Interior parts carbon wrap - just plain tacky or acceptable ?

[gramey]

The one thing that's been bugging me ever since I bought my SL350 is the horrible silver trim on the centre console and door panels.
So my options are source some second hand wood trimmed pieces, most of which are so shiny as to look like plastic, in my opinion, or wrap them in matte carbon fibre vinyl.
Your thoughts would be appreciated before I do something considered completely tasteless, my interior is grey and black by the way so not thinking of putting it in a car with light interior and shying away from the gloss wrap.

 

[RhodieBill]

I have to say, if it was me I would do the same.... I hate that silver Trim that appears in quite a few models - the w209 clk Avantgarde being one of them.... Yuk!

 

[Wighty]

I agree , I think wrapping the trim could be an improvement , especially as "you" don't like it

 

[Blobcat]

Television sprayed his black and the thread is on here if you do a search.

 

[flowrider]

Fake carbon fibre is a bit tacky but lots of people have it and done well it can look quite realistic, but if you are going to wrap why not think a bit different maybe a satin black or subtle leather effect. What about seeing if you can colour match the console. I'm sure there are better options than carbon fibre effect.

 

[LostKiwi]

Carbon can look very tacky if poorly done.
All the waves need to align perfectly otherwise it just looks wrong.

 

[LostKiwi]

This ours (Malcolm's)

 

[alexanderfoti]

You could also do a brushed metal effect, or hydrodipping in many different flavours!

Have a look at the 3m vynl catalogue for ideas.

 

[davidsl500]

I was watching an old episode of wheeler dealers and they did bits of a range rover interior here

 

[gramey]

Carbon can look very tacky if poorly done.
All the waves need to align perfectly otherwise it just looks wrong.

I should be able to do it without the need for unnecessary cutting as they're all relatively straightforward parts without any really awkward curves of recesses. I quite like the lighter wood trim as the darker woods are usually so shiny as to almost look as if they're fake in themselves. Unfortunately people seem to want fairly silly money for them when they do come up, £300+ for the three pieces and £100+ for a wooden gear shift.
Personally I think in itself the silver looks like an attempt to reproduce a silver carbon finish with the pattern that's on it, I guess if I try the carbon and don't like it then it will be back out with the heat gun and strip it off?

 

[flowrider]

This ours (Malcolm's)

View attachment 48623

That looks nice, and done well too.

 

[bembo449]

I did this on my old 530 bmw , it looked great , I did use a top quality wrap though

 

[LostKiwi]

I should be able to do it without the need for unnecessary cutting as they're all relatively straightforward parts without any really awkward curves of recesses. I quite like the lighter wood trim as the darker woods are usually so shiny as to almost look as if they're fake in themselves. Unfortunately people seem to want fairly silly money for them when they do come up, £300+ for the three pieces and £100+ for a wooden gear shift.
Personally I think in itself the silver looks like an attempt to reproduce a silver carbon finish with the pattern that's on it, I guess if I try the carbon and don't like it then it will be back out with the heat gun and strip it off?

The bit I posted a pic of is quite complex as you have a recess and a raised curve in very close proximity.
If you do use a wrap use adhesive primer to ensure it doesn't lift with hot sunlight on it. Only thing then is it can be a sod to get off and you have to get it straight first time....

 

[gramey]

I was watching an old episode of wheeler dealers and they did bits of a range rover interior here

I saw that episode and anything must look better than the awful blue that the PO had!

 

[gramey]

This ours (Malcolm's)

View attachment 48623

Sorry to be picky but there's quite a bit of light reflection, I assume that is gloss rather than matte black and it's painted rather than wrapped?

 

[gramey]

I did this on my old 530 bmw , it looked great , I did use a top quality wrap though

Which did you use, 3M or another brand, strangely enough I was told that the 3M isn't particularly suited to awkward shapes, though the centre console and door trims aren't particularly complex shapes.

 

[LostKiwi]

Sorry to be picky but there's quite a bit of light reflection, I assume that is gloss rather than matte black and it's painted rather than wrapped?

Yes Malcolm painted it gloss black (like a piano gloss).
Some years ago I carbon wrapped the dash and door trims on my Saab 9-3. They started lifting on the corners after 6 months so I had to redo them using adhesive primer.

 

[gramey]

An absolute bargain for apparently genuine carbon fibre - special offer of £999 or the centre console and door trims! - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes...=333047092473de12a6a13db14c5a98fabb119237e991

 

[LostKiwi]

An absolute bargain for apparently genuine carbon fibre - special offer of £999 or the centre console and door trims! - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-SL-R230-Carbon-Fiber-Fibre-Interior-Part-Kit-Not-Complete-Set/333047092473?hash=item4d8b2754f9&enc=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&checksum=333047092473de12a6a13db14c5a98fabb119237e991

Read it again... The full kit is near enough £2k!!!

 

[gramey]

Read it again... The full kit is near enough £2k!!!

I got that Alastair, I quoted the price for the three pieces I'm looking at doing, I think I'll leave those to you V8 owners with deep pockets.