Wood interior on a prius...it's just not right!!!

What was the topic again? :madgrin:

Those appear to be added by someone. They are not factory. They look like panel mounted switches to me. Probably used for some added accessory (like heated seats).

 

Oh, thank you dogfriend.
I thought I was missing out on something.....

Frank

 

Never mind......ignore the man in the shiney red car...

 

A little wood trim is OK.

 

To each his/her own, but the "wood" trim is nothing more than a sticker! Seriously devalues the look imo.

My brother had it in his Accord and it looked/felt cheap. Plus it has to be lined up exactly right. I see alot of applications that aren't perfect.

There is a guy on the Crossfire (my other car) forums that can do a similar effect but is done much better. It requires removing the panels you want covered and sending them to California but they put a synthetic pattern (wood, carbon fibre, etc) under a thick, shiny plastic coat that actually adds a couple millimeters but looks much more complete. Edges are uniform and it looks very close to the high-end jobs found in luxury cars.

Still not for me but a better option. I would be happy to share the information if anybody wants it.

 

Sherwood Dash kit that I installed use real wood. The wood is protected with a layer of rubbery silicone material. Yes, it is a stick-on with 3M adhesive and the install is very easy but you have to be very careful.

It has gone through four NY winters and the surface has not harden. There are no crack or discoloring of the wood underneath. I really like the quality of this kit. Here is a quote from their website.

Sherwood states that it is now the only full line manufacturer in North America that produces REAL WOOD Factory Match Dash Kits. The only other manufacturer stopped producing real wood dash kits several years *** AGO*** in favor of a dipped printed sheet. While the cost of dip printed kits is lower, so is the quality. Dip printing also known as hydro graphics does not give the sharpness of the pattern nor can it replicate the 3 dimensional color appeal that can only come from real wood.

High end vehicles manufacturers such as Lexus, Infinity, Jaguar and Mercedes and Cadillac to name a few, use REAL WOODS to compliment their interiors. Professional installers and car enthusiasts all over the United States and Canada insist on real wood products when installing kits for high end vehicles. Don't be fooled by imitations.

 

I was going to mention that Seawolf's trim is from a real tree originally (not an oil well) but he beat me to it. Another thing of note - I believe Seawolf's small bit of tasteful and pleasing trim cost more than that expanse of plastic from the OP (which, I believe, I posted a week or so ago in another post, LOL). So you get what you pay for, and I'd rather pay for what Seawolf used. I also want a partial wood steering wheel, but they're like $300 or something outrageous, and you have to have someone bring one from Japan.

 

I paid $147.18 shipped back in 6/2006.

 

Did anyone do carbon fiber? I would like to see pics.... I totally agree that wood doesn't really fit the Prius (personal opinion here!), but I think that the same done with c/f would actually look pretty cool.

 

Deforestation of the Rain Forest notwithstanding, I, for one, feel that wood is an EXCELLENT environmental statement in a Prius. Properly managed, wood is a renewable resource unlike the plastic modern cars use. However, at least the plastic is recyclable these days.

OK, ecology rant and personal opinion over. I return you to your original topic.

:focus:

 

Given that the wood is not replacing plastic but being stuck 'over' it in this case, I fail to see how it makes an excellent environmental statement?

 

Given the choice, a nice bamboo finish would make more sense, and be appropriate for not only its ecologically friendly nature, but also its country of origin. Throw in some hand rubbed lacquer and you'd have a BEAUTIFUL finish that was very oriental.

Chuck

 

I think it looks okay. It's different

 

In my opinion, wood trim gives a warm feeling, especially with leather. It is just a matter of taste. If you find a leather chair with wood appealing, you will want the interior of the car the same way.

 

For this reason I love the interiors in classic British cars. Too bad the wood, leather and wool are real but the car is fake (as in, doesn't go)!

 

ski.dive, go reread, or bother to read post #33 in this thread, Boo sums it up nicely!!!!!

 

Hey, ski.dive,

I saw a 2G Prius with the light bisque interior at a Toyota dealer & it didn't look too bad at all (the contrast between the dark wood & the light interior is pretty nice). But when I was considering the wood grain kit (with far less pieces than in your post picture for over $600 installed, I asked if I could take a few pieces & lay them in the car just to see what it looked like first. The dark wood against the gray & burgundy interior was just butt ugly to me, so I passed on it & put the money into the 3M clearcoat/clearbra to protect the front end paint instead. After 5 years I just had the clearbra re-done (under warranty) because I & the original installer could see against my super white paint job that the film had yellowed.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)