Are you satisfied with the current state of your car? Or, do you wish it ran a little better or had a little more personality?
If you’re not happy with your car as-is, there are lots of different ways that you can update it so that it runs better and looks nicer.
The good news, too, is that you can handle a lot of the modifications yourself without spending a lot of time or money.
Read on to learn about eight great car modifications that are easy to do and will help you to personalize and optimize your car.
1. New Tires
A new set of tires is one of the best investments you can make in your car. New tires aren’t exactly cheap, especially if you’re investing in high-performance tires (which is highly recommended).
Good tires will alter every aspect of the way your car performs, from braking to accelerating.
A good set of high-quality tires is especially important if you live in a location that has a prolonged winter.
You might even want to invest in two sets of wheels and tires and optimize one set for winter and one set for summer. This might seem like an extravagance at first.
When you start making your car’s tires a top priority, though, you won’t understand how you managed to get around before.
2. Shock Absorbers
It’s also a good idea to invest in high-quality shock absorbers.
As their name suggests, shock absorbers help to absorb the shock that your car experiences while driving over bumps on the road.
This, in turn, keeps your tires firmly planted on the pavement and helps your car to feel more stable by controlling the up and down motion of the springs.
Good shock absorbers, paired with a set of stiffer springs, can have a big impact on the way you feel when you drive your car. If you’re tired of bouncing all over the place when you drive down the road, this modification is essential.
3. Back-Up Camera
Another highly functional modification you might want to invest in is a back-up camera.
Back-up cameras have been shown to be highly effective at preventing accidents and helping drivers see what’s going on behind them. They also make things like reverse parking and parallel parking much easier.
In the near future, it’s likely that backup cameras will be included in every new car.
If you’re driving an older model, though, you might want to go ahead and purchase one now. Not only will it boost the resale value of your car, but it will also give you peace of mind.
4. Sport Pedals
What kind of gas pedal does your car currently have? If you’re like most people, it’s a small, stock gas pedal.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, of course. But, it can make it harder for you to drive as smoothly as you’d like to. It also makes heel-and-toe shifting very difficult.
If control is important to you consider investing in some motorsport-ready pedals.
They’ll make your drives smoother and much more manageable. You’ll be amazed at the difference such a simple modification can make.
5. Simplified Interior
Sometimes, less is more. This is especially true when you’re looking to enhance the speed of your car.
Have you ever thought about the extra weight you’re carrying around in your car?
No, we’re not talking about the fast food wrappers and junk in your backseat (although, really, you should get rid of that). We’re talking about the extra weight of your carpet, insulation, and extra seats.
If you really want your car to accelerate faster, corner better, and brake shorter, you need to make it lighter. Stripping down and simplifying the interior is the best way to do this.
6. New Speakers
If sound quality is important to you, you’re probably going to need to upgrade your stereo system. The stock system that came with your car isn’t going to cut it.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to invest in a massive subwoofer to get great sound. After all, the point of replacing your sound system is not to be as loud as possible (or, at least, that shouldn’t be the point).
Instead of focusing on volume, focus on sound quality when you’re testing out different stereo systems.
7. Data Monitoring
We all know how frustrating it is when the check engine light comes on in our car. There are so many different issues that can trigger that light, it’s hard to know where to begin.
If you’re tired of guessing what’s wrong with your car when the check engine light comes on, you may want to purchase a data monitoring system and rely on that instead.
This is another functional upgrade that can make it a lot easier for you to figure out what’s going on with your car.
Data monitoring systems provide you with more information about the issues your car is experiencing. They also explain those problems in terms the average person can actually understand.
8. New Rims
Once you’ve replaced your tires, you might want to invest in some new rims, too.
Whether you’re looking for fancy Cadillac Escalade rims, rims for your Audi A4, or rims for any other type of car, upgrading the rims can seriously enhance the appearance of your car.
The key, though, is to make sure your choice matches the kind of car you drive (don’t be the person with ridiculous giant rims on your Volkswagon Golf).
You also should make sure you’re purchasing new rims from a reputable retailer and avoiding buying something too big — this can affect your suspension and shock absorption.
Make These Car Modifications Today
Now that you know more about all the different car modifications you can try, which one are you going to implement first?
Do you need help with the actual modification process? If so, we’ve got resources for you.
Start by checking out the DIY Mechanics section of our site today.
You’ll find all kinds of helpful information here on fixing up your car while sticking to a budget and making sure the job gets done correctly.
