Whether your car is your used workhorse or a sparkling new purchase, chances are the thought of doing a little customization has crossed your mind. Customizing your car isn’t a niche interest—a report published recently by J.D. Power found that nearly a third of young drivers want to personalize their new cars with upgraded options and features.
There are plenty of ways to personalize your vehicle that won’t break the bank. Here’s a look at some of the ways you can give your car that special touch of personality.
Easy Accessories
The easiest way to personalize your car is by pairing inexpensive accessories, such as antenna toppers, air fresheners, steering wheel covers, seat covers, and floor mats. Not only do all of these accessories come in a variety of styles and colors, many serve more than purely aesthetic purposes. Accessories such as seat covers and steering wheel covers can even make your car significantly more comfortable.
Rolling Out
One of the best ways to customize your car is to upgrade those factory tires, wheel, and rims. However, it’s easy to make a mistake when buying new tires if you don’t know what to look for. TireBuyer points out that good tires have size information printed right on the sidewall.
Rims with spinners and other features can make heads turn when you drive by, but they can quickly get expensive. Make sure to educate yourself before a purchase. You can also go to a junkyard and scavenge rims from classic cars. They might take a little work to clean up, but they can greatly improve the look and style of your car.
Lights, Action
One of the most overlooked and easy ways to make your car shine is to change out your headlights. Sites like Motorfiend offer HID light conversion kits for your headlights that are three times as bright as halogen lights, and come in a wide array of colors. With a little know-how, these kits are easy to install.
If you are looking for a more subtle way to light up your vehicle, it’s easy to wire up LEDs to illuminate your car manufacturer’s logo or other small highlights on your car’s body.
Tinted Windows
While it isn’t as eye-catching as HID headlights, window tinting can add subtle style to your car. More than that, it serves well in its intended function, which is to reduce glare and keep your interior from cooking in the sun.
Check with your state’s laws regarding window tinting, since some states have very specific regulations about how dark your window tinting can be. The idea is to get you noticed, not fined.
Little Extras
Sometimes, it’s the little things that turn your car into something special, and those little things don’t have to break your bank. Custom shift knobs can not only improve the feel and ease of use, they also look cool and come in a dizzying array of custom styles.
Vanity plates and car decals are both inexpensive ways to add style and memorability to your ride. Car body decal manufacturers often have a huge selection and many are more than happy to do custom jobs for a little extra.
Look online for your next car loan
If you are like most consumers and overwhelmed with the thought of stepping foot into a dealership, consider going online to obtain your car loan financing before you go see the dealer. OpenRoad Lending is a leading online lender that offers credit solutions for all types of credit. Apply online in the comfort of your home and get a loan decision back in minutes in most cases.