Good looking dashboard cover: impossible request?

[Swreck]

Hi all.
I have a '99 Boxster with a black leather dashboard. It has mostly been garaged, but saw its fair share of sun.

The front edge of the top of the dashboard is starting to peel back. So you see a bit of a bubble and a half-inch strip of grey foam padding when you look in from the windshield. I hope you can help me with options.

The quotes I've gotten on replacing the leather dashboard top surface are $5000. The upholstery folks who put on the new top said shipping the new part from Germany was so expensive, so they recommend covering with a new piece of leather. But it ends up being about the same cost. A place I trust set simply the labor of removing and replacing the part at $1800.

I love the car, but that seems like a big investment for a '99.

As you know, lots of companies sell dashboard covers for Boxster's, tailored by specific year. I've seen carpet and suede covers for sale online ranging from $50-$300.

My question is: Do any of you know of any dashboard top cover for a black leather interior that would actually look good?

Please let me know. I just put a new top on the car (glass window!) and otherwise it looks great. With the new top, I figured I had a good 10 more years with my favorite car... and now this. Help please!

[madmodz]

Upholstery guys don't make much, the owners of the shop do. I slipped my number to an uphostery guy at a shop and he has done both my boxsters. He did my dash for 200 bucks in alcantara I supplied with red stitching. Score!

[Porsche9]

Originally Posted by madmodz

Upholstery guys don't make much, the owners of the shop do. I slipped my number to an uphostery guy at a shop and he has done both my boxsters. He did my dash for 200 bucks in alcantara I supplied with red stitching. Score!

I'm in the area. Can you slip me your guys number? I looking to get a bunch interior upgrades done. Thanks.

[madmodz]

Originally Posted by Porsche9

I'm in the area. Can you slip me your guys number? I looking to get a bunch interior upgrades done. Thanks.

Sure man, but I can't guarantee he will charge you the same. But I'm sure he is much cheaper then any shop.

[martsink]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANE0dueAXSI

[madmodz]

The guy in the video is using vinyl, which is easier to do. You can heat it up with a heat gun and use a steamer to remove wrinkles. Much harder with leather. You wont be able to do the boxster or 911 dash without removing it. Those little (3) strips are bolted on the back, and need to be removed. You can only get to them from the the back of the dash. I highly recommend you get it stitched. My 911 has alcantara with no stitching, and my boxster with the stitching looks so much better. It gives it that supercar look.

Here is a customer car that I'm doing an alarm on, it 's alcantara with white stitching:



Here is my boxster with red stitching. Excuse the mess I'm adding a AEM temp gauge. Currently painting my bezel rings. I just finished the double din, alarm and dual camerasetup. Sub box is just there for testing

[njbray]

If the stitching is not straight / professional looking - it's always going to look a bit naf!
Just my opinion.

[Bobiam]

I had the same problem in the light grey color. I found a car that was being parted out in my color, but it's done in vinyl. I bought the dash and installed it. A top notch car show judge may detect that but the average person would never know. Looks great now and only cost me several hundred $s ($550, I think). Dash replacement is a tough job. Need tons of time and patience (and take plenty of photos).
I'm thinking that you could replace yours with any color and have it recolored to black. Definitely the cheapest solution. It's an old car. You just want it to look good.

ps Leather taken from the flat bottom of the original dash is now covering my armrests.