my budget luxury interior

[William]

what does everyone think of this:

kit the inside of my car which is standard with mtec leather/wheel/knob with all the chrome accessories you see on motormec's website - heater knobs, clock surrouns, gear/switch surrounds, chrome rings, handbrake button etc. Does anyone think this would update the interior or make it look gaudy and tacky? It would cost around Ԛ£100 all in I rekon, bear in mind that this in a 318i that I don't want to retrim (thats what I will do with my next car) as I am saving all major mods for when I have a 325/7/8.

Which leads on to my second question (bear with me it gets better...)

When I have got my full NCB and bought my dream machine, a mint mteched cabby shell, fitted out with a new engine, custom interior, dynamatted etc, is there a place within a reasonable budget that would fit a whole new dash to bring the car more up to date. I'm thinking no dashes after the e36 would even near fit, so it would have to be a custom job, just think the idea of an e30 with a modern dash would be a dream come true. The switch gear, plastic panels and dials/knobs etc tend to make the e30 feel a bit dated, how possible is this radical idea?? (Just thinking of integrating screens (sat nav) and switches etc with the car's original wiring, a nightmare someone would take on???)

a long one I know but if anyone has any ideas, pics of existing custom jobs or anything I'd love to see/hear it all..

thanks a lot guys

[andrewe30m3]

e36 dash fits i believe, have seen a couple in total bMW mag, however you've got to get one with regular dials, as the ones like my e36 have dual climate control and i dont think you'll have much lucky connectng the climate system up.

good luck tho, i really like the late e36 dash boards - although IMO the E30 is a well desgned dash, especially when you look at something like an A reg escort RS or something similar.

[Gwynleym10]

I belive someone in the states has fited an e46 dash. E36m3 Vadour seats do look good in an e30.

Don't bother wasting your money on bits of tacky chrome, it will never look right, especailly if you over do it.

I agree with Andrew, the e30 dash is really rather good, including the switch gear , far better than equivelent ford or golf and especailly Nova...

Also If you put loads of extra toys/comfort making things etc etc just think how much more the car will weigh. You will loose some handling characteristics as well, which to me is the point of the E30 otherwise you might as well save some money and buy a e36/e46. Do you really need sat nav? Why can't you read a map? is not that hard...! It will only get you lost in the end!

[William]

thanks chaps, i agree the e30 dash is very well laid out, and compared to its contemporaries, looks very good, but i musing on the possibility of a newer dash. in time then if someone has already done it, i would love to put an e46 dash in an e30, they're only a few years old, would look awesome i rekon. might still go for the chrome rings and gear lever surround though as I think they would be a nice touch but not too much.

gwynley/andrew, you wouldn't happen to know where i could see or find out about these e36/46 dash conversions do you??

thanks again