Aftermarket Modifications to Make Your Ride the Best on the Block

Car modifications come in different tastes. Most are sweet and boost performance numbers and how the car handles. Others go on to be sour, and not what you planned. Then there’s the cost side of things. You can completely transform any car with a few simple and inexpensive mods that also are quick to get done. Or you can spend heaps on different parts with a higher price tag and end up with a car that’s worse off. The key here is to balance any additions to your car with the rest of the vehicle. That, and having realistic expectations of what can and can’t be done.

A base car that can take all you can throw at it is a good starting point. Let’s start with the typical tuning favourites; the Subaru WRX and STI, the VW Golf R and GTi, the Ford Focus RS and ST. Add to this the Mazda MPS, Nissan’s 370Z and Skyline, mum’s Honda Civic or dad’s Ford Falcon, and any BMW, Audi or Merc. Less obvious (but still worthy) candidates are the naturally-aspirated Mazda 3, any older Honda Accord, and the already peppy Renault Clio RS. This is just scraping the tip of the tuning and modification vehicle list. Almost any car is ripe for a mod, but using the right spare parts for cars and in the right order brings in the best results.

Which Parts to Upgrade First?

This all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If all that you want is a car that’s better looking than what you’ve currently got, a restyling kit is what you’re after. A few added parts here will get you noticed, and net you a car that’s different from anything else on the road.

Most drivers though also want more oomph. Engine and exhaust mods bring in a few more ponies under the hood, and let them roam free. More power is the basic recipe for more speed and faster acceleration. And with the uprated exhaust, better sound leaving the tailpipes.

Lastly, consider how that new-found power gets to the wheels. Suspension upgrades like coilovers will set the car closer to the ground, improve aerodynamics (and reduce drag), and tighten up the steering. You get a car that handles better in turns, and one that’s more responsive.

Styling Mods

Drivers can opt for separate parts to improve airflow over, under, and around the car. The goal is to use air to keep the car planted on the road by creating more downforce. Front splitters can disperse oncoming air over the vehicle, in essence improving grip through the tyres, and grip increases as speeds go up. Front spoilers move air left and right to help keep the car stable. Side skirts prevent air pressure from accumulating under the car and combined with rear diffusers and rear spoilers keep the rear axle put. A bespoke kit will remove oversteer in rear-wheel drive cars, and understeer is less of an issue in a front-wheel drive vehicle.

Another benefit is going for parts that reduce overall vehicle weight. Bonnets are the main body parts that can shed a few kilos. As are roofs. Like the rest of the body styling mentioned above, these can be sourced in polyethylene, more durable ABS plastic, fibreglass or carbon fibre. The choice of materials will impact how parts withstand impact and higher speeds, as well as determine the end price. Consider getting a professional installation and some parts may also need painting.

Exhaust Upgrades

Many cars have restrictive factory exhausts, limiting how spent combusted gases are removed from the engine. This prevents new air from coming in for combustion. An upgraded exhaust then will add more power, by allowing the engine to breathe. Most parts will accommodate more expended gases by going wider. The increase in power also means a better choice of materials that can handle the accompanying increase in pressure and higher temperatures. You’ll see thicker and coated stainless steel that not only is tough but also looks the part. The metal Is mandrel bent, basically ensuring a uniform diameter along the length of the piping and this prevents kinking.

Cat-back exhausts replace stock parts from the catalytic converter to the tips. These can be combined with revised exhaust manifolds and headers, down and mid-pipes, and a catalytic converter to maximise the available power in what in essence constitutes a header-back exhaust system. All configurations can use different resonator and muffler combos to change the exhaust note.

Cold Air Intakes

An upgraded exhaust performs at its best when paired with a reworked air intake system. Kits include air scoops, air filters that better filter out contaminants, and bigger air boxes with wider tubing. Heat shields keep incoming air cool (hence the name), with cooler air richer in oxygen and providing for better combustion. This is often one of the first spare parts for cars to be changed when buyers want more performance.

Upgrading the Suspension

Most cars are tuned for comfort and the long haul. This is mostly down to the type of suspension, and the parts used. To get better handling, a car with a meaner stance, and more feedback when changing direction, consider a set of coilovers. These lower the car several millimetres, and get rid of the sponginess and pronounced bounce in longer and looser separate spring and shock combos. Instead, coilovers, consist of a shock and spring integrated into one calibrated unit. This allows minute adjustment to compression and rebound rates, or how the car reacts when hitting potholes or going over bumps.

Better feedback and driving dynamics are offered with a monotube coilover design. and these come in cheaper than dual tube coilovers tuned towards comfort and a more pliant ride. Buyers can also go with an air suspension kit, that combines both the comfier drive of longer-travel suspension and the stiffness of track-spec monotubes in one handy unit. The car can be lowered or lifted as drivers find fit and comply with the road conditions.

What to Consider

Source parts from a respected dealer, with a wide selection of brands, and parts that are compatible with your make, model, and production year. Pricing also matters, but don’t forego quality. Lastly consider a professional fit that works well with the rest of the car.