I own a 1973 Cessna 172M. In 2007 the interior was refurbished in Mena Arkansas. The majority of the plastic was replaced with Vantage Plastic parts. The plastic was not painted, and by 2015 when I purchased the plane the entire set was brittle and had broken apart.
I am not looking for a concourse d'elegance, grand champion, best of show, or even a honorable mention. Just a good, safe and simple plane for my three kids to learn to fly in.
I am an A&P mechanic and a CFI/II/ME.
After flying the plane for several hundred hours, the condition was beginning to bug me. Both mechanical and cosmetic. It was time for a full rebuild to my standards.
Five months and $55,000 later, were still not finished.
I hire a very good I/A to help me.
As for interior work. The only options are Texas or Vantage. I have inspected both, and I prefer Vantage. I'm not saying that they are perfect, far from it. But I feel that Texas are too thin and flimsy.
These are not 'bolt on' parts. They require a lot of fettling and finish work that take a lot of time by a skilled interior guy or girl. It isn't work that is suitable for an A&P mechanic.
But the main point I want to stress is that they must have a finish on them on both sides. If you do not finish them, the polymers in the plastic will dry out and they will become brittle in less than ten years. You should first cover them in Krylon Fusion Plastic Primer. Use at least two coats. Then you should cut and fit them. Then you should use a Krylon Fusion Plastic Paint in your choice of color. And finally the areas that are exposed to direct sunlight need to be masked off and a coat of UV protectant applied.
As for the fit. Yes, it's bad, but the right person can do wonders. I had a large gap in between the door posts and the rear window. I had to modify the new plastic panels with a fiberglass patch to cover the gap.
It's all very frustrating and cost a lot more money and takes a lot more time and looks about half as good as you thought it would. But what choice do you have? Fly a crappy looking plane or spend the money a do it right. And you know that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
As for exterior plastic, it's simple DON'T. Always use fiberglass parts. I recommend Stein parts as they are thicker than the other brands I've seen.