You’ve got the vehicle you wanted at the right price. The engine runs well, the mileage isn’t bad, and the exterior is in decent condition. However, the car is missing a few things you would like. The cloth upholstery shows signs of age and wear, the glass does little to keep the heat out, the finish has scratches and pits, and the car lacks a remote starter for cold Utah mornings.
Fortunately, automotive customization can transform a pre-owned car into a vehicle that feels more comfortable, offers better protection, and delivers a more luxurious driving experience. For 50 years, Auto Trim Design of Utah has provided professional installation services to private customers and dealerships. Our team upgrades used vehicles with quality products, skilled craftsmanship, and solutions tailored to each driver.
The Pre-Owned Issue: Excellent Price, Fewer Options
Purchasing a used car is one of the most financially sensible choices in the automotive market. Buyers can save thousands by avoiding the steep depreciation of a new car. In addition, they can often get more vehicle for their money and choose a model with a proven track record.
However, pre-owned vehicles tend to offer fewer features than newer models. For example, they might have:
- Basic or worn-out interior surfaces — Stained, faded, or worn cloth seats
- No infotainment or convenience tech — No remote starter, backup camera, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto
- No paint protection — Swirl marks, scratches, and rock chips
- Poor or outdated tint — Bubbles, discoloration, or no tint at all
- No sunroof — A desirable feature the original owner didn’t select
Fortunately, automotive customization can solve each of these problems. Instead of buying a new car just to get a specific package of features, you can select the upgrades that matter most to you.
The Customizing Approach: Upgrading Your Vehicle Piece by Piece
Auto Trim Design offers eight main automotive customization services to help upgrade pre-owned vehicles.
Leather Seat Upholstery
One of the easiest ways to transform a car’s interior is to replace worn cloth with leather. As a certified Katzkin dealer, we install custom-fit leather in hundreds of colors and stitching styles. In addition, we can add features such as heated and cooled seats.
Our experienced professionals carefully fit each interior to create a clean, polished appearance. As a result, your pre-owned vehicle can gain the look and feel of a brand-new car without the cost of replacing it.
Paint Protection Film
Older cars usually have a few dings, scrapes, and stone chips from previous use. Although you can’t undo every mile the previous owner drove, you can protect the vehicle from additional damage.
Paint protection film acts as an invisible shield over the finish, helping protect the paint against future chips, scratches, and other damage. Auto Trim Design offers full front-end coverage as well as partial coverage for specific areas. Furthermore, we use high-quality films designed to resist fading and maintain their appearance over the long term.
Ceramic Window Tinting
Utah’s high altitude increases exposure to UV rays, which can affect both passengers and interior surfaces. Ceramic window tint helps block harmful UV rays while also reducing the amount of heat that enters the cabin.
Consequently, your vehicle stays cooler and more comfortable during hot summer days. Auto Trim Design also provides lifetime warranties on our tint products. Our professionals carefully install each film to prevent bubbles, wrinkles, and gaps.
Aftermarket Sunroofs and Moonroofs
If your pre-owned car doesn’t have a sunroof, you don’t have to live without one. Our team can add a professionally installed sunroof or moonroof as part of your automotive customization project.
Since 1979, Auto Trim Design has served Utah drivers with professional sunroof installation. We use factory-quality products from trusted manufacturers such as Webasto and ASC. Most importantly, we stand behind every installation with our guaranteed no-leak warranty.
Remote Start, Electronics, and Audio
Many older vehicles lack modern conveniences such as remote start, smartphone integration, and backup cameras. Fortunately, you can add many of these features without buying a newer car.
We install remote start systems, backup cameras, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and other electronics that make everyday driving more convenient. These upgrades can give you everything from turn-by-turn navigation to music streaming and hands-free phone calls.
Moreover, our technicians focus on clean, professional integration. We don’t leave exposed wires, cut dash panels unnecessarily, or rely on temporary fixes. Instead, our specialists install each system according to professional standards for a clean, factory-style result.
Vinyl Wraps, Stripes, and Graphics
If you’re stuck with a color you don’t love, a vinyl color-change wrap offers an excellent alternative to repainting. It typically costs less than a full repaint and, unlike paint, doesn’t permanently change the vehicle’s original finish.
Additionally, we install racing stripes, custom accent graphics, and commercial branding. We use premium cast vinyl films designed to conform to tight curves while maintaining long-lasting color and appearance.
Ceramic Coating and Paint Correction
Years of driving can leave a vehicle’s finish covered with swirl marks, light scratches, oxidation, and other imperfections. Paint correction helps restore depth and clarity by reducing those visible defects.
After correcting the paint, we can apply a ceramic coating that bonds to the vehicle’s finish. The coating creates a hydrophobic surface that repels water, dirt, and other contaminants. As a result, your vehicle gains a high-gloss finish that looks better and is easier to clean.
Flat Glass and Windshield Services
Pitted or cracked windshields are common on used cars, especially vehicles that have spent years on Utah roads. However, damaged glass can affect more than the vehicle’s appearance. It can also reduce visibility and compromise driving safety.
We repair and replace windshields and flat automotive glass to restore clear visibility. In addition, we back our workmanship with a guarantee of proper fit and long-term durability.
Why Professional Installation Is Important
The quality of the installation often determines whether an upgrade adds to a vehicle’s appeal or detracts from it. For instance, poorly fitted leather can wrinkle and sag. An improperly installed sunroof can leak. Likewise, low-quality window tint can bubble, peel, or discolor.
That’s why experience matters.
The installers at Auto Trim Design of Utah each bring more than 10 years of experience to their specific crafts. Rather than relying on generalists for every project, we have specialists who focus on areas such as leather upholstery, paint protection film application, window tinting, and electronics integration.
Additionally, our relationships with leading suppliers help us provide high-quality materials. We work with brands such as Katzkin for leather and Webasto and ASC for sunroofs. Therefore, many of the products we install offer OEM-level quality and manufacturer warranty protection.
The Upgrade Process: What to Expect
Over the past 50 years, we’ve streamlined our process to make automotive customization as simple and hassle-free as possible.
- Consultation — We learn about your vehicle, goals, preferences, and budget. Then, we help you prioritize the upgrades that make the most sense for your car.
- Custom Planning — Next, you choose the details. Select your leather color and stitching, decide how much of your vehicle needs PPF, choose your tint shade, and customize other features.
- Installation — Our skilled specialists complete the work using professional equipment, proven methods, and quality materials. Depending on the services you choose, we can complete many jobs the same day or the following day.
- Inspection — Before returning your vehicle, we inspect and test the completed upgrades. We check leather seats, tinted windows, sunroofs, electronics, and other installed features to make sure everything performs as intended.
- Delivery — Finally, you drive away with a vehicle that looks newer, feels more comfortable, and better suits the way you use it.
The Results: A Car That Feels Like It Was Designed for You
The right upgrades can completely change the way you feel behind the wheel.
For example, heated leather seats can make cold morning commutes more comfortable. Ceramic window tint can help keep your vehicle cooler during the summer. Paint protection film can shield vulnerable areas from rocks and road debris. Meanwhile, remote start allows you to warm up your vehicle before stepping outside on a winter morning.
Ceramic coating can also make regular maintenance easier by helping dirt, water, and other contaminants slide away from the paint. As a result, your vehicle stays cleaner and maintains its shine with less effort.
More importantly, these customizations can help protect your investment. High-quality leather, professional ceramic tint, paint protection film, and ceramic coatings can help preserve your vehicle’s interior and exterior condition. Therefore, the right upgrades may help your pre-owned vehicle maintain its appearance and resale value over time.
Instead of settling for the features the previous owner selected, you can create a vehicle that better matches your preferences, lifestyle, and daily driving needs.
50 Years of Trust: Why Utah Drivers Choose Auto Trim Design
Since 1975, Auto Trim Design of Utah has provided vehicle customization and detailing services to Utah drivers and auto dealerships. In addition, our team has installed sunroofs since 1979, giving us decades of specialized experience.
Over the years, we have built strong partnerships with many of Utah’s franchised dealerships. We help these dealerships provide lot-ready accessories and pre-delivery installations for their customers.
At the same time, we have assisted thousands of retail customers who want to customize their vehicles according to their personal preferences and lifestyles. Whether a customer wants new leather upholstery, better paint protection, updated electronics, or a completely refreshed appearance, our specialists can develop an upgrade plan that fits the vehicle.
Our decades of success come from quality workmanship, dependable guarantees, and strong customer service. Whether you own a pre-owned car that needs a little TLC or a luxury SUV that requires high-end protection, our team brings the same level of professionalism to every job.
Ready to Start Customizing Your Pre-Owned Car?
You might be surprised by how much better a pre-owned car can look, feel, and drive after a few professional upgrades. Instead of replacing a reliable vehicle simply because it lacks certain features, you can customize it to better suit your needs.
Schedule a Consultation with Auto Trim Design Today
Visit our showroom, call our office, or request a quote online to start creating a customized upgrade plan for your vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install leather seats in my pre-owned car?
Yes. We can install leather in almost any vehicle that originally came with cloth seats. As an authorized Katzkin installer, we have access to seat patterns and material options for thousands of vehicles and brands. Additionally, you can choose custom colors and stitching to create the look you want. We can even add heating and cooling features for greater comfort.
How long will it take to transform my pre-owned car?
The timeline depends on the services you choose. For example, our technicians can complete many tinting and remote start installations within a few hours. Leather seat installation, however, can take up to two days.
Paint protection film and ceramic coating typically require two to three days, depending on the number of panels you want us to cover and the amount of preparation your vehicle needs. During your consultation, we can provide a more specific timeline based on your selected upgrades.
I want to install a sunroof on my used car. Will it leak?
No. We back our sunroof installations with a no-leak guarantee. Our specialists use high-quality, factory-level parts from trusted manufacturers. In addition, we carefully test the installation for leaks before returning your vehicle to you.
Are your installations warrantied?
Yes. Warranties cover most of our installations and products. For example, our ceramic window tint includes a lifetime warranty. Paint protection film, ceramic coatings, and Katzkin leather also include applicable manufacturer warranties.
We can explain the specific warranty coverage for each product during your consultation.
What if I bought my vehicle from a dealer?
No problem. We work with multiple dealerships throughout the Salt Lake Valley, Utah Valley, and beyond. However, you don’t need to purchase your vehicle from one of our dealership partners to use our services.
Whether you bought your vehicle from a dealer or a private seller, we can help you create a customized look and feature package that fits your taste, needs, and budget.
