There are two types of car owners in the world. The first group is made up of people who see their cars as something purely functional. They don’t treat their cars any differently to any old major appliance, and they do just enough to keep it running and getting it checked up as often as the law requires them to. The second group is made up of the people who love their cars, who truly enjoy driving them, and who are always looking for ways to make their cars as great as they can possibly be.
If you are reading this, then you are probably in the second group, and that’s why you are thinking about treating it to some upgrades this year. Of course, treating your car to some upgrades is also treating yourself, making for a better driving experience and a more personalised style. Once you have started making a few upgrades, you will be more confident and have a greater understanding of the kind of things that you are looking for. No two drivers are the same, and everyone has a different idea of what makes a great addition to your vehicle. If you haven’t made an upgrade to your car before, here are a few ideas to help you get started.
Tinted Windows
Let’s start with a relatively simple one, shall we? Tinted windows are popular, in large part, because they help to add a little bit of personality to your car without making any major alterations to the body of the vehicle. However, there are some legal issues that you are going to need to be aware of if you are thinking about tinting your car’s windows. As per the government’s website, your front windscreen needs to allow 75% of light through at a minimum, and the front side windows need to let at least 70% of light through. You could face a fine or a court date, not to mention a notice stopping you from using your car if you break this law.
Upgrading Your Tyres
On a similar note, you can always think about upgrading your tyres to make give your car a more unique look. To start with, let’s have a look at alloys. While they may not make any difference to your car’s performance, a new set of alloys can alter the look and feel of your ride. But if you want to make an upgrade the changes the way that your car handles as well as the way it looks, then it may be time to think about upgrading your tyres completely. Just make sure that they are all the same type! Even the best tyres will suffer from wear and tear over time, so this is an upgrade that may not be a “one and done.” It’s also worth noting that if you are upgrading your car’s performance that you may need tyres that can support it properly. And if you are upgrading a car for motorsport events, you will need to know that your upgraded tyres have the grip and balance to carry you through. This is an area that is worth the time on extra research.
Engine Upgrades
If you are looking to give your car a massive performance boost, then it is time to stop thinking about aesthetics and get into the stuff that’s under the hood. The specific upgrades that you will need will depend on what you are looking for, and what kind of model of car you have. You can boost your engine’s RPM for a power boost if you look at reboring. If you want to get more air into the engine itself, why not think about polishing and/or grinding its valves, or you could even think about cryo treating for cooling the temperature. There are a lot of different options out there, but you need to remember that you’re going to want to excellent coverage if you are tinkering about in your car’s engine or trusting someone else to tinker about in it. Modified car insurance could be a way to protect your car and your wallet. Reis offers specialist motor insurance if you have made modifications to your car, and you can click here for more info. Their dedicated team will help you to find the insurance coverage you need.
Upgrade Your Exhaust
Your exhaust may be doing more to hold you back or help you than you realise. Generally speaking, the stock exhausts that you will find are fairly narrow, meaning that the airflow through it will be restricted as soon as you start making alterations to your engine. A wider aftermarket exhaust upgrade helps the air to move more easily, which means that there is less risk of pressure build-up. As a result, your performance should increase. And this is not a purely functional upgrade either, as there are plenty of ways that you can add character with an aftermarket exhaust. You will need to check the legality of any upgrade you are considering, however, if you are planning on using your car on the road as well as the track.
Suspension Is Crucial
If you are making performance upgrades to your car, you must remember to bolster your current suspension. As soon as you start boosting the capacity of your engine, you are going to be putting more pressure on every other part of the machine, and every time you take a corner, your suspension is going to be put to the test. If you don’t want to find yourself lurching dangerously to the side and worrying about whether you are going to roll, then take a look at some of the suspension options out there. Adjustable coil overs can give your handling a huge boost if you are thinking about taking your upgraded car around the track, but you can also find suspension boosts that are specifically targeted at off-road drivers wanting to take their vehicles to the next level. With extreme weather on the rise in the UK, it’s always good to be prepared! Finally, you can even find suspension improvements that are just about making your ride more comfortable.