There's no question that custom dash kits add richness and spice to your vehicle's interior - regardless of whether you choose a finish of wood, brushed metal, carbon fiber, bright solid colors, or even camouflage. The high-quality trim sets we offer are crafted to exacting specifications in order to ensure everything looks right and fits tight the way original equipment does.
Custom dash kits can make the interior of your vehicle a much more enjoyable place to spend time - something you owe yourself, considering how many miles you probably log behind the wheel. Your passengers will be duly impressed, as will potential buyers who will find themselves willing to part with larger sums of money when you decide to sell.
In this article, we'll look at specifics that are helpful to know when ordering dash kits from our website. To simplify things in the following paragraphs, we reference the term "wood" when discussing both simulated and real wood trim kits. However, in cases when real wood trim is offered, you'll see the word "Real" in the Material Choice descriptions. This also goes for carbon fiber, which is available from different manufacturers in both real and imitation form.
Basic Kits, Full Kits, And Upgrades
Depending on your specific vehicle, you may be presented with choices of a "Basic" trim kit, a "Full" trim kit, or other "option packages". What this means is the kit manufacturer offers kits with a different number of trim pieces - something we encourage in order to satisfy a wider range of our customers. A basic dash kit will typically include parts for the center dashboard (and console in some cases). Trim pieces for the doors, steering wheel, and area surrounding the gear shift lever are not included, because these items usually find their way into a full dash kit, or separate optional kits that cover only certain areas of the vehicle.
We emphasize that not all dash kits are the same. Since the parts included in any kit will vary, you'll see a Product Options diagram or list detailing exactly what you'll receive. Examine this closely before you make your purchase. If any separate kits exist with optional trim, they'll be noted in the diagram and they'll be shown as separate packages in the Product Options field.
For example, a surround piece for a center gearshift lever or center console may be optional and sold as a separate stand-alone kit for one vehicle, and included in the basic kit for another. Other examples of kits that are usually (but not always) sold separately are trim pieces for door panels, steering wheels, overhead vents, overhead consoles with switchgear, and cupholders.
'With Or Without Factory Wood?'
In recent years, many vehicle manufacturers have begun to add some wood trim to their vehicle interiors. You may have sprung for a lower-priced car or truck with "a little" wood, or a higher trim level with more wood. In many cases, our dash kit manufacturers allow you to purchase kits that match this OEM (original equipment manufacturer) wood, giving you an upgrade at a value price.
Where applicable, our Product Options information screen will ask you "With Factory Wood" or "Without Factory Wood" once you've entered year, make, and model. This choice enables you to either match the existing wood, or add factory-look wood where there was none.
Selecting "without factory wood" means you'll get a kit with a higher number of trim pieces than one designated "with factory wood". The difference in pieces will correspond directly to your make and model, because specific variations for each vehicle have been taken into account. So if you're selecting a kit that will match the factory wood trim that's already on your vehicle, "With Factory Wood" will probably be your best choice. If you plan on replacing any existing wood trim on your vehicle with a different type of wood or other finish, you'll likely want the kit with more pieces - "Without Factory Wood" would be your best choice.
An Exact Match For Your OEM Factory Wood
Depending on your make and model, kits we sell may offer wood trim that is an exact match of your vehicle's OEM wood. Any time this is the case, you'll see such choices clearly labeled at the top of the list. In cases where vehicle manufacturers offered more than one choice of wood, you'll see multiple "OEM" choices. If you're not sure which one to select, we recommend contacting your vehicle manufacturer. It may be handy to have your 17-digit VIN number available.
We want you to be certain that you're getting the number of pieces you think will look best, whether that is a basic kit, full kit, or any of the many choices among the optional upgrade kits. Likewise, should there be OEM wood in your interior, we want to be double certain that you are aware of the availability of OEM match kits.
No matter which kit you decide on, installation of your trim pieces will be easy thanks to 3M double-sided adhesive tape that's resilient and long-lasting. Remember, while the color and cleanliness of your vehicle's exterior is important, you spend all your driving time behind the wheel, so live it up with the dash kit of your dreams!