I'm looking to removing the plastic trims and painting them..is it easy to take them off?

 

Well that depends on which parts. For sure you need to do a search as someone has posted a how to on removing them. There are some great post on how to remove the door panels and trim for paint. It is not easy but can be done. Most other pieces can be removed easlily for paint. Better to get a manual like Bentleys to help. Caution, the A-pillers and C-pillers (front and back) need to be replaced with new ones if you remove them (according to the manual). If you post a specific part you want to remove it would be easier to answer. Sorry I am not much help but good luck.
Frodo

 

Try this for help:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?f...aq_faq_removal

 

It's pretty easy...let me know what piece you want to remove and I will give you step by step...

My interior:

 

wow thanks guys, this will be fine. and nice interior skite!

 

well all was going well until i reached the door panels, some how i can not take the arm rest off to take off the screw hidden beneath it. My cooper is a 05' model btw.

 

YOu need to get a very long, thin, flathead screw driver, or something similar that will fit between the armrest and the plastic that the armrest sits on. Wedge the tool between the two, and push it to the back of the armrest. The tab that holds the armrest on is located about 1/4 from the back of the armrest. After that, you simply SLIDE the armrest towards the front of the MINI, and it will disengage from the tab. A mistake I made when I was first trying to do this, was thinking that the armrest would pull down, rather than slide forward. Sliding it forward is the correct method.


Hopefully this helped.

 

Oh alright, thanks for the tip. Also another question about the the dash. I've removed all the screws that are needed to remove the dash, but it still wouldn't budge. I've toke off the screws on teh sides where i had to pop off the cover, and a few on the top under the windshield. Is there anything i am missing? Thanks again.

 

Which dash? The colored three piece dash, or the top dash by the windshield?


If you are talking about the latter, I believe you have to remove the WHOLE windshield in the 05-06 models in order to get it out. This is one piece that I have never been able to figure out how to remove...

In the earlier 02-04 models, I believe all you do is remove the 4 torx screws by the door jams, and then it just pulls off....

 

Oh i see.. yes i was reffering to the top dash, sorry about the lack of info. How did you manage to get the whole speedometer frame off? i unscrewed the two screws and pulled off the center dash, but it seemed to be stuck in the top dash.

 

Unless you are talking about the dual speedo/tach that comes with the NAV/Chrono pack, I can't help you with that as I have the NAV in my MINI.

I guess I am not being much help here...

 

Oh i'm just referring to the speedo ring on the center dash.

 

See this thread

To remove the dash cover on the '05-'06 dash, you need to remove

• the screws accessed through the sides (sounds like you've removed these)
• the 4 screws under the windshield (sounds like you've removed these)
• There are two small plastic covers in the center vent, remove those plastic covers (see the thread above) and then there are two more screws there to remove (be careful, if you drop one, it's going to be a PITA to get out).
• remove the tach
• remove the left and right plastic dash pieces (the part behind the tach and the part above the glovebox)
• remove the glovebox
• remove the two screws holding the airbag anchors, accessed from below once the glovebox is removed.

Again, see the thread I linked above, but you have several more connections to go. don't force anything.

 

Wow thats alot of work for the dash compared to the older models...but thanks anyways! Also i've tried to take the arm rests off again, however i can not push the screwdriver back at all. I've seen a picture with the arm rests removed and know where the tabs are, but i just can seem to press it down at all.

 

btw thanks for all the help guys.