Center console repair/replacement options?

The center console on my daughter's 04 325i is looking pretty ratty - a lot of the paint has worn off of the armrest itself, and from the plastic hinge area on it back as well. It's light gray. Can these things be refinished, or are there any available at dismantlers? If so, does anyone have any recommendations? I imagine a new one would cost a small fortune. A repair/replacement would make a nice Christmas present, as the car is in very nice shape otherwise, and this console really downgrades the overall appearance of the car. Thanks.

They are fairly inexpensive. There are two types. with armrest, without armrest...

#7 in this diagram (with armrest)
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...42&hg=51&fg=35

#1 in this diagram (without armrest)
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...41&hg=51&fg=35

Use the part number you find there to query other parts suppliers to order. I did an armrest delete on my 330ci and probably ordered from autohausaz.com IIRC.

Thanks. I didn't bother checking realoem.com, because I just assumed buying these parts new would be prohibitively expensive. I'll do a search on the part numbers as you suggest to see what's available. It would be great if autohausaz had them; I didn't think they carried trim stuff.

One thing confuses me in the first diagram - it points to item 13 being the arm rest, and is listed for something like $134, but also, as you say, item 7 also sounds like a description for the arm rest, for $65.

Also, has anybody removed their center console? I haven't looked into it too closely yet, but there are no obvious visible screws, and I don't see how the armrest comes off of the rest of the console.

Originally Posted by Variocam

One thing confuses me in the first diagram - it points to item 13 being the arm rest, and is listed for something like $134, but also, as you say, item 7 also sounds like a description for the arm rest, for $65.

Part No. 13 is the upholstered top of the armrest.

You can also get an entire armrest retrofit kit that consists of the armrest and base, plus a new center console. You may have to look under the "accessories and retrofittings" section to find them. When I retrofitted an E46 armrest into my E36, I posted part numbers for some of these kits. See the link in my signature.

Originally Posted by Variocam

Also, has anybody removed their center console? I haven't looked into it too closely yet, but there are no obvious visible screws, and I don't see how the armrest comes off of the rest of the console.

The armrest base bolts to the transmission tunnel with three 8mm bolts. You first have to lift the center console up and off of the armrest base in order to access these bolts.

It turns out the arm rest is item 13, and the cheapest one I found was through ECS tuning for $117. But then I ran across this, which looks like it might be a good solution, for only forty bucks:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E-46-CEN...sories&vxp=mtr

Thoughts?

Sorry... I did not read carefully enough. I thought the center console was what has lost the finish. Mine has this problem in a few areas where the seat belts rub.

If you are OK with the possibility the leather will not match 100% to what you have in the car, then $40 is a great option.

Removing the arm rest is pretty easy. Here's a link to a DIY I wrote when I replaced my console to delete the armrest. It was always in my way!

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=216519

Originally Posted by Variocam

It turns out the arm rest is item 13, and the cheapest one I found was through ECS tuning for $117. But then I ran across this, which looks like it might be a good solution, for only forty bucks:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E-46-CEN...sories&vxp=mtr

Thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E-46-CEN...40651872996%26

Same cover for $30, isn't it, with shipping? yours is $43 with shipping. Found this posted as a similar item at the bottom of your listing and it is from the same Poster.

The one you show is vinyl, while the one I found is leather, but it doesn't make any difference; in fact, I would think the vinyl one would match better. Thanks for finding it.

Anyone have any idea as to how difficult it is to install one of these covers so it looks like a factory installation, with no sags, bubbles, or wrinkles? Any tricks to the process? Thanks.