Natural Brown Leather Interior

[wsmeyer]

I love the two tone black / brown interior, it's definitely my favorite and wish I had it in mine. It seems to be pretty rare in general and I've actually never seen a convertible with it so I think my chances of finding a used set in excellent shape is pretty remote. With that in mind I started wondering just how much it would cost to buy everything necessary to do it myself?

I tried looking up part numbers on realoem but I'm completely stumped. I can't make heads or tails out of all the color codes listed.

Also, is the "Natural Brown" interior always the two-tone black / brown or was there one that was all brown?

William.

[johnrando]

No idea, but count me in as a helper if/when you start this project.

[slowboat]

Natural brown is very uncommon (less than 10%) and it is always paired with black carpets and black trim. BMW did not produce brown carpets, center consoles, dashboards, seat trim etc...

When looking at RealOEM.com, upholstery code N6NG is NATURBRAUN. Search group 52: Seats. You'll find that some panels are no longer available through BMW.

Finding a used brown interior would be a holy grail find and buying it new and converting would be a megabuck$ custom job.

Chris

[danewilson77]

Natural brown is very uncommon (less than 10%) and it is always paired with black carpets and black trim. BMW did not produce brown carpets, center consoles, dashboards, seat trim etc...

When looking at RealOEM.com, upholstery code N6NG is NATURBRAUN. Search group 52: Seats. You'll find that some panels are no longer available through BMW.

Finding a used brown interior would be a holy grail find and buying it new and converting would be a megabuck$ custom job.

Chris

Yes sir

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/ZHPInteriors.jpg

[Hermes]

holiday sale on dye kits, $30 off

http://leatherique.com/

[HokieZHP]

The beige is rarer than the natural brown??? I thought it was the other way around... SWEET!

[UdubBadger]

www.car-part.com

auto recyclers are the best way to find um IMO.

[Mtnman]

William,
If you are serious about it, you may want to call a car upholstery place. I had a nissan altima that my old st bernard tore up bad. It was leather. I had a shop in raleigh replace all of the leather on the seats front and back, the headliner, and the rear deck lid and it was only 1200. The leather was nicer than the original too. Basically, it might be cheaper than you think to just go have it done.

[JupiterBMW]

William, you could sell your car and buy that other mystic blue/natural brown coupe that is on sale on E46f... The guy only wants a small fortune for it...

Seriously though, as far as your question, yes, natural brown is just the seats, and center sections of the doors. The rest of it is all black.

I'll sell you mine... I think David has the right idea... Your best bet would be to take the pieces in and have them match the natural brown with an aftermarket leather and do it that way...

Or, stick with your black leather so that my natural brown continues to be even more rare. :rofl

[cakM3]

That's funny Jon! :biggrin

[terraphantm]

The beige is rarer than the natural brown??? I thought it was the other way around... SWEET!

Only in ZHPs.

Beige (and gray) don't really go with the ZHP IMO. Replacing all the black bits with beige/grey clashes with the black headliner IMO.

[wsmeyer]

Natural brown is very uncommon (less than 10%) and it is always paired with black carpets and black trim. BMW did not produce brown carpets, center consoles, dashboards, seat trim etc...

When looking at RealOEM.com, upholstery code N6NG is NATURBRAUN. Search group 52: Seats. You'll find that some panels are no longer available through BMW.

Finding a used brown interior would be a holy grail find and buying it new and converting would be a megabuck$ custom job.

Chris

Thanks!

I knew the color was called NATURBRAUN but I couldn't figure it out as I was looking for something that indicated two tone. About a year ago I was looking to buy a passenger seat cover set in black and I was able to find those as low as $475. What I am completely shocked to find out though is the price of the door panels - almost a thousand bucks for a door panel... WTF!?!?

Unless I ever come across a used set me thinks this project won't be happening lol

William.

[wsmeyer]

holiday sale on dye kits, $30 off

http://leatherique.com/

I'm fairly certain if I went this route my results would be less than desirable

[wsmeyer]

www.car-part.com

auto recyclers are the best way to find um IMO.

Thanks!

Lots of interesting stuff their but unfortunately there aren't any pictures and they don't break down the model into convertible.

If I did find a rear seat it looks like it would go for around $200 - at that price I would be willing to attempt dying it so this route is definitely a possibility.

William.

[wsmeyer]

William, you could sell your car and buy that other mystic blue/natural brown coupe that is on sale on E46f... The guy only wants a small fortune for it...
l

Yes but how much would it cost to cut the top off and retrofit the soft top?

I actually saw a guy on e46 that might be able to help, at least he knows what NOT to cut now.

William.

[NorCalZman]

Yes sir

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/ZHPInteriors.jpg

I find it interesting black leather was the most common in ZHPs. During my search I found mostly alcantara interiors (which I did not want).

[danewilson77]

I find it interesting black leather was the most common in ZHPs. During my search I found mostly alcantara interiors (which I did not want).

That's just what is most common, with those registered at the Registry.

[HokieZHP]

Only in ZHPs.

Beige (and gray) don't really go with the ZHP IMO. Replacing all the black bits with beige/grey clashes with the black headliner IMO.

To each their own I guess. I love the beige on black, I mean the exterior of my car is Jet black. The beige is definitely a bitch to keep clean though!

[UdubBadger]

I agree.

Most common ones I've see with NB is black exterior. Classy combo. I can see why people would want beige too though, not everyone lives in cooler climates. Black interior in Phoenix is like $1000 off the value of a car when selling.


- Goin' H.A.M. Mobile

[johnrando]

Yes but how much would it cost to cut the top off and retrofit the soft top?

I actually saw a guy on e46 that might be able to help, at least he knows what NOT to cut now.

William.

:rofl.

@Chris, I like black on beige too but yup, too hard to keep a lighter color clean especially in a vert, so I was very happy to go black on black.

[JupiterBMW]

I agree.

Most common ones I've see with NB is black exterior. Classy combo. I can see why people would want beige too though, not everyone lives in cooler climates. Black interior in Phoenix is like $1000 off the value of a car when selling.


- Goin' H.A.M. Mobile

Its funny you mention that because down here in South Florida, the dealer was telling me that one of their biggest sellers is black on black... Regardless of model, that's what sells... No way I'd own that down here...

[HokieZHP]

:rofl.

@Chris, I like black on beige too but yup, too hard to keep a lighter color clean especially in a vert, so I was very happy to go black on black.

Luckily, I do a once over of my interior at least once a week so it's not bad :thumbsup

I've just always been a fan of black on tan, not sure why, just appeals to my eye. Mixes up the interior compared to a flat black everywhere

[ELCID86]

So, I have the rear seats and 4 door cards to convert the 6MT car to Natty Brown. I'm thinking of dyeing the fronts since they are very hard to come by. WHile I'm at it instead of swapping the carpet JP suggested dying it. It is currently sand, so it should not be hard to do. Any thoughts on dyeing in black or perhaps natural brown?

[Avetiso]

Dye it black. Brown would look out of place IMO.

"Arnold smoking a cigar in the Red Square; your argument is invalid." -Galaxy S5

[mbeckel]

So, I have the rear seats and 4 door cards to convert the 6MT car to Natty Brown. I'm thinking of dyeing the fronts since they are very hard to come by. WHile I'm at it instead of swapping the carpet JP suggested dying it. It is currently sand, so it should not be hard to do. Any thoughts on dyeing in black or perhaps natural brown?

What color exterior?

Sent from in the bushes

[alexandre]

+1 on black.


What color exterior?

Sent from in the bushes

Orient blue.

[mbeckel]

+1 on black.



Orient blue.

Natty Brown would be insane! I'd go for it

Sent from in the bushes

[Hermes]

My thinking is a natural brown interior with dark brown carpet and black floormats would look great, that is why I suggested dying the carpet a darker shade instead of ripping out the whole carpet to install black.

[cakM3]

So, I have the rear seats and 4 door cards to convert the 6MT car to Natty Brown. I'm thinking of dyeing the fronts since they are very hard to come by. WHile I'm at it instead of swapping the carpet JP suggested dying it. It is currently sand, so it should not be hard to do. Any thoughts on dyeing in black or perhaps natural brown?

Honestly Shawn, I would just replace the carpeting rather than having them dyed... I had grey carpeting in my ///M and decided that it would be better just to replace the carpeting...I'm glad I did. I think replacing the carpeting is much quicker and you won't have to worry about the dye coming off the capering... just my two cents...

[Hermes]

Honestly Shawn, I would just replace the carpeting rather than having them dyed... I had grey carpeting in my ///M and decided that it would be better just to replace the carpeting...I'm glad I did. I think replacing the carpeting is much quicker and you won't have to worry about the dye coming off the capering... just my two cents...

Well... the other issue has been locating a black carpet. I have been keeping an eye out here but no sedans have showed up at my buddies shop with black carpet yet. The one I got for my car is the first one I had seen in months. He hasn't had luck sourcing one back his way either. That is why the idea for dye came up. Perhaps between now and summer when the interior swap happens a black carpet will be sourced, but I think this would be a decent temporary solution until then. Even if the dye was to wear, it wouldn't be an issue as the carpet would eventually be replaced with a real black one

[cakM3]

Well... the other issue has been locating a black carpet. I have been keeping an eye out here but no sedans have showed up at my buddies shop with black carpet yet. The one I got for my car is the first one I had seen in months. He hasn't had luck sourcing one back his way either. That is why the idea for dye came up. Perhaps between now and summer when the interior swap happens a black carpet will be sourced, but I think this would be a decent temporary solution until then. Even if the dye was to wear, it wouldn't be an issue as the carpet would eventually be replaced with a real black one

For coupes I know where you can source OEM black carpeting. Unfortunately, my source doesn't work on sedans so he doesn't have any black sedan carpeting in his inventory....


Sent from my iPad Mini using Tapatalk HD

[ELCID86]

Thanks, I'll post a WTB here and on e46f and see how that works out. May also contact SMOLCK who helped me source the dash and other bits.

[mbeckel]

Thanks, I'll post a WTB here and on e46f and see how that works out. May also contact SMOLCK who helped me source the dash and other bits.

He's been a ghost since he sold his zhp

Sent from in the bushes

[Hermes]

He's probably still active on bimmerfest

[ELCID86]

He's been a ghost since he sold his zhp

Sent from in the bushes

I have his phone.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[johnrando]

He's been a ghost since he sold his zhp

Sent from in the bushes

Was thinking the same thing.

[ELCID86]

Was thinking the same thing.

Shad texted me back that he will try and source the carpet for me. He has a friend with a junkyard I think.

[Hermes]

Cool!