If you're wondering should I modify my car, you need to consider these eight things:
- Car modification cost
- Difference before and after the modification
- Modification risks
- Potential repairs after modifications
- Your goals from the modifications
- Impact of car modification on insurance policy
- Effects of modification on the vehicle value
- Future buyer’s opinion
Many people like to see the best out of their vehicles. Some people focus on improving their performance, while others always look to improve their appearance.
While you can achieve great features related to performance and appearance from the original manufacturer, some people like to make changes even to improve things.
Before you consider modifying your vehicle, you need to consider a couple of things to make sure that you're making an informed decision and avoid situations where you regret car modification.
This article walks you through eight important things to remember before asking should I modify my car. It's highly important that you go through all these things before making a final decision.
What does vehicle modification mean?
Before we discuss the eight things to consider when asking yourself, should I modify my car, let's go back to the details about the meaning of car modification.
Car modifications are when someone upgrades the vehicle to improve its performance or appearance. Some people might add or remove certain vehicle elements to improve performance and modification.
Should I modify my car?
Now you get the idea of What Car modification means. The next step is to determine whether you should go ahead and modify your car or not. There are a couple of things to keep in mind, so you don't regret your decision.
People perform vehicle modifications to improve their appearance and performance. However, is it even worth it, or is there anything to keep in mind that should discourage you from performing car modification? Let's take a closer look at what automotive experts recommend:
1. Car modification cost
The first and most critical thing to keep in mind before moving forward with modifying your vehicle is cost. Anything that has to do with updating your vehicle’s features means some extra money.
Modifying your car will not be a couple of hundred dollars. It will most likely be a couple of thousand, which might even differ depending on where you get the job done. For example, if you've performed the modifications and know how to do it, you shouldn't be too worried about labor costs. However, if you get the modifications done by a professional, labor costs can be high.
Also, when you perform the modification, you will not be dealing with regular maintenance where you can expect repair costs. It will be up to the mechanic or the professional to decide how much to charge you.
For example, if the mechanic requires extra steps are needed certain tools, he might need to add up to the total bill, and therefore, the predicted costs might only be accurate if you get an actual quote from the mechanic.
One way to address communication costs concerns is to get multiple quotes. For example, you can describe what you're looking for in several mechanics or repair shops and receive multiple offers. This way, you can decide whether it's worth it or within your budget.
The last thing you want to do is to go to one mechanic and have him suggest the repair costs because when it comes to car modifications, repairs are not standard and will depend heavily on the expert opinion.
2. Difference before and after the modification
The other thing to remember is that when you perform car modifications, it will only make a significant difference if you know what you're looking for. In other words, if your car modification provides less benefit, it might not be worth it.
That's why we highly encourage you to evaluate the main benefits before and after the modification. Also, consider the repair costs as you're evaluating because sometimes if you compare the value of the benefits, it will not be worth your investment.
Also, it is critical that you identify your goals and know exactly what you're looking for. For example, are you looking to improve your vehicle’s performance, appearance, or both? Remember that every goal has costs and potential risks that might impact your vehicle value and future insurance policy adjustments.
3. Modification risks
As we indicated earlier, depending on what you're looking for from the modification, you'll have to be prepared for the risk. That's why an important step that you must do is to understand what potential risks you might face as you're performing the vehicle modification.
There are many resources to help you understand what could happen and what could go wrong when you perform a vehicle modification. You can even find some vehicle type and year recommendations, so you know exactly what you will face.
When you perform vehicle modification and ask yourself, should I modify my car, it's critical that you spend some time researching because this process would not be done in a rush. The more time you spend, the more you’ll learn about what potential consequences could happen after the vehicle modification.
4. Potential repairs after modifications
The other thing to remember is that when you perform certain modifications, repair costs and options will be different in some scenarios. Therefore, as you're performing your research, consider checking whether you're going to be able to perform the required repairs after these modifications or not.
You can add these to your potential risks as you're doing the research. For example, suppose you find that by adjusting the vehicle performance, you won't be able to replace the main components. You’ll install a major component like a new transmission or engine. In that case, it's not worth your modification.
5. Your goals from the modifications
As we highlighted before, you have to be clear about your goals before you modify and move any step further. You understand whether you want to upgrade your vehicle’s performance, appearance, or both.
In many instances, just by putting together a list of goals for your vehicle modification, you can make an informed decision about whether you want to proceed. Many inexperienced drivers change their minds about vehicle modification after understanding that the mingle they're looking for is not worth it.
6. Impact of car modification on insurance policy
The insurance policy is another thing to keep in mind before you move forward with your vehicle modification. Your insurance agreed to provide you with a certain policy depending on your vehicle type and condition.
If you decide to move forward with modifying your car, the insurance company might complain, and it's critical that you communicate with them before moving any step further. In other words, you should check with your insurance company and see what will happen to your insurance policy if you adjust some of the vehicle components and increase the performance or appearance.
The biggest concern by insurance companies is that when you perform an adjustment yourself, you're introducing something foreign to the vehicle, and the vehicle might not be ready for it. In other words, you're increasing the risks of damaging the surrounding components.
That's why the more you communicate with your insurance policy early on, the easier it is to prevent any negative consequences that will cost you a ton, especially with expensive insurance policies.
7. Effects of modification on the vehicle value
Did you know that by performing vehicle modification, you might impact the trade-in value of your car? Yes! Experts understand that performing the modification is an option for voluntary decision. Therefore, they recommend that you be very careful about the potential impact on your vehicle’s overall value.
Therefore, if you're planning to perform vehicle modifications and you're looking to sell your vehicle sometime soon, it might not be worth the investment. In other words, if you've been owning the car for, say, a couple of years now, and you feel that you're due for an upgrade, it might be worth buying a new vehicle that has the features you're looking for that rather than impacting the current vehicle value.
That's why it's critical that you evaluate the main pros and cons of modifying your car or buying a vehicle that already has the features you're looking for. Once you have this comparison ready, you can make an informed decision about whether you should move forward with the modification or not.
8. Future buyer’s opinion
Finally, if you're planning to sell your car at some point, you have to consider the potential buyers and their opinion. In other words, if you significantly change the vehicle’s performance, this doesn't mean everybody will like it. In other words, you're just reducing the chances of selling this vehicle to regular typical people.
Therefore, as we indicated before, by performing the evaluation and considering whether you're planning to sell the car soon or not, you can become more careful about whether to modify or go ahead and sell a vehicle to buy a better one.
Will car modification void my warranty?
According to Consumer Reports, modifying your card is not necessarily void your warranty. However, if you perform certain car modifications that damage certain components, you'll most likely void the warranty.
For example, if you decide to install larger tires or probably larger wheels, there is a high chance that these wheels might impact the metal components and cause some damage. In that case, you will void the warranty, and your manufacturer will not be able to pay for fixing these damages.
That's why it's very critical that you understand whether these upgrades will impact the different components and cause any potential risks. As you're performing this evaluation, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether you should move forward with performing car modifications, considering the current vehicle warranty.
Suppose the warranty is not an issue for you. In that case, the rest becomes about what negative consequences could happen to other components and what potential benefits you should achieve when performing the modifications.
Should I modify my car? Final thoughts
As we highlighted in this article, car modification is a great idea for improving performance and appearance. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind before you move forward with modifying your vehicle.
The article provided you with a detailed summary of all things to keep in mind before you ask the question, should I modify my car? These include the cost of modification, the main differences before and after the modification, potential risks, and impacts on insurance policies and vehicle trade value.
If you've already moved forward with modifying your vehicle and would like to sell it now, it might be challenging to convince a potential buyer to buy your vehicle if it doesn't suit their taste.
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