If you own your car, you’re in the fortunate position that you can make changes without worrying about what the finance company might think – and that means there’s room for customisation. Whether you want to fit a roof rack or change the alloys, owning your car means the total freedom to make it yours, whatever that means to you.
But while most drivers make minor changes to their cars, what happens if you want to go the whole hog and upgrade the interior? Is customising the inside of your car worth the time and money? Or are you setting yourself up for a fall when it comes time to sell it or trade it in?
If you’re thinking of giving the inside of your car a personal touch, our guide to upgrading car interiors can help you decide if it’s right for you.
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Should You Make Changes to Your Car’s Interior? The Pros and Cons
Wondering whether or not you should refit your car’s interior? Here, we take a look at the pros and cons of making changes inside your car.
The Pros
- A personal touch – give your car a touch of personality, and make it stand out from the crowd.
- Added comfort – from improved seats to greater cushioning, you stand to make your driving position comfier by swapping out stock components.
- Premium features – if you’re willing to spend on sprucing the interior, you could benefit from premium features and fixtures that feel and work better than the originals.
- Appeal to a niche group of buyers – maybe you want to sell your car for a profit? The right interior changes could help increase resale value, making your car more appealing to buyers looking for a very particular sort of car.
The Cons
- Damage your car’s resale value – significant and irreversible changes to the cabin could negatively affect your car’s resale value on the mainstream market.
- Loss of safety and comfort – certain modifications could affect the safety and comfort of your car’s interior; make sure any changes you make aren’t illegal and don’t affect overall safety.
- Void your insurance – depending on the changes you make, interior modifications could invalidate your car insurance. Check with your insurance provider first, and always declare major modifications.
- DIY changes could be trickier than you think – carrying out significant changes in the cabin risks bodging the look and feel, so if you aren’t confident, we’d leave it to the professionals or make simple, easy changes instead.
What Can You Change Inside a Car?
If you have the money, time and expertise, virtually all of your car’s interior can be upgraded – with loads of ways to customise the seats, carpets and dashboard. Here, we take a look at both major and simple changes you can make inside the cabin to give your car a new lease of life.
Major Change: Upgrade the Carpets
Car carpets can start to look tired after years of use, particularly on the driver’s side beneath the pedals. Not only that, but carpets are often boring to begin with, with most manufacturers opting for dull black or grey.
Rather than living with tired carpets, why not fit new ones? Most car customisation services offer carpet replacement, giving you the opportunity to inject a little colour or pattern into the upholstery. You can replace the carpets yourself, but it’s not an easy job; this video should help if you’re brave enough to try.
Simple Change: Buy Some Stylish New Mats
Wary of fitting new carpets or just can’t afford it? A quick and affordable way to give the floor a facelift is to buy a brand-new set of car mats. Mats come in a variety of styles, finishes and textures these days, so you can get a premium look that’s more in line with your style. A set of premium mats will also help protect the carpet, so you can safeguard your car’s resale value.
Major Change: Fit New Seats
There are several benefits to fitting new seats, from giving the interior a classy makeover to improving your driving position, boosting safety and helping your car feel little sportier. Aftermarket seats are a popular interior upgrade, with lots of drivers opting for bucket-style replacements that bring a much racier feel.
Fitting new seats is definitely something you should leave to a professional. It’s vital the new seats are fitted properly to ensure maximum safety out on the road; you’ll also need to inform your insurer if you plan to fit new ones.
Simple Change: Invest in Seat Covers
If fitting completely new seats sounds a little drastic or expensive, you could always opt for seat covers instead. Seat covers give you the look and feel of new seats without the effort and expense, and there are plenty of tailored options available to give your car a new look. For the most premium look, feel and finish, pay to have your car seats covered and reupholstered in leather.
Major Change: Replace the Dashboard and Steering Wheel
As we said above, pretty much any part of your car’s interior can be upgraded if you have the time and money – and that includes the entire front dashboard and steering wheel. Car customisation specialists can help you come up with a completely new look for your car’s main dashboard and driver controls, so you can achieve something that’s original and all you.
Of course, replacing the entire dashboard will come at a cost, with several individual components required, as well as the new dashboard itself. If you’re willing to go the distance and pay the price, though, there’s no better way to give your car a completely new look and feel.
Simple Change: Update Some of the Driver Controls
Rather than replacing the entire dashboard, there are simple changes you can make to the dash and driver controls that will help give things a little lift. For starters, you might want to replace the pedals with a sportier alternative – a job which is fairly simple and inexpensive to do. You can also fit a new gear knob and handbrake lever, which are, again, simple changes that can have a big impact. Fitting a steering wheel cover is another good option; just make sure your grip isn’t compromised.
We hope this guide helps you decide if upgrading the inside of your car is right for you, and provides inspiration for your interior makeover. For more helpful tips and advice, or to learn about the Simoniz car care range, visit the homepage today.
