Interior color change

[grabeb]

Looking for a TJ for my youngest, been a great school car for oldest! She wants to girlie it up a bit, so specifically looking for white. Found a really clean looking Sarah with the hard top and soft top, but it has what I believe is camel interior, which she HATES! Obviously, seat covers are very easy, could likely find a dash pad, but that still leaves door panels and the rest of the dash.

How hard would it be to change color of? Could it be wrapped? Painted? Any ideas???

Is wrapping something that wouldn't be too hard to DIY for something like this? Might be a fun father/daughter project if easily possible.

As much as it pains me to say, she saw a white with some pink fender flares and accents, that she liked. I've been having a hard time talking her into a Jeep, she has been wanting a sports car!!! And I don't need the whole, they'll drive what you buy speech....I tore up the cars I hated and I firmly believe if they like what they'll drive they'll respect it and take care of it. I've tried instilling this logic in them and I'm not going back.

 

[grabeb]

Here is a pic of the interior in question. Very clean looking. I'm sure she could survive some of the tan, if we could hit the bigger parts!

 

[KennethS]

SEM vinyl paint is used very often to do color changes. Follow the directions precisely.
You’d likely need to disassemble / remove all panels that need painting.

 

[deserteagle56]

https://www.wranglerforum.com/threads/tired-of-your-interior-change-it.152938/

 

[Duck Doctor]

That SEM vinyl paint works well. Make sure you disassemble and remove all components you plan to paint.

 

[ChasUGC]

Yeah, young kids don't understand the reasoning behind vehicle value. That is the top of the line Jeep, a Sahara. Hacking it up will destroy the resale value. Rather than hack up a really nice Jeep Sahara, why not just get her something that she likes and will take care of. There are a lot of Tomb Raider TJ's which are even more special and it is modeled after a rugged girl. Maybe she will like that model. I liked the tan color of my interior. It was much better than black or gray. I avoided the Sahara when I ordered my Jeep because of the ugly green two tone interior. So, I went with the Sport, all tan, interior. The tan interior is probably the favorite color, whether Sport or Sahara. I did add some really nice two tone leather seats to mine after the original vinyl seats deteriorated. It's been called a Vanilla Caramel Latte, and said to look more like a luxury BMW interior than a Jeep. I consider that a compliment and a nice upgrade. If the interior on that Sahara is detailed, she might like it. It is a classic after all.

 

[Sam410]

Yeah, young kids don't understand the reasoning behind vehicle value. That is the top of the line Jeep, a Sahara. Hacking it up will destroy the resale value. Rather than hack up a really nice Jeep Sahara, why not just get her something that she likes and will take care of. There are a lot of Tomb Raider TJ's which are even more special and it is modeled after a rugged girl. Maybe she will like that model. I liked the tan color of my interior. It was much better than black or gray. I avoided the Sahara when I ordered my Jeep because of the ugly green two tone interior. So, I went with the Sport, all tan, interior. The tan interior is probably the favorite color, whether Sport or Sahara. I did add some really nice two tone leather seats to mine after the original vinyl seats deteriorated. It's been called a Vanilla Caramel Latte, and said to look more like a luxury BMW interior than a Jeep. I consider that a compliment and a nice upgrade. If the interior on that Sahara is detailed, she might like it. It is a classic after all.
View attachment 618469

Wow I really like the look of your seats. Any more info on them?

 

[CMBD]

I am not a purist by any means. And Im all about you do you.

But it seems a shame to ruin that cherry condition looking interior.

My youngest girl has a really nice 2000 2wd shortbed Chevy with a 5.3 that has been in the family since new.

When I explain to her why she should leave certain aspects of it alone, she comes around and it doesnt get a purple wrap and purple shag interior.

 

[ChasUGC]

Wow I really like the look of your seats. Any more info on them?

I googled upholstery shops near me and looked at the highest rated ones. I called them and got an estimate with this idea in mind. I liked the price and took it by. Once everything was made, which took about a week, they installed it in one or two days.
I also had my steering wheel re-leathered in tan to match the seats, instead of the black, and I covered it to protect from wear. Front and back cost $1100.00 installed. My drivers seat had to be re-foamed because it was really torn up. The back seat needed a little extra attention too. It cost an additional $100 dollars re-foam everything, and I got a break on the taxes. They just under wrote it a little bit. The steering wheel was an additional $300. Due to tariffs though, it might be much more now.

 

[grabeb]

Well, this is the cleanest jeep I've seen in a long while in that age range. I won't paint, i might allow a wrap inside. I think she might come around. Never heard of a tomb raider jeep.

 

[DuckNut]

How is she going to live with the tan top? Or you going to paint that too?

 

[ChasUGC]

Well, this is the cleanest jeep I've seen in a long while in that age range. I won't paint, i might allow a wrap inside. I think she might come around. Never heard of a tomb raider jeep.

Do you know what it's like getting that stuff off your vehicle? Have you ever tried to remove aftermarket window tinting? Why must you hack up and ruin a nice Jeep Wrangler Sahara? It's blasphemy!

 

[DuckNut]

I've been having a hard time talking her into a Jeep, she has been wanting a sports car!!! And I don't need the whole, they'll drive what you buy speech....I tore up the cars I hated and I firmly believe if they like what they'll drive they'll respect it and take care of it.

I had to go back through this...

So she wants a sportier car and you want her in the wrangler. So you are going to gussy up the Sahara until she likes it because you are afraid she'll tear it up and you don't want her in a sports car.

Changing the interior is not that hard. Strip it down and replace it with the gray. Or pay an upholstery sho to cover it all in leather and rebuild the seTs and lay some fine carpet down.

You have a beautiful jeep, why destroy the value of it in an attempt to have someone else like it.

 

[grabeb]

I didn't say I was going to hack it and destroy it. Yes, I've talked up the jeeps as I think they are a great fit for a beginner car. Gets her up higher, good visibility, 4x4, sporty and very modular in their ability to be highly customized and easy to replace panels.

Her dream car is our pretty cherry 1973 c3 corvette. Maybe an 80s/90s firebird, late 90s porsche boxster, stuff like that. I actually considered the porsche until i realized they have a horrid blind spot when top up. She's coming to realize those choices aren't going to become reality. I've shown her other options that are more practical, like Pontiac solstice, etc. Looked at 3 series bmw convertibles and such.

She came to us with a red 04 TJ that was wrapped in white with pink accents suck as fender flair. Thing had 200k miles and wasn't done. It looked rough IMO.

Vinyl wrap isn't permanent and can be easily removed and if anything will preserve what it covers. The tan top? She hasn't commented on that. I'd guess it could be wrapped, swapped.... any number of things. Doubt I would paint, but could be option. If she chooses, then it's hers. As I told my other daughter, don't ever sell..... you'll regret!

Then those of you that say, don't screw up a cherry sarah..... are your jeeps lifted, modded with oversize tires and aftermarket bumpers and fenders and winches and....... I can respect that if so, but that's the thing with jeeps, you can make it your own. That's what I love about them and want her to realize. My oldest hated jeeps until she sat in since and then drove hers. Finally got her to let sister drive it yesterday. She had fun, but I told her either you love jeeps or hate them.

Yes, I prefer the unmolested jeep that she can make her own vs the one someone else decided to make their own and tear up in a mud bog or some rocky trail.

 

[ChasUGC]

I didn't say I was going to hack it and destroy it. Yes, I've talked up the jeeps as I think they are a great fit for a beginner car. Gets her up higher, good visibility, 4x4, sporty and very modular in their ability to be highly customized and easy to replace panels.

Her dream car is our pretty cherry 1973 c3 corvette. Maybe an 80s/90s firebird, late 90s porsche boxster, stuff like that. I actually considered the porsche until i realized they have a horrid blind spot when top up. She's coming to realize those choices aren't going to become reality. I've shown her other options that are more practical, like Pontiac solstice, etc. Looked at 3 series bmw convertibles and such.

She came to us with a red 04 TJ that was wrapped in white with pink accents suck as fender flair. Thing had 200k miles and wasn't done. It looked rough IMO.

Vinyl wrap isn't permanent and can be easily removed and if anything will preserve what it covers. The tan top? She hasn't commented on that. I'd guess it could be wrapped, swapped.... any number of things. Doubt I would paint, but could be option. If she chooses, then it's hers. As I told my other daughter, don't ever sell..... you'll regret!

Then those of you that say, don't screw up a cherry sarah..... are your jeeps lifted, modded with oversize tires and aftermarket bumpers and fenders and winches and....... I can respect that if so, but that's the thing with jeeps, you can make it your own. That's what I love about them and want her to realize. My oldest hated jeeps until she sat in since and then drove hers. Finally got her to let sister drive it yesterday. She had fun, but I told her either you love jeeps or hate them.

Yes, I prefer the unmolested jeep that she can make her own vs the one someone else decided to make their own and tear up in a mud bog or some rocky trail.

Yeah, most youngsters think speed is the thing. This is why a lot of them become statistics. Once, this idea is embedded in them by their peers, it is hard to change them. It was hard for me. But, I was a little more grounded, and I got lucky. As I got older, I realized that cruising was way better and fun, with the top down, than high speed recklessness. I think the chances of getting a youngster to understand is better when they are raised with Jeeps, than Corvettes and Porsches. The Porsche is known for being a widow maker.