I'm considering replacing the facia (piece over the center stack) on my 07 V8V with the piano black finish because I like the look. My car is a 6-speed w/out nav. so there is only the opening for the start button and the two a/c vents.

For those that have piano black on their car, how hard is it to live with? Is it a dust, smudge, and fingerprint magnet?

Does anybody have a source for this part in the US, or is my local dealer the only way to go?

 

I like my piano black, but yes, it is an absolute dust magnet. I even keep one of those 3M dust cloths in the center console cubby so I can clear off the dust every now and then. Also, the glossy surface can reflect sunlight right in your eyes. This does not happen often however.

 

I wonder if the reflectivity would be a problem for me here in the "sunshine state". Hmm. It's definitely something to consider.

Also, what is the piano black finish made out of? Is it just a high gloss paint finish on the metal? If so, I wonder if it would be much cheaper to take the piece to a high-end paint shop instead of buying a new piece from the dealer.

As far as the center console cubby, man do I with that my can had that! I find the interior of my car severely lacking in internal storage (other than the shelf behind the seats). Again I wonder if I can refit the cubby from the newer cars on mine.

 

Personally, I find the sun reflection quite bothersome and would choose a different finish - function over style.

Perhaps you can drive one equipped with the Piano Black facia before you make your decision? Good excuse to try out the Vantage S

I suspect having it painted would less expensive than a dealer purchase, if you decide to go that route.

 

I really like the the piano blk on mine. Get it painted ASAP!

 

I agree that dust is definitely a pain, though haven't had an issue with glare on mine (and I have to top down whenever possible).

 

Just got an estimate from a custom cycle shop to put the piano black finish on the existing facia. $125USD! Substantially less than a new piece installed by the dealer, I'm sure.

Turnaround time would be about 2 days.

Now, has anyone removed the facia themselves? I see from the shop manual that 4 clips hold it in place. How difficult is it to remove?

 

Hello Karlfranz, can you post some before and after photos? Sounds like a good deal.

 

I really like the piano black look as it gives the interior a rich look. So many people have commented to me that they have never seen this in a car and how cool it looks. I too hadn't seen it before I started looking at V8V's a few years ago. It does attract dust. I keep a mini California Duster in my car behind the passenger seat. You can't see it as the seat is all the way back. I use the duster once a week and it looks great. Reflection has never been an issue for me although admittedly Chicago doesn't get all that much sun.

Adam

 

Check out this earlier link...

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...e-removal.html

 

I have piano black without GPS. LOVE it, but it's an absolute dust/smear magnet. Being a bit OCD (hey acceptance is the first step) I keep a small microfibre cloth in the ashtray cubby. The same stuff used to clean eyeglasses. It folds small enough and cleans the fascia quickly and nicely. But then again, one of my must haves along with the interior color choice was a no GPS car with a huge plus for the piano wood. It just looks really cool there with its lines unbroken by the GPS gap.

 

Don't do it. You'll ruin the original piece and a painted surface isn't the same as the real thing. It's several layers of real wood bonded to the metal substrate with a real piano finish on the wood.

Buy the real thing used (you can find them on e-bay) and then if you like it, you can sell your original piece or the piano black one if you don't.

 

I haven't been able to find for sale on eBay or anywhere else. I'm afraid if I was ever lucky to find one it would be used, scratched or overpriced.

But I'm curious, why do you think it will ruin the original piece? The piece now is just metal painted gray with a subtle pattern on it. Is there any reason that a high gloss lacquer finish on metal would not look as good as on layers of real wood?

Based on your comments, I'm thinking of having the shop paint me a sample on a scrap piece of alloy first to get a idea of what it would look like.

 

KarlF, if you're interested- the Vantage Collection offers a Carbon fiber center console that looks pretty nice. Expensive, but nice. That's another option.

 

Thanks, RCAMV8. I haven't been able to find any prices for items on the Vantage Collection website. Do they not sell direct? Nevertheless, I think I would prefer going with piano black on my Vantage. I have a custom carbon fiber interior on my Esprit and was looking for something a little different.