Piano black centre radio console

[137699]

Look what arrived in the post yesterday (clue it's on the right):

 

 

I had always felt the interior of the yeti needed a little "lift" and though I had previously swapped the floodwater (aka champagne) trims for brushed silver, and fitted the chrome bezel around the climate controls & cup holders, I still felt it was a little too bland.

 

I noticed the Amundsen and steering wheel insert both shared a little bit of piano black finish - so I decided this was what was needed.

 

I used the recent superskoda promo to buy a replacement dash panel - sent it off to my friends at AquaGraphix (who had done work for me before on a different finish) - with instructions to leave the insert panel for the climate controls in original matte finish - and this is the result.

 

 

 

I can honestly say I am gobsmacked about how good this looks - it's transformed the interior and lifted it to another level in my eyes.

[preston334]

Definitely looks alot better than the Matt black finish. I'm thinking of changing the champagne trims to gloss black to compliment the steering wheel. Is aqua graphics the ones up at pengam,Blackwood?

[137699]

Not been there personally - but their address is Blackwood, Gwent - so I think so.

 

www.aquagraphix.co.uk

[Nick P]

Looks great. I need to get mine done, and my old champagne dash trims. You definitely did the right thing leaving the climatronic bit matte black.

 

I loved the piano black I put in my Octavia....

 

[900000]

Piano black looks very nice when a car is not moving. But in my experience they reflect like mirrors as you start to drive and I find the constant moving patterns on the dash distracting, so personally I'm not a fan of super gloss piano black "mirrors" on my dash.     

 

You can see more or less what I mean in this video.

Finger marks will also be an issue.

[137699]

I have already noted the fingermark issue - just fitting the thing - I felt the need to give it a quick wipe over instantly!

 

Small issue (that & the reflection though) that I'm more than happy to live with!

Edited 24 April, 2014 by 137699

[900000]

Here's another one showing the reflections.  Yes it's a far bigger surface (in a Tesla is seems) but shows what I mean by it being a mirror.

This lot on an Audi forum have discussed the solutions to the dust and fingerprints:

 

http://forums.audiworld.com/archive/index.php/t-2827441.html

[Wardy]

Like the transformation. What was the cost to get it done?

[137699]

Aquagraphix charged £45 to refinish the part. If you want a spare centre console I paid £25 for one but you don't really need to buy a spare - just pop yours off and send it to them - it only takes a few days before it's back and you can live without it in the meantime - everything still works and you can use the car without it - just looks a bit ugly for a few days.

[Polypenko]

I did this upgrade 3 years ago.

 

[137699]

Yes I saw superskoda were selling the silver fascia - but I prefer the contrast of black against silver. If the dash trims were piano black then I'd probably have gone for the silver centre console, but on reflection I think I prefer the finish I have gone for.

[900000]

Yes I saw superskoda were selling the silver fascia - but I prefer the contrast of black against silver. If the dash trims were piano black then I'd probably have gone for the silver centre console, but on reflection I think I prefer the finish I have gone for.

 

I know we are not allowed to say "each to their own" on this forum anymore for fear upsetting the sensitive types, but each to their own on that silver look. 137699's black looks a lot better.

[freedie]

You forgot to add "on reflection"

[137699]

On the subject of "reflections".... having had the opportunity to drive around with the piano black finish now, I can happily report that reflections are not an issue.

 

You get a little bit of reflection from the very top left of the frame but I have not found it distracting. There isn't actually much flat open surface area so even with the sunroof open and the blind back I've yet to discover any angle where the sun reflects off of it and into my eyes.

[900000]

On the subject of "reflections".... having had the opportunity to drive around with the piano black finish now, I can happily report that reflections are not an issue.

 

You get a little bit of reflection from the very top left of the frame but I have not found it distracting. There isn't actually much flat open surface area so even with the sunroof open and the blind back I've yet to discover any angle where the sun reflects off of it and into my eyes.

 

That's good to hear. The videos I posted are extreme cases with lots of surface area. Though the first time I heard of this was from a Corsa driver where there is minimal piano black but enough to have hugely distracted his wife driving the car.