Fixing Door trims MK5 golf

[MEL744]

Regarding the door handles, apparently in later mk5s they addressed the issues with the soft touch rubber. I repainted them but wasn't happy with the colour or texture match, so over time I managed to accumulate a full set of immaculate door handles for under $30 from the wreckers.

I am wondering, do the leather door cards have the same foam and therefore fail the same way?

Maltbbe, this sounds a lot like what I have done with my 06 Jetta. Interior work I've done so far is:
- Replace centre dash vent and the radio surround
- Replace radio with a new OEM unit since the buttons on mine were all peeling
- Change gear shift assembly to one from a mk6r since the shift knob was worn and the boot was cracking
- Retrim headliner (paid someone to do it since have never done upholstery work and didn't want it to fail after I went to all the trouble of removing it)
- Replace centre armrest with a leather one since the fabric was worn and the mechanism wasn't operating properly
- All window switches replaced with chrome tipped eBay ones because the factory ones were peeling
- Replace all door handles with used ones
- Switch the factory centre ashtray for a storage bin from a base spec golf since I don't need the ash tray and the soft touch was peeling
- Change the bottom trim on the steering wheel for a silver one from a Golf, since the soft touch was peeling again

Next up wouldn't mind a GTI steering wheel

[Cheezel]

I replaced all of mine with leather ones from a wreck, and they are beautiful. I paid $200 for the set of four. The little trim pieces inlaid in the doors are black compared to the original silver, but I don't really care about that. Those are actually replaceable fairly easily, and I kept the silver bits from my doors in case I change my mind in the future. I also kept all my window switches etc, as my door cards came with the switches too, so I have new ones that haven't worn off yet.

[neil]

Ive just done this to girlfriends beetle and what a pain.
Yeah its the soft foam that fails , getting the door trim off is the easy bit , Not sure about golfs but beetle which the material
around handle seems to have same setup , its actually a piece within the door trim and is spot hot plastic welded.
Had to brake the spots to get the inner card out , had no luck trying to reglue the old vinyl back on , had local guy make up some
new stitched vinyl inserts made up and glued back on then had to urethane the old plastic welds back on.

If any decide a DIY make sure you buy the door plugs for the trim because you probably break some taking the trim off.
you can get them cheap off ebay.