Vehicle Facelift & Refresh
Vehicle Facelift & Refresh
Your car doesn't need a full respray to look new again. In most cases, what makes an older vehicle feel tired isn't the paint itself — it's the accumulation of small things: faded black plastic trim, dull headlights, a stone-chipped bumper, worn badges, cloudy glass, yellowing lenses. Our Vehicle Facelift & Refresh is a targeted package that restores all those elements together, in one visit, without the cost or downtime of a full respray. The result is a car that looks years newer — often close to how it looked the day it was driven out of the showroom. Every job starts with a free inspection and a personalised facelift plan.
- Free inspection & custom facelift plan
- Trim, bumper, light & glass restoration
- Optional panel spot refinishing
- Written workmanship warranty
What a facelift actually covers
A vehicle facelift is a curated combination of restoration services, chosen for your specific car. We don't apply a fixed package — we inspect the vehicle, identify what's dragging its appearance down, and build a plan that delivers maximum visual improvement for the investment. Typical components include:
Trim Restoration
Faded, chalky black plastic trim (bumpers, sills, mirrors, wheel arches) restored to a deep, factory-black finish using ceramic-infused trim restorers.
Headlight Refresh
Yellowed or cloudy headlight lenses restored to clarity and UV-sealed to prevent re-yellowing. Dramatically modernises the front of any car.
Bumper & Panel Refinishing
Stone-chipped front ends, scuffed bumpers and small panel damage spot-refinished and blended to match perfectly. No full respray required.
Badge & Emblem Replacement
Worn or peeling badges replaced with new genuine or OEM-grade equivalents. Small detail, big visual lift.
Wheel & Caliper Refresh
Kerbed alloys restored, calipers cleaned and repainted in a fresh colour if desired, wheel bolts and centre caps cleaned or replaced.
Glass & Chrome Polishing
Watermarked glass restored to streak-free clarity, metal brightwork polished and protected against further oxidation.
Who a facelift is for
This service is particularly valuable for:
- Older cars being prepared for sale — a facelift can add far more to the sale price than it costs.
- Owners who plan to keep their car — the cheapest way to fall back in love with a car you already own.
- Company and fleet vehicles — a refreshed fleet looks more professional and increases customer trust.
- Dealers and resellers — preparing stock for showroom presentation with minimal investment.
- Anyone whose car looks older than its age — facelifting reverses the visual clock at a fraction of respray cost.
How the process works
Inspection & Facelift Plan
We walk around the car with you, identifying every element that's affecting its appearance — trim, lights, bumpers, wheels, badges, glass. You receive a written plan with each component and its cost, so you can prioritise what matters most.
Wash & Decontamination
The car is fully hand-washed, decontaminated and dried. Any restoration work is far more effective on a clean surface, and it lets us see the true condition of each element.
Trim Restoration
Faded black and grey plastic trim is cleaned, prepped and treated with a ceramic-infused trim restorer. This restores depth and colour and protects against further UV fading for 12+ months.
Headlight & Lens Refresh
Where included, headlights are professionally restored and UV-sealed. Taillights, indicator lenses and fog lights are polished or replaced as needed.
Panel & Bumper Spot Refinishing
Stone chips, scuffs and small scratches are colour-matched and refinished individually. We blend the repair into adjacent panels so the work is invisible. No full respray required unless severe.
Wheel & Badge Refresh
Alloy wheels are deep-cleaned and polished; kerb rash repaired if within budget. Faded badges and emblems are replaced. Calipers cleaned and painted if included in the plan.
Glass, Chrome & Metalwork
Watermarked glass is treated to restore clarity; chrome and metal brightwork is polished and protected. Small touches that complete the "new car" look.
Final Detail & Inspection
A final machine polish on select panels, plus a full inspection under bright lighting. The car is handed back looking years younger, with documented work and warranty.
Common facelift combinations
To help you plan, here are the most popular facelift combinations our customers choose — each can be done individually or combined:
Resale Ready
Trim restoration + headlight refresh + full detail + glass polish. The highest-impact-per-shilling combo for selling a car.
From KES 30,000
Front-End Refresh
Bumper spot refinish + headlight refresh + grille and trim restoration. Transforms the most-seen part of the car.
From KES 45,000
Complete Facelift
All the above plus wheel restoration, badge replacement, chrome polishing and caliper painting. A genuinely new-car result.
From KES 75,000
Aftercare — how to make your facelift last
A facelift is an investment. These habits keep the results looking fresh for years:
- Wash every 2 weeks with pH-neutral shampoo — regular cleaning prevents contaminants from bonding to the restored trim and paint.
- Avoid silicone-based trim dressings — they look shiny but attract dust and fade quickly. Our ceramic-infused trim restorer is designed to last 12+ months.
- Apply a UV-protective sealant every 3–6 months — this is what prevents the newly-restored trim and headlights from fading again.
- Park in shade where possible — UV is the biggest factor in trim and headlight degradation in Nairobi's climate.
- Treat new paint gently for 30 days — if spot refinishing was done, avoid waxing or ceramic coating for the first month while the paint fully cures.
- Book an annual maintenance detail — light top-ups each year keep the whole car looking its best without needing a full facelift again.
- Consider ceramic coating or PPF after — locking in your facelift with long-term protection is the smartest way to preserve the investment.
How long does a facelift take?
Turnaround depends on which components you select:
- Trim & headlight refresh only: 1 day.
- Add bumper or panel spot refinishing: 2–4 days (paint curing).
- Complete facelift with wheels & calipers: 4–7 days.
We'll give you a firm timeline at booking and keep you updated throughout.
Why choose DOP RESPRAY & DETAILING for your facelift?
A facelift is a curated service — not a fixed package. Getting the right result requires judgment about which components will deliver the biggest visible improvement for the investment, and the skill to execute each one to a high standard. Our technicians are trained on trim restoration, headlight restoration, spot refinishing, wheel work and detail finishes — so we can coordinate everything under one roof instead of sending your car between specialists.
We also refuse to pad a facelift with work your car doesn't need. If your trim is still in good shape, we'll tell you — and suggest where your money would actually make the biggest difference.
Frequently asked about vehicle facelifts
What's the difference between a facelift and a full respray?
Will a facelift add value if I'm selling my car?
Can trim restoration really fix faded plastic permanently?
Do you replace old badges and emblems?
Can you spot-repair stone chips on the bonnet and bumper?
Can I do just one component, like trim or headlights?
Do you facelift commercial and fleet vehicles?
How much does a vehicle facelift cost?
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Free inspection, custom facelift plan, and honest advice — ready in under two minutes.