Color Door Panel Inserts

What up with the funky red and butterscotch door panel and front air bag inserts on the 2018 SR5's?

What would possess Toyota to do such a thing? Does anyone like them?

It's gonna cost me $250 to have them recovered in black or dark gray.

 

Does the airbag panel come off easy?

 

You can clean them will alcohol and spray them with SEM vinyl dye. I have used it many times. Works great and holds up to the toughest use. I did an entire interior years ago with the stuff and never had a problem

 

Shop I talked to said the airbag cover pretty much snaps right off. Said the doors are where the work comes in. Estimate 3 hour job.

 

Will it hold up over the years on the door arm rest?

 

Yes, I did an entire interior. Dash, Arms, panels, kicks, Headliner, Console, Seats that were vinyl, etc. Went from tan to black. Drove that car for years and it never chipped, flaked , or scratched.

 

If you want to change the color I would clean the part in place as good as you can using the SEM cleaner they recommend. Then use painters tape and paper and mask all around. Paint them in place making several light coats until they are covered and color is where you want it.

 

I looked this up on Amazon. Looks pretty good, I may try it out on some of my 1st gen kick panels.

 

All of these panels are found across models. Just buy off FleaBay in the color you prefer (black, grey) or recover... done.

 

I know of some people that actually traded their black door panels for the red ones. Nice contrast to the boring black in some cases.

 

Just got back from the shop, mine are the way they should have been from the beginning now.

Cell phone pics in bright sun, it's actually a lot darker.