New or used dash

Hello all. I recently purchased an 01 996 TT after many years of air cooled 911s. It's a tremendous car and so very different than the AC cars. Just love it.. The car is immaculate save one problem - bubbles on the dash where leather is separating. I've read everything there is. to read on the topic on many sites, and have concluded that a dash replacement is the best solution. I plan to do that myself and take my time. Long process but reasonably straight forward. Big question is whether to purchase a new replacement or to buy a used unit from a dismantler. Will the new unit be more likely to have a better construction than the original ones which did have some degree of issue with this problem? I have read that a new dash is in the $1200 range, not really that bad compared to some things that need attention on the cars, butt can likely source a nice used on fro about half that. Would love some thoughts on best approach an a test as to whether the $1200 is correct. Many thanks

Uggh. I hear you pal. My otherwise clean Cab has the same problem. I bought a Dash King Cover from our host, out of sight, out of mind. But if you have decided to replace the dash my personal opinion would be to go ahead and buy the new one. If you’re going through all that trouble to replace it you don’t want to run the risk of having the new dash also begin to bubble up. You don’t know the true history. I say this because I had a similar problem back when I owned my 944. The dash was all cracked and quite a mess. I found a 1987 924S in the junkyard with a very very clean dash. I replaced it and unfortunately two years later new cracks began to form despite all my protective measures I took for the new dash. Replacing the 944 dash was a pain in the neck I can’t imagine doing a 996.

Is it the whole dash? Or just the gauge cover?

The common problem with these dashes is the area right in front of the defroster vents tends to get as the OP described “bubbles.” It almost looks like a cobblestone like texture on the flat portion of the dash in behind the gauge cluster cover and before the defroster vents. Well that’s at least what happened in my car. I wish I had the fortitude to replace the dash but I simply do not. So I bought the carpet dash cover from our host and put it in place and it looks pretty good. I’m not home right now but I can take a picture if anybody is really interested.

My leather dash only had problems on the gauge cover. So, I bought a cheap vinyl version from a junk yard and flocked it. I loved it so much I never got the original one recovered lol

Thanks all. Yes, mine is the areas trailing from the defroster vents. I am getting used to it ( a little bit), but the car is very nice and deserves to be perfect throughout. Not a project for this year or even next, but someday when time is my friend I'll take it on and do it right. Hopefully a new one will still be available a couple years from now. Might buy it sooner just to be sure. At least I can read Ferrari and Bentley complaints that read the same. Some solace in that. Thanks for the input. Other than that, this car is a blast!