944 centre console lid

[Henry-F]

Just read the post about where to buy another gearshift gaitor and I thought I`d do a quick post on the the bit that fails on every single 944 in the land, the plastic hinge on the centre console just behind the gearshift. I`ve seen that many different ways to repair them and in the olden days even seen people pay £150 for a second hand console complete.

When the 968 was launched they sold you the plastic bit that forms the hinge seperately, (you get the ring under the lid and the shell that forms the basis of the bucket into which you put your tapes etc). And all for the princly sum of around a tenner, available from all good parts suppliers inluding your local OPC.

Probably not news to most owners but just in case there was a 944 owner out there living with a broken lid or about to set off to B&Q to buy some little brass hinges ! (I`ve even seen the lids glued shut permenantly).

Henry

[verychilled]

Thanks Henry. I am in that exact position except my console is completely busted. The original repair has failed so I need a completely new lid. 'Design 911' want £170, I hate to think what the OPC wants. All for a basic lid. Its needs to color match which makes it all the harder. Mines either cobalt or marine blue. This is going to be like finding a needle in a haystack...

[pcn1]

I noted a company called "Prestige parts" does a replacment item to turn the compartment into a cup holder and flat surface for £50.
If they come in cobalt blue I'd get one !
There is a link on one of the reply's to my gearstick gaitor post.

[tertius]

Or just get the Prestige parts replacement (oddments tray and cupholder) in black - thats what I did a great improvement. However, the so-called cupholder is useless (far too shallow) so don't get your hopes up there ...

[pcn1]

So it won't take a Macdonalds "Super size" then !

[tertius]

pcn1 said:

So it won't take a Macdonalds "Super size" then !

well I'm not a regular at McDonalds (probably about 6 or 7 years since I last went) but even if you could fit the base of the "cup" in, the holder was far too shallow to actually hold anything upright. It it is also perfectly placed for your left elbow to clobber it when changing gear.

However, I'd still recommend it - the oddments tray is handy and overall it looks way better than the cassette tray.

[diver944]

The actual hinge mechanism is circa £15 from an OPC.

If you're talking about the vinyl cover itself then thats a different matter (how do you break that tho?), but the hinge unscrews simply from the lid and base then is simple to swapover.

This is one of those parts that a lot of the aftermarket suppliers, Ebay, breakers etc charge an arm and a leg for, but a simple call to the OPC will work wonders

[apusmelba]

thanks for the tip glad i kept my broken lid when a rather large mot tester elbowed it off
didnt say anything in case it got failed/he didnt mention it either
my tip for a pleasant surprise from an opc is the drivers wiper linkage arm at £6
my dream would be a glass sunroof at an affordable price and an oval dash overlay

[verychilled]

My lid had been repaired as the screw mounts had perished. No chance of repair really.