So currently the LeSabre is pretty bleh on the inside. Really basic being the custom trim level, and super grandma haha.

Definitely the things I want to address are the fake wood trim on the dash and door panels, as well as the ugly carpet that lines the doors haha. Feels like I'm driving an 80s shag rug sometimes lol.

So anyways, I'm planning on trying to pick up some door panels and dash trim from a local U-pull if they have what I'd need in stock, and messing around with those to try and make things look a bit nicer. I definitely don't want this to look like a "pimp" car on the inside, but just a bit more modern and refined. I'm definitely open to suggestions as to what products would work well.

I was thinking for the wood trim, I could probably plasti dip it, but I really don't want it to look cheap, so of course a vinyl wrap would be another option. And once I pull the carpet off the door panels, I'm not really sure what they look like underneath, or what kind of surface would be left to work with, but I really want to make this thing look sharp :D

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Get some wood vinyl wrap! They make a bunch of different patterns. Also, replace the interior lights with some LEDs.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles

Carbon Fiber vinyl wrap would be my suggestion.

Usually under the carpeting is just glue...lol. Really. There may be a couple holes but generally that stuff is just glued down. Something thin like tweed would usually need a backing to make it thicker and not show the holes.

Lets see some pics of the areas you are wanting to change and maybe people can photoshop or give better suggestions.

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1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350
2004 Saturn Ion 3 Quad Coupe

I'd definitely say no to CF in a Buick, no offense of course. I didn't use it in my own car in favor of black brushed metallic.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles

Awesome, I was hoping it'd just be glue under there, hopefully the yard will have some good panels that I can work with.




These aren't the best pictures, and I can try and get some better ones when the sun glare isn't so harsh. they're kind of Told (steering wheel cover has changed to solid grey), but basically anywhere there's wood paneling, I'd prefer that to not be wood haha. I like Carl's idea of the brushed metal vinyl.

I'm also wanting to change the solid black trim above to something else, which the brushed metal might also look good there, but then I feel like it would still need some kind of two tone, kind of how the wood splits up the black, so that it doesn't look so mushy.

And of course whatever material I decided to go with on the black dash, I would put where the carpet is on the doors, and I would match what I put on the wood trim on the dash with the wood on the doors.

I really like the interior of my wife's Malibu as far as colors go, so maybe I could do a silver/black style. Really wish these cars came with black seats and carpet instead of grey.

Here's a few shots of her Malibu. Simple, but still better color wise than wood.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

I do like the brushed metal too, Now that I see it Im not sure black brushed would work but a lighter brushed metal would probably look ok.

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1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350
2004 Saturn Ion 3 Quad Coupe

I know 3M and autovinyls sell the vinyls, but where is the cheapest place you guys typically get them at?

Also, of course all of the grey underneath the wood trim on the dash is super squishy. I'm assuming the vinyl wouldn't like to stick to that too well, would it? Probably would be one of those things I'd have to try

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Wrap the wood trim directly. Just make sure you clean it very well with mineral spirits or paint thinner. Best place for me to get vinyl has been either Amazon or eBay.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles

Plastidip all the things!

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Remember, it's your car. You do what looks good to you. Now, my 2 cents. I'd use the 3M carbon fiber wrap. Reasons 1) the GXP and some CTS models use the carbon fiber finish, 2) I think that "imitation" wood (maybe even the 3M vinyl wrap) looks too "imitation". I can sure tell the real thing after seeing the wife's car with the real thing vs the '92 SSE. 3) I think the carbon fiber looks more modern than the wood trim, especially in a car that's more "performance" than "luxury". You could do a door bezel of one each to see what would work best. Now that I've put in my 2 cents, I wish you the best deciding the finish you like best. - BC

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In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I think if this were a mid 90s Bonne with the more aggressive front end, carbon fiber might fit it a bit better, but the Lesabre just looks too grandma in shape for CF to make sense to me haha. I think the brushed aluminum would suit the style better (thinking about getting some extra trim to wrap for the outside of the car that I have plastidipped black to match).

Unfortunately, I went to the U-pull yesterday and while they had 4 Lesabres, the interiors were raided or trashed already, so i wasn't able to scavenge any parts to practice on. So I guess I'll either have to wait for another wrecked one to come in, or check on craigslist for a part out to grab some door panels at the very least. I don't want to rip the carpet off on mine and wreck them in the process haha.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Brushed black metallic I think would look great, there is many options though for colors and patterns. 3M 1080 is the good stuff.

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Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Well I ordered some 3m brushed aluminum samples that should be here later this week. Hopefully I can play around with the colors and see which one will look the best.

While I was bored though, I was playing around with some wheel options, and figured I'd just throw it in this thread to see what you guys think. I personally like the look of these wheels. They're the sport tuning T6 wheels from tire rack, I've been looking at the set of 17's they have right now. Of course those would have to wait a while since I don't want to waste the perfectly good generals I have on there right now, but they'll be coming in the future hopefully. Open to opinions on the wheels, or if you guys wanna photochop some other options that you think would look good I'd love to see some samples Also excuse the poor photoshop skills lol

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

I think something with more heft would look better on your car with its round body lines. I like those wheels, but for something that looks lighter weight. I feel like the design of the wheel should match the heft of the vehicle that rides on it. IMHO

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I think those wheels just don't look right on that car, they are more of a tuner type wheel to me.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

A little late to this, but personally, I like your interior the way it is.

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

I think something along the lines of these may look better. Gold with your color may be too much though. I have always liked this style wheels. I wish the ones on my car were 18's instead of 17's, I'd be totally happy with them then.

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You need 18s at least. Whatever you get it.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 250k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 101k miles

Some Park Ave Ultras came with carbon fiber dash trim as I learned a couple weeks ago, lt looks pretty nice. On a side note that particular car had HUD too. Really surprised me when I pulled it into the garage.

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-Ryan
2004 GTO....LS1, LSA supercharged 525whp, 6MT
96 SSEi...September 2010 COTM........GONE
04 GTP comp G.... December 2015 COTM........GONE
2013 Audi Allroad Quattro

Been playing around with some more designs, and I think these would look pretty good as well.




And for as cheap as it is, once my vinyl samples come and I play around with the brushed metal and carbon fiber, if the CF looks good, I may just snag some from the amazon link in the other thread that Bill posted.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten