HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO REPLACE A CAR HEADLINER?

DIY vs Professional Car Roof Lining Replacement – What Should You Expect to Pay?

If your car's roof lining is sagging, you've probably started asking one of two questions:

"How much will it cost to get someone to fix it?"

or:

"Could I just do it myself and save some money?"

The answer depends on your vehicle, the condition of the headliner board, the fabric you choose, whether you have a sunroof or other roof-mounted equipment, and whether you're doing the work yourself or paying a professional.

We've specialised in car roof lining repairs for over a decade, so in this guide we're going to break down the real-world costs of DIY vs professional headliner replacement.

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💰 HOW MUCH DOES A PROFESSIONAL HEADLINER REPAIR COST?

There isn't one fixed price for every vehicle.

A small ute, a large wagon, a European vehicle with a panoramic roof and a standard family sedan can all require very different amounts of work.

As a general guide, our current professional headliner services start from around:

$450+ fitted

with many standard vehicles falling approximately within the $450–$650 range.

Specialist vehicles, difficult removals, sunroofs and more complicated interiors can cost more.

Our current service pricing explains that prices vary depending on the make, model and year, with our standard fitted service generally ranging from approximately $450–$650. (Reeces Auto Headlining Repairs)

Typical examples:

UTE: From approximately $350–$450

SEDAN: Approximately $500–$600

WAGON: Approximately $550–$650

European / Specialist: Can be approximately $600–$950+

These are guide prices rather than a guaranteed quote.

The actual price needs to be determined from the vehicle.

Why Work With Us – Trusted Headliner Specialists

✅ GST Registered – Fully compliant and easy to work with for trade customers and invoicing.
✅ Sustainable & Profitable – We operate a financially sound business model, ensuring we’ll be here long-term to support your customers and build lasting partnerships. Most people overlook the true costs associated with reliability, quality, and long-term sustainability. In this line of work, we see customers quoted 2–3x higher than us, and on the other end, super low — which often raises concerns because something usually feels off. There’s a sweet spot for pricing, and we sit just above it due to high demand and limited work hours. Our pricing isn’t about being the cheapest — it’s about doing the job right, using premium materials, and staying in business long-term to honour warranties and consistently deliver the high-quality service our customers expect.
✅ Decades of Combined Experience – Over 10,000+ hours dedicated to headliner restoration, with expert knowledge of every screw, clip, and fabric match for most makes and models.
✅ Fast Turnaround Options – Exchange service available for popular models like Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore – pre-prepped and ready for quick install.
✅ Nearly 500 Five-Star Reviews – Don’t just take our word for it – customers consistently rate us 5 stars for quality, reliability, and professionalism.
✅ Massive Online Trust – Over 3 million YouTube watch hours, More than 6,000 Facebook followers, Trusted authority in the headliner space, with a proven reputation both online and offline.
✅ Professional Trade Support – We understand the needs of mechanical shops and dealerships. Fast, dependable service to help you turn over vehicles quicker.
✅ We Come to You – Onsite mobile service available on most common jobs to save you time and effort (return trip fees may apply).
✅ Quality That Lasts – We use premium materials and processes that often exceed factory standards.
✅ Relationship-Focused – We’re here to grow with you, providing consistent quality so you can confidently refer or outsource headliner jobs without second-guessing.

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🔧 WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL HEADLINER REPAIR INCLUDE?

When you pay for a professional headliner repair, you're not simply paying for a piece of fabric.

The job can involve:

• Removing the headliner from the vehicle
• Removing lights and handles
• Removing visors and clips
• Removing surrounding trim where necessary
• Dropping and removing the headliner board
• Stripping the old fabric
• Removing deteriorated foam and adhesive
• Preparing the headliner board
• Applying new adhesive
• Installing new foam-backed headliner fabric
• Shaping the fabric around the board
• Cutting openings correctly
• Finishing the edges
• Reinstalling the headliner
• Reinstalling the interior components
• Checking the finished result

A professional repair is therefore a combination of labour, materials, experience and equipment.

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⏱️ HOW LONG DOES A PROFESSIONAL HEADLINER REPAIR TAKE?

This can vary enormously between vehicles.

For some common vehicles, we offer an exchange headliner service, where a refurbished headliner has already been prepared.

That can reduce the customer's waiting time dramatically.

For some common makes and models, our exchange service can take around 20–35 minutes, depending on the vehicle and job.

A traditional non-exchange repair, where we work on your original headliner board, can take considerably longer.

Our current service information lists non-exchange jobs at approximately 4 hours, 7.5 hours or 10–14+ hours, depending on the vehicle and job. (Reeces Auto Headlining Repairs)

That's one reason two cars that look similar from the outside can have very different repair prices.

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🏠 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DIY A CAR HEADLINER?

This is where things get interesting.

If you're reasonably confident with DIY work, you can potentially recover your own headliner for a fraction of the cost of professional labour.

But remember:

You're replacing labour costs with your own time.

A DIY project might require:

Fabric

Our foam-backed headliner fabric starts from approximately:

$30 for 0.5 metre

$60 for 1 metre

$120 for 2 metres

$150 for 2.5 metres

depending on the amount required. Suede a little more, and is at $70 per meter (Reeces Auto Headlining Repairs)

Adhesive

A standard sedan may require approximately two 500ml cans of suitable adhesive, depending on the vehicle and application.

Our current T65 pricing is approximately $50 per 500ml can, with typical quantities being one can for a ute, two for a sedan and more for larger wagons. (Reeces Auto Headlining Repairs)

DIY Guide

If you're doing the job for the first time, you can also use our Headlining Secrets eBook and bonus videos to guide you through the process.

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🧮 EXAMPLE DIY COST – STANDARD SEDAN

Let's say you're recovering a typical sedan headliner.

You might need:

2 metres of fabric: approximately $120

2 cans of T65: approximately $100

DIY guide: $24.95

TOTAL:

Approximately $244.95

That's before considering tools you may already own or need to purchase.

Compare that with paying someone to complete the entire job.

This is where DIY can potentially save a significant amount of money.

However there are some upholsterers going around under cutting people and even themselves without realising it.

Pricing: I understand that price is an important consideration, but we do not engage in price matching. We’ve carefully developed a pricing structure that ensures our business remains profitable, while delivering top-tier quality, expertise, and long-term value.

Our goal is not to be the cheapest option, but rather to be the most reliable and sustainable choice. When you choose us, you’re choosing efficiency, exceptional value, and a trusted partner in the industry.

Example of Price Breakdown:

VE Sedan Onsite Mobile
We don’t price match, because most competitors don’t factor in the true costs required to deliver consistent, long-term quality and reliability. Take, for example, a total charge of $400 for an onsite standard sedan —this needs to be ‘at least >$450 for sedan’ for the business to generate a sustainable profit on a single trip, & an additional calculated amount for non exchange where x2 return trips are required. It’s crucial to recognise the importance of proper business profit strategies. Unfortunately, many others fail to adequately study these strategies, often charging too little and, in most some cases, providing the service at an unsustainable rate. As a result, they may not be around to honour warranties or be a reliable business you can recommend to friends. We’re not the cheapest, nor the most expensive. We’ve seen customers come to us after being quoted 2–3 times higher than our price, and on the other end, we’ve seen quotes so low they appear unprofitable from day one — which often raises concerns for customers. We un-intentionally operate in the middle, not by price matching, but as a natural result of a carefully structured pricing system designed to keep us sustainable long term.

• GST: -$36

• Materials: -$50

• Travel (Average job is 50km, 25km single return trip for exchange): -$44 (at >$0.88 per km payroll obligation)

• Wages on the road: -$75 (1.5 hours @ $50/hr conservative (factors in payroll obligations))

• Wages for job removal, preparation/recovery, reinstall: -$150 (3 hours @ $50/hr conservative)
  Total Expenses: -$330

Business Profit (Before) Personal Income Tax & Additional Costs/overheads: $50

Further Obligations / Expenditures Include:

• Additional wages for other staff, if no other business activity is happening during that time. In my case, the cost of three adult staff members would technically need to be factored into the operation. However, passing the full cost onto the customer would make pricing uncompetitive. We therefore continue to operate with one person on the job and focus on improving our productivity and efficiency so that each job generates sufficient cash flow to fund the broader business operations. In addition, I work on developing passive-income streams in the background to further support the business & keep prices reduced for customers.

• Tool & car maintenance, collecting/receiving stock and other operational overheads

• Website, advertising, admin/bookings, and marketing costs

• Income Tax & Contributions to retirement savings/business growth/investments

• We account for downtime during slower periods (such as winter), as well as reduced capacity when employees are away on holiday, pro-rata leave, or long service leave.

• Opportunity costs – the value of what you give up when you choose one option over another.

Business Profit (after) Additional Costs: $<0 Into negative, less than zero if priced at 400 for sedan fast exchange onsite.

Pricing a ‘sedan’ mobile service headliner job at $400 results in a loss for our business (Utes an exception). Think of it like buying a car for $10,000 and then trying to sell it for $8,000. It doesn’t matter how efficient your process is — if the numbers don’t stack up, you’re operating at a loss. We sometimes see headliner services advertised between $200–$350, usually by new operators or those not treating the business seriously. While that might sound like a good deal, it’s simply not sustainable.

Now there’s my full process for working out a quote.

It’s very different from simply looking at what someone down the road charges and saying, “They do it for $250, so I’ll charge $250 too.”

The problem is that $250 hitting your hand can feel like decent money at first. But when you look at it from a professional business perspective and work out what you actually need to generate as a profitable income for the day—similar to what you would expect to earn if you were employed—that $250 doesn’t go nearly as far as it appears.

That’s when the problems start. You still need to buy materials, maintain tools and vehicles, cover overheads, account for warranties and callbacks, pay tax, cover downtime, and fund all the other obligations that come with running a legitimate business.

I’ve been there myself. I’ve had entire weeks taken up doing nothing but headliners, yet still felt like I wasn’t getting ahead once every obligation was accounted for. Eventually, the harsh reality sets in: you’ve got no more hours to give, but the money simply isn’t there.

At that point, something has to change. You either increase your prices to a sustainable level, find ways to dramatically improve efficiency, or eventually decide that the business isn’t viable.

Unfortunately, some operators end up quitting altogether, while others may resort to cash-only or non-compliant arrangements to try to make the numbers work. That creates its own risks and is not a sustainable or reliable model for either the business or the customer.

For me, the goal is to build a legitimate, sustainable business where the price reflects the true cost of doing the job professionally, while still providing a service that represents genuine value to the customer.

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🏆 WHY DOES A PROFESSIONAL HEADLINER REPAIR COST WHAT IT DOES?

When you pay for a professional headliner repair, you're not simply paying for a piece of fabric.

You're paying for:

✅ Experience
✅ Labour
✅ Quality materials
✅ Adhesives
✅ Specialist tools and equipment
✅ Vehicle-specific knowledge
✅ Removal and reinstallation
✅ Fabric fitting and shaping
✅ Finishing work
✅ Business overheads
✅ Warranty and after-sales support

and most importantly the sustainability of that business, as the owners need to consider all operations, warranties, time off and retirement. 

We've spent over a decade and more than 10,000 hours specifically working with automotive headliners.

That's a very different proposition from someone who occasionally recovers a headliner as a side job.

Our goal isn't to be the cheapest headliner service.

It's to provide a reliable, professional and sustainable service using quality materials and proven processes.

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⏰ WHAT IS YOUR TIME WORTH?

If you've never recovered a headliner before, the job can take considerably longer than expected.

You may spend hours:

• Removing interior trim
• Removing the headliner
• Scraping deteriorated foam
• Cleaning the board
• Learning how to apply the fabric
• Working out how much adhesive to use
• Shaping the fabric
• Fixing wrinkles
• Cutting openings
• Reinstalling everything

And if something goes wrong, you may need to purchase more fabric or adhesive and start again.

So DIY isn't necessarily about getting the cheapest possible job.

It's about deciding whether you would rather spend your money or your time.

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🆚 DIY VS PROFESSIONAL HEADLINER REPAIR

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🧵 THE FABRIC YOU USE MATTERS

One of the biggest mistakes DIYers can make is simply buying the cheapest headliner fabric they can find.

Not all automotive headliner fabric is the same.

A quality headliner fabric needs to be suitable for:

• Automotive interiors
• Curved headliner boards
• Adhesive application
• Heat
• Handling during installation
• Stretching and shaping

Our fabric also features a high-quality protective stitched backing layer.

This backing helps protect the foam during installation and makes it easier to carefully position and reposition the material on the headliner board once adhesive has been applied.

And this is something many people don't realise:

Not all back stitching is the same.

Some cheaper fabrics can have backing that separates from the foam much more easily during installation.

When you're trying to achieve a professional finish, the quality of the fabric matters.

We've been using headliner fabric every day for over a decade.

With 10,000+ hours of dedicated headlining experience, we know what materials work well in real-world installations.

That's why we don't simply choose whatever fabric is cheapest.

We choose materials that we would be comfortable using ourselves.

And those are the types of materials we make available to our DIY customers.

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🧴 DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE GLUE

Another common DIY mistake is thinking:

"It's only glue. Any spray adhesive will do."

Not necessarily.

The adhesive is one of the most important parts of the repair.

We've used and tested a range of products over the years, including:

⭐ T65 Headliner Adhesive

⭐ 3M Hi-Tack 76

⭐ Permatex Carpet & Headliner Adhesive

⭐ SuperGrip 1000 Brush Grade

⭐ Car Builders Headliner Glue

Different products can suit different applications, so choosing the right adhesive and applying it correctly is important.

We've also created a separate guide comparing some of the most commonly used headliner adhesives.

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⚠️ CAN YOU JUST GLUE THE OLD FABRIC BACK UP?

This is one of the most common questions we receive.

Unfortunately, if your headliner is sagging, the problem usually isn't simply that the glue has stopped working.

The foam backing attached to the original fabric has generally deteriorated.

Once that foam breaks down, the original fabric loses its ability to properly bond to the board.

Simply spraying more glue through the old fabric isn't generally a proper long-term repair.

A proper recovery normally involves:

Remove the old fabric → remove deteriorated foam → clean the board → apply suitable adhesive → install new foam-backed headliner fabric.

That's the process we use in our professional repairs.

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🚗 WHEN DOES DIY MAKE SENSE?

DIY can be a great option if:

✅ You enjoy working on cars

✅ You want to save money

✅ You have somewhere suitable to work

✅ You're comfortable removing interior trim

✅ You have patience

✅ You're prepared to learn

✅ You don't mind spending several hours on the project

If that sounds like you, there's no reason you can't achieve a very good result.

Sometimes DIY Really Is the Better Option

Have you ever paid someone to service, repair or renovate something—whether it’s your car, your house, a bit of landscaping or even a simple DIY job—only to realise afterwards that you could have done a better job yourself?

Or worse, have you paid someone to do the job, only to then have to go back and fix their mistakes?

That’s where DIY can actually pay off.

I’ve seen people offering car headliner repairs, and when I look at their before-and-after photos, sometimes the “after” photos still show obvious creases, dents, damage and sagging sections on the finished job. At that point, you start wondering whether paying someone was actually worth it.

And then there’s the other side of it—which honestly makes me laugh.

We’ve had people steal our actual photos and use them to advertise their own work. We can usually spot it pretty quickly because, firstly, our house is in the background, and secondly, you can literally see our tools and equipment in the photos. 😂

We’ve also had our posts and advertising copied almost word-for-word. And I mean literally word-for-word—sometimes they’ve even forgotten to change the bloody address. 😂

So if you’re looking at paying someone to do a job and you genuinely believe you could do it better yourself, DIY might actually be the better option. At least then you know exactly who to blame when something goes wrong—and you might learn a useful skill along the way.

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👨‍🔧 WHEN SHOULD YOU USE A PROFESSIONAL?

Professional repair may make more sense if:

❌ You don't have the time

❌ You don't have a suitable workspace

❌ You're uncomfortable removing interior trim

❌ The vehicle is difficult to disassemble

❌ The headliner board is fragile

❌ The vehicle has a panoramic roof

❌ The vehicle has a complicated sunroof system

❌ You simply don't want to spend your weekend doing it

There's absolutely nothing wrong with paying someone else to do the job.

Sometimes the best value isn't the cheapest price.

It's getting the job done properly without spending your weekend doing it.

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📖 WANT TO DO IT YOURSELF?

That's exactly why we created:

HEADLINING SECRETS

DIY Car Headliner Repair eBook + Bonus Video Walk-Throughs

Our guide is designed specifically for people wanting to learn:

How to remove a car headliner

How to prepare the headliner board

What fabric to use

What adhesive to use

How to apply the fabric

How to avoid common mistakes

How to reinstall the finished headliner

It combines written instructions, photographs and bonus video content to help you understand the process before you start.

Available for $24.95

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🛒 NEED THE MATERIALS TOO?

We also supply the materials you need to tackle your own headliner project.

🧵 Headliner Fabric

Multiple colours and finishes available.

🧴 Headliner Adhesive

Including T65 and other recommended adhesive options.

🔧 DIY Fabric + Glue Kits

Vehicle-specific kits for popular vehicles.

📦 Fabric Samples

Ideal if you're unsure which colour best matches your interior.

We stock options for popular vehicles including Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon, Ford Territory and many others.

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🏆 OR LET US DO IT FOR YOU

If you'd rather skip the DIY process completely, that's what we're here for.

We specialise specifically in:

AUTOMOTIVE ROOF LINING REPAIRS

With over 10 years and 10,000+ hours of dedicated experience, our focus is one thing:

CAR HEADLINERS.

We use quality materials, professional processes and back our work with a 24-month warranty.

We're based around Angle Vale / Munno Para, Adelaide SA, servicing Adelaide and surrounding areas.

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💡 SO, IS DIY ACTUALLY WORTH IT?

For many people:

Absolutely.

If you have the time, patience and confidence to learn the process, DIY can potentially save you hundreds of dollars.

But don't underestimate the job.

The basic concept isn't necessarily complicated.

The difficult part is getting all the little details right.

Getting the fabric positioned correctly.

Knowing when to apply adhesive.

Using the right amount of adhesive.

Working around curves.

Avoiding wrinkles.

Getting your cuts right.

Knowing how much tension to apply.

And knowing what not to do.

Those little details can be the difference between a great DIY result and a headliner that looks like it was recovered in the backyard.

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📊 THE SIMPLE WAY TO LOOK AT IT

DIY

Lower material cost + your time + more involvement

Best if you enjoy working on cars and want to save money.

PROFESSIONAL

Higher upfront cost + minimal effort + professional installation

Best if you value your time, convenience and a finished result without having to learn the process yourself.

THERE'S NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.

It comes down to:

Your budget.

Your time.

Your confidence.

Your vehicle.

And how much you enjoy doing things yourself.

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🚘 READY TO FIX YOUR SAGGING HEADLINER?

WANT TO DIY?

Check out our:

🧵 Headliner Fabric

🧴 Headliner Glue

🔧 Fabric + Glue DIY Kits

📦 Fabric Samples

📖 Headlining Secrets eBook

WANT US TO DO IT?

Send us your:

Make + Model + Year

along with whether it's a:

UTE / SEDAN / WAGON

And let us know if the vehicle has:

Sunroof / Panoramic Roof / Roof-Mounted DVD

We'll help you work out the best option.

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🏁 FINAL THOUGHT

A sagging car headliner doesn't necessarily mean you need to spend a fortune.

You have options.

DIY it and potentially save hundreds.

Buy quality materials and do the job properly.

Or leave it to a specialist and save yourself the time.

Whichever option you choose, don't simply throw cheap fabric and generic glue at the problem and hope for the best.

Use the right materials.

Understand the process.

Take your time.

And do the job properly the first time.

That's exactly what we try to help you do.

If you are you considering doing the job yourself, Listed below is Reece’s Top Recommended DIY Kits, Fabric, Glue, Tools, Products & Equipment: (All links below are "Buy on ebay" & contain affiliate links / Sponsored by eBay)

GLUE (Buy on eBay/affilate links):

Shop our T65 Headliner Glue: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Car Builders Headliner Glue Can: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EABY

Permatex Carpet & Headliner Adhesive: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

3M HI-TACK 76 Spray Adhesive: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

 HEADLINER FABRIC (Buy on our eBay store):

Samples: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

To Choose Any Length/Quantity from our Full Selection of Fabric Styles & Colours: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

 

HEADLINER KITS 'GLUE & FABRIC' (Buy on our eBay store):

Holden VE VF WM 2m Fabric + x2 Glue (SEDAN)(#5 BLACK): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Holden VE WM 2m Fabric + x2 Glue (SEDAN)(#7 LIGHT GREY): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Ford FG Falcon 2m Fabric + x2 Glue (SEDAN)(#6 LIGHT OYSTER): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Holden VF 2.5m + x2 Glue (WAGON)(#9 Grey/Titanium): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Holden VE 2.5m + x2 Glue (WAGON)(#7 LIGHT GREY): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Ford Territory 2.5m + x3 Glue (Early Models SY SY2)(#7 LIGHT GREY): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Ford Territory 2.5m + x3 Glue (Late Models SZ)(#6 LIGHT OYSTER): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Holden VX VT VY VZ VE VF 1m Fabric + x1 Glue (UTE)(#5 BLACK): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Ford AU-BF / Holden VX-VE 1m Fabric + x1 Glue (UTE)(#7 LIGHT GREY): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Ford Falcon FG 1m Fabric + x1 Glue (UTE)(#6 LIGHT OYSTER): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Holden VF Headliner Kit 2m + x2 Glue (SEDAN)(#9 Grey/Titanium): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Holden VF Headliner Kit 1m + x1 Glue (UTE)(#9 Grey/Titanium): CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EABY

CLEANER (Affilate links):

Solvit Citrus Cleaner: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Bowden’s Own Orange Agent: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

 

STAR LIGHT FIBRE OPTICS & CUSTOM EQUIPMENT (Affilate links):

Starlight Engine 900 Stars Twinkle: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Starlight Engine 550 Stars + 100 Meteor, 3m, Twinkle: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Starlight Engine 400 stars, Twinkle: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY

Car Music LED Rhythm Sticker: CLICK HERE TO BUY ON EBAY