I have taken far too much trim out for my own good (for a good reason initially), and now I am struggling to get it all back in. To be fair, it all rattled around when I first got the car, so I am not the first to struggle with this. I would love to put it back together properly. However...

One centre console, roughly in the right place:

 

Closer in and it's those two bolts/washers that are the problem:

 

I'm pretty sure the slot in the plastic is meant to go behind the washer, and then be held in place by the tightened bolt:

 

IT JUST WON'T GO. I can just about get one side in, but the other is a country mile away. All other fittings (two bolts poking down from under the head unit, and the wee screw into the floor just in front of the handbrake) are in the right places. 

Could it be the wrong (replacement) piece of trim. It's obviously been off to refit a speaker, as the passenger side one is bolted on THROUGH the trim (you can see two of these "special" bolts in the second picture!) which looks awful. Do I have to bend the black metal bracket into which the bolts attach? 

In all honesty, this part of trim wasn't properly attached when I got the car. It rattled a lot, and now I know why. Obviously it's not essential, but it would be nice to put it back together as Skoda intended and lose the rattle.

Sorry for yet another inane question, but it's doing my head in, and I've lost several knuckles to the carpet/sandpaper trying to sort it.

Jon

The first rule when getting a new part says "compare side by side the old and the new part".

 

I only have this for you. HTH.

 

Brilliant. Thanks. I haven't bought a replacement piece, this is just the one that was in the car, but it's very badly fitted. It looks right.

I shall just persevere. I suspect that a little "persuasion" to the retainer (9) will be needed. Any of the assembly could have damaged and/or replaced so it's impossible to tell.

I'll find a way.

Hi Jon,

If those are the problem to fit, try fitting them first, not fully tight so as to allow for a bit of free movement for the rest of the trim and then line up the other fixing points. If the problem ones keep slipping out then try lining up the others with them tight.

It's possible it's been held out of shape for so long that it's settled into that shape. That can be a pain.

Hope you get it sorted, getting rid of annoying rattles is very satisfying.

Sorted. Thanks chaps.

There has been some prior DIY to bolt #10. Bit of a bodge. There are two other bolts sticking down from under the radio and I suspect they are additions too, judging by the tiny (and damn fiddly) locking nuts.

Ricardo's diagram made me realise that part #9 is removable, and it's also rather flexible. Taking the whole lot off and attaching gradually did give me the extra bit of flexibility I needed like Rich said.

All cleaned up, and reassembled, almost as good as new, and certainly better than when I bought it.

Thanks again.

Next...

It's possible it's been held out of shape for so long that it's settled into that shape. That can be a pain.

There's nothing very hot water or a hair dryer couldn't fix.

As an added bonus, I now know how easy it will be to change the radio/speakers....

Tunes await!

Got it all fixed back up. Broke one plastic lug off part #2, so that rattled even more, but I glued/taped the lug back on end it's snug. 

The problem of why it wasn't attached is solved for good. The replacement speaker is too big, so the cassette holder insert that forms the centre of part #2 won't fit. By leaving one of the bolts undone, the side of the console can be bent just enough to get it in. There is a large part of me that REALLY wants to change the speaker (especially as it doesn't work) so it can fit properly. There is a similarly large part of me that can't be bothered. Certainly not right away.

Thanks guys.