For most people, a car is the second most expensive purchase they’ll ever make. Only their home will cost more than the vehicle they drive. For that reason (and many others), we take pride in our cars, and in some cases, we treat them a little like our homes. When they start to look a little bit tired or dated, we’ll consider modernizing or modifying them. That might be something as trivial as a fresh coat of paint, or it could be something as extreme as a new set of spoilers and new furnishings for the interior. Whenever you do something like that, you’re taking part in the exciting world of car modifications.
Just in the same way that not all home modifications add value to your home, not all car modifications add value to your car. In fact, some of them can do the exact opposite. That means when the time comes to sell your car, you could find yourself receiving offers well below what you hoped for. We’re not suggesting that everyone should be aiming to make their car look like something from the futuristic world of the “Light Racers” online slots game that’s popular at so many slots websites, but we do think that modifications should be carefully and tastefully chosen. Otherwise, you might actually make more from Fluffy Favourites than you’d get in return for your car! Pick one or more of the modifications we’re about to suggest to you, though, and your car could be worth far more than the maximum jackpot of any online slots game you could name.
Install Leather Seats
No matter how well you look after your car, the interior will still take a beating through years of use. One of the first places you’ll see signs of this is your seating – especially if your seating is made of a soft material to begin with. A quick way to solve this problem is to strip away your existing seats and replace them with something made of leather. As the Chicago Tribune once noted, leather seats won’t come cheaply, but they tend to make a worthwhile investment. They last far longer, they’re much easier to clean, and they add value to any car they’re installed in. It doesn’t matter what make or model your car is or how many miles you’ve put on the clock – if you put leather seating inside it, the vehicle’s value is guaranteed to go up.
Fit A Grille
Although they can sometimes look a little absurd on smaller cars, grilles are very much in fashion at the moment when it comes to the aesthetics people want from their vehicles. They make cars look more powerful and also make your vehicle’s frontage appear larger than it really is. That alone adds value, but it’s not the only thing a grille will do for you. There’s some substance to go with the style. Grilles aren’t just there to look good; they’re also there to cool down your engine when it’s running hot. That, in turn, extends the life of your engine. Some grilles even have safety features in the event of crashes and collisions, which is obviously a desirable property to have. Pick a suitable grille, fit it to your car, and watch your price go up.
Go For Lower Suspension
Ignore anyone who says that lowering your suspension is a trick that’s reserved exclusively for ‘boy racers’ or people who enjoy tearing around their neighborhood at top speed. It’s true that lower suspension might appeal to people in that demographic, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it for your own car. Lowering your suspension is often a good idea because it improves your car’s aerodynamic properties. That, in turn, makes handling much smoother. There are safety considerations with this improvement, too – a car with lower suspension has a lower center of gravity, so it’s much less likely to roll over in the event of an accident. If you’re confident in your own abilities as a mechanic, you could attempt to lower the suspension of your car yourself, although in most cases, it’s advisable to seek out the services of a qualified mechanic.
Swap Out Your Alloys
This is the most immediately visible of all car modifications and upgrades and also the easiest to take care of as a ‘do it yourself’ task. Alloys come in all shapes and sizes, and the ones that arrived fitted to your car as default probably aren’t the most attractive in the world. In fact, they’re probably the most generic alloys your manufacturer offers unless you specifically requested something a little more adventurous at the time you placed your order. A fresh set of alloys looks good and can dramatically enhance the appearance of your wheels. They often make your wheels look bigger, which is a positive thing when it comes to assessing your car’s value. As we’ve seen with our other upgrades, though, it’s not just about looking good. It’s also about performance, and the fact of the matter is that a new set of allows will improve the handling quality of your car either for you or for the vehicle’s next owner if you’re selling it on.
Put A Rear Camera In
The technology inside cars has progressed a lot in the past twenty years. Cigarette lighters are long gone. Your radio should no longer have a tape deck. If we’re honest, it shouldn’t really have a CD deck anymore, either. A radio that connects to Bluetooth is the minimum that people expect when they’re buying a car. In-built Sat Nav is increasingly becoming looked upon as an essential item as well. More important than the radio, however, is the rear camera. If you’re still turning your head through 180 degrees when you’re reversing your car, you’re stuck in the 1990s. Camera technology has become very cheap, and so there’s no excuse for not having a rear camera now to assist with parking and getting in and out of tight spaces. You should think of this as an essential purchase for your own safety. The fact that it makes your car more valuable is just a bonus! None of these upgrades should break the bank. More importantly, they’ll mean that your car keeps its value for longer and makes it more attractive as a trade-in option. Even if you’re not thinking about selling your car right now, they’ll also make it more pleasant to drive for you while you still own it. That’s a win in every department!