Modifying car interiors.

hell_rider · 21st March 2005, 22:24

A simple query...

Say I am very satisfied with a given car on certain parameters, but very unsatisfied on certain other parameters.

In my particular example, the Tata Indigo. It is a car I am seriously considering along with the Palio D.

But I am not happy with the interior fit and finish of the Indigo. how much of it can i totally replace / modify without voiding the warranty?

Basically what kind of replacements / modifications void a car warranty ? Engine, suspensions etc. are obvious. what about dashboards, instrument panels, etc ??

Specifically, has anyone on this forum modified the Indigo interiors in a radical way, shifting the whole trim quality a few levels up ?

thanks,
hell_rider

lamborghini · 22nd March 2005, 02:55

Dude the best thing you can do is contact someone like AGM.
Maybe a leather coated interior but that will be expensive and tough to maintain.
Try getting a rexine finish like that on old zens or a cheap cloth over which covers the dashboard though it doesnt look very good.

johnjacob · 22nd March 2005, 09:20

I've been wondering the same thing...

.. the other day I saw this Ford Ikon. Its driver looked like a male model and the babe in the passenger seat looked like a film star. But who cares what they looked like?

What really impressed me about that Ikon was that it had an orange and black leather interior package that was SUPERB! Very classily done.

Often when we see cars with leather interiors they'll just have leather seat covers put in, but the fabric on the door panels will remain the same and that looks tacky. In this Ikon the door panels had been modified to use the same orange and black leather. The whole setup looked very professionally done.

Anybody know how much such an interior package would cost?

khanak · 22nd March 2005, 10:47

if ur gonna go nd change the enigne the suspension and the interiors ull end up speding so much tht ittl be smarter for u to just go nd buy a better car ?/?

speedsatya · 22nd March 2005, 10:53

u cannot do much about the interiors.
if money is not a problem you can go for good seat covers and upholstery from G-sport on the lower side and Stanley on the higher side.

you can get ur dashboard and the door panels covered in these brands .
other wise u can go for some good Vinyl polish like STP Son Of a Gun,and use it on your vinyl dashboard.
for the upholstery u get turtle wax,Valvoline,armor all....Upholstery Cleaner.

about changing your dashboard,it is not advisable to do so.

if your car does not have a tachometer,you can get one fitted as its of great use while driving.

regarding the Indigo,its more of a FE car ,so you should not bother much about the interiors.
and,adding covers to your upholstery does not void your warranty in any way.
u can get a pricol 4-cylinder tacho for about 1000rs ,which can be easily fitted at any decent garage.

and dont forget to get a sun visor across your windshield to cover your dashboard when you park your car in open sunlight.this will protect your dashboard from the sunlight and also help to hide things in your car.

getting a good quality garage cover from Polco will also help.

vance0712 · 22nd March 2005, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedsatya

if your car does not have a tachometer,you can get one fitted as its of great use while driving.

u can get a pricol 4-cylinder tacho for about 1000rs ,which can be easily fitted at any decent garage.
.

bro where can i get a tacho that you referring to i would love to put one
do you know of any place preferably on the western side

and how much do you think they would charge for fixing

speedsatya · 22nd March 2005, 19:05

u can get it in opera house or the milan subway area.

a pricol tacho retails for around 800rs.
and fixing shud cost u another 100rs

islero · 23rd March 2005, 10:00

But you should know how far you can go without voiding the warranty, so be careful.

Harrie · 23rd March 2005, 11:13

any idea how much covering up the dash board with leather or vinyl might cost? I have seen a civic in which the dashboard was painted (???) but it looked sporty all right.

any idea what can be done to change the dashboard from the dull grey to something interesting?

hell_rider · 23rd March 2005, 23:56

Okay,

this thread is getting interesting (for those of us who are ignorant about this aspect of the car scene)

further building on harrie's query :
How much will it cost to bring up the Indigo interiors to a better level. I am basically, looking at doing something to the door levers, the glove box, other assorted cheap plastic parts, the fabric on the doors, changing the look of the dashboard, along those lines basically, just a treatment that will not give it a look of being built to a price.

I realise my query is a bit vague as I have mentioned i want to take it up to a "better level". and better level could be anything. but i myself am a bit unclear and am looking for some direction and options.

my point to this thread and these queries is if I can do up the Indigo interiors within a reasonable price, it looks very attractive as compared to a Palio D. So I would just like to evaluate my options.

thanks,
hell_rider

islero · 24th March 2005, 11:35

first you should get an idea of what you want. You are, after all, customising your car, so whats the point if you get something you dont really want?

Harrie · 24th March 2005, 11:52

I think hell rider really wants to do is to make the dash a bit more appealing from the darb looking one it is at present. Right?

This IMO can be done by covering up the dash with leather/vinyl and or doing up the upholstrey. In coimbatore a full fabric upholstery work including the top and door pads would cost about 80k. so leather or vinyl should be about a lakh atleast.

I have placed a ferrari f1 replica on my palio's dash. the red of the car adds a bit of spice to the grey dash.

Psycho · 24th March 2005, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harrie

In coimbatore a full fabric upholstery work including the top and door pads would cost about 80k. so leather or vinyl should be about a lakh atleast.

80k for interiors???

Guys just got my car and a couple of friends cars interiors done : Seats, Roof, Door Pads, Flooring done in art leather here at 10K including material.

Fabric interiors work out even more cheaper.

Part Leather interior kits can be bought from Stanleys starting at 10K.

Full leather interiors from Stanleys start at 40K onwards.

Anyone interested in BLR can contact me...

hell_rider · 24th March 2005, 12:34

just about harrie....

what i wanted to know was, what could be done to spruce up the interiors a bit and how much it would cost, what my options were etc.

l have mentioned above, some of the things i would like to change. but i really wouldn't have a clear idea on what *exactly* i want to do, as I haven't really done this before.

Also I do not have the car as yet. plan to get my car around april end hopefully. So i just wanted to know, if i went for the indigo, what I could do inside and how much it would cost me.

it isn't as much about customising as much as it is just getting it to look a bit better.

thanks,
hell_rider

rishi_kapoor · 24th March 2005, 13:54

Does any one has Stanley's Mumbai Numbers and address, please PM me.

21st March 2005, 22:24	#1
hell_rider BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 538 Thanked: 61 Times	Modifying car interiors. A simple query... Say I am very satisfied with a given car on certain parameters, but very unsatisfied on certain other parameters. In my particular example, the Tata Indigo. It is a car I am seriously considering along with the Palio D. But I am not happy with the interior fit and finish of the Indigo. how much of it can i totally replace / modify without voiding the warranty? Basically what kind of replacements / modifications void a car warranty ? Engine, suspensions etc. are obvious. what about dashboards, instrument panels, etc ?? Specifically, has anyone on this forum modified the Indigo interiors in a radical way, shifting the whole trim quality a few levels up ? thanks, hell_rider
	() Thanks

22nd March 2005, 02:55	#2
lamborghini Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,112 Thanked: 5,760 Times View My Garage	Dude the best thing you can do is contact someone like AGM. Maybe a leather coated interior but that will be expensive and tough to maintain. Try getting a rexine finish like that on old zens or a cheap cloth over which covers the dashboard though it doesnt look very good.
	() Thanks

22nd March 2005, 09:20	#3
johnjacob BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bangalore, INDIA Posts: 344 Thanked: 25 Times	I've been wondering the same thing... .. the other day I saw this Ford Ikon. Its driver looked like a male model and the babe in the passenger seat looked like a film star. But who cares what they looked like? What really impressed me about that Ikon was that it had an orange and black leather interior package that was SUPERB! Very classily done. Often when we see cars with leather interiors they'll just have leather seat covers put in, but the fabric on the door panels will remain the same and that looks tacky. In this Ikon the door panels had been modified to use the same orange and black leather. The whole setup looked very professionally done. Anybody know how much such an interior package would cost?
	() Thanks

22nd March 2005, 10:47	#4
khanak Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai/Toronto Posts: 2,799 Thanked: 268 Times View My Garage	if ur gonna go nd change the enigne the suspension and the interiors ull end up speding so much tht ittl be smarter for u to just go nd buy a better car ?/?
	() Thanks

22nd March 2005, 10:53	#5
speedsatya Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: bangalore/manga Posts: 3,169 Thanked: 738 Times View My Garage	u cannot do much about the interiors. if money is not a problem you can go for good seat covers and upholstery from G-sport on the lower side and Stanley on the higher side. you can get ur dashboard and the door panels covered in these brands . other wise u can go for some good Vinyl polish like STP Son Of a Gun,and use it on your vinyl dashboard. for the upholstery u get turtle wax,Valvoline,armor all....Upholstery Cleaner. about changing your dashboard,it is not advisable to do so. if your car does not have a tachometer,you can get one fitted as its of great use while driving. regarding the Indigo,its more of a FE car ,so you should not bother much about the interiors. and,adding covers to your upholstery does not void your warranty in any way. u can get a pricol 4-cylinder tacho for about 1000rs ,which can be easily fitted at any decent garage. and dont forget to get a sun visor across your windshield to cover your dashboard when you park your car in open sunlight.this will protect your dashboard from the sunlight and also help to hide things in your car. getting a good quality garage cover from Polco will also help.
	() Thanks

22nd March 2005, 19:05	#7
speedsatya Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: bangalore/manga Posts: 3,169 Thanked: 738 Times View My Garage	u can get it in opera house or the milan subway area. a pricol tacho retails for around 800rs. and fixing shud cost u another 100rs
	() Thanks

23rd March 2005, 10:00	#8
islero Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,574 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	But you should know how far you can go without voiding the warranty, so be careful.
	() Thanks

23rd March 2005, 11:13	#9
Harrie BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: KA 03, KL 12, TN 38 Posts: 701 Thanked: 36 Times View My Garage	any idea how much covering up the dash board with leather or vinyl might cost? I have seen a civic in which the dashboard was painted (???) but it looked sporty all right. any idea what can be done to change the dashboard from the dull grey to something interesting?
	() Thanks

23rd March 2005, 23:56	#10
hell_rider BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 538 Thanked: 61 Times	Okay, this thread is getting interesting (for those of us who are ignorant about this aspect of the car scene) further building on harrie's query : How much will it cost to bring up the Indigo interiors to a better level. I am basically, looking at doing something to the door levers, the glove box, other assorted cheap plastic parts, the fabric on the doors, changing the look of the dashboard, along those lines basically, just a treatment that will not give it a look of being built to a price. I realise my query is a bit vague as I have mentioned i want to take it up to a "better level". and better level could be anything. but i myself am a bit unclear and am looking for some direction and options. my point to this thread and these queries is if I can do up the Indigo interiors within a reasonable price, it looks very attractive as compared to a Palio D. So I would just like to evaluate my options. thanks, hell_rider Last edited by hell_rider : 23rd March 2005 at 23:57.
	() Thanks

24th March 2005, 11:35	#11
islero Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,574 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	first you should get an idea of what you want. You are, after all, customising your car, so whats the point if you get something you dont really want?
	() Thanks

24th March 2005, 11:52	#12
Harrie BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: KA 03, KL 12, TN 38 Posts: 701 Thanked: 36 Times View My Garage	I think hell rider really wants to do is to make the dash a bit more appealing from the darb looking one it is at present. Right? This IMO can be done by covering up the dash with leather/vinyl and or doing up the upholstrey. In coimbatore a full fabric upholstery work including the top and door pads would cost about 80k. so leather or vinyl should be about a lakh atleast. I have placed a ferrari f1 replica on my palio's dash. the red of the car adds a bit of spice to the grey dash.
	() Thanks

24th March 2005, 12:34	#14
hell_rider BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 538 Thanked: 61 Times	just about harrie.... what i wanted to know was, what could be done to spruce up the interiors a bit and how much it would cost, what my options were etc. l have mentioned above, some of the things i would like to change. but i really wouldn't have a clear idea on what exactly i want to do, as I haven't really done this before. Also I do not have the car as yet. plan to get my car around april end hopefully. So i just wanted to know, if i went for the indigo, what I could do inside and how much it would cost me. it isn't as much about customising as much as it is just getting it to look a bit better. thanks, hell_rider Last edited by hell_rider : 24th March 2005 at 12:35.
	() Thanks

24th March 2005, 13:54	#15
rishi_kapoor BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Noida Posts: 486 Thanked: 672 Times View My Garage	Does any one has Stanley's Mumbai Numbers and address, please PM me.
	() Thanks