Car Personalization Tips and Tricks – Bodykits, Rims, and More

While most of us have our ‘dream car’ in mind, few of us are fortunate enough to ever own it. Instead we’re resigned to owning an “identikit” vehicle seen roaming the roads in its thousands. [In this case, “identikit” means a car that has the same exact custom parts as a lot of other cars…it’s a “kit” that a lot of customized cars have, so it’s sort of identical.] Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. A few personal touches can transform your car from a carbon-copy to a distinct driving machine that you’re proud to sit behind the wheel of – regardless of its original cost.

Bodykits and Other Add-on  Custom Body Parts

Bodykits, like this one for a Subaru WRX, can be a great way to customize your car

Whether a spoiler or head-to-toe transformation; bodykits can revamp the appearance of your car, making it look faster, sportier and more valuable than it actually is.

However, beware that bodykits can:

• affect your insurance policy and coverage
• require significant body work that can’t be undone later without great expense
• often be poorly manufactured – uneven lines, obvious joints, and other cosmetic problems (which often plague cheap bodykits)
• reduce the resale value of your car
• add weight thus slowing the car down and increasing its fuel consumption
• make navigating speed bumps trickier

What’s more, not every bodykit will necessarily look right on every car. Still, despite all the negatives, a bodykit is a great way to change the look of your car and give it a personal edge that few can match. Just take your time and choose a good one.

Alloy wheels

Forged alloy wheels improve vehicle performance AND looks

A shiny set of alloys can instantly transform your car. Alloys make vehicles appear more unique and attractive and unlike many other modifications, a good set of after-market wheels should increase its’ value.

Yet alloys do more than enhance the look of a vehicle, they also improve its performance. Here’s how:

• A good set of alloy wheels are lighter than the stock wheels found on most cars, and reducing wheel weight improves ride by reducing the unsprung load on the suspension
• Alloys can improve the steering feel and breaking response of your car, again because the of the reduced weight of the wheel
• Again, because alloys are lighter, they can improve acceleration too. Lighter-weight wheels are easier to spin, which means your car’s engine and transmission don’t have to work quite as hard to get the wheels turning

While all of these benefits are small, they add up. If you’re a fan of auto racing, you’ll be hard pressed to find a race car that isn’t rolling on a set of forged alloy rims.

Personalized registration plates

Possibly the decisive means to personalize a vehicle; personalized registration plates say a lot about the person behind the wheel while also ensuring the car stands out from the crowds.

Personalized registration plates vary wildly in cost, from a hundred dollars in most US states to many thousands in countries like the UK. However, if you’re not looking to spend much, simply shop around until you find something suitable within your price range.

Personalizing your car in this way also offers a number of benefits;

• it won’t devalue your vehicle
• the registration plates can go with you when you change cars
• if you’re lucky, the plate might increase in value (if anything, it’s highly unlikely to decrease in value). [NOTE: In the UK, where the author is from, personalized plates are almost an investment instrument]

Change the interior

There are dozens of custom options for leather seats, all of which would give your car a nice custom look and also raise resale values

Many people forget all about the interior when customizing their vehicle, yet when making your car ‘truly’ yours, the inside matters as much as the outside.

Replacing your vehicle’s stock seat covers with something after-market – perhaps leather or just a set of neoprene covers – can give your vehicle a unique touch. If you add a cover to the factory seats, you preserve their original condition as long as possible. If you replace the factory seat fabric with something nicer, you can increase the vehicle’s value.

Door and dash trim or floormats are other stylish additions to consider too. Many companies offer appliques to add fake wood trim or fake carbon fiber to your door panels and dash, and there are literally thousands of personalized floormats available.

Don’t Overdo It

Customizing your car is a lot of fun, but make sure not to overdo these things. If you do too much too fast, you can hurt your car’s value, not to mention end up with something that no longer looks “custom”  but instead looks “busy.”

This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Plate Market, who offer unique number plates for sale. Amy loves to go against convention and work on her own car and is currently making some small modifications.