[djolecar]

My '00 GLS is mechanically sound but the inside is falling apart. I'm not even trying to keep it nice but just to be in a somewhat respectable state.
The main issue is the aged plastic parts. They keep braking. From little pieces inside the door panels, door handles even some dash parts... The junkyard parts are 90% broken (the plastic aged poorly).
The saggy interior cloth and the headliner is not a problem.
Any ideas? Maybe retrofit the B5.5 or B6 panels, I am not sure how feasible that is.

I could draw and 3D print some stuff but that takes a lot of time.... This is my daily and mechanically sound hence I am planning on driving it for a while but the interior is starting to look like I am stripping it down for 10 sec 1/4 mile...

 

[Mtech]

In this situation, you have to ask yourself how long do you want to drive the car? These cars, because of the fully galvanized body and classic styling don't look nearly as old as other cars of same vintage. However the interior plastics are going to be a problem for any 17 year old, unless it was only parked in a dark garage and driven by OCD clean-freak.

 

[rreyes]

I'm running into the same situation with my '00 Wagon. The door panels, as long as the rigid pieces are in good shape can be redone by cutting the old insert material out, removing the remaining glue from the plastic and gluing in new material. For mine I used a decent marine-grade vinyl that looks as good as the factory leather. The plastic parts are a little bit of a challenge because anything factory will have the "soft touch" coating either rubbed off or in very poor shape. Some have sanded the pieces down and painted them with a satin paint. I've been lucky enough to snag spare pieces from Craigslist when I needed them

 

[mjmorrill]

The plastic bits like switches and other interior door panel plastic items are available for cheap on the bay. Mine looked terrible so I purchased new ones. They go for 5 or 6 dollars apiece.

 

[Bobster1]

I just ordered this black door handle/pull set from Debay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Inte...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649 $30 or if you're not in a hurry you can get them from China for $25 or so. I think mine came from the mid-west. Seats were removed and shampooed as well as the carpet. Headliner was replaced by the PO. I still need to replace the fabric in the door panels before the pulls go on.

 

[tomnole]

I just ordered this black door handle/pull set from Debay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Inte...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649 $30 or if you're not in a hurry you can get them from China for $25 or so. I think mine came from the mid-west. Seats were removed and shampooed as well as the carpet. Headliner was replaced by the PO. I still need to replace the fabric in the door panels before the pulls go on.

View attachment 83721

I did same thing and found out the handles didn't fit in my 2001.5 GLS even it said they were for B5 all the way to 2005. The part you put screws in is too long. I ended up bought OE handles from ECSTuning. They were expensive but fit perfectly. Hope yours fit.

 

[BKKVW]

I am in the same boat with the China parts. The attachment legs were too long. Not sure were they got their mold from but they all seem to be using the same one that doesn't fit. Thought about cutting the legs and then gluing on a washer to replace the end.

 

[djolecar]

Getting the handles isn't a problem for me. The most annoying part is the door panel pieces into which the handles bolt in. They are all broken...
At this point I'm thinking all or nothing point. I might do a mini investment and redo the whole interior properly.

If I do it I'll post it here or maybe do a thread "revitalizing the B5 interior"
I've used the isopropyl alcohol to wash off the soft plastic but didn't bother painting it.

 

[cuppie]

It actually isn't that bad to refurb the floppy-cloth door panels. Tedious, yes; requires two people to lay the new cloth, sure. I think I spent ~12 hours total time on mine (for all four.)
And, not expensive, either. <$100 for everything (color samples, fabric, glue, disposable paint brushes.) Well worth the time.

My panel rebuild starts here:
http://www.passatworld.com/forums/v...our-passat-today-post4399737.html#post4399737

 

[djolecar]

Thanks! I need to get a second vehicle before I start redoing the interior. Eyeing the old Touareg, CEL for life! I mean vw haha

 

[cuppie]

That's why you do the panels one or two at a time.
In any event, the only one that leaves you with a not-fully-functional car is the left front (because, well, you need to be able to open & close the door from inside...)
I spread my panel repairs out over nearly two weeks.

 

[djolecar]

Before I got to the junkyard. Do B5.5 door panels fit easily on a B5?

 

[tomnole]

Before I got to the junkyard. Do B5.5 door panels fit easily on a B5?

I saw a few B5.5 on junkyard and their door panels were in no better shape. It might be better to use cuppie's method.

 

[LineInTheWater]

My car was initially garaged but spent the last 14 years outside, both in dry heat, and raging humidity, and wild temp swings. My interior, and exterior (major loss of clearcoat) has taken a beating, and I try to put a "bandaid" on everything. I know my window regulator clips are victims too. New carpet mats, use helicopter tape to mend cracks, sew up my stick shift cover. It sucks, because I really loved the car when I first drove it new off the lot, still like to drive it, and it still has a ton of power when it's in relatively good health. But sinking endless money into all the aesthetic pieces doesn't make much sense, unless you have the money and love the car to it's death. You have to get in a certain mind frame, where you value the soul, the guts, of the car over the outside and interior imperfections. It's kind of like relationships. lol.

 

[djolecar]

Tell me about it... But the frugal me (and the love for the B5) can't stop using a mechanically perfect operating car. The clear coat sometimes hurts more than the interior, quite unrepresentative. Cops love to tail me... I have a clean record and no ticket but its a police magnet. My buddy is an officer and laughs each time I tell him. I might bite the bullet and drop a signifcant amount to fix everything. (If i had a Ford it would be an easy decision. My college ford focus dropped a valve seat...)