Door inserts

Scooby2 · 01-19-2016, 03:51 AM

Hi guys.

I see some 1ers with two tone door panels. I'm looking to change mine as they are all one colour.

Are the door inserts interchangeable or is the door panel one piece and can't be changed?

Mine are grey and i want to install black inserts. I have a set of all black door cards on the way.

Anybody have some insight if this is do able?

Cheers 🍻

Horigan · 01-20-2016, 11:23 AM

On my 2011 the door inserts are not removable.

Pig Farmer · 01-20-2016, 05:42 PM

I recently ripped apart a rear door panel and can confirm that the inserts are glued to the vinyl covering the whole door panel. If you wanted to go through the hassle, you could carefully cut around the inserts with a razor blade (inside the groove they are pressed into) and then carefully peel the inserts off the door card. I would cut an X in the middle of the insert and peel toward the groove. From there you could glue custom inserts onto the door car and roll and press the edges into the groove.

Pig Farmer · 01-20-2016, 05:57 PM

Attached is a picture of the rear door panel with all of the vinyl peeled off. There's a thin layer of foam between the plastic door panel and the vinyl which makes peeling off the vinyl pretty easy. The groove is slightly less than 5mm wide once the insert is removed.

Scooby2 · 01-21-2016, 08:55 AM

Thanks pig farmer. That's very useful information.
I had a quote from a car upholstery shop. $800 Aus for them to put new leather/vinyl on in a different colour.

I think that's my best option. Let the professionals do it.

admirable · 01-23-2016, 04:55 AM

Hey Scooby, what was the $800 quoted for?
I'm wanting to change my door inserts and arm rests to match the AW... I'm also in Perth!

BikeNHV · 08-29-2022, 08:14 PM

Sorry for the old thread bump, but wondering if anyone has successfully done this.

Reason I ask - I have a coral red interior swap ready to go. However, the passenger front door panel was damaged in transit. Red insert is fine, panel is damaged.

My original door panels w/ black inserts are in good shape. It would be great to swap the one red insert from the damaged panel, onto my original passenger front panel.

01-19-2016, 03:51 AM	#1
Scooby2 Private 5 Rep 63 Posts Drives: 135i my09 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Perth iTrader: (0)	Door inserts Hi guys. I see some 1ers with two tone door panels. I'm looking to change mine as they are all one colour. Are the door inserts interchangeable or is the door panel one piece and can't be changed? Mine are grey and i want to install black inserts. I have a set of all black door cards on the way. Anybody have some insight if this is do able? Cheers 🍻
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01-20-2016, 11:23 AM	#2
Horigan Private First Class 23 Rep 110 Posts Drives: 2011 135i M-Sport Join Date: May 2013 Location: Seattle WA, USA iTrader: (0)	On my 2011 the door inserts are not removable.
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01-20-2016, 05:42 PM	#3
Pig Farmer Major 340 Rep 1,293 Posts Drives: E92M Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	I recently ripped apart a rear door panel and can confirm that the inserts are glued to the vinyl covering the whole door panel. If you wanted to go through the hassle, you could carefully cut around the inserts with a razor blade (inside the groove they are pressed into) and then carefully peel the inserts off the door card. I would cut an X in the middle of the insert and peel toward the groove. From there you could glue custom inserts onto the door car and roll and press the edges into the groove.
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01-20-2016, 05:57 PM	#4
Pig Farmer Major 340 Rep 1,293 Posts Drives: E92M Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	Attached is a picture of the rear door panel with all of the vinyl peeled off. There's a thin layer of foam between the plastic door panel and the vinyl which makes peeling off the vinyl pretty easy. The groove is slightly less than 5mm wide once the insert is removed. Attached Images
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01-21-2016, 08:55 AM	#5
Scooby2 Private 5 Rep 63 Posts Drives: 135i my09 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Perth iTrader: (0)	Thanks pig farmer. That's very useful information. I had a quote from a car upholstery shop. $800 Aus for them to put new leather/vinyl on in a different colour. I think that's my best option. Let the professionals do it.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-23-2016, 04:55 AM	#6
admirable Private 5 Rep 92 Posts Drives: 2009 6MT BMW 135i Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Perth, Australia iTrader: (1)	Hey Scooby, what was the $800 quoted for? I'm wanting to change my door inserts and arm rests to match the AW... I'm also in Perth!
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08-29-2022, 08:14 PM	#7
BikeNHV Private First Class 131 Rep 185 Posts Drives: 128i, F-350, Cooper SE Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: CT iTrader: (1)	Sorry for the old thread bump, but wondering if anyone has successfully done this. Reason I ask - I have a coral red interior swap ready to go. However, the passenger front door panel was damaged in transit. Red insert is fine, panel is damaged. My original door panels w/ black inserts are in good shape. It would be great to swap the one red insert from the damaged panel, onto my original passenger front panel. __________________ 09 128i 6MT Base N51\|147k BMWP and M parts mashup, plus some E36 wheels. 97 F-350 460ci Big Block 5MT 4x4 23 Battery-powered MINI
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