Every car owner around the world wants to modify his/her car after a certain span of time. If you have the same desire, than there are two ways of going about it. You may opt for the expensive professional services and get the car modified. Or you may get your own hands dirty and truly call your car "my own". Doing the car improvement tasks yourself can be very pleasing. Though you might be smeared with mud and grease after the job, but you have saved lots of money with this little discomfort. There are many car improvements you may bring about using the standard tools. If you adhere to the proposition then make one of your weekends free and get on the job. Though the difficulty levels of different tasks vary, but all the major changes can be brought about within your garage. But before you get on with the job it is important to know just how to go about the car improvement job.
1.Stereo:
If you own a modern vehicle, then be wary of this step. Most of the audio systems in modern vehicles are attached to a master Engine Control Unit (ECU). If you want to upgrade this system then there is a lot of fabrication skills required. So, this renovation job is better left alone for the time being. Upgrading the vehicle’s factory speakers is fairly easy. The standard double/single DIN units can be upgraded without too much mechanical knowledge. They have plug and play settings. You may opt for entry level systems that are very simple to install.
2.Body:
Most of the works associated with the body should be left to the professional. But there are some that you may do. You can do the preliminary work yourself and save some money. Tasks such as sanding the vehicle and removing the trim pieces such as bumpers help you save money. You can take help from a friend to replace the hoods and fenders. Complex work such as dent removal and fiberglass repair should be left to the experts.
3.Engine Change:
If you are not contempt with the speed your old car is offering then the easiest way is to change the engine and opt for a large one. Engine changes are very popular and most experienced car owners can do these themselves within the garage. All you have to do is insert the right bolts in places. Some engines come with adaptor kits that make your job breezy fast. But you need some mechanical knowledge, must have patience and dedicate time to achieve flawless results.
4.Dynamat:
The Dynamat is a sort of dense foam sheet that should be stuck into the interior panel of your car. It performs as a dampener used to reduce the vibrations within the metal sheet of the car. If you prefer quite drives, than installing the Dynamat is essential. The Dynamat comes with custom cuts. So, it is basically a peel and stick affair which you can perform without any expertise at all.
5.Turbocharger:
The turbochargers feed more air into the engine and enhance the speeds. There are pre-engineered turbochargers available in the market. Such turbochargers are made after measuring each part and tuned finely to meet the needs of specific vehicle models. If you have some mechanical knowhow and a set of tools, you can upgrade the turbocharger with ease.
6.Chassis Brace:
The frame of a car bends and flexes constantly, over time this makes the car less responsive. You can upgrade the chassis braces to overcome this problem. There are prefabricated chassis braces available in the market that can be installed easily by bolting bars into the car’s shock mounts. You would need a wrench and hardly 15 minutes to perform the task.
7.Interior:
If your interiors have stains, damaged fabrics or sun damage then your car will look shabby. With little upgradation your car can be like new. You can add steering wheel and seat to give a good feeling. Seats can be upgraded by bolting in a few screws. You may however require proper mounting brackets for safety purposes. However, never try to work on the air bags.
8.Suspension:
Suspension components can affect the handling and performance of a car. The type of suspension you choose depends on the purpose you want to meet. There are pre-assembled suspensions available with spare parts dealers that can meet your needs. Many steps are associated in this upgrade such as wiring, driveline modifications and many specialized mechanic tools. You can do it yourself only if you have sound knowledge.
9.Brakes:
You can opt for as much power as you want, but brakes will keep you from bumping into the back of other cars. Brake upgrade can prevent your brake from fading when there are repeated stops. You can change the rotors and brake pads using set of wrenches. When changing, make sure to flush out the brake fluid and even inspect the hoses.
10.Air Intake/Header/Exhaust:
These parts help the engine’s efficiency and it can help in power generation. Such changes are advocated for all old cars. These are the easiest parts to change in your car’s engine. They are literally bolt in affairs. There are aftermarket parts that have been engineered specifically for your car.
