Your first car can be quite an investment. You purchased it, paid to get it registered and insured, and put miles on that bad boy to make sure everything was running smoothly. Now you are ready for your next step in taking care of your baby, modding your car.
Modding your first car is a great way to experience the thrill of working on a vehicle. It can be very beneficial, from learning how to maintain your ride to expanding your knowledge about cars in general.
Here are some pros of modding your first car.
Familiarization
Cars are complex machines that contain many components that work together in harmony. Modding your car allows you to become familiar with the locations of all the major auto accessories and how they function, from working on the air intake to changing out your brake pads. It also gives you an idea of what goes wrong with cars and how they can be fixed. In addition, reading through online forums or using a search engine will give you more information about problems related to your vehicle, allowing you to care for it better in the future.
Self Expression
There are no limits to creativity for mods on your first car. Whether painting the rims a new color or adding a body kit to the exterior, making changes that suit your style is a great way to show your tastes and interests. Modding allows you to add different styles of headlights, taillights, exhausts, and bumpers that make your ride unique. And do not forget the all-important sound system with custom subs and speakers that everyone will enjoy.
It Is Good for the Environment
Cars that are well maintained and running smoothly can improve fuel efficiency and reduce taillight emissions. You can ensure your car is not running too rich or lean by checking your air/fuel ratio, cheaper than performance chips. In addition, driving in a way that does not involve excessive speeding or rapid acceleration will help you save gas and reduce emissions even further.
Increases knowledge of basic auto repair
By modding your first car, you learn how to repair problems with the engine and maintain it in a clean condition without causing corrosion or rusting due to dirt and grime buildup. Many online tutorials can help you find the best way to replace certain parts, keeping your car running tip-top shape. Many first-timers have chosen to install new air filters or headlights because it was not very time-consuming and cost-effective.
Saves Money on Future Repairs/Upgrades
When you can fix up problems with your first car yourself instead of taking it into the shop, you save a lot of money for potential expensive issues. While some people like to take their vehicle into auto body shops for every little thing they need to be done, this usually becomes an unnecessary expense that is out of most people’s budgets. By diagnosing problems on your own and making small changes here and there, you are much more likely to avoid costly repairs.
Provides Insight Into Automotive History
While you might not know all of the histories behind your first car, modding it can open up a new world of knowledge. You can find details about previous owners or changes made over the vehicle’s life span, giving you an idea of what was cool back in the day and why these parts were necessary for driving pleasure. Exploring different modifications through time allows people to see how cars have changed, which is especially interesting if your ride is old enough to be considered vintage.
It Gives You Something Fun to Do
Making small changes to your first car just for fun is a great way to either spend a few hours on the weekend or use it as a learning experience for when you build your dream car from the ground up. Whether you want to customize the auto seat upholstery interior with new center console gauges or add some cool vinyl decals, there are plenty of fun things to do when making changes that suit your interests and personal style.
Lifetime Investment
Instead of purchasing another first car just so you can mod it, why not just modify what you have? This will be a much more sensible option for most people, saving them time, money, and endless headaches in a few years when they get bored and want something new again. By being able to repurpose your previous vehicle, you are giving yourself many years of personal enjoyment that you would not have otherwise.
Make Your Mark on the World
No matter how small, every single change to your first car helps make it unique and personalized according to your tastes. This is one of the best reasons to start modding your ride right away so you can enjoy customizing it for years to come. It can also help your car perform better over the years and last longer when compared to driving “stock vehicles”. You can be as creative as you want with functional changes like automatic transmissions or purely aesthetic like car interior cleaning giving people great pride in their first car through time.
Cons of Modding Your Car
The cons of modifying your first car largely depend on the person and their interests. If you want a completely stock, an everyday vehicle that can take you from point A to point B, then there is no reason to start modifying it; here is why.
One Size Does Not Fit All
If you love making changes to your first car, things will get boring after a while when nothing ever changes. Most people who own cars for years end up having several different mods done over time because they want something fresh every few months instead of having the same change for years at a time. While this is not an issue if you are content with what you have, it does mean that there is quite a bit of upkeep involved in keeping things interesting over time.
Bad Ideas Can Result in Serious Damage
Not every idea about car modifications will be a good one. If you do not know what kind of impact certain changes will have on your ride or how they might affect other parts down the line, things could get very expensive long term. Some people like to experiment with their first car without knowing the consequences, which often results in difficult and expensive auto services like auto repair services or the need to purchase another vehicle so that everything can work properly again.
Increases Emission and Gas Usage
Many people choose to modify their engine to increase the amount of fuel it needs and pollutants released into the air to make more power. While this is completely legal, it also means that you will have to spend more money on gas throughout the lifetime of your first car. Not only that, but you could be harming the environment just by driving around.
You May Never Like It Again
Some people think they will use their first car for years to come but want something different only a few years later. If you do not plan on keeping your first ride forever, chances are there may be some changes you make that you will regret after getting rid of the vehicle. For instance, if you want to customize your ride’s exterior look with paint, auto lockout, or other modifications, any scratches made by others driving around could ruin all of your hard work. Even worse, modifying an engine can damage irreversible if it gets too hot one day and cracks parts in half.
Can Cause Safety Concerns
While some changes can improve gas mileage and performance from what you had originally, many things make driving dangerous. If you install racing seats instead of those originally in your ride, you might find it harder to operate the vehicle at top speed or sudden movements safely. While these changes might seem fun at first, they can become unsafe after a few years if not done carefully to the extent of causing accidents. If you are in an accident, contact an auto accident lawyer for legal guidance regarding your accident claim.
Spends a Lot of Time Researching Changes/Upkeep
One major drawback when modding your first car is that it can be a much more time-consuming endeavor than you originally estimated when you started making all these upgrades. For every change that needs to be made, several factors need to be considered, including price, safety risks, and functionality. If you want all your customizations to work together perfectly and blend well with the original design of your vehicle, it might take years of research before any progress can be made.
Decreased Performance
Again, one of the most common reasons people choose to mod their first car is to enjoy better gas mileage and speed than the manufacturer originally offered. Unfortunately, these customizations are often not done with the same kind of consideration as if someone had bought it brand new right out of the dealership lot, leaving drivers struggling when trying to make sudden stops or turn very tightly.
Why Should You Go to an Auto Shop for Modding of Your First Car?
You may come from a family where everyone drives trucks for their jobs, so trucking is not new to you, but a truck accident attorney may have special knowledge that most truckers do not have. For this reason, you may consider consulting these legal experts when modding your truck.
After looking through all of the available performance parts at an online retailer’s website selling auto accessories, you realize there are hundreds upon hundreds of different ways to modify a car.
For this reason, among the ones listed below, you may need to engage an auto shop in modding the car.
Choose From a Variety of Parts!
There are dozens upon dozens of engine management systems in any given speed shop, body kits to make your ride look as good as possible, interior accessories to make driving as comfortable as possible moment-by-moment, etc. If you go into a reputable speed shop with a specific idea of what you want for your car, they can point out all kinds of different pieces that would fit well together to create the perfect combination for your needs.
All the Help You Could Want!
Let’s say, for example, that you chose a new exhaust system from an online retailer selling auto accessories. You know nothing about how to put it on your car. First off, congratulations if you have picked out the right one for your ride and are ready to get it installed. If this were posted on a forum by someone who just bought the same product from the same online retailer, you would be able to look through what other people have said about their experiences with installing it. They might even tell you exactly how long it took them and what tools they used to make things easier for you.
Everything You Need Is Right There!
If you go into a speed shop, they might point out that when you install something onto your car, if it does not already have one, you need a new oxygen sensor, so everything runs smoothly. That same place has even more parts laying around that are no longer being sold or are not necessarily suited for your vehicle, but if you are looking for something you need right now, they can help. Everything is made to order at an auto body shop, so nothing goes out of stock unless it is old and needs replacing anyway. There are also enough options to choose from, so people do not ask for blue when only green is available.
Many people dream of owning their own car, and when they get the chance, they immediately set about customizing it to make it truly unique. From auto seat upholstery to a completely new paint job, there are many ways in which you can mod your first car without breaking the bank. One of the best ways to learn about mechanics and engineering is by starting a first car mod. Start with something simple like a heavy equipment rental. This builds confidence for your next one. A heavy equipment rental can be installed in any heavy or sturdy vehicle.
