Cracked Dash Replacements????

[jamesehatcher]

Thanks for all the help with my S2.....

Like most older 944's my dash is in pretty bad shape.
What dash covers do you all recommend?

My interior is dark blue.......I would hate to have to try and match the color.

THanks

James

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Don't know about dash covers - I think a lot of those things look like crap but are reasonable short-term, cheap solutions (about $100). I think with any overlay-type dash pad the dash is always going to look "chunky" around the instrument cluster and edges and vents so you'll always be able to tell and it'll just look "off" from the tight tolerances of the rest of the interior, but that's my $0.02. It's better than one of those stupid a$$ dash mats for not much more $$$, but personally I'm going to save my cash to get it professionally redone eventually.

Do your car a favor and PLEASE don't do one of those stupid carpet / velvet things - they make your car look like an old DNA-stained sofa someone left by the roadside to be picked up by junk dealers or a Vegas pimp-wagon (can you tell I totally hate those ugly-a$$ things?) If you really want to do it right (i.e. if you're restoring the car), there's a place in Van Nuys called "Just Dashes" that is supposed to be pretty good. They're probably who I'll end up going with when the time comes. They're expensive, but they'll do it right - strip all the old lousy cracked vinyl and dried-out foam underneath away and completely replace it. You get a brand new dash that way that'll last forever. It's at http://www.justdashes.com.

Don't know where you're located, but there might be similar places in your area that'll do it right. . . I just know of this place because a guy I know had them do the dash on his Corvette project - they did an AWESOME job.

[TopsailBeach]

Instead of replacing the leather covered dash in my 911, I purchased a "cap" from dashtops.com. Mine is dark blue as well, and the color matched remarkably well, as did the texture. Installation was simple, and everything you need is included (except all the creative clamping devices necessary to get it in place long enough for the adhesive to cure).

It's still plastic, but it made an incredible difference. Try this for the 944: http://dashtops.com/dashboard/buydash.cfm/5552

[ronin]

too bad it's not available for airbag dashes