Making upgrades and changes to your car can help you improve your vehicle and put your own stamp on it. There are many different things you can do to a vehicle to make it different, improve performance and give it a facelift if you wish.
Some of these changes are pretty easy, and you can do them over a weekend or a few hours, as is the case of updating interiors; even a novice DIYer can carry out some minor car upgrades. However, there are some adjustments that you need to leave to the professionals to ensure that you don’t cause any damage to your car and that the changes you make are roadworthy and legal.
New Paint Job
A new or custom paint job can give your ride a complete makeover. Whether you opt for a completely different colour, update the existing one or touch up scratches or rust in the paintwork. You should never try to colour match or completely change the colour of your car yourself. The application of paint to a vehicle is done in a specific way. Much like painting your walls at home, there are car undercoats, textures, and colours to consider, and if you get even one step wrong, it can spell disaster. So always get your car checked in to a paintwork specialist to ensure it’s repaired correctly.
Tinted Windows
There are strict laws on tinted windows, and there is a maximum of 35% tint across all states and territories. Front-side windows are allowed a maximum of 35% VLT, while all states and territories except for Victoria allow 20% VLT for back and rear-side windows.
Attempting to add tint yourself could mean you go darker than is legally allowed, resulting in you getting a fine, your car being unroadworthy, and you having to remove the tint and have it put back on again. Get an approved window tint company to modify this to ensure you’re within the legal limits.
ECU Roadmap/Tuning
Remapping your car is a skill that requires just the right level of expertise to carry out successfully. But if you aren’t a whiz under the hood of a vehicle or know the internal onboard systems intricately, then step away. Remapping a car is often seen as a cheat code to unlock its potential; from being faster at increased fuel efficiency and greater handling, overriding presets in a car can be beneficial in many ways. However, it requires a skill level that only certain people have, so do not attempt this yourself and always book in with a qualified mechanic who can help you out.
Exhaust System
If you think of modified exhausts, you likely think of the rather loud and probably annoying pops and bands that some drivers love to hear; then, you would be correct in thinking they are most likely done for show rather than performance. But if this isn’t your aim and you want to unleash the power in your engine and gain more performance from your drive, then modding the exhaust is a great option. But don’t do it yourself. Your exhaust is an integral part of your car; one wrong move can spell disaster for you. To hack your exhaust, you need to hand it over to exhaust specialists who can optimise it correctly and give you all the power you can unlock safely and legally.
