Modifying your car

Even when motorcars were the sole privilege of the very wealthy, owners sought to enhance and customise their pride and joys. Consequently, a vast aftermarket industry was spawned, offering virtually everything from performance upgrades to economy improvements. Some of these were very effective; others less so. Yet, one would have imagined that, with fewer owners being willing to get their hands dirty these days and modern cars being so capable, modification businesses would have been killed off years ago. This is far from the case.

Why modify your car?

While today’s motorcars are cleaner, more reliable and even faster than their equivalent forebears of fifty years ago, they remain compromised. If anything, manufacturers are even more restricted than before and have to make decisions on the specifications, including engine output and suspension characteristics, while being bound by not just legislation, such as those laws involving exhaust emissions, but also higher customer expectations. These include issues that one might not imagine, such as clutch pedal weight. Then, they have to do all this within budget.

While some carmakers have had a decent try at letting drivers customise everything from interior lighting ambience to the automatic gearshift speeds, they cannot satisfy everyone. It is also worth considering that, despite our earlier praise, modern cars remain imperfect. As they age, virtually every make and model has weaknesses.

Therefore, modifications need not mean simply customisation – the definition can extend to resolving a weak spot that tends to wear relatively quickly in everyday use.