Tuesday 19 March 2024
LIFESTYLE

Pimp your ride – small and large adjustments you can make to your car

Everyone has been there at some point in their lives. They look around for that car that is simply going to leave your hairs standing on end. You search high and low on the internet, you trawl around from car showroom to showroom, until finally, you find something that you can do something with. Something to make your own and be turned into the car of your dreams. Whatever the manufacturer is, whatever the model you go for, there are changes that you can make to your vehicle, small and big, that can really pimp up to match your style and vision.

But where do you start? What do you go for and how far do you go? These are the questions to start asking yourself as you explore the world of vehicle modification. Which is why it is worth sharing some of the options you could be considering. However, always keep in mind that any modification you make to the vehicle should be relayed back to your insurance provider. To avoid any invalidation of your policy.

Body kits

One of the biggest and most eye-catching things you can to your new vehicle is to add a full body kit to it. This is where you can go to as much detail or as little modification as you like, depending on the look you want and your personal taste. Body kits come in all shapes and sizes, and many are either standard modifications that can be attached to any vehicle, or there are more specialized things you can look into. From spoilers to added side skirts you can really go crazy with the exterior look of the vehicle. Making it look far sportier or expensive than it actually is.

Upgraded alloy wheels

Bigger wheels always make a car look sporty and sleek, so an upgraded alloy on your vehicle could do the same. Always seek advice from a local garage or car dealership to ensure that you don’t go too big. You only have a certain amount of space within the wheel arches. It is tempting to go big, but you also want the car to still maintain its good looks.

Window tints

Not many people realize that a lot of car windows are actually already tinted as much as 5%. But the idea of having a darkened tints on some of the back windows do make the vehicle look very sporty and more dynamic. This is when you may want to consider car tinting. While it looks great, it can also serve the purpose of keeping the car cool in the summer months.

Neon lights

There is something about a car shining bright, and neon lights can really add this effect to your car. Neons are more likely to be added at the front of the vehicle, and certainly, give the car more depth and presence on the road at night. While many newer cars come with bi-xenon headlights these days, older vehicles weren’t around for the new technology. Which is why neon lights can be a popular way to modify your vehicle.

Puddle light

The latest trend in car modification is something called a puddle light. It literally does what it states, you open the door, and a light will shine below to enable you to see if there is a puddle in sight. But while there is some functionality to this feature, other people have gone one step further in the modification process and actually have the manufacturer badge be part of the light. For example, having a BMW would mean the BMW logo would be part of the light shining on the floor.

Kick plate lights

Much like the puddle light, kick plate lights are also something that people like to add to their vehicles. While they don’t add much in value, they certainly can look good when it is darker at night, and the doors are opening.

New paint job

Maybe you have found the perfect car, but the color just doesn’t do it for you. Then this is something that can be modified and changed in a car paint shop. Changing the color can be done, but as long as you inform the government motoring bodies in your country to ensure that the documents for the vehicle are also changed.

Vehicle wrapping

There are some people who are not satisfied with their paint color, no matter what they could change it to, and instead, choose to do something called body wrapping. This is where you can change the complete look of your vehicle. There have been reports of chrome finishes on cars, a matte finish for a particular color like black, and even adding stickers to the side and bonnet if that is something you are into.

Different interior radios

Not satisfied with the standard CD installed in the car? Perhaps the vehicle is more of a classic and still has the cassette player installed. Then why not upgrade to a different interior radio? You can get some great models from manufacturers like Sony, where they light up, display the song that is playing or even have a touch screen.

Infotainment system

You could always take the radio and CD upgrade a little more seriously and add an infotainment system. This might involve installing a satellite navigation system, a screen that plays DVDs, or even adding screens into the back of headrests so that it can be seen by the rear passengers. This option is very popular with families who want to keep children happy and occupied on long car journeys.

New upholstery or a sports seat

Many newer cars these days really take into consideration the detailing on their upholstery, and may car models include some sort of sports style seat. But, of course, you may want to think about upgrading this to something that more resembles a seat in a rally car, for example. Or perhaps you just like the idea of changing the color or details within the upholstery. Changing the seats are easier to do than you would think, as long as the fixings match, a car garage should be able to make the change over relatively quickly.

Private registration number

One of the smallest, and possibly most popular car modification is to change the registration number of the vehicle. Private plates are very popular and can be slight changes or even bigger and more unique plates. The more changes and obscure the plate is, the more expensive it is to purchase. Many people like the idea of spelling names on their plates or surnames.

Lowering springs and suspension

If you are hoping for a more sportier drive, a possible way to achieve that is to lower the springs and suspension. This brings the car lower to the ground which cosmetically looks great. But there is also a function to this. Lowering the springs and suspension can improve the handling of the vehicle, especially around corners. It also helps to give the overall ride of the vehicle a more driver related experience. Enabling you to feel every bump and movement on the road.

Upgraded brakes

There are two ways people like to upgrade their brakes, cosmetically and for performance. Cosmetically people like to change the brake calipers in the wheels to match the body color of the vehicle. On the performance side of things, upgraded brakes will obviously give you a better response with your vehicle when travelling at high speeds. The brake discs will have holes in them, so they are able to cool down at a faster rate.

Remapping of ECU

Some people like the idea of modifying the general performance of their new vehicle and one way to do that would be remapping the ECU. This increases the car’s Brake Horsepower, or BHP for short, allowing the car to travel at fast speeds more efficiently. Of course, this is something that is more technical than tinkering with it yourself so the best advice would be to book it into a garage and have them do something like this for you. You may find that there are specialist garages for things like this.

Larger exhaust

A larger exhaust can be placed on your vehicle as a modification for a few different reasons. Firstly, there is the sound and the driver experience it can create. This is one of those things that can really make the hairs on your neck stand up. However, there is also some functionality to a larger exhaust. The performance exhaust can free up some of the power in your engine, the modified exhaust systems can then allow for a quicker, and more efficient way of letting used fuel and exit the combustions chambers. This enables the engine to breathe and perform better.

Let’s hope that this extensive list has given you some food for thought in regards to the vehicle modifications that you can make. Whether you are looking to enhance the vehicle cosmetically or improve performance, there is bound to be something that you can do to make the vehicle more tailored to your needs.

** This is a collaborative post

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