Damage to the aluminium centre console!!!!!!!!!

(01-12-2011 09:34pm)ceebee Wrote:  Has anyone else managed to dent the brushed aluminium centre console with their seatbelt clip as many times as I have!!!!!!!!!!!

I must have about 6 or 7 small dents or scratches on the drivers side of the console where I keep catching it. Bit of a pig, but I have tried to be mega careful, but the habit of swinging my seatbelt around for the past 3 years in a Kuga seems hard to stop!

Not worth doing anything about at the minute as I am sure that the damage will get worse, but I was wondering if anyone else is as stupid as me!!!!!!

Also, does anyone know if this is a simple clip or screw on part (for future replacement)?

Hi
How do you find the Evoque compared to the Kuga? i might "upgrade" from Kuga to Evoque in 2012...
Cheers
Rob

Rob,

You should deffo go for the Evoque!!

I loved my Kuga and don't want to take anything away from it, but everything (and I mean everything) on the Evoque is just that bit better? IMHO It looks better, drives better, better interior, better MPG, cheaper to tax (yes really)!!!!.

The costs of the Kuga's have been creeeping up in the 3 years I had mine (I paid £19,995 for my Zetec in 200, but my circumstances have changed for the better in those 3 years, so I was looking at getting a 163 Titanium with all the toys I couldn't afford when I got the Zetec (Higher performance engine, Panoramic roof, Full Leather, DAB, touchscreen, heated seats, Climate Control, Cruise Control, USB, etc....).

I was looking at having to pay for one or more of the Ford packs (not sure which but I think it has to be the X-pack for the features above). This was taking the cost up to the £30K mark, which is a lot of money for a Ford in my opinion. Also, there are lots of Kuga's around now and I wanted something a bit different.

When the spec and costs for the Evoque were published I could not believe that you could get ALL of the above as STANDARD (apart from the panoramic roof) on the most "basic" Pure model. So that is what I bought, with a few simple extras (Wheels, panoramic and fogs).

Back on topic...

The damage is tiny indents to the brushed metal. Over time this will worse although it's only noticeable if you go looking for it

I can see that any damage will be more visible on the brushed aluminium. On the Dynamic, the aluminium has an embossed pattern which will mask any minor damage. Unfortunately, it will not be a case of simply switching to those because the trim strip across the dash (assuming you have silver, not black) matches.

(13-12-2011 09:10pm)Acwats Wrote:  Back on topic...

The damage is tiny indents to the brushed metal. Over time this will worse although it's only noticeable if you go looking for it

Thanks for the posts.....because I know with my family it's going to happen sooner than later, but at least I know when it does happen, that it's happening to others as well and I won't get cross with them (at least not too much!).

Something to watch out for certainly. Any correlation to body size / seat height? I'm of a slimmer body width and have no issues whatsoever (maybe if there is less of a gap from body to aluminium chances of a strike might be higher?). Solution:all buyers should have pelvic width measurements made prior to purchase !

I don't think that the size of the driver or the seat height would be a major factor really, I think it's more a case of just being in the habit of doing things a certain way for years and then "forgetting" to adapt?

When I think about it, the past 4 or 5 cars I have owned have a space between the front 2 seats with no real centre console that can be caught with the seatbelt clip. With the Evoque the seatbelt fastener is noticeably lower that the console and I always feel as though I am fastening my seatbelt just under my left butt-cheek!!!!!

5 days old and just made first small dent into alu centre console - doh!

Must be more careful
Must be more careful
Must be more careful ...

(02-12-2011 03:23am)vcruiser Wrote:  Yup, I've got 3 or 4 dents. I noticed them the other day cause
i often get in the car while in a rush and a throw my seatbelt quickly around me.

I am not a fan of the aluminum trim in the dynamic. It's the only thing i really don't like about the car.
I may wrap it or have a carbon fibre trim made anyway!

Excellent ideal. Have you sourced the carbon fiber for this application? I would do this even though I don't have any dents.

+1