[Bkizz]

Hey guys and girls. I am very new to the SCI world and just got my first car that I will be driving with hand controls. I have always been extremely anal about keeping my cars in good shape. I know some people have said I need to get over it...that I will beat up my car no matter what. That my be so, but I am still commited to keeping my interior as nice as I possibly can. Here is my question: What kind of interior protection can I use? I was thinking along the lines of special seat covers, door sill protection and plastic protection. Until I get smooth with breaking down my chair and getting it in and out, I really want to keep the plastics protected. (Door panels, console, etc.) Should I invest in a lot of bubble wrap? J/K Maybe vinyl? What is out there and what works for you? Please fill me in. Thanks!

[COOL Mobility]

For protecting bash areas, nothing I've found beats 50mm wide peel and stick 'loop' side of Velcro. Really tough, nearly impossible to tear, has some padding (even more if you put plain loop Velcro onto it too) and can be removed with solvent.

Upholstery - get leather - easier to clean grease, mud, grime and other stuff off and as a bonus is really easy to transfer onto as it is slipery to clothes but gripy to hands.

However, you have to come to terms with fact that chairs are hard on cars and it will suffer. Easy to say stop being anal but just be care ful and limited harnm will result.

Colin

[mjrcpd]

What are you driving? I'm the same way and through many yrs of trial and error, I've managed to do pretty well. If you want, PM me and I'll explain my set-up, as I won't bor others with my resp. It can be done! My vehicles since injury....full size p/u's, Nissan Murano, Toyota tacoma currently.

[Bkizz]

mjrcpd, on Dec 28 2009, 08:01 PM, said:

What are you driving? I'm the same way and through many yrs of trial and error, I've managed to do pretty well. If you want, PM me and I'll explain my set-up, as I won't bor others with my resp. It can be done! My vehicles since injury....full size p/u's, Nissan Murano, Toyota tacoma currently.

I have a 2006 Infinity G35 coupe. It has leather interior but am afraid of scraping them up. Thanks for offering tips! I will shoot you a PM.

[saradise]

We have leather seats in the car, so we use bath rugs to protect the seats from getting scratched when loading the chair or when using the transfer board. Works really well.

[LuckyinKentucky]

I usually stow mine in the back passenger seat, this causes your headliner to get scuffed from time to time. The only other place that catches hell is the base of the frame of the door... if it bothered me I would just put a layer or two of the clear packing tape down to keep it from scratching or chipping... but it doesn't. There's always a learning curve, so with your first chair going into your first post injury vehicle expect bumps.

[t4_5para]

First car post injury, your going to catch things and scrap some bit's, it's only to be expected. After 22 years of driving I still catch the inside on times, especially if it's raining. A larger, wider car makes things easier, as there is more room to manouver and as for the leather, just put a rug/blanket where the chair goes if your that worried about things and use a good cleaning/moisturising product on the leather regularly. This will help to stop it stiffening and reduce the wear. As for the sills, what you could do it get thin rubber mats, cut them to fit where the chair is going to touch the car and then screw them into the inside of the car, where the trim screws, if you have any, are. This is what I'm going to be doing one a car I've just bought as a future classic, in order not to cause damage to the sills but, I'm lucky as my trim is screwed into place but, there agin, you could alwas use double sided tape.

[SandieT]

Boys + their toys!! What is it about men and cars?? Never understood it myself....... Although that said, my son is just the same, but he also has a 3 yr old son and a hyperactive dog, so think he's given up!!
Happy driving + enjoy your car!

[mcferguson]

I have a Chevy Cobalt with cloth seats. For my front seat I bought some basic seat covers and the way they are getting scuffed its a good thing I did. For the back seat I use a flattened cardboard box that my cath kits come in. I have an endless supply of those!

[Ches]

I got creme leather interior.. what a dumb mistake.. I use a blanket in the passenger seat and keep clean wipes in my car so i can wipe off the grease and mud as I go. Havent found a way to prevent nicks here and there, just try to watch what Im doing.

[MxDisasterGrl]

OOOOHHHH MAN!!!! I get soooo mad when i scuff up my car. Actually my AB bf has done way more damage than my handicap ass!!! I was watching him ride on a motocross track and he stopped for a break. I was sitting in the back of my car under my hatchback, and he comes straight over to sit down. I told him to pls watch his mx boots on my bumper. He gives me this look of, "hello, you KNOW how anal i am about MY car. I'm NOT going to hit yours."....well deep scratches all the way to the plastic. I have a body kit around my car and it's expensive to replace. Same day a few hours later he gets hot and wants to sit in my car for the AC, and i remind him again, only for him to make even MORE scrapes!!!!!! I was so upset, but what can you do? I couldn't get mad, it was already done. But he's a paint and body man, and he just always says, 'i'll fix it april, i'll fix it.." ugh, oh well.....I too have been wondering about the interior though. I drive my standard normally, and i use a walker. I drive a limited edition Scion TC. I only mention the LE part cus it makes it all light, light gray suade interior.....but my problem is the interior wall on the passenger sides left handside. Next to the shifter. It's soooo scratched up right now, but my bf is suppose to be checking into buying another one, including the passenger door panel too(more bumps from him trying to help). Hope you have better luck!!!

[jules]

I use a removable seat cover on the passenger seat, which I take off if there is anybody else in the car with me. Other than that I just put up with the other scuffs and scrapes, much as I hate them

[t4_5para]

One thing though, if your going to put the frame on the front seat, belt it in, otherwise under hard braking it will move and could end up cracking the screen.

[jules]

I'd forgotten to say that I strap my frame in on the passenger seat, because like you said if you have to brake heavily it will either hit the windscreen or end up in the footwell.

[t4_5para]

jules, on Feb 2 2010, 04:52 PM, said:

I'd forgotten to say that I strap my frame in on the passenger seat, because like you said if you have to brake heavily it will either hit the windscreen or end up in the footwell.

Luckily in 22 years, I have only forgotten a couple of times, so it's been a couple of scrapes on the dash etc and somehow, do ask how, a broken interior mirror. It did hit the screen one day but, fortunately the castors hit the glass, so it didn't brake. It has happened to someone I know though.

Also, nothing to do with the car but, if you have a bag under your chair, with your phone wallet etc in, make sure it's done up before lifting the frame in, our again it could end up expensive, loosing your wallet or smashing the phone.

This post has been edited by t4_5para: 02 February 2010 - 06:28 PM

[Edinburgh Colin]

I have now 12months of the 3 year lease passed and can clearly identify where the damage is occuring on the car.
Drivers door panel and associated plastic bits are scratched & scuffed from maneuvering the chair, passenger door pillar from the caster fork when the frame is in the car upside down on the passenger seat and the roof cloth is covered in track marks from the front casters during loading. I have protected the drivers sill with a tape specific for the job I bought last year.
Any suggestions how to keep it kind of as is for the next 2 years.
Specifically I was thiking about some form of clear film for the drivers door panels, passenger pillar? I want to be able to remove it without leaving glue residue!
I like the velcro idea & maybe that will be good for the door pillar but not the door panels!
Any suggestions great fully received.

[lozsmith]

I got a lovely Audi A4 cabriolet last year with the full intention of keeping it looking as good as it did when I bought it. Oh dear. Things don't quite work like that in the real world-at least not for me! If I'm late for a meeting or whatever then not scratching the car takes a back seat. I
do try but it's a fruitless task. Oh well, gives it some character!