Popular Enhancements You Can Make to Your Car

Taking care of and preserving a car’s value should be a main priority for any car owner. After all, it’s probably one of your bigger investments. Upgrading your car every now and then can be a fun way to not only retain your car’s resale value but to also improve its performance while you are in ownership of it.

New Wheels

In order for a car to get the most out of a set of wheels, most car owners rotate their tires twice a year. But the next time you need to entirely replace your wheels, an upgraded set of new wheels could be a great way to improve your car by making it more efficient, easier to accelerate, and able to hold speed. Depending on the kind of wheel, you can also get a lot of traction and control against crosswinds during bad weather. The best part about upgrading with wheels is that the options are practically endless, and come in a range of prices that can match anyone’s budget.

Better Suspension

Upgrading the suspension on your car should definitely be something you consider. The suspension is basically responsible for the smoothness of your car’s ride. It connects the body of your vehicle to your tires and mitigates between the bumps and jolts of the road and the feel of the movement. Upgrading your suspension doesn’t actually have to be as expensive or involved as you might initially think. One of the ways to upgrade the suspension and feel a difference when driving is to simply replace some of the rubber pieces in the suspension. In short, the different parts of the suspension are held together with little pieces called “bushings” that simply absorb some of the movement. Replacing them will help reduce noise and make the ride more smooth.

Window Tinting

Getting your windows tinted is an upgrade that may or may not feel like a good fit for you. For some people, the prospect of having tinted windows actually makes them less excited—the darker interior can seem depressing to some individuals. On the other hand, window tinting can reduce the annoyance of glaring lights and sun on you while driving, give you more privacy, protect your car interior from fading, and reduce chances of theft. It can also help you save on things like AC because you’ll be preventing your car from seriously overheating, and keep the car interior cool when it is turned off.

Paint Protection

One of the biggest ways to age your car prematurely is to not take care of the paint job. When your car’s paint becomes dull, it loses its pristine appearance along with its value. Making sure your paint is protected will make a big difference in your car’s longevity. There are a couple ways to go about protecting your paint job, but ceramic coating is a great option. Ceramic coating will protect your car from dirt and debris on the road. It also shields the car from harmful UV rays that can break down the paint. Last, it actually magnifies the car’s shine!

Rearview Camera

Having a rearview camera is a huge benefit to any driver. It makes the process of backing significantly easier and helps reduce accidents. If your car doesn’t already have a rearview camera, upgrading to get one is a great idea. This upgrade can be relatively inexpensive while making your life driving much easier. Sometimes car insurance companies will even offer a discount if you have one installed! Be prepared to do your research on various cameras to make sure you find one that will work well for your car.

Quality Seats

Good quality seats in your car are a must. Whether you have an older car with more worn seats or whether you have newer seats that you want to protect for longer, there are a variety of solutions out there for you. Ultimately, it’s a good idea to simply start with a good cleaning or conditioning of your seats if applicable. You can either find a great detailer or you can try to do it yourself. If you have suede seats, make sure you shampoo them well and focus on getting any stains out. While the process might be challenging, you can usually clean your seats of any visible stains with enough effort. Then once your seats are really clean, you might consider adding some higher end seat covers. You can typically find seat covers at a variety of different prices online.

Turbocharger

Perhaps on the pricier side of car enhancements, a turbocharger is an extra that few vehicle owners regret adding. By getting a turbocharger installed in your engine, you increase its horsepower significantly and also improve fuel efficiency without requiring any fuel itself. This is because turbochargers use energy lost from the engine itself to spin a turbine that forces extra oxygen into the engine’s cylinders. If you’re interested in more miles per gallon, have a small car that struggles to get up hills, or simply want extra power behind you for offroading and other adventures, a turbocharger has a lot of advantages without any bad.

New Brakes

Upgrading your brakes is one of the best moves you can make to increase safety and have a smoother ride. There are a variety of ways you might go about upgrading your brakes. On one hand, if they’re currently in a significantly bad situation or if you simply want to go the full nine yards, you could definitely consider upgrading the entire brake system. This won’t be an insignificant investment, so be prepared. On the other, you can still enhance your car by upgrading only your brake pads from normal organic material to more long-lasting ceramic. Taking either of these steps will have major benefits for your driving experience and your car’s value, as you’ll be less likely to get in accidents and also will avoid damaging the rotor. Considering using the brakes is one of the most important capabilities your car can have, they should be a priority to update or upgrade!

In a lot of ways your car takes care of you. It’s important to return the favor, performing upgrades like these so that your car’s performance actually increases, not decreases over time. But when it comes to actually making these upgrades, make sure you at least consult with an expert. While most of these ideas should be good options for you, your situation and type of car should always be taken into account!

Read this next: How Has Medication Changed Our Approach to Health?