So, you’ve bought a car and you’re ready to start making it your own. Exciting stuff. But where the hell do you start? Modifying a car can be a complex, time-consuming process - not to mention an expensive one - so choosing the right modifications is crucial.

The thing is, there isn’t always a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do things when you’re modifying a car. Sure, there are certain best practices that should be followed regardless of what you’re building (like using the correct torque specs for bolts, performing an alignment after making suspension changes and so on), but your choice of mods can vary significantly depending on how you’re going to use the car.

For instance, some people love the look of a slammed car and are happy to sacrifice practicality and handling prowess to achieve the style they’re after. This is perfectly OK - it’s a choice. On the flip side, some are all about performance and are happy to sacrifice aesthetics to make their car perform better. Also a perfectly valid choice. Ultimately, modifying your car is all about choosing what’s right for you - and then executing your vision in the best way possible.

To help you do just that, we’re going back to basics in this blog. Below, we’ll run through the advantages of modifying or upgrading your car, how to plan out your build and explain which car modifications are popular and why.

The advantages of modifying your car

Well, where do we start? There are so many reasons why you should modify your car; whether you’d simply like to set your machine apart from others on the road visually or improve its on-track performance, installing upgrades is the best way to make it happen. 

Let’s start with looks. A well-modified car almost always looks better than a factory-fresh equivalent, right? Choose the right alloys, dial in impeccable wheel fitment and add a few choice visual upgrades and immediately your car will stand out from the rest. Even the most humdrum of vehicles can look fantastic with the right wheels and suspension upgrades fitted, so you don’t have to spend the big bucks to get noticed.

Modifying a car is also a great outlet for your creativity. When you install upgrades and change the look, feel and sound of your car, you’re making it your own - you’re creating something that’s uniquely yours. No other example of your make and model will look quite the same, and there’s something satisfying about that.

Last but certainly not least, modifying your car can transform the way it drives. From improving its steering feel and engine sound to adding grip and creating more power, modifications can completely change the way your car behaves. When you modify a car, the sky's the limit: if you spend enough time and money on any car, you can create something that will embarrass supercars on a track. The only real limit is your imagination (oh, and your bank balance).

Planning your build

Before you start buying any parts, you need to work out what you’re modifying your car for. Here are a few pointers to help you out.

Showcars are all about visual drama. If you want to enter your car into show and shine competitions and take home some silverware, you’ll need to focus on installing aesthetic mods that set your car apart from the rest. High-quality paint finishes and unique custom touches are also hallmarks of show-winning cars.

Grip cars are built to outbrake and out-corner their standard counterparts, delivering improved performance on road and track. Whether you’re building a grip car for your favourite B road or your local circuit, you’ll want well-set-up, high-quality springs and dampers, grippy tyres, better brakes and as many lightweight parts as possible.

Drift cars are all about going sideways. If you like the idea of spending as much time looking out of the side window as you do the windscreen, drifting is the sport for you. Popular mods include hydraulic handbrakes, lock kits and cooling upgrades.

Drag cars are entirely focused on acceleration. A successful drag car will generate extreme amounts of traction and have plenty of power under the bonnet, propelling it along the quarter mile as fast as possible. Drag car must-haves include fully adjustable suspension, sticky tyres and a raft of engine upgrades.

Popular car modifications and what they do

So, now you know what you’re aiming for, which parts should you fit to your car to make your vision a reality? We’ve put together an overview of some of the most popular automotive upgrades below.

Wheels and tyres

As your car’s only point of contact with the road, tyres matter. A lot. If your goal is improved handling and braking, you’ll want to choose high-performance summer tyres that have proven themselves on track. More road-biased, all-season tyres simply aren’t designed to handle the intensity of a race track and will overheat after a few hard laps.

The wheels you wrap your tyres around are just as important. There’s far more to consider here than just looks; quality aftermarket wheels will be lighter and stronger than their standard counterparts, keeping unsprung weight to a minimum and improving handling. Some wheel designs are even created with brake cooling in mind, allowing more air to reach your discs and pads to prevent overheating.

Suspension upgrades

Tyres may be your only connection to the road surface, but your car’s suspension system is what connects your steering inputs to the tyres, making it just as important. Replacing bushes and dampers with new, uprated items will make your car more communicative and more controllable in the bends, giving you the confidence to push harder.

If you want to go one step further and entirely transform your car’s cornering capabilities, invest in some coilovers and upgraded anti-roll bars. Together, they work to reduce body roll and help your tyres remain in contact with the road surface at all times, generating more grip and giving your car more predictable handling characteristics.

Planning on building a slammed show car but don’t want to sacrifice practicality? Air ride kits are ideal, allowing you to achieve the look you’re after when your car is parked up without losing any practicality on the move. At the push of a button, you can alter the ride height of your car, making speed bumps a breeze. 

Engine tuning parts

From intercoolers to turbo actuators, engine tuning parts help you extract more power and more torque from your car. If you’re bored of its current power output, a handful of choice bolt-on parts (like an induction kit and a larger intercooler) could give you a noticeable boost in performance when combined with a remap. Engine mods will often change the sound of your car too, making intake and turbo sounds more prominent in the cabin.

Exhausts

A staple of the modified car world, and for good reason. Exhaust systems don’t just transform the way your car sounds, they’re a great way to add more power. A freer-flowing aftermarket system reduces back pressure and can increase your car’s power output noticeably, particularly if it’s turbocharged.

As an added bonus, aftermarket exhaust systems are usually lighter than their standard equivalents, giving you an all-round performance boost on straights and through corners. Win-win!

Check out our range of performance parts today

Ready to start shopping for your first mods? With more than 20 years of experience and a vast range of parts in stock from the industry’s most renowned brands, LK Performance is the place to be for all your modified car needs.

From offering wheel fitment advice to supplying and installing aftermarket parts, we can do it all. Explore our site today or get in touch with our team to get your build started.