Replacement dash

[page3]

Hi all.

I pick my S3 up on Saturday and one of this things I want to do first is replace the 'wood' dash and side stripes as they are worn and cracked.

I have a quote from David Gerald TVR for £350 plus £200 fitting and of course VAT. They can start work on another panel and so I can just turn up for fitting.

Do you think this is worth it or can I do better? I might see if they'll give me a discount if I get the car serviced there at the same time though - any experiences of them?

I can, of course, fit it myself and save the fitting cost, but I believe this is a fiddly and difficult job so possibly worth the £200.

I'm aware of another company (London Coachworks I believe, from memory) and I'll get a quote from them too.

Any advice most welcome. Oh, I did knock the price of the car down as I thought a replacement dash might cost a bit - not this much though!

[GreenV8S]

I've seen wooden dashes displayed at Tower View and their adverts say they can veneer just about anything. Might be worth getting a price from them? They're in North London, a few hundred yards from the bottom of the M1. 0208 452 6922

[mel-S3]

Had my door cappings veneered by www.chapmanandcliff.co.uk , great blokes, and they did a super job for £50 + p&p, although they did say they were going to put their prices up. Not sure if they would want the job of dismantling and reassembling the dash though, but they are defiantly worth a phone call to check the price.

Have all my spares off David Gerald’s, although never had them do any work, must say never heard anything bad about them and £200 for dismantling and reassembling the dash doesn’t seem to bad a price to me neither.


>> Edited by mel-S3 on Monday 16th June 15:17

[ras3]

Also shopping around - Tower View qouted me £300 for dash refurb (instrument panel and heater panel) and £250 for taking them out and putting them back. All plus VAT. Nick Martin best so far - £130 for the dash refurb only plus VAT. Still a bit scary for 'cosmetics' though...

[no longerTVRless]

I had a choice of two S3s last week - one with crumbly wooden dash, scratches to door and boot, and generally needed small touch ups, but had S3C bonnet etc... second was with leather (early S3) dash, but mint, perfect chassis etc, so I bought the second one (still grinning)

Glad I didn't buy the first one - seller told me a replacement dash was £100 (lying b....!)

I wanted the wooden dash, but now really like the earlier leather one, especially as dash is two-tone + I will never have to replace veneer every 'x' years!

[S3_Steve]

I'm going to a company up the road from me to get laser-cut brush finished stainless steel instrument and switch panels manufactured for my S3. Only problem is I will need to furnish them with a CAD drawing so I have to make a template and measure all the curves etc. Not a problem as I am a design engineer :trustingtoluckandkeepingallfingers&toescrossed: unless anyone has any detailed drawings of course!. Did TVR make any 2 the same?.

[Ballistic Banana]

Just out of interest any of these a Mica red S3 on a H plate, could be my old one.

BB

[gavinjfowler]

I have recently had my S3 re-veneered. Removed and refitted all bits myselfs. Some cuts are still healing! I can mail you details of what to undo if you want but it takes a morning to goet all bits off and same to put them back. I paid a little company called Silver Craft in Staines £350 for all bits to be veneered.

[heathyboy]

Hi Page 3,

Had David Geralds replace my dash about a year ago, similar costs I seem to remember. Was very pleased with it. Also had the door strips done but didn't have wood as I didn't like them, they did it in a blue piping (same as on the seats) - looks lovely.

Also understand that getting the dash out is a nightmare - pay 'em the money, get done right, then forget about it!