Whether you’ve had your vehicle for many, many years or you’ve just picked up a new whip, your car says a lot about you. The make, model, year, and style of your headlights can give other drivers and passers-by a little more insight into your personality.
While many drivers are more than happy and content with their car, others want to make adjustments to bring it up to their liking. Customising your car can not only boost your vehicle’s aesthetic appeal, but doing so can improve performance, increase safety features, and potentially boost its value should there come a point where you’re ready to sell.
Before you look into customising your car, there are some important factors to consider so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Let’s explore further…
It Can Be Costly
If you’ve already shelled out a significant outlay on a vehicle, you may not have loads left in your budget for personalising and modifying. What’s more, there could be hidden costs attached with customising your car. For instance, if you’ve got your engine modified, you may need to swap to premium fuel. Should you install wider tyres, this can impact fuel consumption, meaning you would need to refill more frequently.
Whatever alterations you decide on, you need to be aware that making changes to your car can prove incredibly expensive. The best place to start is by establishing a budget. This will help you stick within your means and stop you from overspending. Once you’ve set aside cash for personalising your vehicle, you can look at modifications that align with your budget.
Try not to cut corners during this process. If you go for the cheapest provider to make alterations, this could leave you with a subpar result. The cost of driving a car can already be very expensive for some. This means you do not want to spend much out of your pocket only to make your car look nice.
There Will Be Risks Attached
While some modifications can actually make your vehicle safer, there are others that can be pretty dangerous. Unfortunately, there are always risks of an improper installation or a faulty part, and either of these could put you in serious danger when on the road. While adding seat covers or installing LED floor lights isn’t going to compromise your safety, changing the steering wheel, gearstick or pedals can be risky.
Before getting any customisation done, especially electrical alterations, it’s your duty to pick reputable companies to carry out the work. Make sure to check out ratings and reviews before making a decision.
Never go for the cheapest provider on the market. This is because they may not have the experience and expertise to do a good job. Sure, you may be left with seat covers that don’t look the best. However, this won’t impact your health and safety, whereas modifications to your steering wheel can be incredibly costly to rectify if the work isn’t up to scratch.
Whatever type of changes you wish to make to your car, it’s always best to find a reliable mechanic in your area to carry out work. They can provide expert advice on what your options are and modifications that can put you and others in danger. You might be better off investing in these essential pieces of car care equipment, instead.
Think About the Future
When you factor in how costly some car personalisation options can be, it’s important to think about the future and whether you’ll be happy with your alterations months and years down the line. You don’t want to fork out all that money on making changes to find you’re not satisfied and don’t feel comfortable in your vehicle.
There are some ways to personalise your car that don’t involve such wholesale changes or long-term commitments, such as installing private number plates. Once you have an idea in mind for what you’re after, check on a personalised number plate database like Click4Reg or the government’s official ‘buy a personalised number plate’ platform via the DVLA to see if it’s available and within the UK’s legal parameters.
Warranty Could Be Void
Perhaps you may not need to worry about the possibility of your warranty being void for things like a body modification, but you can run into issues if you’re altering your car’s performance, via the vehicle’s engine or manipulating its electrical components. Even if a related part is impaired, your car manufacturer will likely blame the damage on modifications. This could see your warranty claim being denied.
It’s in your best interests to steer clear of any internal modifications if your car is under warranty. The last thing you want to do is make changes to your car to find you are not covered. Should you be involved in a car accident and find your warranty isn’t valid, you could be in all kinds of trouble that can be financially crippling.
Will Affect Any Potential Resale
Let’s be honest, there comes a point for every driver when they’re ready for a change of car. If you’ve grown tired of your vehicle and want to upgrade to something better, you need to be fully aware of how personalising and modifying your car can affect its resale value. You’ll want to get a good asking price for your car but may soon realise that your personalising efforts haven’t paid off in the long run.
Although it isn’t always the case, some modifications can lower the resale value, which could see you not make any profit off your vehicle. The reason for this is simple. You may make modifications to align with your personal taste but find many other drivers don’t share the same views!
If you’re serious about personalising your car, try and think of the bigger picture and how others view your car. Taking the minimalistic approach can give your car a new lease of life while looking pleasing to the eye when it comes to selling.
Know The Legalities
Most importantly of all, you need to be aware of the legalities linked with car modification and personalisation. There are some rules on what you can and cannot do to a vehicle. If you want to alter your car’s headlights, they must be coloured white or yellow. Your rear lights must be red. If you opt for any other colour, this is against the law. Neon lights are banned as they increase the risk of distracted driving.
For those who like the idea of tinted windows, while they provide many positives, it’s illegal to have a tinted windscreen that does not allow at least 75% of light through. Your front side windows must also let at least 70% of light through. Understanding the legalities of personalising your car will mean you do everything above board and not get into legal trouble.
The Bottom Line
There are a number of reasons why car owners personalise their vehicle. If you’re ready to follow suit and make some changes to your own, you need to be fully aware of the impact your modifications can have, both in terms of safety and resale value.
Whether you’re focusing on the interior, exterior, or a bit of both, make sure you’ve done your full research into the best ways to personalise your car. Remember; many of these changes cannot be reversed. This means you need to have a serious think about what is going to enhance your car or hinder its performance.
Speaking of hindered performance, check out this guide on what to do when your car breaks down. Next time you’re broken down at the side of the road, you won’t regret this moment of inquisitiveness.