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Mainstream manufacturers design their vehicles to appeal to the largest audience possible. And while this approach is great for getting costs, it’s not so good for regular consumers. Ideally, you want a car that actually reflects your personality and who you are.
Unsplash – CC0 LicenseThat’s where customisation comes in. It turns out that there are numerous ways you can personalise your vehicle to make it stand out on the road and look a little different from everyone else’s.
Here’s a rundown of what you can do.
Apply A Phone Grip Strip
Even now, many vehicle manufacturers don’t include built-in prone holders in their chassis. Instead, they leave it up to customers to implement add-ons of their own.
But what if you don’t want to use a big, bulky aftermarket phone holder? What are your options?
Well, it turns out that you can now get grip strips that’ll hold just about anything. All you do is take them out of the packet and slap them on your dashboard. You can then use them to hold just about anything – pens, keys, phones – you name it!
Use A Canine Booster Seat
Many of us take our dogs in the car with us when we go to the park to a friend’s house. Providing them with a comfortable ride, however, can be a challenge. Dogs don’t always do well in moving vehicles.
Fortunately, a bunch of clever companies have started developing so-called “dog booster seats.” The idea here is pretty straightforward. It’s essentially just a big box with a harness that places the dog’s head at regular human eye level. It’s also great for preventing them from slipping off seats and falling into the footwell. You just hook a harness around their body and clip it into the main container which then attaches behind the seat.
Give Your Car A Leopard Print Makeover
If you’re bored of standard interior finishes on modern vehicles, you might want to consider giving your vehicle a leopard print makeover. Instead of sticking with regular Nappa leather or polyester fabric, you can swap it out for something much more exotic.
Leopard print is one option, but there are many others, including zebra, faux fur, and floral.
Get New Number Plates
Another thing that car enthusiasts love doing is checking for cheap DVLA number plates online that spell out interesting words.
For instance, if you’re the boss of a company, you can get number plates with “BO55” and “CEO” in them. If you’re a parent, you can also get cheap plates with “MUM” or “DAD” in them. And if you have a sense of humour, you can also buy funny-sounding plates, like “SU55PECT” and “FAT 13OY.”
Upgrade Your Lights
Standard car headlamps and interior lights will do the job. But sometimes you need something a little more impressive. This is where after-market lighting can help.
Lights are one of the most promising ways to improve the appearance of your vehicle. Mood lighting for the interior, for instance, helps to improve how your vehicle feels on the inside, changing the atmosphere completely when you stop for a bite to eat at a roadside cafe.
You can also change the intensity and shape of your headlights. This option is ideal for people driving older cars who want to move over to more modern LED-based technologies.
Better Wheels
Classic car chasses looked incredible. But their wheels often left a lot to be desired. Manufacturers still hadn’t figured out how to provide great performance at a low price to the masses. And so they stuck with hubcaps and drum brakes – not ideal.
As prices came down, however, more and more models started using alloy wheels. Today, it is hard to find a range of vehicles that doesn’t use alloys, even in the entry-level segment.
Upgrading your wheels, therefore, should be right at the top of your list of car modifications. It’s more affordable than ever before, and it makes your slab look great.
When choosing wheels, select the largest size you can for your wheel arches. Just be sure to keep your suspension stiff if you increase your wheel diameters, as you could wind up damaging your chassis material.
Install A Dash Cam
Even today, many manufacturers do not include a dashcam on their vehicles as standard. And that’s a shame. Dashcams are often your last line of defence when making an insurance claim. You can use them to prove that you weren’t at fault in a collision.
Most dash cams fit seamlessly to your dashboard. Some come with suction cups that allow you to store them out of the way on the side of your windscreen.
Equip A Mobile Phone Booster
Do you sometimes find that you’re unable to get phone signal while on the road? If so, you could benefit considerably from a mobile phone booster.
These devices work similarly to regular WiFi boosters. They have a large antenna which allows them to collect incoming phone signals and amplify them. The result is clearer conversations and fewer dropped calls.
Use A Behind-The-Seat Clothes Rack
Most people just dump their clothes and brollies on the backseat before hopping in the car and driving off. But it can be annoying when they start sliding around and making a noise when you’re trying to concentrate on the road ahead.
That’s why a growing number of drivers are now using behind-the-seat clothes racks to store all their items. The idea is pretty simple. All you do is clip the rack to the metal posts that support your seats’ head restraints and then arrange the hooks below. You can tie up pretty much whatever you like, from scarves to shopping backs to umbrellas.
Get A Homing Beacon
There’s nothing worse than the sinking sensation you get when you realize you have no idea where you parked the car after a long shopping trip. Fortunately, modern technology offers a solution: the humble homing beacon.
The way it works is pretty simple. You just plug the beacon into your vehicle’s USB port. It will then emit a signal that you can pick up on your mobile device. You just then use a map app to navigate to your car.
About the Author: John Loughran
