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Any good ideas for the compartment button above the radio?


Chromatic

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This is a relatively minor "issue" -- But you know that compartment that pops open with the latch/button above your radio? (where a car with Navigation would have the nav unit?)

 

Here's a picture (not my car).. but I circled the area/button in red I'm talking about:

 

12229225756_08b0d57533.jpg

 

Edit: -- I just noticed that button is a little different than mine. That one you just press it in and it opens. On my 2008 you actually push it and kind of push down to open it (those who have the same button as I do know what I'm talking about.) -- But regardless the "finish" fix would be the same.

 

That button, from just obvious use,.. Is scratched up.. -- Not sure how to fix it.

 

This is what I've tried -- Sharpie (black marker).

 

I THINK I used the black paint pen/marker on it.

 

Looks ok after I do it.. but after using the button once or twice it comes right off.

 

Anyone have any ideas to fix it more permanently? I don't want to buy that whole piece for a button! lol..

 

It's obviously low on the priority list, but decided I'd ask in case you guys had some good ideas.

 

Merci!

Edited by Chromatic
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you can wrap in any colour/texture you like :shrug:

 

Most people also do the rest of the sentry console and the door handles to match.

 

Hrmm.. I've seen people AFTER they've wrapped stuff in pictures,.. but I wouldn't even know where to buy the "wrap". Know what the stuff is called, and maybe a link to some wrap?

 

Like can you get just black if you want? Or spend more money and get carbon fiber looking wrap,.. etc?

 

Yeah, I'm a total noob when it comes to wrapping anything beyond a christmas present lol..

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It's called vinyl wrap and you can get it in every colour under the sun as well as various types of carbon fibre and other textured effects. Personally i'd be looking at ripping the console out and painting it. Trying to wrap that little button from the HR will be a disaster.

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It's called vinyl wrap and you can get it in every colour under the sun as well as various types of carbon fibre and other textured effects. Personally i'd be looking at ripping the console out and painting it. Trying to wrap that little button from the HR will be a disaster.

 

Yup.. I just had the entire interior out of the car 2 weeks ago and spent 80 hours on a bunch of installation. So I'm likely not going to be pulling that waterfall piece back out anytime soon lol.

 

To me, pulling that center dash/bezel/gauge cluster/headunit din piece is overkill for the button finish repair. There must be something that will "touch up" the black without getting it essentially refinished.

 

I would suggest getting the whole cubby dipped. Easier to get in the nooks and crannies for a better finish (I think)

 

I definitely agree having it refinished/dipped would look great,.. but I can't justify spending that kind of money for a few nicks on a button. The rest of that piece is pristine.. no scratches, nicks, etc anywhere else. If that bezel/gauge cluster/ compartment door/DIN area was all nicked up, I'd surely either just replace it entirely, or get it dipped. But the only part that is not flawless is the button that you push in and down.

 

 

 

I would suggest getting the whole cubby dipped. Easier to get in the nooks and crannies for a better finish (I think)

 

Thats a good shout :thumbs:

 

Right now I'm putting my last pennies for my "extra cash" into the exhaust.

 

I had more in mind a few dollar to maybe $15-$20 fix at most lol.

 

I believe I briefly looked at the door mechanics when I had it off all those times.. and it wasn't a piece that appeared was designed to come off to be replaced. Spring loaded, etc..

 

I'll take a another mechanical look at the workings of the door, it may be something that will be best served by removing the door itself and replacing it OEM. (or refinishing myself)

 

Otherwise, I may have luck taping the inside of the car up and covering.. then sanding, priming, and painting that button... perhaps even clear coating it and then wet sanding the clear coat for the finish that looks best to make it durable to future "nicks".

 

Another thing that has an outside chance of working as I type this.. is painting it like I have been (touching up).. and then using a clear coat touchup marker/pen to "seal" the paint there. Essentially what is happening is the paint just isn't bonding very strong I suppose to that plastic and thus is coming off with regular normal pressure use of the button.

 

Whatever I end up doing, if it works.. I'll certainly take pictures and post it up for any others now or in the future who want a "cheaper" way to make that area look new again.

 

Thanks!

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If you have time but not money id suggest getting a rattle can and spraying it either a really contrasting colour or as close to cubby colour as you can get.

 

Mask it all up and go light with the coats

 

Or use that plasti dip stuff......even easier to use

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Remove the button altogether and get some medium and extra fine wet and dry paper from Halfords. As it's rubber it is easy enough to sand flat and you will end up with a matt rubber finish.

 

So just use the medium paper to do the initial donkey work of getting the three dimples and any scratches and lamination off and then use the fine grade stuff to smooth it out.

 

Hey presto......a nice new looking button.

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If you have time but not money id suggest getting a rattle can and spraying it either a really contrasting colour or as close to cubby colour as you can get.

 

Mask it all up and go light with the coats

 

Or use that plasti dip stuff......even easier to use

 

Yeah something like that is more what I was thinking.

 

Since the paint I'm using isn't staying on after a few pushes of the button.. Would you sand the button a bit before painting?

 

Also,.. I've heard of that plasti-dip stuff.. have a link just to clarify for me? It's just your 2008 Black interior.. they didn't make a ton of different interior designs.. If it's a black interior they are all the same on this part. :D

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Remove the button altogether and get some medium and extra fine wet and dry paper from Halfords. As it's rubber it is easy enough to sand flat and you will end up with a matt rubber finish.

 

So just use the medium paper to do the initial donkey work of getting the three dimples and any scratches and lamination off and then use the fine grade stuff to smooth it out.

 

Hey presto......a nice new looking button.

 

Ok, can do the sanding, painting etc.. have any tips/how to on getting that button off ? Obviously without removing that whole gauge cluster center piece? Since the door opens up right there .. if the button comes off, it's going to come off without doing anything but opening the door. That'd be a big help :)

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There are a couple of screws on the underside of the door if I remember correctly, a Phillips head watchmaker screwdriver will get those out. The centre console is easy enough to remove though and will make life 10× easier. There should be a couple of guides on here.

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bu9yny7a.jpg

 

I resprayed my whole centre console in sparkling graphite too but you can kinda see how the button looks.

Looks great man!

 

But I guess cause my car is the last year model they made they changed up the button? Shrug..

 

Here's how my button is:

 

11957264683_9e03d7655c.jpg

 

If you look closely you see how you have to push UP on that lip on the "button" to make it open, it's not just a push in button. (I'd prefer the old push-in button on the older Z's..) .. Not that it'l make a huge difference.

Edited by Chromatic
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There are a couple of screws on the underside of the door if I remember correctly, a Phillips head watchmaker screwdriver will get those out. The centre console is easy enough to remove though and will make life 10× easier. There should be a couple of guides on here.

 

I'll look at the door itself.

 

Not sure if you've read my posts in here.. I know it can get boring.. Or seen my install thread(s).. but I've removed every panel, seat, carpet, screw/bolt console, etc from the inside of the 350z. The center/centRE console I've removed at least 6-7 times making changes to the two after market headunits I used recently. So I'm painfully aware of how to take it out and put it in lol.

 

I think if I take my time taping things up and covering inside that I can sand and paint a 1x1" area just decently. If I can manage to get the door off somehow, that'd be perfect though!

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