10 Easy DIY Car Modifications

Car owners love their vehicles. At the same, they like their car to be a bit different from others. Adding a custom touch to a car is becoming increasingly popular and even manufacturers are introducing authorised accessories in this regard. Car customisation has come a long way from just adding a rear spoiler or a metal gear knob. Owners now can now carry out do-it-yourself (DIY) modifications on their own to make their vehicle stand out in the crowd.

Here are 10 easy DIY car modifications that you can try out. 

1. Interior LED lights

This is one of the coolest DIY car modifications which can make your vehicle look high-end. There are several LED lighting styles available in the market and you can pick one accordingly. Interior LED lights not only look cool, but they can also lighten up your car if the factory-fitted lights are insufficient. Just keep in mind not to overdo it. You surely won’t want your car to look like a flashy, badly lit party house.

2. Car wrapping

This could be a once in a year modification. It’s not cheap but is certainly inexpensive than a fresh paint job. Advertisers often use wraps to promote their products and car vinyl advertising goes back to fifties. Racing stripe wraps are fairly popular among owners and lends a premium look to the car. It may feel like driving a Porsche Panamera than a midsized sedan which you inherited from your dad.

3. Wiper brackets

A wiper bracket will lend a unique accent to your car’s colour scheme if the normal ones just seem too pedestrian. You can choose from several colours and it takes less than five minutes to install these brackets. Get a wiper bracket which has a different colour than that of your car’s body to make them stand out. It’s a cheap DIY modification and just perfect if you have a tight budget.

4. Aftermarket audio

It’s one of the most popular DIY car modifications of all times. Many factory-fitted car audios leave a lot to be desired regarding their sound quality. You can get a new audio system sans breaking the bank. An amplifier and a subwoofer will make those long highway trips more pleasurable. Most aftermarket car audio systems now have digital streaming facilities.

5. Grille inserts

You can spruce up your car’s exterior look with grille inserts. It’s a fairly common DIY modification in trucks and 4x4 cars. Grille inserts aren’t tacky and your car will still look attractive without gathering unnecessary attention. But these inserts may not look good on ordinary, pint-sized cars. Still there are ones that enhance the look of such cars as well.

6. Headlight covers 

Adding a headlight cover is one of the cheapest DIY modifications and is easier done than said. The covers are used to alter and/or reduce the emitted light from the headlamp assembly. They can also protect the headlights from damage. Most covers are hardly noticeable and come in model-specific designs. You can install them yourself to save labour costs.

7. Fog lights

Most modern cars come with their own set of basic fog lamps but you may want more out of them. Fog lights are inexpensive gadgets and you can choose from halogen, Xenon, and LED units. You can also get them in your choice of colours. Installing fog lamps is pretty simple. Rally drivers often attach an extra set of fog lamps to their vehicles.

8. Seat covers

These are one of the most affordable DIY modifications and can lend a premium feel even to an old car. If leather-looking seats are what you have always wanted, then your dream doesn’t end there. The aftermarket has an endless choice of seat covers in varying colours and materials. Instead of a common style, you can get separate ones for the captain seats.

9. Fender and wheel lights

These modifications should be done in sync to produce the desired effect. The lights could complement the exterior accents or may be of a different colour. For instance, blue looks good on almost all cars. Fender and wheel lights don’t cost a fortune and your mechanic could do that without charging the earth.

10. Interior vinyl

Besides seat covers, interior vinyl can make your car look premium, no matter how old it is. You can put a vinyl cover on your dashboard and extend that to the armrest and the door panels. The best part is that the vinyl is not permanent and you can remove it anytime you need a refreshed look.

Also read: 10 Maintenance Tips to Extend the Life of Your Car