Broken Console Cover

[rexster314]

Nice weather today, drank my coffee (sorry ccclarke) and started in on changing out the console cover with the ebay cover. Getting to where I can pop it off without using plastic trim tools
First thing discovered that the wood grain color was slightly off from the upper console and wood trim on the shifter side of my original cover. Soooo, removal of a couple of screws on the folding lid, small screwdriver between the wooden cover and the plastic hinged lid popped off the wooden lid, did the same on the new/old lid and epoxied the original wooden part on the ebay plastic lid. For those of you that have a working console cover probably won't think too much about this, but I'm finally satisfied with what I've done without popping off 500$ plus to get a simple thing fixed at a reasonable cost.

 

[V Happy]

Rexster314
Good job on hunting down parts and adapting to an inexpensive and satisfying outcome. I believe us XLR owners better get used to these situations Again great job.
V Happy

 

[Sophia]

Thanks for all the info. I have a broken pin on the cover as well. I will hunt one down now any color of wood because I can use my original. Thanks so much!

 

[rexster314]

Update: The latch on the cover broke for good a year or so ago. I put velcro on the leading edge of the lid and it's opposite on the lower edge of the compartment. Never found a good adhesive to permanently hold the velcro in place. Several months ago, I removed all velcro, cleaned up the edges and epoxied about 6 or so small magnets to the lid and lower compartment edge. Now it works as it should, slow, smooth opening and the magnets hold very strongly and the lid doesn't flip up if I go over a patch of rough road.

 

[Sophia]

I'll keep magnets in mind when I go to make my repairs. Thank you!

 

[graytoad]

I have a needle sized dent in my aluminum trim piece next to the traction control switch. It's annoyed me from day one. " how did they even do that" I think. I've seen it on many that I've looked at. My question is with that console you think you can try and rub one of the dents out from the back to see if it can be done.
I've wanted to try but in fear of breaking some clip or tab just disassembling it.

I laughed when I saw your post. I have owned my XLR for 9 years and the first 'flaw' I saw was the dent in that same trim panel. Kind of forgot it was there...… I am too busy smiling and looking forward as I 'Cruise on down the road'! It is annoying though, isn't it?! When a company puts out a product for 6 years and does not address an issue that is in virtually every XLR I have looked at. They had 5 years of experience and they still did not change the quality or thickness of that panel on my '09.

 

[long Tall Sally]

keeping it light weight. There are voids under the metal and the metal is so thin. Guy bought one on ebay perfect 300$ installed it, dropped something really small on it and now has a bent one again.

 

[Steve Lee]

America Car Craft in Hudson Florida is about 4 miles from my home; if you would like me to, I will go there and look at their S.S., brushed, console cover and report back to you about it's appearance and quality. I see on their site they are reduced to $134. 95 Let me know and i'll go there in the next few days. I want to see them myself anyway, as mine, like most others, is dented in several places!

 

[josua]

FWIW...Most of the parts that break (interior) are plastic. I bought a plastic welder from Harbor Freight a while back. It has saved me a ton of money. Most plastic in cars is ABS. The kit has 4 different kinds of "welding rods" with it. You can use a clean soldering iron if you want instead of the welder. The rods are the key. Never had any luck with JBweld. The welder works every time. I probably used it more on my Goldwing than on my caddies. You can build up a weak spot making it stronger than it was originally. We all know what those parts cost for the XLR's. Just saying!

 

[josua]

console cover

Just read the thread about the console dents etc. I'm with you about the aluminum garbage. Part of my jobs is working with Autocad. Took all the dimensions off my XLR, really time consuming, I cut it out of .074 stainless, sanded it a little bit and sprayed it with clear acrylic. I'm working on the top console now. That has to be 2 pieces because of the double contours. The problem with those brushed stainless ones you can buy are they don't even come close to the aluminum top piece. Carid sells them on ebay. Too shiny I think kinda tacky. I cut it on a water jet. I'll try to upload the .dxf file and a pic. If you know a company out your way that has a water jet, there you go. I don't know how to upload the dxf file, says it's the wrong kind??

 

[josua]

How do I upload a autocad file (.dxf)?

 

[idav5d]

How do you get that darned trim ring off of the shift knob, in order to access the set screw. I just bought a replacement off of ebay and I'm afraid to damage it. The one in my car seems just as uncooperative.

 

[rexster314]

How do you get that darned trim ring off of the shift knob, in order to access the set screw. I just bought a replacement off of ebay and I'm afraid to damage it. The one in my car seems just as uncooperative.

You need to take it out of park, pull the shifter back to D, it's a ring around the base, use a plastic spatula or something that won't mar the finish, and pry it down. You'll have to do several sides to drop it down. Then you can access the torx screw