[dakota-driver]

As someone whose looking to possibly buy a used insight, I ahve some questions...

Im really into the Insight; I've pretty much got it set.
But the only part to the car thats making me cringe is the interior. I've looked and browsed through websites that sell and do interior work (for example, carpeting or dashboards, etc.) and am not finding the Insight to ever be a choice. Its like its forgotten; just the low production numbers Ive assumed.

So, if I am to get an insight, am I going to be able to give the interior a new look? And if I can, how? Should I base the parts I get off of another car?

And one last concern. Im in North Dakota, and two grave worries I have are the winds (article after article Ive read has said my states the 'Saudi Arabia of Wind') and the winter. How does thew insight do during the winter? Would I have to consider snow tires? And the insights lightness shouldn't be that big of a problem when it comes to wind, right?

 

[Aaron Cake]

You can take the car to any custom interior shop and get the work done. However interior work is never cheap...For example, just getting the seats in my RX-7 done is costing about $900 per seat.

Most aftermarket interior parts seem random and tacked-on anyway.

 

[merigayle]

I think the Wet Okole seats helped a lot.

Overall, i did not buy my car for the interior. I think the Inisght is really basic in it's offerings on the inside, not the type of car for people who like a lot of bling bling in their car. what do you not like? The color? The dash?

A lot of people here have added different things to their cars like stereos, speakers, rear view monitors, etc. you may find some good ideas scrolling thru the pages.

 

[Rick]

Katzkin has a pattern for a leather interior. I think the two covers plus vinyl door panel pieces will run you in the $600 neighborhood, plus installation from a local interior shop.

 

[foxfire235]

And the insights lightness shouldn't be that big of a problem when it comes to wind, right?

The insight does have the best aerodynamic design, but since the car has less mass, this means there is less force to push through the wind. In my experience, it still gets pushed around by strong winds. I noticed a mileage drop as well when I drive home in headwinds.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

..., but since the car has less mass, this means there is less force to push through the wind.

Don't mean to nit pick here but the more correct term is inertia. Mass * velocity. Basically theres less energy in a lighter mass at the same speed which means its more reactive to other forces.

HTH!

 

[RobMason]

Seat Covers

I had my local auto upholstery guy who has a great deal of experience, order the Katzkin leather seat covers for my '04. He added some lumbar padding for support, and built up the seat base before putting on the covers. Now I don't have to put in my seat insert for my back and don't feel like I am sitting on the floor of the vehicle. Cost of the covers (the faces are leather, the side panels are vinyl, but exactly the same texture and look with black seams and side pockets in the back) was around $600 plus installation, and modifying for $500; total of $1100. They look and feel beautiful. Not as "grippy" as the cloth (easier to get in and out of but also not as cool in summer or warm in winter), but they are beautiful. The color that is the ideal match is "Puddy". I could have done some pattern mods but I decided to go with one solid color, with contrasting seams.

 

[RobMason]

Katzkin covers

Picture of my seat covers from Katzkin in "Puddy" color, black stitiching and with foam added for lumbar support and for seat bottom raising the seatheight

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q217 ... ght003.jpg

 

[RobMason]

Black Stitching

Close up of Black stitching
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q217 ... ght008.jpg

 

[Rick]

I like it. I can tell from the picture that he really did build up the foam quite a bit.

 

[Rick]

The leather in my 02:

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q122/ricksuiter/IMG_3872.jpg?t=1167413173

Katzkin light grey outer, the center turned almost black, but it is their dark dark blue color, center and back are perforated leather. Door panels are also covered with leather, light grey and the arm rest part was made with perforated light grey. I finally found someone to do the door panels the right way, no one wanted to do leather on the doors.

Also note the leather wrapped steering wheel.

I miss it now that I'm looking at these pictures.

 

[RobMason]

Cargo Mats

I was disappointed that Honda did not change the color of the cargo mat for the rear shelf, like they did for the front mats. So since both my cars are after they changed interiors, I was stuck with the grey cargo mat.

Then I had an idea, I looked for some company that could make a cargo mat to match the original floor mats. I had my ulpholstery guy (the guy that installed the Katzkin covers), to make a pattern from the grey mat, chose a color that matched the original and did a custom cargo mat. It was made by a whosale company called Lloyds (I think in Southern California), and came out looking much nicer than the clashing grey of the Honda mat.

Some pics. 1st grey with Insight logo:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q217 ... ght010.jpg

next: custom colored mat no Insight (they wouldn't do any copyrighted logos, though I don't know why since many after market things can be had with logos if they have the pattern.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q217 ... t009-1.jpg Cost about twice the cost of Hondas Mat.

 

[RobMason]

Lloyds Mats

After my last post I did some searching around and came across this site. http://www.thematsite.com/
They will do ordering of Lloyds mats over the internet, they have Ultimats which can have logos put on, (not sure they can copy the original Insight logo with the red flag etc) and they also provide a "Premium" quality mat (logos not available). The color I chose based on samples was 014 Grey (that is the color in my previous post). I may have saved some money going thru this route. But by sending the custom pattern I was sure to get the fit I needed. (I don't know if this site has exact patterns or not).
The Premium quality mats look luxurious.
Rob