[Smooth E]

I'm purchasing a 1988 corolla sr5 from my friends grandparents. They've owned it since it was new and it's been well maintained. Other than the fact that it's missing the right side mirror (grandmother had a stroke and took it off on a pole) it's in totaly mint condition. The exterior is red and the interior is also red, which is quite ugly. The seats and dashboard, everything red.

It's only god 155,000k on it, which is amazing considering it's age.

Anyways besides putting my sound system into it i don't really want to put much money into it. It's in good condition, but not worth of souping up i don't think. Besides it's an automatic .

Anyways. Is there any minor things that you guys know of to spruce up the interior up a bit? Or small, easy and cheap things to do to spruce it up a little bit anywhere?

I've never looked into what's available so i really have no idea, so i'd apricaite any suggestions.

 

[Ukrainian102]

Hey dude. Before you go buying one of those expensive interior trim kits off ebay or wherever, think about painting your interior yourself. In my opinion, I'd take black (or any other color that goes with red) spray paint (make sure you have paint that'll stay on what you're spraying it on in heat or cold!) and paint parts of the interior red. Looks pretty damn good, and you'll save $300 and be proud that you did it yourself : . Check my cardomain page to see how I painted my interior. www.cardomain.com/id/ukrainian102

Also get cheap (red?) neon at Autozone and put it under the seats or where the legs of the driver and passanger are. Looks cool especially if it pulses to music. I just have a small radio bar, but it's all good.

 

[4Aaron GE]

DON'T USE SPRAY PAINT!!!

You can get spray on dye that's specifically made for doing that at Crappy tire.

And yeah, go with black. You can't go wrong with black.

 

[Smooth E]

Yea i'd love black. The red dash board and what not looks terrible. With the two colours i think it would be quite nice. Your interior looks awesome with the beige. I really like that idea. Those are the kinds of things i'm looking to do!

Black with the red seats would be nice.

Can a guy get some nice seat covers that aren't too tackey?

Ok so some spray on dye made for the vinyl dashboard material.
Why not spray paint? Regular spray that is not meant to stick to plastic may chip and fall off, but wouldn't one that's made specially to bond to plastics be ok?

 

[4Aaron GE]

That's what the dye is.

 

[Smooth E]

Ah ok. So would i spray this on? Or is it brush on.

So i guess i would just tape up everything i don't want covered, and give it two coats for good measure?

 

[sleepy]

you can just swap out the interior with a grey or blue-clothed GT-S the junkerz are your friends

 

[cobrajet25]

I agree, go to a boneyard and find a donor interior. Then you will have the interior Toyota SHOULD have put in your car! Regards, Aaron :thumbup:

 

[Timberland]

I'll get some pics of my sr5 interior. I haven't done any painting - just small tasteful stuff here and there.

 

[Smooth E]

I'll get some pics of my sr5 interior. I haven't done any painting - just small tasteful stuff here and there.

That would be great. I'd like to see it.

 

[Ukrainian102]

Spray dye spray paint whatever. Just make sure it's meant for the material you're painting. I had to get two different things. One for vynil and one for plastic since my airbag is vynil and the rest is plastic.

 

[jayboogie]

DON'T USE SPRAY PAINT!!!

You can get spray on dye that's specifically made for doing that at Crappy tire.

And yeah, go with black. You can't go wrong with black.

you can't?

we'll see the next time you hop into a car with black interior in 100degree weather... YOUCH! MOTHER F***ER.

lol.

i have a blue interior and i'm in the process of changing it. to grey/black/blue.

a two tone maroon (which is what you have) and black combo would look really nice in your car. maybe even paint your car to contrast?

once i saw a guy who just didnt want to get rid of his interior so made it 2 tone red/black and painted the exterior white. i don't have the pics anymore but it was really clean.

also, the best thing to do to make it seem less grandma-ish?

take out that gross ass red floor carpet and replace it with a color of your choice! do that for now and if youre interior pieces are in perfect condition. consider dying the or painting the dash. make sure you do a lot of research and prep beforehand so it wont end up melting or getting on your girlfriend's hand when she puts it on the dashboard.

 

[Smooth E]

Yea so your changing your interior, you mean dying/painting the dash/consol and what not right?

Yea so mine is a red/maroon, and i'd dye/paint parts black so it's black and maroon. Replace the grosse red floor mats with maybe some black floor mats. And even maybe get some black seat covers? The interior is totaly mint so that would look really crisp i think.

i don't think i'll be painting the exterior any time soon due to money issues, and the fact that it's a cheap car. But it's in really good condition right now.

Ok so painting dash/plastics, maybe seat covers (any good ones out there you'd recomend?), and change the floor mats.

All really great idea's guys, these are the things i'm looking to do. I've also get a thread in the audio section about getting a sub and an amp for my system.

 

[Ukrainian102]

Dude get nice red TRD floor mats off ebay for like $20. Also, if you go with seat covers, please get two-piece ones (one piece for seat, one piece for headrest). Also make sure the sear covers are good quality and that they don't get all sticky when it's hot out.

 

[Smooth E]

Ah ok well i'll look into those floor mats, so those are nice ones? Also are there any certain seat covers you'd recomend that don't get all sticky when it's hot and have the seperate pieces?

Do they need to be designed to fit into my car?

 

[4Aaron GE]

you can't?

we'll see the next time you hop into a car with black interior in 100degree weather... YOUCH! MOTHER F***ER.

AHAHAHA, I totally forgot about that aspect. I haven't had to park in the sun all summer! I remember days of getting into my car after work and using a towel over my shifter so I could get going.

 

[Ukrainian102]

If you're really down for seat covers get good neoprene ones. They are expensive but well worth it. Then again, not all cheap ones are bad. I personally have no experience with seat covers I just speak from what I've heard. I don't think those floor mats are designed to fit any car, but I've seen a few people with them and they look nice. Just don't get them dirty!

 

[Smooth E]

I'll look for some neoprene seat covers.

Any suggestions on which ones or where to buy?

 

[toyotaspeed90]

go to a junkyard and find seats you like.... we just got some 2 tone MK1 mr2 seats (grey/black) in good condition for $33 for both..... (too bad my buddies ae86 needed them.... i coulda used em in the mr2)

 

[Smooth E]

So mr2 seats would fit into a corolla?

So no suggestions on good seat covers for a corolla?