It’s easy to see why a motorist might want to make changes to their vehicle. A modified car can be made to better suit your purposes and personality. Why settle for something that’s just-about right when you can make a tweak or two and have something that’s exactly fit for purpose.
If you’re thinking of modifying your car, then you’ll want to consider the implications, whether they’re aesthetic, legal or functional.
What types of modification are there?
Modifications made to cars tend to be lumped into two categories. There are performance modifications, and cosmetic ones. The former effect way that your car actually performs, while the latter just affect the way that it looks.
Examples of performance modifications might include a larger exhaust, tuned suspension, and filtering changes. Among the more popular changes are tyre changes. These are so common that many of us don’t think of them as modifications – but your choice of tyre can actually be more consequential than many of the more permanent changes you might consider. You can buy tyres online and fit them with the help of the right mechanic.
Cosmetic modification might include things like interior lighting, tinted windscreens, and wheel accessories like spinners. Changes to your paintwork will also come under this category. Window tinting comes with strict legal conditions. Your front windscreen must allow at least 75% of light to come through, and the side windscreens must allow 70%. You could be issued a court summons if you fail to abide by these requirements.
Other modifications, like neon lights on the undercarriage, and colour modifications for your headlights, are almost always illegal. The same goes for bulbs with a colour temperature that goes into the blue range – as blue on the road is reserved for emergency services.
Choosing the Right Aesthetics
In some cases, you might want to modify your vehicle for entirely commercial reasons. If you’re looking for a way of marketing your business to passers-by, then a branded van is a great way of doing it. What’s more, you’ll help to convey an air of professionalism to your would-be customers. If you want a more dramatic look, you might even go for a complete body kit to radically alter the shape of your vehicle.
Aesthetics doesn’t just mean what we can see, however. Changes to your audio system will help to bolster an underpowered stereo, or to allow for Bluetooth streaming from your smartphone. Air fresheners can also help to ensure that your vehicle smells as pleasant as possible, too.
You might also change the furnishings inside your vehicle. Leather or suede seats can provide plenty of luxury. You might even install bucket seats, or move seats around to provide yourself with more legroom at the front, or more space for storage at the rear.