I just purchased a new shifter panel (93 finish) from Ray Crowe and I noticed the finish is different from the original. Is this how Mazda makes them now? It looks like a flat black. It actually looks nice, but it doesn't match the rest of my other interior plastics. Anyone had similar issues?

 

How much is Ray selling these for?

 

93 are smooth finish, 94 and up are textured. How much did you pay?

 

I bought my 94 textured one from my local mazda and pay 84.00

 

Ray sold it to me for $90 plus shipping.

 

do you know if a previous owner painted your interior panels?

 

I don't believe it was repainted. I had two other FD's and the interior plastic was the same.

 

I broke tabs on my 94 so I need to buy another one.

 

I got a new 93 one a few years ago and noticed the same thing. There is also a grove that runs horizontal just above the ash tray that is not there on the new ones.

 

Oh wow, good catch on the groove. I'm guessing this is how they come from Mazda now. Anyone else recently purchase the 93 finish?

 

Bought mine about a year ago with the same finish.
I'm painting all the console pieces with a grey textured paint from rustoleum since the rest are in pretty bad shape and there's no way I can match the new finish...
I tried taking the paint/rubber off it and its pretty damn hard, so I'm guessing they updated the coating to a much more resistant finish, though you can still scratch it.
So I ended up painting over it.

Will update when I'm finished, since I'm also doing the LED mod to the lights on the AC panel and cluster.

 

I'd paint it with some high quality SEM interior Black Gloss paint personally. Did it to my old car and the stuff is amazing - highly recommend it!

 

Wow the grooved line is gone. I like it a lot more than the original one. Nice info. I wonder if its the same story for the RHD cars?

 

I can confirm the plastics come in flat black now, I purchased the cluster/ac panel and shifterpanel

 

I think what it might be is that the "flat black" is actually a slightly rubberized coating which tends to wear off over time with touching and chemicals such as interior shining products. Most likely that's what all of the '93 interior panels looked like from the factory....

 

Yup, I think the old finish got shinier over time as it got "polished" from rubbing and use, being "armor-alled", hand oil, etc.

P

 

I would call Ray Crowe and ask him about it. That is definitely not how they came on the car.

 

Yeah, I dont think it came factory like that, but I've never been an original owner of an FD. I'll ask Ray about it and see what he says. Thanks to all who replied.

 

They are definitely different than the original 93 panels—it's a completely different process, i.e.:, some sort of spray on paint/coating vs. a film (that peeled). They obviously needed to change it, and get the match as close as possible... hard to tell from a photo, but I have new panels and they don't look quite THAT different—not really noticeable on the car.