Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
A while back I wrote a review of a Palco brand dash cover that I tried on my wife's 1987 Camaro. Ultimately it cracked and warped and I was not happy with it. I did some internet searches and read the AccuForm brand of covers were supposedly better so I ordered a new one off Ebay for about $165.
Right out of the box I noticed the texture looked good, but the Palco "hair cell" texture was actually a closer match to the original dash and the AccuForm looked more like vinyl texture. I ripped off the old Palco and test fit the AccuForm. It was so bad I didn't even bother gluing it in place and immediately took pictures and requested a refund on it. Here are some of the pics:
#1. Shows the AccuForm above and the old dash with Palco still installed on bottom.
#2. Old dash with Palco stripped off.
#3. Old dash with AccuForm on top showing the right vent partially covered. The left vent fit correctly.
#4. AccuForm on top of the original dash. You can see too much dash cap material was cut off at the factory and it doesn't even cover the whole dash.
#5. Another angle of the previous picture.
#6. Cut-out of the old Palco in place, showing the Palco at least fit correctly and was cut to cover the whole dash.
#7. Comparison of the textures on each. The original dash is underneath with the Palco cut-out in the lower right corner and the AccuForm above.
I would NOT recommend an AccuForm dash cover. The Palco warped and cracked, but at least it fit like a glove when I installed it. The AccuForm doesn't even fit right. I expect it would probably warp and crack just like the Palco, and the AccuForm came with instructions that specifically said it was NOT guaranteed against warping. On a side note, earlier this year I noticed 1A Auto was selling the AccuForm dash caps and emailed them asking if warping was covered under warranty. They never replied.
At this point I have given up on anyone making a decent dash cap. My 1985 Camaro has a urethane dash I bought years ago from Classic Industries and I love it, but they were a lot cheaper back in 2009. Ecklers has a urethane vinyl wrapped for $575 and free shipping. The current Classic catalog shows a urethane for $570 + double oversize shipping. A few months ago I saw someone on Ebay was selling remanufactured vinyl wrapped dashes supposedly like original for around $430, but I can't find them now.
Right out of the box I noticed the texture looked good, but the Palco "hair cell" texture was actually a closer match to the original dash and the AccuForm looked more like vinyl texture. I ripped off the old Palco and test fit the AccuForm. It was so bad I didn't even bother gluing it in place and immediately took pictures and requested a refund on it. Here are some of the pics:
#1. Shows the AccuForm above and the old dash with Palco still installed on bottom.
#2. Old dash with Palco stripped off.
#3. Old dash with AccuForm on top showing the right vent partially covered. The left vent fit correctly.
#4. AccuForm on top of the original dash. You can see too much dash cap material was cut off at the factory and it doesn't even cover the whole dash.
#5. Another angle of the previous picture.
#6. Cut-out of the old Palco in place, showing the Palco at least fit correctly and was cut to cover the whole dash.
#7. Comparison of the textures on each. The original dash is underneath with the Palco cut-out in the lower right corner and the AccuForm above.
I would NOT recommend an AccuForm dash cover. The Palco warped and cracked, but at least it fit like a glove when I installed it. The AccuForm doesn't even fit right. I expect it would probably warp and crack just like the Palco, and the AccuForm came with instructions that specifically said it was NOT guaranteed against warping. On a side note, earlier this year I noticed 1A Auto was selling the AccuForm dash caps and emailed them asking if warping was covered under warranty. They never replied.
At this point I have given up on anyone making a decent dash cap. My 1985 Camaro has a urethane dash I bought years ago from Classic Industries and I love it, but they were a lot cheaper back in 2009. Ecklers has a urethane vinyl wrapped for $575 and free shipping. The current Classic catalog shows a urethane for $570 + double oversize shipping. A few months ago I saw someone on Ebay was selling remanufactured vinyl wrapped dashes supposedly like original for around $430, but I can't find them now.
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
Update on this.
Back at the time of my first post I sent the pictures to AccuForm and requested a refund. They refused to refund, but agreed to take it back and send a new one. I explained all the issues to them that are in my first post. It took a few weeks, and their communication with me wasn't very good. I finally got a replacement from them and it was cut properly and covered the whole old dash, but still molded wrong with overlapping on the right vent. I installed it exactly per the instructions that came with it. As soon as weather warmed up early in the year the dash warped and remains warped to this day. I guess it looks better than the old cracked up dash, but I still won't waste my money on dash caps for any vehicle.
Back at the time of my first post I sent the pictures to AccuForm and requested a refund. They refused to refund, but agreed to take it back and send a new one. I explained all the issues to them that are in my first post. It took a few weeks, and their communication with me wasn't very good. I finally got a replacement from them and it was cut properly and covered the whole old dash, but still molded wrong with overlapping on the right vent. I installed it exactly per the instructions that came with it. As soon as weather warmed up early in the year the dash warped and remains warped to this day. I guess it looks better than the old cracked up dash, but I still won't waste my money on dash caps for any vehicle.
#4
Member
Re: Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
That's unfortunate that AccuForm wouldn't stand behind their product, and give you a refund when you showed them that the part didn't fit correctly. If you have any junkyards in your area, see if you can find a dash pad in decent shape there. That would be your cheapest option. Thanks for letting everyone here know, won't be buying any products from AccuForm if this is how they treat customers.
#5
Supreme Member
Re: Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
automotive vinyl in the right shade and a big bottle of contact cement and a lot of pulling and stretching.
#6
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Oak Hill, OH
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4 auto
Axle/Gears: unsure
Re: Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
Had to reply to this as i bought the same exact cover. I knew pulling it out of the box it would actually make everything look worse, but i also tried a fit. I was so displeased that I packaged it back up with some polaroids of their 'superior fit' dash cover an left detailed bullets on the pics of how their fit is not superior. I left a note stating that the only refund that I needed was that they take this piece of crap back. You know what they did, they sent me a brand new dash mat two I don't know smooth over a sore subject I don't know but it was such a piece of crap, almost worse than the first. I think it's still in the back of the garage because I did not bother to go through the trouble of sending that one back just to pay money for somebody to crap in my hand, again. Lol
Trending Topics
#8
Supreme Member
Re: Review of AccuForm dash cap (JUNK)
Being in the market for some kind of replacement I'm finding this info very timely.
I may go 84 1LE's route and attempt recovering what I have.
I may go 84 1LE's route and attempt recovering what I have.