It is normal for one to get bored with the color of their car interior. If this is what you are going through, at the moment, you may be wondering how much it will cost to change the interior color of your car.
To answer this question, the first thing you need to know is that you can change the interior color of a car. Many people do it regularly.
And we are not just talking about the seats or floor mats. You can change the color of everything in your interior ranging from the ceiling, door inserts, elbow rests, and the entire upholstery.
The cost of changing a car’s interior depends on your approach. If you want a fully customized interior, you will have to hire a professional detailer for the job.
This option involves buying custom parts that will be replaced such as the dashboard and leather. Plus you will have to pay for the labor.
Having your car’s interior color and parts changed by an expert can cost as low as $4500 and as much as $20,000 depending on the parts being replaced and the quality.
Quite often, a car interior color change is done by a professional detailer usually leaves behind impressive results. But the biggest downside is that it is expensive.
There is another cheaper option but it requires effort. This other alternative entails buying a paint or dye kit and changing the interior color by yourself.
Car interior color kits cost from $300 to $800. And all you need is some free time and a working area, preferably a garage.
What is the Best Way of Changing the Car Interior Color?
This will depend on your needs as a car owner. Allow us to simplify things for you. One of the main reasons why many car owners change the interior colors of cars is when they buy a used vehicle and find that the interior color is faded or worn out.
Or, you may have driven a certain vehicle for so long that you got bored with the original interior color and you want to change it to something more interesting.
To determine which cause of action best suits you, you need to evaluate the state of the interior. Other than the annoying color, if your entire upholstery is completely worn out, opting for a custom interior change may be best.
This is because, with this option, you get to change not just the color but also the various parts in your interior that have been damaged.
The prices of interior parts are what make the cost of this option high. However, the benefit is that you get a new and better-looking interior.
Please do not choose the above option if you don’t intend to own the car in question for long.
The cost of having the interior color changed and customized by a professional is expensive. And it wouldn’t be wise to pay for such huge amounts, only for you to sell the vehicle in a couple of months.
Dyeing or painting the car interior color by yourself is a very affordable option. As mentioned earlier, you won’t use more than $300 for a dye or paint kit.
Though affordable, what this option does is just change the color of your car’s interior. If some parts of your interior are worn out, they will look the same.
The only difference would be a color change. We recommend this option if your car interior is still in great shape and you are interested in just the color change and not a new and better-looking interior.
What If I want Leather Seats?
Quite often, most people interested in changing car interior color always use this opportunity to switch from cloth to leather seats. Painting or dyeing leather is affordable.
However, if you have cloth seats and want to switch to another color but this time you want leather, expect to pay from $1500 to $2000.
This price includes the purchase of the material as well as installation fees. The price may go higher if you are doing a change in a 3-row SUV.
Transitioning from cloth to leather allows you to choose a different color that you can blend with the new color of your car’s interior.
Price Breakdown of Having the Car Interior Color Customized by an Expert
A custom interior color change is an excellent option as it will make your car look as good as new. If you are interested in this option, below is a general price breakdown of the estimated costs.
You can get a more accurate cost when you visit a professional detailer or an auto body shop near you.
If you are swapping from cloth to leather seats, that will cost you about $2000, however, if you already have leather seats and want to change the color as well as perform minor repairs, you can be charged around $700.
New colored door panels will set you back $500 and getting another dashboard will cost $1000. This cost is also inclusive of the airbags. Add another $200 for the carpet and $100 for the headliner. The steering wheel can be changed as well.
The above prices may vary from one detailer to another. You can also ask about the cost of only a color change. This won’t require the replacement and repair of worn-out parts.
The average cost of a professional car interior color change can range from $500 to $1500. The price is higher than doing it yourself because the detailer has to buy the paint or dyeing kit and also charge for labor.
Unlike DIY car color changes, professionals don’t just spray on everything. They make repairs on the upholstery.
Dyeing or Spraying Car Interior – Which is Better?
Dyeing is for leather whereas spraying is for vinyl and plastic. If you have a leather interior and want to change the color, dyeing is the best option for you.
All that is needed is a leather colorant kit that can be applied not just in leather but also on other surfaces such as vinyl and plastic.
Alternatively, if you have a vinyl interior, you can change the color with spray paint. Spray painting does a commendable job of changing the car’s interior colors.
And it works even on fabric seats. When changing the car interior color by yourself, all you will need is some quality spray paint and a primer.
Though inexpensive, DIY car interior color change requires careful spraying techniques, lest you end up getting paint on unwanted surfaces.
How Much Does Dyeing Leather Seats Cost?
The cost of having one leather seat dyed by a professional ranges from $200 to $750. If the professional performs extra repairs, that cost may go up a couple of hundreds of dollars.
Make sure that you request a quote from different detailers before choosing one to handle the dyeing of the leather seats.
Can I Dye Leather Seats by Myself?
Of course, you can, and it is very easy. To dye all the parts of your seat, we recommend unscrewing them from the vehicle.
But because not all of us have the tools to do so or the expertise, you can dye your leather seats when they are still in your car.
Ensure that the surrounding areas are well covered and you can secure the covering with tape so that the dye doesn’t touch other parts of your interior.
Put on some gloves and apply it all on your car seats. Make sure that you apply to all areas even those that are hard to reach. To get the dye deeper into the cloth seats, use a brush during application.
What Interior Color Can I Change to?
Any that you can think of. Dark and tan are the most popular interior colors. However, you can change to any color that you want provided that you can get your hands on the detailing kit.
Visit your nearest auto shop and find out what interior car coloring kits they have so that you can choose what color you wish to change to.
Can I Paint the Dashboard?
As we had mentioned above, any part of your car interior can be painted even the dashboard. To do so, you can use a similar approach to painting leather seats.
When painting the dashboard, you have to cover parts that you don’t want to paint on. You can use some tape. Then spray the paint gently.
It can be a bit hard for you to get new paint on the dashboard, therefore, don’t hesitate to spray several coats.
Does a Black Interior Get Hotter?
This shouldn’t come as a surprise because black absorbs heat, unlike other colors such as white that repel heat.
So, if you are planning to change your car interior color to black, brace yourself for experiencing the wrath of hot summers. Black interiors do look great, but they get hot easily.
Should I Dye or Replace the Carpet in My Car?
When changing a car’s interior color, the carpet is a very crucial part that needs to be attended to. When you compare the cost of dyeing and replacing the carpet in your car, the price is nearly the same.
So, it’s better to replace the carpet, especially if it is showing signs of aging. During replacement, you can opt for another color that will match the one in your car interior. Car carpets go for around $200.