Modification may mean tuning, styling or customizing. But it may, or may not, be for the good of the car’s performance. “Extreme” customization of the car’s design will most certainly bring its value down afterwards. It also means that you will have to spend a lot more than you used to for its maintainance, and it will be a lot more laborious. So, it would be a good idea to consult someone who has done it before and has a knack for it before actually going out and splurging half your savings on it. Let’s look at the general trends and the possible areas to tinker when it comes to automobile modification:

1. Custom Paint Job, Stripes

If you’re not totally “excited” about the color of the car you own or are buying, a custom paint job will set everything right. A nice slick design or color will do. Stripes or ‘Racing Stripes’ can anytime set the pulse racing and turn any regular car into some racing-DNA machine. The options and the variety available for both, the paint job and the Stripes are extensive. A good mono-colored job to very detailed illustrations, and a variety of custom stripes like the “factory racing style” or “ fender accent stripes” are available. Make sure that you are positive about the design you want; your car should represent you. But don’t paint your favorite porn-star’s picture and/or yourself naked on it, that would be going overboard.

Mono-chrome Green with Rally Stripe

2.Custom Rims

Custom Rims (or Alloy wheels) add certain grace and some raw sex-appeal to the car that no other part does. They are a bit on the pricey side, but they are certainly worth the expenditure. The options available in the market? Countless. Go ahead- give your wheels a whole new tasty look.

Black/Chrome alloy

3. Custom Seats

We are not exactly talking about leather seats or something. Thats a passé. A sporty seating will convert the interiors of your car from super-dull to awe-freaking-some. These are also more comfortable than regular company-fitted seatings. Racing Seats just grab on to your body way better than the original seats.

Red and Black Viper Racing Seats

4.Designer Interiors

Revamping the car’s interiors is a great way to make it simply jaw-dropping.  Monotone or dual-tone designer interior graphics can really do the trick. A subtle and simple job or some loud, futuristic graphics, its your call. Other things like custom steering wheel, paddles, gear-shifts, upholstery are also worth considering.

Designer Interior

5. Vents

Deciding to put a hole (well, something similar) can be a tough decision but we think it’s worth a thought. And you must take extreme caution when doing it or letting someone do it. A well done vent finished with a decent neatly done mesh will give your car’s look a slight edge. It could literally be done anywhere on the car – on the bonnet, the roof or along the doors.

Hood Air-Jacket

6.The “Button”

The Push-Button ignition is simple and cool, and it doesn’t cost much to install it. One can install a “Push-Button” to his car fairly easily- there are hundreds of how-tos over the internet; or just simply pay someone to do it for you. You will be able to find a large range of such “buttons” without much effort. It can also be an entirely automatic thing wherein the button will sense the key’s presence inside the car and you wouldn’t even have to go through the trouble of inserting the Key to the car in the keyhole. Life couldn’t be simpler! Further, this may deter thefts too, as it is very hard to duplicate the Key’s code (of the chip inside it) than the Key itself.

The Push-Button

7. Spoilers

Basically built for racing cars, so obviously these little flaps have almost become compulsory fashion accessories for anyone who wants his car to have the ‘go fast’ look. Some think they’re just fashion items, some think they give the car stability, and some just tack on a rear spoiler because everyone has one anyway.

Rear Car Spoiler

8. Neon Lighting

Like taking your ride for a spin? Especially at night? Leave everyone awed, just install some neon-lighting on it – inside the alloys, under the base, replacing the regular lights, or wherever the hell you want to. If you’re a “night” person, it’ll do the trick.

Neon Lighting

9. Scissor Doors

Customize the doors of your car to scissor doors (or lambo doors) and it’ll make sure that you catch every eye in the vicinity wherever or whenever you decide to stop your ride and get off.

Nissan GT-R Scissor Doors

10. Body Modifications

Apart from the aforementioned customizations, it doesn’t just end there; or anywhere for that matter. It is your car and your imagination. If you can, or you can get someone to modify your car or whatever part of it, very well. It could be simple changes like tinted glasses, custom exhausts, single wipers  converting the roof of your car into a convertible roof  or just installing Roof Visors-the range is unlimited.

Body Modifictions

So much so for the “Design” part of Automobile Customization, the next article will talk all about Performance Enhancement.

Useful Resources:

Car Tuning: all about it
Car Modifications instructable
Car Kits