crack in dashboard

Post Wed Jan 21, 2015 5:53 pm

Hello,

there is a small crack of about 1 inch in my dashboard. I've had the car 10 months and its not got any bigger. What's the best way to treat/repair it?

Thanks,

Post Wed Jan 21, 2015 7:25 pm

Me too I wanna hear this.

Post Sat Jan 24, 2015 10:43 am

anyone?

Post Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:01 am

Change the dash is the obvious answer. Not a difficult job on an E30.

Post Sat Jan 24, 2015 11:55 am

Oh, I thought I could just fill it with some resin type stuff.

Post Sat Jan 24, 2015 7:57 pm

It doesn't work!

Had my last dash resin filled by a smart repair guy we had at work.

On three attempts it cracked after a few days.

Either change the dash or get it covered...... Suede type fabric has been done before with good results

Post Mon Jan 26, 2015 5:05 pm

There must be a way to prevent this, a lot of E30s are not suffering from this.

Post Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:08 pm

HairyScreech wrote:There must be a way to prevent this.

There is. Park it under cover.

Post Tue Jan 27, 2015 12:48 pm

I was wondering if its actually stuff in the glove box, as it seems to be where the dash is least supported, You think its sun related then?

Post Tue Jan 27, 2015 1:51 pm

Deffo sun related, ever put your hand on top of the dash in hot sunshine? You could not keep it there for more than 1 second! Expansion and contraction (when cold is considerable)

Show cars keep the dash covered. Any repair is at best a bodge and sourcing a perfect dash is the best solution.

Post Tue Jan 27, 2015 2:13 pm

I came across this repair today:

Expanding foam, rubberised spray and paint/plastidip. Quite an involved piece of bodgework and won't last long unless the car is kept under cover, but it's a valid alternative considering the price of uncracked dashboards.

Post Tue Jan 27, 2015 4:51 pm

Flock coating is a possibility,depends on how OEM you are,I guess.

As I have a good dash on my sole remaining E30,and a mint one in my stash,I'm not too worried ATM!

Cause of cracking is certainly sunshine related,just check out similar posts from our friends in Australia and NZ.

Post Tue Jan 27, 2015 5:16 pm

Using a reflective windscreen sunshade really makes a difference in the hot summer and keeps the car and dash cool (plus they only cost a few pounds!)

Post Tue Jan 27, 2015 10:20 pm

viz007 wrote:Using a reflective windscreen sunshade really makes a difference in the hot summer and keeps the car and dash cool (plus they only cost a few pounds!)

not practical to use while driving, lol so if you want to drive on a sunny day its going to crack in time. not even a dash mat will stop it so its a heat thing not just UV

Post Wed Jan 28, 2015 8:10 am

reggid wrote:
viz007 wrote:Using a reflective windscreen sunshade really makes a difference in the hot summer and keeps the car and dash cool (plus they only cost a few pounds!)
not practical to use while driving, lol so if you want to drive on a sunny day its going to crack in time. not even a dash mat will stop it so its a heat thing not just UV

Obviously not while driving! I meant while parked in the sun for hours. When first getting back in the car after leaving it in the sun the dash, steering, gear nob etc are almost too hot to touch at times. However when driving with windows open etc they don't get as hot