What to Consider Before Making Changes to Your Car

There are all kinds of modifications you can do to your car, from subtle cosmetic changes to big performance upgrades. And while car mods can be a fun way to customize your vehicle as a hobby or to get the best of of it’s performance, it’s well worth weighing up the pros and cons properly before committing. Below are some of the things you should consider before modifying your car.

How practical the changes really are

Mods like lowering your car or putting a turbocharger on it might seem cool and make it look and sound the way that you want, but you should consider whether it’s actually practical too. A lot of new drivers invest in these types of street racer style mods only to realize that they rarely get the chance to use the extra speed, and everyday things like speed bumps or ramps into car parks can become a problem (which you might not have considered at the start). It usually makes sense to prioritize car modifications that are genuinely useful. If you’re not planning on taking your car to track days then safety mods like parking sensors or eco focused upgrades such as changing the air filter or looking into car batteries can actually be a better option. Even if you are going to be taking part in motorsports, don’t just focus on speed upgrades. Look into improving safety on the track too, things like racing harnesses and roll cages and other safety modifications could be worth considering if you’re taking it seriously!

Being realistic about your budget and skills

Modifying a car is always going to be expensive. You should consider what your budget is so that you’re not overstretching yourself. Ideally, you should save up for car mods instead of taking out loans as tuning a vehicle usually isn’t worth getting into debt for. It’s usually more for the love and enjoyment you’ll get out of the car and not so much a financial investment as you’re not likely to be able to recoup your costs if you sell later on. Actually in many cases you’ll devalue your car by changing so it’s something to consider. You might be able to save money on car modifications by shopping around for cheaper workshops or even fitting certain modifications yourself. Just be sure that any modification is installed professionally. Poorly fitted mods can be really dangerous, so if you don’t have the skills yourself you’d need to budget to pay a professional on top of the parts. 

Thinking about the long term costs

A lot of drivers don’t think about the long term costs that car modifications can bring. Even something as simple as racing stripes can push up the cost of your car insurance. Any upgrade associated with street racing tends to increase premiums, because those cars are statistically more likely to be involved in accidents. You need to decide whether higher insurance costs are something you’re willing to live with. Fuel consumption is another thing that’s easy to overlook, but anything that adds extra weight to your car will usually have a negative impact, while acceleration upgrades will almost certainly increase fuel use. Other changes like reducing the weight or adding a high flow cold air intake system could actually improve fuel efficiency, but these still need to be weighed up carefully.