[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by ipilcher

Unfortunately, I've found that the difference in sheen is pretty noticeable, at least in the right light. I'm going to "step up" from isopropyl alcohol to acetone followed by some sort of protectant/conditioner.

Just in case ... anyone have a U.S. source for warning-free F3x visors? (iND only has them for F8x.)

Is there a difference between F8x and F3x visors?

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

Is there a difference between F8x and F3x visors?

No. I did mine, swapped them into my brothers M4, then I did his and put them in our 435.



http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...05&postcount=8

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by ipilcher

Unfortunately, I've found that the difference in sheen is pretty noticeable, at least in the right light. I'm going to "step up" from isopropyl alcohol to acetone followed by some sort of protectant/conditioner.

Just in case ... anyone have a U.S. source for warning-free F3x visors? (iND only has them for F8x.)

I asked IND in one of their threads, F8X and F3X visors are the same. ipilcher, you even posted in the same thread.

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...05&postcount=8

Adding a protectant / conditioner would probably reduce the difference on sheen even more.

That is not $300 worth of sheen IMHO.

[ipilcher]

Originally Posted by F32 N55

I asked IND in one of their threads, F8X and F3X visors are the same. ipilcher, you even posted in the same thread.

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...05&postcount=8

Aah. I was so caught up in figuring out how to get the visor removed that I didn't even notice your question.

It's a good thing the fit, too, because I've found that the more I work on this thing the shinier it gets. My operating theory is that we're not looking at a shiny residue left behind by the sticker; I think that we're seeing the absence of some sort of matte coating on the otherwise shiny plastic.

As if that weren't bad enough, sufficiently aggressive use of acetone has caused the plastic surface to "bubble" on my passenger side visor. I suppose that it either penetrated the plastic and dissolved the adhesive or simply softened the plastic enough that it was stretched.

I have the Euro visors on order from iND. Here's hoping that the anthracite fabric on the F8x visors matches my F34's anthracite headliner.

Originally Posted by F32 N55

That is not $300 worth of sheen IMHO.

Not sure why, but I haven't been able to get this image out of my head since reading this.

[G30 B58]

Winner winner.

[ipilcher]

I got the F8x "Euro" visors from iND installed in my F34, and I'm very pleased with the result. IMO, the fabric-like texture of the F8x visors looks better next to the headliner than does the pebbled texture of F34 visors (without even considering shiny rectangles).

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by ipilcher

I got the F8x "Euro" visors from iND installed in my F34, and I'm very pleased with the result. IMO, the fabric-like texture of the F8x visors looks better next to the headliner than does the pebbled texture of F34 visors (without even considering shiny rectangles).

Good work! OCD wins out again!!!!

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by tboooe

Good work! OCD wins out again!!!!

at the low low price of $300.

Now your OCD can focus on the fact that your visors don't match your headliner. What does a new headliner cost?


Your original sun visors are of a different material than mine.

[ipilcher]

Originally Posted by F32 N55

at the low low price of $300.

Now your OCD can focus on the fact that your visors don't match your headliner. What does a new headliner cost?

It was actually about $340 with shipping. Practically speaking, it's a ridiculous price for a couple of sun visors, but what does practicality have to do with this? For not having to look at the obnoxious stickers (or the rectangles they left behind) for the nine more years I'm going to be driving this car I consider it money well spent.

And as I said, I do think that the fabric-like texture of the F8x visors actually matches the headliner better than the pebbled texture of the F34 visors. (The headliner looks rather grayish and sparkly in my pics, but that's because of the camera flash.)

Originally Posted by F32 N55

Your original sun visors are of a different material than mine.

I noticed that BMW uses different parts numbers for most F30 and F34 visors. I'm sure the reasons make sense in German. What is the F30 visor textture like?

[tooch]

worked great!! Thanks for the write up

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by tooch

worked great!! Thanks for the write up

Pretty sure the anthracite headliner is the reason for the different textures / finishes. The anthracite isn't standard on all cars.

[AndrewC1989]

Just did this with my non m sport 328. The gray visors aren't cloth, they're a different material. You want to use something with acetone (nail polish remover) not alcohol. It works way better/faster.

[delorean175]

Originally Posted by radair

Man I wish mine came off like that. haha Mine melted into a mess. The first visor I ended up scratching off slowly with my fingernail. But I got it off. The second visor, I kept the sticker wet the whole time. It went way faster, basically scraped it off from one end to the other. I noticed a minor sheen difference until I soaked the visors in Lexol. My thought was Acetone strips the moisture out of the vinyl. Lexol should re-moisturize it, right? We'll see if there's a sheen difference after some of the Lexol is absorbed and the excess is wiped off in a day or so.

Overall, It's a subtle improvement, but an improvement. After daily driving an e28 for 11 years I got used to a certain lack of things, like bright yellow safety warning stickers, or airbags, or ABS, or safety features. lol

[Walker_CW]

Bit of a thread revival, but I have some good advice to add to this DIY so I think it is appropriate.

I followed the DIY, as well as some of the other posts. Alcohol barely worked, acetone worked OK, but required a lot of rubbing (US cloth sun visor). This left a white outline and an obvious "sheen" difference.

I got out some brake cleaner and soaked a paper towel in it, and rubbed the area of the visor where the outline from the sticker was. After this I cleaned it with Mothers VLR (Vinyl Leather Rubber) cleaner/conditioner that has some oils in it. This made the sun visor look new without any sticker outside visible at all.

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by Walker_CW

Bit of a thread revival, but I have some good advice to add to this DIY so I think it is appropriate.

I followed the DIY, as well as some of the other posts. Alcohol barely worked, acetone worked OK, but required a lot of rubbing (US cloth sun visor). This left a white outline and an obvious "sheen" difference.

I got out some brake cleaner and soaked a paper towel in it, and rubbed the area of the visor where the outline from the sticker was. After this I cleaned it with Mothers VLR (Vinyl Leather Rubber) cleaner/conditioner that has some oils in it. This made the sun visor look new without any sticker outside visible at all.

Good to know. New G30 arrives on Jan 10th and the removal of these will be on the list.