Is Wood Trim Really Wood?

[cowrunner]

Is the Gray Poplar and Walnut Wood Trim real wood or, manmade??? I spotted a an original 2002 with a Wood Dash (The wood looked like wood) It caused me to ask if the wood trim in a BMW is real or, man made. Does anyone know?

[BlackjackMulligan]

yes it is genuine wood

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by BlackjackMulligan

yes it is genuine wood

Its just super laminated.

[jibaholic101]

i wish they would give us the option for the raw wood without any laminate on it. my grandfathers designo CLS had it, and it was soooo gorgeous

[ChrisK]

I have the Walnut Wood Trim, and it adds a touch of class to the interior. You don't always drive your 1er live a rocket

[turner23]

As stated, wood trim is real wood. Not very much wood, but very thin pieces called veneers. Most of the wood in your BMW comes from Bulke Veneer Co. right here in Cincinnati. Bulke also makes the wood veneers for Mercedes, hotels, and other global industries.

Being a woodworker in my spare time I greatly appreciate the beauty of the wood. But you can easily spot real wood by how the figured grain seems to move as you look at it with changing light.

[KingOfJericho]

Wood belongs in a hunting lodge, not a sports car...

[JimD]

One of only two options I got on my e88 was walnut interior trim. I briefly thought of getting the black trim - it doesn't look bad even though it is just plastic - but my son convinced me that I needed the wood. My main hobby is woodworking. Fake wood they can keep, I'd rather have plastic that looks like plastic.

The finish over the wood makes what you touch effectively plastic in the BMW but that is probably necessary for durability. A less thick finish that would let the grain come through a little better would be more easily damaged. Oil finish would be very impractical in a car. You'd have to sand it down and refinish it periodically. Not many car owners would do that and so it would look like heck.

The walnut in the 1 doesn't seem as figured to me as what I've seen in 3s. I think we may get the lower grade wood. But at least it's wood. Mine is certainly not burl, however.

The poplar is figured and is unusally figured. I didn't get poplar largely out of prejudice. I use poplar for things that will be painted and for inside of drawers. It is less than $2/bd ft - about the cheapest hardwood at least around here. Walnut is a historic fine furniture wood from colonial times and before. It is also used in the finest gunstocks. My living room furniture is solid walnut. Walnut goes for around $6/bd ft. The birdseye figure in the poplar and the stain they put on it makes it attractive, however. And the finish helps to make up for the fact that poplar is relatively soft so it would be more easily damaged. At the thickness of the veneer, you are depending on the plastic under and over the wood with the wood purely cosmetic. But nice wood is my kind of cosmetic.

Jim

[TMR013]

Originally Posted by turner23

As stated, wood trim is real wood. Not very much wood, but very thin pieces called veneers. Most of the wood in your BMW comes from Bulke Veneer Co. right here in Cincinnati. Bulke also makes the wood veneers for Mercedes, hotels, and other global industries.

Being a woodworker in my spare time I greatly appreciate the beauty of the wood. But you can easily spot real wood by how the figured grain seems to move as you look at it with changing light.

It can't be that thin. If you look at the door handles and the wood around the shifter it actually looks thicker than it needs to be I always assumed that was to fit the wood.

[Absorber]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Wood belongs in a hunting lodge, not a sports car...

Agreed!

[BrokenVert]

Piano Black FTW!

[rawbert54]

i was told BMW and Mercedes actually grow the wood they use themselves and that is the only "Part" they share

[CoolToolGuy]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Wood belongs in a hunting lodge, not a sports car...

Tell that to Peter Morgan. . .

Have Fun,
Rick

[MOCKBA]

No real wood, it is safety feature, if wood cracks it can harm you. However car makers use real wood for cars which price is over 150 grands.
I guess all of us are good with veneer most furniture manufactures use nowadays.

[turner23]

Originally Posted by TMR013

It can't be that thin. If you look at the door handles and the wood around the shifter it actually looks thicker than it needs to be I always assumed that was to fit the wood.

Depending on location in the car the wood is between 1/8" - 1/4" thick, but there is a healthy coat of urethane or epoxy over it all for durability and glossy shine.

[NYC6]

Kind of a stretch calling the 128/135 "Sports Cars"

Cant get link to work but Porsches new 911's(info direct from their website) have an expensive option of Ebony wood interiors. Dont think anyone would doubt they arent true Sports Cars.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by NYC6

Kind of a stretch calling the 128/135 "Sports Cars"

I think its a streach calling any 1er a sports car.


They are very good GTs...but not all out sports cars.

[KingOfJericho]

Perhaps "Sporty Car" is a better category. Having owned a real sports car the difference is obvious but it's still not a cushy luxury car which is the only place I would like to see wood in an automobile. Cadillac, S-Class, 7er, fine... but not in a 135i.

[BlackjackMulligan]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Wood belongs in a hunting lodge, not a sports car...

Quite the contrary....most of the best sports cars in history had wood of some sort....on the dash, the steering wheel, shift knob, etc:

1961 Ferrari 250 GT
1967 Jaguar XKE
1967 Alfa Romeo Spider

etc, etc

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by BlackjackMulligan

Quite the contrary....most of the best sports cars in history had wood of some sort....on the dash, the steering wheel, shift knob, etc:

1961 Ferrari 250 GT
1967 Jaguar XKE
1967 Alfa Romeo Spider

etc, etc

Check out the model years on those cars...

[ChrisK]

Wood and Sports Cars go hand in hand

[BlackjackMulligan]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Check out the model years on those cars...

Check out the values of those cars....