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A Guide To Modify Your Car’s Exterior

13 Easy And Effective Ways To Upgrade Your Car’s Exterior

The appearance of your vehicle depends on your taste. Some people love to keep their vehicles in stock condition whereas some people like to spice things up by adding a personalized touch to their vehicles. If you wish to provide a different and attractive look to your vehicle, there are several types of modifications you can choose from. People have been customizing cars for years and the trend has allowed several aftermarket manufacturers to chip in with several ideas to give your vehicle a complete makeover. This guide will help you to go through some of the ways by which you can improve the exterior of your car and provide it with a new and unique look.


Body Kits

Full Body Kits comprise side skirts, front bumpers, bumper lips, spoilers, canards, custom hoods, etc that add to the overall aesthetics of the car. Body kits change the look of the vehicle completely and offer a substantial upgrade even to the performance of the vehicle. Body kits make your car look hotter and also help to perform better by improving the aerodynamics of the vehicle. For example, front bumper splitters force the air up and over the car to increase the downforce on the vehicle which eventually improves the handling and provides better traction. 

They are available in several types and you can use them in several ways. It can be a simple add-on bumper lip or a wide-body kit. Aggressive bumpers, GT wings, fender flares, huge splitters, and diffusers are some of the aftermarket body parts you can go for. Fender flares are extensions to the fender and provide additional coverage for offset and oversized wheels. It keeps your vehicle body clean of mud and keeps your truck or SUV in compliance with vehicle laws. A GT wing, also known as a spoiler, reduces air drag and provides downforce which helps in improving the aerodynamics of the vehicle. One can go for a total makeover and choose a complete body kit setup or choose from independent components like splitters, spoilers, hood scoops, etc according to the desired look. Several brands offer customized body kits specific to the vehicle make and model, that set your car apart from other vehicles. Full Body kits are slightly expensive and may require a paint job to match them to the factory color, and modifications to be made to the body for installation. However, body upgrades can significantly alter the look of your vehicle.


Body Decals

Body decals and stickers can be used as a fantastic-looking feature on your car and one of the famous and most common types is the racing stripes. Old school but still cool, they are still used by many automobile enthusiasts to spice up their vehicles. Body decals are very cheap compared to painting the whole vehicle and are offered in various colors to choose from. It comes in matte, chrome, and satin finish and is so simple to install that you can install it yourself. Anything from racing decals and company logos to stylish stickers, you can use your imagination and customize the exterior of your vehicle according to your liking to accentuate the appearance of your vehicle.


Car Wraps

Car wraps are a comparatively cheap way to cover your entire car to spice up the car's exterior look. Instead of putting in an enormous effort and money in painting your vehicle, you can use car wraps and transform your car into something really incredible of any color. Vehicle body wraps can be selectively used on the doors, mirrors, or handles to change the color and appearance of particular spots according to your liking. You can pull it off after a while if you want the original look back. This saves you a lot of money and allows you to switch between colors and schemes without painting the vehicle. Car wraps are also offered in mirror chrome finish and matte finish. People also go for roof wraps where just the roof of the vehicle is wrapped it adds a lot to the style of the vehicle.


Alloy Wheels

One obvious and practical modification to improve the exterior aesthetics of your vehicle is to add alloy wheels. They are lighter than conventional steel wheels, stronger, and offer better acceleration. Alloys are offered in various designs and patterns that are more pleasing to the eye than stock wheels. Alloys wheels are offered in large-diameter rims and one can add low-profile tires. They increase visual appearance and give your vehicle a premium look. Choosing the correct tire is equally important as choosing an alloy wheel and you can choose the best tire for your desired setup with the help of the ultimate tire buying guide

High-end alloy wheels can provide significant performance gains as well. Since they are lighter than stock wheels, the unsprung weight of the car is reduced. This improves the handling, steering response, and braking performance of the vehicle. Alloy wheels are not prone to rust like steel rims, making them last longer. Additionally, getting good tires with your new wheels can improve the handling and looks of your car. Refer to our ultimate wheels buying guide that will help you choose the right set of alloy wheels for your vehicle.



Truck Bed Cover

If you own and ride trucks a lot, then adding a bed cover can improve the look of your vehicle. Truck bed covers or tonneau covers are simple exterior modifications that protect your truck bed from scratches and external elements while preserving the look of your truck. It is a preventive modification that looks great on your truck and is available in several options. A soft roll-up truck bed cover offers a low-profile and sleek finish whereas a hard folding cover like a Tri-fold offers more security as it is made from aluminum or fiberglass. You can also choose from colors and match the truck bed cover to the overall paint scheme of your vehicle.

Additionally, tonneau covers also help in reducing the aerodynamic drag by streamlining the surface over the truck bed. They also provide security for your valuable cargo and protect them from harmful UV rays. Choose one for your vehicle today by referring to our ultimate tonneau cover buying guide that will help you in deciding the best cover for your pickup truck.



Turn Signals and Tail Lights

Some people also like to choose unique ways to upgrade their vehicle's exterior looks by modifying their car's tail and turning signal lights by using covers, colored bulbs, and vinyl. In addition to aftermarket tail lights and turn signals, you can also change the color of side marker lights. These modifications are very simple and can significantly improve the look of the vehicle. However, it is important to ensure that your vehicle adheres to the state laws while altering the looks or modifying the vehicle.



Headlights

Yet another way of improving the looks of a vehicle is to improve the headlights of your vehicle. A great set of HID lights can do wonders and is more than just a styling upgrade. They are more effective than standard bulbs and offer improved visibility. HID lights add to the looks of your vehicle by providing a bright light compared to the mundane yellow factory headlights. While modifying the stock lamps you can also go for LED lights or Daytime Running Lamp (DRL). DRL helps make your vehicle visible during the day while adding a distinct look to the vehicle at the same time.

Headlight tinting is another way to style your vehicle headlights. This can be done by applying a film to the headlight cover. This added layer of protection prevents fading and provides aggressive styling to your vehicle. Similarly, you can also tint your rear tail lights with the help of these specially designed films used for tinting. You can do it yourself or with the help of a professional.



Window Tinting

Tinting the windows of your vehicle has been popular for a long time. It adds to the look of the vehicle and also helps in blocking the UV light, reduces the heating in your car, offers privacy, and reduces the chances of theft by keeping the thieves from spotting valuables in your vehicle's cabin. Tinted vinyl is very cheap and can be installed easily. Tinted windows look great on the car and can be purchased in different opacity levels and colors. You can match the tint to the vehicle body or choose a color according to your preferences. There are plenty of similar and easy-to-do car modifications that you can choose from and the ultimate car modification guide makes it very easy for you to decide the best for your vehicle.


Spoilers

Spoiler is a great way to add a different look to your vehicle and improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Spoilers can be added to many vehicles including hatchbacks and sedans. You can change the color and choose from various types of shapes and styles according to your liking. Spoilers give your vehicle a sporty look and also increase the high-speed stability of the vehicle. It is a must for exterior modification if you own a high-performance car or you want your car to look like one.


Custom Grilles

Grille inserts are a very common mod when it comes to trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles. The grille inserts are very cheap and can really pull up the exteriors of your vehicle. An aftermarket custom grille or a grille insert can significantly enhance the looks of the vehicle. Compared to factory plastic grilles, aftermarket ones are strong and are offered in different materials to choose from. Custom grilles offer protection from stones and debris and ensure a proper supply of air to the radiator. The fine craftsmanship that goes into the grille insert adds a touch of flair and individuality to your vehicle. A silver or chrome grille just adds to the look and is a great way to uplift the face and exterior of your vehicle.


Headlight Covers

Headlight covers add an aggressive and sleek look to your car or truck that improves the aesthetics of the vehicle. It is usually a small film that is placed over the headlight and is often colored. Tinted headlight covers offer a smoky look by obscuring the light from the headlamps. They are also available in transparent options to keep the original look of the vehicle intact meanwhile protecting them from scratches and degrading UV rays. You can also match the headlight cover tint to your alloy wheels and the overall paint scheme to offer a personal touch to your car.


Neon Lights

Neon light has been a great modification to lift the exteriors of your vehicle since the '90s. It didn't matter how fast or old the car was, if you had neons under the car body lighting the street, it couldn’t get much cooler. Automotive customization enthusiasts love to see those colored lights beneath the car as it provides your car with a unique aura as you drive through the night. These lights are also known as neon under glow lights and are offered in various colors like green, magenta, pink, red, yellow, etc.


Chrome Accessories

One another way to enhance the overall aesthetics of the vehicle is to opt for chrome accessories. Chrome accessories include trim pieces that go on various body parts providing an accented look or a highlight to the body contours. Apart from offering a distinctive look, these chrome accessories and trims protect the original components from rust and corrosion. PartsAvatar offers fast and easy-to-install chrome accents and accessories like rocker panels, door panels, handles mirror trim, and grille inserts.



Furthermore, if you wish to enhance the aesthetics of your vehicle from the inside and are wondering how to uplift your car interior, refer to our guide which will help you in several ways to give your car a complete makeover. With all the aesthetical modifications and menacing looks of your vehicle, performance becomes very important. There are different ways to increase engine performance that can complement the looks of your vehicle and allow your vehicle to stand out in the crowd. Along with these exterior modifications, make sure you upgrade your car’s interior to a customized vehicle cabin with these interior upgrades. 

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Mike Morrales
Automotive Product Expert
A super dork when it comes to new automotive tech. Part manufacturers are constantly making revolutionary product updates for their aftermarket line up. However, knowing what changes were made and how they could affect your day to day driving adventures is something our automotive product expert will definitely be chiming in on, stay tuned !.