Modding Your Car – A Short, Practical Guide
There are some really simple ways to spruce up your older car, many of which should never happen, such as fake carbon fiber, fake hood vents … really, fake anything. It just looks tacky and hurts your resale value. However, there are a few upgrades and cosmetic adjustments you can do yourself, without the need for a full-scale shop to enhance your ride’s presence.
The first and foremost is washing and waxing your car. It’s safe to say this is the easiest thing you can do to keep your ride pristine and have it looking spectacular. The cost is super low, and if you don’t mind taking your time, all of it can be done without the need for any specialty power tools.
Next is a bit more advanced because it requires taking components apart for a few days. So No. 1, you will need a second car, or do it during the weekend, and No. 2, you will need to be confident enough to take apart and put back together your brakes. Yep, changing the color of your brake calipers makes the car look better when done properly, as was done by one of our users James M who painted his brake calipers on his E55 AMG.
The first thing you need to do is take the calipers apart completely. After you’ve stopped any brake fluid leakage and ripped apart all the components, you need to properly clean them so that when you apply the paint, it will stick. Next is the painting part, and you will need to follow the paint’s specific instructions to get the desired coat. This usually involves a few coats of the base, a few coats of the color, and another few coats of the clear to keep it all nice and shiny. Most folks who attempt this process get a can of spray paint, shoot it once, and then leave it. That is how you make it look awful. Do it right and it instantly improves your ride’s look.
Customizing doesn’t always have to be a new lip spoiler, a huge wing on your FWD car, or anything like that. It can be classy things that in the long run might help you sell the car and make it look awesome. Just don’t be stupid with your modding, and all will be right in the world.