Mk2 Facelift Dashboard Removal for Wrapping

[Dan Gull]

Hi everyone,

I'm Dan - I've just defected from Ford ownership and bought a new Leon FR+ TDI 170 in black. The car should be delivered next week.

The car was great on test drive, everything that my wife and I wanted save for one small detail.

Warning...this one's a little complicated.

My wife suffers from a rare and extremely severe form of migraine, she suffers with colours, flashing lights and patterns. They can cause visual distortions, headaches and seizures.

Now as I'm sure you know - the dash (or rather - the section of dash in front of the passenger seat, above the glovebox) is lightly patterned with a raised design which could make long periods in the car uncomfortable for her. 'Normal' brains wouldn't even necessarily notice the pattern. Just as an example - we had major trouble trying to find a laptop for her recently as there seems to be a new fad of using patterns like this around the trackpad area.

So, why have I purchased a car that she can't drive in comfortably? Because the car is so perfect for us in other ways that we decided it was worth the cost of re-trimming the dash.

Having looked around and approached several trimmers (none of whom have got back to me!) I'm wondering if I can wrap the dash myself. The shape doesn't seem that complicate - the only thing I'm worried about is getting the dash out of the car without doing any damage. I've used the search function and had some hits on mk1 and mk2 dash removal, but nobody seems to have taken out the facelift dash.

Can anyone give me any info or help on this at all?

Many thanks.

 

[robthebubble]

Hi everyone,

I'm Dan - I've just defected from Ford ownership and bought a new Leon FR+ TDI 170 in black. The car should be delivered next week.

The car was great on test drive, everything that my wife and I wanted save for one small detail.

Warning...this one's a little complicated.

My wife suffers from a rare and extremely severe form of migraine, she suffers with colours, flashing lights and patterns. They can cause visual distortions, headaches and seizures.

Now as I'm sure you know - the dash (or rather - the section of dash in front of the passenger seat, above the glovebox) is lightly patterned with a raised design which could make long periods in the car uncomfortable for her. 'Normal' brains wouldn't even necessarily notice the pattern. Just as an example - we had major trouble trying to find a laptop for her recently as there seems to be a new fad of using patterns like this around the trackpad area.

So, why have I purchased a car that she can't drive in comfortably? Because the car is so perfect for us in other ways that we decided it was worth the cost of re-trimming the dash.

Having looked around and approached several trimmers (none of whom have got back to me!) I'm wondering if I can wrap the dash myself. The shape doesn't seem that complicate - the only thing I'm worried about is getting the dash out of the car without doing any damage. I've used the search function and had some hits on mk1 and mk2 dash removal, but nobody seems to have taken out the facelift dash.

Can anyone give me any info or help on this at all?

Many thanks.

Hi Dan, welcome to the forum!

I've never done any wrapping however as the dash is currently got a textured feel to it would wrapping also show up the texture? If not could you perhaps wrap it in situ but removing the easy sections, e.g. Dials, vents, glovebox etc.?

Good luck with what you do!

Rob

 

[Dan Gull]

Hi Rob, thanks for your response and for the welcome.

The texture is so light I would be very surprised if it shows through - but I had had the same thought myself. This is why I originally went with the idea of re-trimming in fabric rather than wrapping (as that seems like it might be 'looser' to me) but I haven't had any luck with trimmers and don't fancy doing that myself.

 

[Jarre]

I don't think the wrap would show the pattern through if i'm honest, my concern would be the wrap getting a good enough gril on the textured surface!

Where are you based? This may help people to point you in a good direction!

 

[Dan Gull]

Hi Jarre - thanks for your insight. I'm in Nuneaton.

 

[Jarre]

I'm near Middlesbrough so won't be able to help you much haha, however i imagine some vehicle body wrappers should be able to do it, if they can wrap a car they should be able go wrap a dashboard.

Check out pw pro, they have a website. They're based in mansfield, so just over an hour from you. He did my window tints, and wrapped many cars, pictures of loads of vehicles on his website!

It might be worth giving him a ring and asking what he thinks about wrapping a leon dashboard and see what he says!

 

[Dan Gull]

Many thanks for that - I have fired off an e-mail asking for help. Always good to get a recommendation.

 

[robthebubble]

Dan, by the sounds of it then you need to look at car customising. There is a place in Coventry which I've just seen, just do a google search. Probably best to make contact with them and other companies. Basically a uk version of Pimp My Ride!