How to customise your car

Make it sticky

A quick and temporary way to convert a vehicle is with the use of stickers and decals. Some add stickers that show support for their sports teams or display countries they have travelled to. Stick figure families were very popular for a while. The more adventurous choose sporty stripes or retro flames to display on the side of the car. Part of the appeal of this type of decoration is that it is not permanent.

Let the music play

Even when a car comes fitted with a sound system there are connoisseurs who prefer to take it to the next level. If you’ve ever felt the windows of your own car rattling when someone drives up next to you with the volume loud then you are familiar with this concept. Options for modifying sound range from simply installing better speakers, to a complete overhaul of the music system in the car.

Light it up

Gone are the days when car lights were a purely functional item on a car. Today lighting is an important part of pimping your ride. Headlights can be made brighter or dimmer. A popular new trend is to have colourful lights under the car, this effect is best displayed at night. Interior decorative lights are also a common feature in some minibus taxis. What is frowned upon is flashing lights as they are too similar to law enforcement vehicles.

Freewheeling

Adding bigger tyres and mags is another way to customise a car. It is definitely not a cheap option as the price of tyres increases the larger they are. Specialized mags are also expensive especially if they are made from scratch. The trend is for bigger wheels for a more sporty look but it is important to make sure that the size fits the car model.

Pimping a ride can be a fun and rewarding process and it is important to know that certain modifications are illegal and that these might not only get you in trouble with the law but could also impact your warranty and affect standing with insurance. Be sure to investigate before making any changes.