restoring faded dash

[StereoInstaller1]

Olive oil is a hydrocarbon and my dash didn't crack until the car sat in the garage for its first Chicago winter 4 years ago. 16 years it lived in Vegas crack free.

By golly, learn something new every day, right? Olive oil IS a hydrocarbon...I bet it is the tastiest hydrocarbon too!

maybe your car cracked in the cold, but having installed and seeing literally dozens of dashboards all over the country, there is far (like 500X) more cracked dashes in the hot areas.

Sucks that yours lived through all that heat and Chicago killed it that quick!

[cat97628]

Olive oil is a hydrocarbon and my dash didn't crack until the car sat in the garage for its first Chicago winter 4 years ago. 16 years it lived in Vegas crack free.

[StereoInstaller1]

BTW: I would use normal petroleum jelly instead of olive oil. The E30 dash is covered in Vinyl, AKA PolyVinylChloride. Hydrocarbons typically stick best to themselves.

[StereoInstaller1]

I thought it was northern cold temps that cause dash cracks. Cold=contraction=crack. I wouldn't think southern cars would crack as bad, maybe fade more but not crack. Am I wrong?

I have been a car stereo installer in Connecticut, Michigan, San Diego, L.A., Portland and Seattle.

As a guy who has spent 30 years full time looking at hundreds and hundreds of dashboards, I do believe I can settle this for once and for all: Higher heat = more cracked dashboards.

[airkhin]

definately have never heard of olive oil! will have to give it a try!!! sounds like it just might do the trick!

[jw 325ic]

I thought it was northern cold temps that cause dash cracks. Cold=contraction=crack. I wouldn't think southern cars would crack as bad, maybe fade more but not crack. Am I wrong?

most of the older bimmers ive looked at here have cracked dashes. heat + uv rays makes it dry. heat expands, so when something expands and is dry...cracks...

[jw 325ic]

ive used mothers back to black with no cracks...texas car...no fade either

[herbivor]

I thought it was northern cold temps that cause dash cracks. Cold=contraction=crack. I wouldn't think southern cars would crack as bad, maybe fade more but not crack. Am I wrong?

[JubJub]

Olive Oil is a definitive remedy, because of the vitamin E content. It penetrates the dash & keeps it soft. I need to do mine since its been a year already. My car doesn't have a single dash crack and its a TX car from new.

This is enough to convince me. Texas heat and NO cracks? New? wow.

[Bimmerista]

Olive Oil is a definitive remedy, because of the vitamin E content. It penetrates the dash & keeps it soft. I need to do mine since its been a year already. My car doesn't have a single dash crack and its a TX car from new.

[Wingnut]

use SEM color coat color: flat black. (clean the dash with acetone first) It will look absolutely perfect. (and its fairly easy)

[84bimmer]

I've used olive oil for quite some time on my dash and interior parts, I really like the results...but I've never tried to restore faded/worn pieces with it.

[JoeJohnson]

thanks guys, i might try on my old dash first before I ruin this new one :X

[straight6pwr]

i dyed a fading dash with Forever Black (got it at BavAuto) with good result. takes some practice to get the coating even. it wasnt hard at all, just take your time.

[nmlss2006]

Yes. It can be done. It's not easy nor fun. And it's expensive. But it can be done. If you're REALLY determined, you can do it with the dash in the car. See before about 'not easy and not fun' and multiply by several thousand.