Alcantara headliner retrofit

[ctr66]

That looks really nice. Great job!
Now I’m anxious to do mine.
How difficult was it to remove the headliner and seat backs?

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by ctr66

That looks really nice. Great job!
Now I'm anxious to do mine.
How difficult was it to remove the headliner and seat backs?

Seat backs were easier than I thought.

The link below explains it well.

Two clips at the very bottom and on Thorx 15 in the seat release handle.

You can use your fingers to get the leather trim off by starting at the sides and then working it around.

I thought the cut outs would be a nightmare to get back on but they weren't.

The only think I've yet to solve is getting a self tapping screw to hold the stubs of the plastic welds that I had drill off and remove the excess plastic with a chisel in order to separate the centre plastic piece from the seat back.

One other poster said he might put the centre piece in carbon and both sides of the. Seat back in alcantara which would look amazing.

I deliberately used T Dex doubled sided tape so if I ever have to take them off or change there will be no spray glue residue


https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...700&page=2

[jaylazy2020]

I used this video as guide to get the trims and roof liner out is the crashed F32.

I think the hardest part is have to jimmy the headliner out of the passenger door

But as the headliner flexes it's doable.

I've yet to wrap the headliner.

I'll do it next week and post a report.

It'll be easy apart from the very back where it curves up to meet the window.

The professional trimmers cut the fabric here and stitch it which I've yet to attempt and wouldn't know where to begin so I'll prob just do a neat cut and overlap.

[jaylazy2020]

Rear head panels only took an hour to do both.

Looks well as it continues from the rear shelf into it.

[ctr66]

I appreciate all the info.
Nicely done!

[M4theWIN1]

I second all the comments - looks amazing! Like others have said though, too bad you weren't local to some of us as we'd be more than happy to pay for a look like this. Very nice sir!

[jaylazy2020]

Photo in the day shows it better

[jtskariah]

Here's another question for you guys. Do you think the alcantara headliner is a appropriate mod on the CS? On a comp or standard M4 it's
seems like a no brainer to me because it looks like what the car "should have been from factory". But for these limited models like the CS/GTS is it "sacrilegious" to make this modification? Only asking because these limited release cars most enthusiasts want as close to stock as possible. I don't want to be making this change and find out that I commuted a fault in the eyes of the community 😂

Before people say "your car your choice" please keep in mind I am an enthusiast just like the rest of us and It's useful to get some opinions from other members of the community to make sure we are doing things the right way. Who knows if I will sell the car way down in the future and the next owner says hell no once they find out I messed with the roots.

Appearance wise, I can only imagine what this looks like in person. You did a incredible job OP, the OEM factory look is exactly what I want if I did this mod. Is the difference significant so far in your eyes and worth the effort? Sometimes it hard to tell in pictures how drastic a change can be.

Also thank you for doing this detailed write up. This is the most detailed guide for this mod that I have seen on the forum so you are setting the way for everybody that wants to DIY this project. That being said, I will probably get someone with experience to help out if I go through with this upgrade. The headliner would be the rate limiting factor which I would definitely need professional help for. l found some spots in my area and will be asking questions.

I may use the exact alcantara that you used for your project since it looks perfect. If there are other premium options please let me know, I will pay the extra cost for the best looking alcantara if I go through with this mod

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by jtskariah

Here's another question for you guys. Do you think the alcantara headliner is a appropriate mod on the CS? On a comp or standard M4 it's
seems like a no brainer to me because it looks like what the car "should have been from factory". But for these limited models like the CS/GTS is it "sacrilegious" to make this modification? Only asking because these limited release cars most enthusiasts want as close to stock as possible. I don't want to be making this change and find out that I commuted a fault in the eyes of the community 😂

Before people say "your car your choice" please keep in mind I am an enthusiast just like the rest of us and It's useful to get some opinions from other members of the community to make sure we are doing things the right way. Who knows if I will sell the car way down in the future and the next owner says hell no once they find out I messed with the roots.

Appearance wise, I can only imagine what this looks like in person. You did a incredible job OP, the OEM factory look is exactly what I want if I did this mod. Is the difference significant so far in your eyes and worth the effort? Sometimes it hard to tell in pictures how drastic a change can be.

Also thank you for doing this detailed write up. This is the most detailed guide for this mod that I have seen on the forum so you are setting the way for everybody that wants to DIY this project. That being said, I will probably get someone with experience to help out if I go through with this upgrade. The headliner would be the rate limiting factor which I would definitely need professional help for. l found some spots in my area and will be asking questions.

I may use the exact alcantara that you used for your project since it looks perfect. If there are other premium options please let me know, I will pay the extra cost for the best looking alcantara if I go through with this mod

You raise an interesting point and I think making changes or mods only really becomes sensitive when it's a CS.

But the video below which gave me the idea in the first place stresses that the original arm rest is kept to retain the lightweight character of the car for the future.

As far as adding alcantara Dave the Trimmer in the same video notes that the standard trim let's the car down a bit as it's the same as any 420d coupe F32.

Furthermore it's an option on the F90 M5 and even a €1200 option on new G30 520d !

So I think it should have been standard on an M4.


The company that I bought the material from were very good as they sent me a variety of colours as samples before I decided on 9002 charcoal.

Ironically the black one that comes in the M5 F90 actually looks cheap compared to the charcoal

https://www.boyriven.co.uk/

[jaylazy2020]

To answer the last question, adding the alcantara really really is worth it.

It's just so much more nice to touch and as Calvin said the view in the rear mirror of the alcantara rear shelf is great.

It shouldn't make much difference but somehow it does.

The last piece for me to do is the headliner

Can't wait to do it but there is no panic as the existing blends quite well to the A pillar and sun visor.

[jaylazy2020]

Passenger side.

[jaylazy2020]

Picture showing 4 samples are

Black then slate Grey in the top right hand corner.

Bottom left is charcoal and bottom right is Grey

Second picture is a close up to show how charcoal 9002 compares to black

[jaylazy2020]

Started the headliner.

I bought a small steam gun for clothes it put too much moisture in the fabric so I got a heat gun and it's working better when it comes to shaping the material around the curves.

It's still seriously hard work though!

[Theruleslawyer]

Might as well put in the starlight setup while its out.

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by Theruleslawyer

Might as well put in the starlight setup while its out.

Funny you should say that as my 10 year old daughter asked me if I could put lights in the roof!

[val580]

Hi,

What type of alcantara did you use ? the normal or the "FR" one from the website ?

Also I noticed I don't have grey color but black one on my car ( anthracite option opt-out ??) .

What do you think ? black alcantara ?

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by jtskariah

Here's another question for you guys. Do you think the alcantara headliner is a appropriate mod on the CS? On a comp or standard M4 it's
seems like a no brainer to me because it looks like what the car "should have been from factory". But for these limited models like the CS/GTS is it "sacrilegious" to make this modification? Only asking because these limited release cars most enthusiasts want as close to stock as possible. I don't want to be making this change and find out that I commuted a fault in the eyes of the community 😂

Before people say "your car your choice" please keep in mind I am an enthusiast just like the rest of us and It's useful to get some opinions from other members of the community to make sure we are doing things the right way. Who knows if I will sell the car way down in the future and the next owner says hell no once they find out I messed with the roots.

As a former F80CS and current F82GTS owner, I can say adding more alcantara bits (yes, including the headliner) can only compliment the look of these special editions!

I don't need to tell you how with the CS and GTS they already went on the adding alcantara route with the dash trim, steering and center trim, and adding more of that will only add to the sense of occasion and specialness of the car, especially if it's as meticulously done as what those pics look like!

...and if you get some joker that wants to use that as negotiation leverage to drive down the price, post a "will trade for stock parts" on those alcantara trims and watch people tripping over themselves to offer up their stock parts.

Long story short, I wish I had the time or this was affordable to farm out locally, I'd totally do it!

[Gray-M4-COMP]

Wow wow wow. This is awesome. I love alcantara on the headliner.

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by val580

Hi,

What type of alcantara did you use ? the normal or the "FR" one from the website ?

Also I noticed I don't have grey color but black one on my car ( anthracite option opt-out ??) .

What do you think ? black alcantara ?

Charcoal 9002 non FR is the one I used as through trial and error I've found a heat gun more effective than a hair dryer. As you bend and mould it with your hands.

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

As a former F80CS and current F82GTS owner, I can say adding more alcantara bits (yes, including the headliner) can only compliment the look of these special editions!

I don't need to tell you how with the CS and GTS they already went on the adding alcantara route with the dash trim, steering and center trim, and adding more of that will only add to the sense of occasion and specialness of the car, especially if it's as meticulously done as what those pics look like!

...and if you get some joker that wants to use that as negotiation leverage to drive down the price, post a "will trade for stock parts" on those alcantara trims and watch people tripping over themselves to offer up their stock parts.

Long story short, I wish I had the time or this was affordable to farm out locally, I'd totally do it!

Just looking at some YouTube guide and being patient I've found it to be quite easy.

I'd never have been able to do it by taking the trim out and then trying to trim it

I managed to find all the pillar trims, rear shelf and headliner from a 2018 F32 in a breakers yard.

Getting the headliner out the drivers front door was tricky.


All in all I've been able to tackle pieces at my leisure and then fit them.

I may end up with a second complete set which I'd happily sell to any member here.

Shipping everything except the headliner would be easy.


As an aside I cleaned the alcantara on the wheel as it was getting shiny.

Feels so much better now.

[val580]

Thanks for replying,

Turns out black = antracite , so we have the same car, your photos looked more greyish maybe.

I got samples from same supplier.

Charcoal is the way to go.

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by val580

Thanks for replying,

Turns out black = antracite , so we have the same car, your photos looked more greyish maybe.

I got samples from same supplier.

Charcoal is the way to go.

I was emailing the professional trimmer that did the F82 CS in the video on my first post and he said he uses 9002, not sure if it is same supplier but the Boyriven alcantara is high quality.

Let me know if you need any help