Headliner sagging in 98 Bonneville

Question is, what is the best way to fix this? I got this car for $200.00, so I’d like to avoid spending a lot of money. But at the same time the car is still in nice shape so I dont want to just rip it out.

These headliner retainers are available at most major automotive part stores. There in the Help section with all those small parts in red packaging. https://www.dormanproducts.com/cgi-bin/vm91corp30r/item-dtl.w?sid=0x01802564&item=45690&icrid=&clt=hwrap1&vsrch_str=headliner&vsrch_brand=ALL&vsrch_cat=ALL&st_amount=&end_amount=&start=&vfrom=&prev=&vnext=&category_list=:0

Not much you can do other than rip it out, once the headliner backing has gone it’s junk.

JC Whitney sell headliner kits if you’re feeling brave, it’s a job you need to take your time with but a day should turn out a good result. 2 people are better than 1 if you’re not a professional trimmer (another albeit more expensive option).

There are plenty of headliner replacement “How to do” references on the web.

Don’t rip it out. Rip some 1/8" strips of cedar or pine and “bow” them up in the roof to hold the headliner up. It’s a patch but the car was bought for $200

Headliner sagging in 98 Bonneville?
I don’t believe it. Why would Britney Spears be driving a 98 Bonneville?

I’ll second this motion. I have used these headliner retainers with good success. If you space them right, they look o.k. I’ve also tried using wooden bows to hold the headliner in place. I much prefer the retainers available at auto parts stores. I bought the ones I used at Advanced Automotive, but I am certain that other auto parts stores carry these as well.

I saw a how-to repair on Motor Week for this a few years ago. They said that you can get new cloth and a spray adhesive at chain auto parts stores. You remove the old cloth and scrape off any remaining adhesive from the cardboard insert (you must pull the headliner out of the car). Then you spray the adhesive on the cardboard and the cloth, let it sit for a minute, then mate the two together. Cut the excess cloth off after you fold it onto the back of the cardboard (remember to bond it there too). Then reinsert the headliner into the Bonny. Make sure to read the instructions to be sure I got it right.

I’ve used this method. It works great. Just remember to cut the strips 6" to 9" longer than the distance across the headliner, so you have enough material for the bow.

to add my 2 cents worth:

i have done both the described methods of repair. the thin wood strips do work, and you need to fasten them with short screws to fasten it to the cardboard underlayment.

but the idea of just getting a can (or two) of the spray adhesive and buying a couple yards of flocked fabric from your local fabric store is cheap too. but as described, this requires doing more prep work to clean up the underlying surface to get the new glue and fabric to adhere to the overhead. but the spray LOT of overspray inside the car. this will require ALOT of covering, and masking of the interior to prevent the glue from getting all over everything.

the headliners were originally sprayed and glued OUTSIDE the car when it was originally made. so it will require more work to keep the inside clean and to make a professional looking job.

i guess it depends how creative you are in your approach to this repair.

It’s actually a very simple process. Check this site: http://www.wlsheadliners.com/. You can get everything you need to do a professional looking job, probably for less than $100. Check out the videos showing actual replacements. If you research this project, you will find that you should use the real headliner material for best results. Also, get the good quality adhesive as shown on the site. I replaced mine in less than 2 hours and it is still looking as good as new after 2 years.

Most modern headlining materials have a thin foam lining, the glue hardens this and powderizes over a period of time depending on the weather conditions. You’d make a better job if you buy a new length of new headlining material, it’s cheap enough.