What's the best way to go on replacement carpeting?
 

The carpeting in my C4 is clean but faded. Especially in the hatch area. Prior owner says car was garaged, but it actually looks pinkish in the light, and I like to enter local car shows, so it's got to be replaced.

Options:

1. Go to an Upholstery shop and let them replace it using their own sources.
2. Order from Ecklers and/or others (15% off sale today for Valentine's day) and then take it to Upholstery shop and pay labor for them to install.
3. Do I get Mass Back (rubber backing) or Cutpile ($100 cheaper at Ecklers & poly backing?
4. Should I put the under carpet insulation (1/8" thick and according to the catalog at Ecklers, an easy fit)?

Comments?

As far as options, youll probably get many responses. Also, depends if you want it to be original. Be aware that any carpet kit probably won't come with the door panels or speaker covers. Also when you put in a new carpet anything that was not perfect looks even older. This led to "while I'm here's" for me. For my 93 coupe, I went with the mass back set from ZIP to help out with sound and heat control and as was original. It also comes with padding. The kit was sold by ZIP, but not manufactured by them. They probably come from similiar sources, maybe who's got the best price at the time is best. So, first I put down some FATMAT extreme, which stuck real well to SMC fiberglass and sprayed Boom Mat spray on the rough contoured areas. It definitely helped with interior sound control. Just tap on the fiberglass in the back and you'll hear how it sounds so flimsy. Then, I re-used most of the old padding/insulation because I didn't have to glue it and it was already contoured. The insulation I recieved with the kit was also different then originall. Still, the carpet is very nice quality and much brighter than before. Mine is red, so you can really see the difference. Finally, I laid on the carpet and had to trim slightly. It's not hard to do any of it yourself, but takes space, time, and patience. I've learned that nothing with at least my corvette is an easy fit, but when it is I am thankful. Personally, I don't pay anybody to do anything on my own car unless I can't figure it out or don't have the time. You'll learn a lot about what's inside the car if you do it yourself. If cost is not a concern I'd probably go with number 1. Good luck!

If it's not really worn, you can hit it with fabric dye. SEM makes spray products that are very good and factory matched. I think Leatherique does too.

I spoke to the upholstery shop that had done my wife's Town & Country headliner, and we were very satisfied with it. Although they do bulk carpeting installation, they recommended I go ahead and get the pre-cut carpeting (and underlay) and they'd just charge me the labor to install it. So with Eckler's doing a 15% off today (with coupon code ARW), I decided to take advantage of it.

I also checked NCOA's member pricing for carpeting which was actually more than the Eckler's standard pricing (even without NCOA's 5% off at Ecklers not figured in.)

I guess I could have gone the dye route, but I'd want to take all the carpeting out of the car to do it, then have to put floor protection down in the garage to do it, and figure out how many cans of the stuff to get, etc., etc.

Thanks for the comments. I'll post pictures of the completed job.

Fatmat rattletrap and Boom Mat spray installed.:rock:

check out StockInteriors.com or 1-866-868-4577; they make carpets in house and I suspect they supply most of the aftermarket "kits" sold by various vendors.