Take A Seat, Please

So now your floor is okay. What about the rest of the interior? Aside from the floor, the other things that people notice upon entering a car are the seats and the dashboard. Why? Simply because they occupy a large percentage of the passenger compartment. When you first laid eyes on your car, you probably sat inside to get a feel of the seat. It may be one of the reasons why you bought the car in the first place. Because of the material used in the production of car seats as well as the design, you don’t need to replace it very often, and maybe even not once in a lifetime. It can even outlive the vehicle itself.

Here’s an example of how durable a car seat is. A friend of mine owned a mid size crossover SUV once. He decided to trade it in for a hybrid. At the last minute he decided to keep it. He remodeled the interior and had to replace the second row seat with a custom-made one. He didn’t scrap the old one. What he did was attach a couple of blocks of wood at the bottom which acted as legs and welded a back support. He then had a cover tailored-fit for the seat. Now you can see it in the den, still being used. That is how hardy a seat is. If you take care not to damage it, it will serve you long and well. But that only happens in a perfect world. No matter how careful you are there are times when you spill coffee on the seats, or drop a lighted cigarette. If you have a habit of bringing along your pet on trips, they can damage the seats as well with their long nails. And even if the seats are not damaged, if it no longer goes with the new trim of your vehicle then you can opt to replace it with a new one.

Seat Covers ($25 - $350)

If you can’t afford a new seat, you can buy a new seat cover instead. The price ranges depending on the material, design and sometimes the brand name. If you have one custom-made to fit over your original seat it sometimes costs more. But then again, the cost is way more economical than buying a new one. Seat covers afford protection so you can preserve the original upholstery. It can also be used to cover up existing damage. And if you have the extra dough, you can even have a logo or a picture emblazoned at the front. These covers are also very easy to install. Furthermore there are designs that feature storage pockets and slots for existing components.


Seat Cushion ($10 - $50)

Does your back ache after driving? It’s either you are not sitting properly or the seat is just not comfy. To eliminate this problem you should get a seat cushion. There are ones that have offer lumbar support. Sometimes it comes fitted with massage bubbles. Seat cushions are also handy during weather extremes. During summer you can get a seat that absorbs body heat so you’ll feel cool. During winter you can get a heated seat cushion. And to top it all off, these are also great styling tools and they can be used to hide stains and other signs of damage.


Storage Nets and Bags ($15 - $30)

Is your glove box not big enough to hold all your stuff? Get a storage net/bag that you can put over your seat or at the side. These great space-savers can hold spare change, keys, papers, magazines and soda. As long as it fits inside it, it can hold it. They are also not that expensive.


We now turn to the dashboard…