FTO AUSTRALIA

So, I just decided to take out the old sh*tty tape deck that was in my FTO when I bought it. Prior to this, I had a lovely, un-cracked centre console piece. I planned to pop in an old, but definite upgrade over a tape deck, Pioneer head unit that I had laying around from my last car.

I pulled up a guide to take out the centre plastic console piece, taking head of the warnings that the plastic can easily be cracked, I easily popped it out without any hassles at all. This is where my problems began.

I soon realised I was missing the plug required for the Pioneer head unit, figuring I must have accidentally left it at my parents house. Oh well, I decided, I'll just chuck the tape deck back in until the weekend.

Turns out getting the plastic back in is about 10x harder then getting it out. After about 5 minutes of trying to hook the top clips back in, I heard the first, heart breaking, crack of weakened plastic snapping under the strain of my fiddling. Swearing a little to myself, I struggled on, consoling myself with the repeated mantra that it was 'only a little crack'. A further 5 minutes go by. Another crack appears, on the opposite side of the previous one. Swearing a little more, I find some comfort in the fact that it is now easier to get the console back in, having a little more flexibility.

The elation of getting the top two clips in is quickly followed by a raging fury as the console snaps in another TWO places, with seemingly only the gentlest of pushes. After screaming at the console, the tape deck, the car, my lack of dexterity and ultimately my failure as a human being, the final clips pop into place.

My rage subsides... Until I realise that I have mangled my centre console while at the same time failing at achieving my initial goal of replacing the head unit.

So now, I sit in a darkened room, lit only by the glow of my computer monitor, tapping away at a keyboard and sharing my tale of complete and utter defeat at the hands of a piece of plastic.


So... WTB Stereo surround!

....and join the long list of the mighty that have also fallen. Welcome! Tea and buscuits are at the back.

There were a few floating about a while ago after a Group Buy, so not impossible to track down.

I feel your pain. Been there myself and I wrote one of the guides. In my case, I didnt have the unit centred properly and clipping it back in put too much pressure on it.

On a happier note, I can get them new if you want me to order one for you.

"great news" not!. is there a special way to to get them back together. the look of the new one i just got from dstocks really scares me after that story.

I am laughing at the way you wrote that story, well done.

As for the centre console, if it makes you feel better i have broken 2 of them. Yep thats right $300 worth of centre console and the new FTO i have just brough,t also has a crack. So thats going to be $450 worth

is there a special way to to get them back together

Yours shouldnt be as much of a risk as its brand new and a lot less brittle.

In putting them back in, you need to push the tabs at the top of the surround under the rubber console above first. I then work my way down the surround and do a set of clips at a time. The new surround will be a tight fit, but you shouldnt have any issues. Havent heard of anyone breaking one of the new ones while trying to put it in yet.

You reckon getting it dipped or treated in some way will make it stronger? I can't imagine how many people at the mitsu factory broke putting those things in

I think it's more of an issue that they get brittle with age, their fine when new from all reports.

Pete, that was a great read mate. when I help you out with your running issues I'll show you mine, it's in two complete peices. I've got a new one courtesy of dstocks but not putting it in yet, I've got plans

Definately feeling your pain though, everytime I've taken mine out it got worse until it's current state. It can't get any worse now

A lot of imagery right there...i'd pay to buy the book. Btw, its unfortuante what happened, its happened to just about everyone on here i'd say.

mine i think is in about 5 different pieces

im thinking i could maybe just use fibreglass filler to rejoin the pieces and then rub it back and spray it, and if its a fail which probably will be, il just order a new one. hmm maybe a job for diy day

So..has someone made a carbon fibre version to solve this problem yet?

alternatively, you could get some decent quality stickers that you could wrap the plastic in that could hold it together nicely

There has been a CF one made, but you loose the ashtray and it doesnt have the clips on the back. As for the stickers, none of them fit really well and even they wouldnt hold it together properly if its broken in more than 2 places. I had some success with fibreglass, but youd still have to paint after that as the cracks still show even if it is in one piece.

some1 say cf? mines been going strong for a few years now.

dstocks wrote:There has been a CF one made, but you loose the ashtray and it doesnt have the clips on the back. As for the stickers, none of them fit really well and even they wouldnt hold it together properly if its broken in more than 2 places. I had some success with fibreglass, but youd still have to paint after that as the cracks still show even if it is in one piece.

hey mate, where abouts is your DIY for that? or you dont have one yet? either way, ive got a fibreglass kit, so any help would be much appreciated! ive pretty much snapped it at one end and the other is clinging on for dear life!

I did do a DIY for that, but it mysteriously disappeared off my site (probably my fault). Still dont know what happened. Still have the pictures somewhere. I guess I could breathe some life into it again.

I have a CF one... bought 2nd hand from somewhere... its awesome... its about 5mm thick!!

Scariest moment of my life when i took to it with a hole saw drill to mount the new guages.....

But it took it like a champ!!

(P.s. ....... f**k the ashtray!)

damn that looks sexy sam.

i feel your pain man. mine had crakcs when i bought the car and when i replaced the head unit i snapped the whole centre into three pieces. then i tried to fix it with super glue and a blow dryer: it didnt work and it now has white glue stains

dstocks wrote:I did do a DIY for that, but it mysteriously disappeared off my site (probably my fault). Still dont know what happened. Still have the pictures somewhere. I guess I could breathe some life into it again.

cheers man, any help would be much appreciated!! until then, iam just gonna assume that duct tape is the new fad for interior accesories!

no duct tape, they still clip back into place properly for the most part but have cracks through them when you look closer. Even when they are in multiple parts.