Cost to completely replace center console?
 

Hello everyone,

The center console of my 1992 300CE seems like a lot of wasted space, with the factory installed phone that I never use dominating that spot under the armrest. Additionally, the phone itself and the carpeting around it is looking pretty ratty.

I have the opportunity to buy a complete replacement center console unit, from the center glove box all the way up to the climate controls - including the wood, which is all in really good condition. It matches my car perfectly and would do away with my unused factory phone, clean up that space with a nice burlwood center console box, and give me new wood to replace the wood I have now! (which has 1 or 2 scratches on it)

Question number 1: is this a stupid idea? Should I leave the factory phone intact in order to keep the car original?

Number 2: How much do you think it would cost to swap the two consoles? I would do it myself, but I have little idea of what removing the phone would entail, and I wouldn't want to just basically tear it out (not literally, but you get the picture - I'm no technician) and in the process damage something. I mean, is this a major conversion-type deal or just a "take one thing out, put the other in" job?

Thanks for any opinions you might have!

Here it is:

I don't, nor have done the job in a 92 300CE. BUT I have done it in a 86 300SDL and my 82 300TD. actually the 300Td has the center consol out and the dash is comming out next to get the evaporator out.
They should be set up basically the same. You have to
Remove the under dash panels.
Remove the ashtray
Remove the radio
Remove the center wood trim, without breaking the pin at teh rear of the wood trim. Disconnect the switches
remove the two top switches that are the outer most, to remove the screws at the top of the consol.
Remove the center screw at the rear of the consol.
Remove the 2 screws at the front lower portion of the carpeted aection on either side of the consol.
Remove the rear seat mounts, maybe depending on the car setup, to allow the rear of the consol to lift to without binding.
Remove the shift knob and base.
Disconnect the top row of switches from their wires.
Then remove the consol from the rear upward. careful to rotate the front top down and back so you don't damage the wood trim and dash.

Its a big job. Get the CD manual or copies of that section of the manual. And the job will be much easier. It is a big job but doable and does not require an special tools.

Dave

don't do either.

Simple. Buy a new piece of carpet form phil at partsshop here, then take the phone out, its 3 screws and one simple cable, which unclips froma socket. put the new carpet in, and leave the phone out.

Thats what I did.

Of course I later replaced the whole console with a black console.

To remove it, you have to take allt he wood off the center console, remove the phone and the carpet, remove the screw att he back, under the console wood there are two screws, and you have to remove the AC wood, radio, and all the switches too.

you will also have to remove the center AC vent.

After that, you will see with everything out, two nuts at the bottom side of the top of the ocnsole. these you only have to loosen a little.

Then you also have to remove the armrest.

After that, you can pretty much pull the console out and pop the new one in.

Its not that hard to do, but if you don't feel confident workign with tools and dismantling your entire center console, I would just do what I said at the beginning of this post.

Alon

I should add that this is an EASY job on a W124. Took me about 15 minutes max. You do not need to remove the driver's seat armrest if you adjust the seat accordingly.

1. Remove the wood trim over the AC panel. Two screws on the underside of it, and it lifts right off.

2. Remove the screws securing the AC panel and misc. switches. Pull it out and disconnect.

3. Remove stereo (self explanatory, it's covered in the DIY located at the top of the page)

4. Open ashtray, remove two screws, disconnect cigarette lighter connection.

5. Remove two "upside down" bolts at the top edge of the console (underneath the center vents)

6. Pry out the carpet (or remove screws securing the box, if you have one). Remove one screw securing center console wood, remove console wood.

7. Remove window switches, and unclip switch frame which is secured with two screws.

8. Remove one phillips screw whick is "sunk" at the rear of the console.