

So the exterior trim on my car's C pillar keeps coming off; It seems like the rubber seal of the door keeps pulling at it every time the door is opened and eventually it just pops off. I tried fixing the PS trim but it won't stay. DS came completely off, which is fine because I don't want it to get bent and then I have to buy a new one. The plastic clips which hold it on are affixed to the car with adhesive, on paint no less, so they're never going to stay put.

What's the best way to fix this? I'd take it to a body shop but I suspect it will only be a temporary fix.

Reasoned1

04-12-2018, 01:07 PM

I'd like to know where you can get them for $38? Last I looked, the pillars were like $90 a piece. I wrapped mine (A and C) with 3M vinyl wrap with very good results (could've been better if I'd smoothed the surface more). Be careful, though, the corners are very brittle and weak.