When it comes to car modification, car owners have endless possibilities to fine-tune the appearance of their rides to suit their appearance and performance tastes. Cars can easily be upgraded by modifying their audio systems, engine and suspension or their appearance.
Even if you just need to upgrade your car’s appearance, buying the latest spoilers, wrapping your car with carbon fibre, and shiniest rims can be an expensive affair and not every car owner can afford. If you are looking for ways to upgrade your car on a shoestring budget, here are five cost-effective ways.
1. Clean it thoroughly, inside and outside
Remember the new car aroma your car had when it was brand new? Well, an inexpensive air freshener may bring back the scent, but if you really want your car to look new, start by giving it a thorough cleaning on the inside and outside. Get the car scrubbed and the carpet and upholstery shampooed. The seat cushions and floor must also be thoroughly vacuumed to remove all the dust and debris build-up from the engine bay.
If you are like most people, you consider the inside of your car a personal space. Therefore, take the time to organize everything you need to carry around in the glove compartment, the backseat, and the boot. You can use ziplock bags to organize everything you need in the car including paperwork, repair receipts, phone chargers and cables.
Unless your car has huge noticeable dents and scratches, you may not need to wax it to restore the perfect shiny appearance. Simply make it a habit to clean regularly including the tyres.
2. Clean the headlights
Unlike older vehicles, most newer cars have headlights lenses made from plastic composite and not glass. This material weathers and dulls over time and may require regular restoration every few months. When this happens, the clear plastic starts to turn yellow and the amount of light it lets through diminishes. This may affect visibility at night aside from giving your car a dull and aged appearance. When was the last time you had your car’s headlights cleared?
There are headlight restoration kits that you can get from your local auto repair for less than $30. The kit typically includes a cleaner liquid and a soft cloth material. Considering that your car’s headlights are its ‘eyes’, giving them a thorough cleaning is a sure way to give it instant bright and nicer look.
3. Fix the scratches and dents
There are many ways to remove scratches and dents on the body of your car. The most popular DIY methods include the hot glue and suction methods. However, if you are looking to show your car some deep love, it would be best to drive it to a professional for a beautiful permanent finish rather than risk botching the ‘minor fixes’. If you have an older car whose body is made of real metal, it is very important that you get the scratches and dents fixed using the right tools and materials to prevent rusting and further damage.
Unsightly scratches and chips on the car body may make the vehicle look older and less valuable than it actually is. If you would rather cover up the scratches with touch-up paint, that can work too, but you have to know what you are doing. While small l bottles of paint are readily available at your local auto-parts shop, the biggest mistake car owners make is choosing the wrong colour and end up making a bigger mess of the car’s appearance than the scratches they were trying to fix. Do not make this mistake.
4. Give your car a paint job
More than any service on this list, giving your car’s exterior a new paint job is a sure way to make a big upgrade to the appearance of the car. A paint job begins with panel beating, a process that involves fixing dents, scratches, loose panels, and subtle deformities on the car’s body before the actual painting.
In Brisbane, panel and paint services are easily available and do not cost more than an average car owner can afford. A good job will lead to a complete exterior makeover of the car. If your budget is even tighter and would rather not get the paint job now, you can choose to wrap the car in vinyl to make it look as good as new until you are ready for a good paint job. Some car owners are also hop ping on to the matte paint trend to upgrade the appearance of their cars without spending too much money on a paint job.
5. Replace floor mats and seat covers
Getting a new set of floor mats and seat covers are some of the most affordable ways to upgrade the interior of your car. Floor mats, by virtue of them being stepped on every time the car is in use, usually wear out and tear the fastest. If you still use the original floor mats, the car came with, it is probably time you shopped around for new ones. While shopping, remember that quality and durability should come before aesthetics; you do not want to buy beautiful mats that will require replacement too soon.
If your car’s upholstery eliminates the need for seat covers, how much attention you should give them depends on how worn they are. Use your best judgment to decide whether seat covers would do a great job of hiding any visible wear and tear marks. It is recommended that you choose seat covers that are in basic and unobtrusive colors.
Conclusion
A good looking car will always attract stares wherever it goes. If you are a car enthusiast and you would want your car to attract the same attention it did when it was new, you may not need to look beyond these five pocket-friendly upgrade options.
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