5 Types of Exterior Car Accessories That Make Your Car Look Cool

There’s no doubt that car design has evolved drastically over the last three decades, but so has the market for parts. Once available only from the official manufacturer, nowadays you can find ones made by third-party manufacturers known as aftermarket parts. They are not only more affordable but also more readily available and offer a lot of options in terms of appearance. Talking about appearance, you can make your car look better without spending a fortune, as you would on a ceramic coating or a custom paint job.

Popular Accessories for Improving Your Car’s Looks

 Stickers

Decals and stickers make for the most effortless way to personalise your car. Just peel the backing and apply the sticker and you’re proudly presenting what you like and what, say, car club you’re part of. Most automotive stickers are made of vinyl since it’s durable and doesn’t fade as easily. This means you can place a vinyl car sticker anywhere you want, be it the bumpers, doors, roof, hood, windows or even your wheels if that’s what you like.

With vinyl stickers, you can also keep your car’s visibility the same, as you don’t have to cover a large part of your windshield, unless you want to, in order to make your vehicle attract the right type of attention. The versatility of a car sticker alone makes it a popular entry-level aftermarket accessory when it comes to making your car look more unique. A sticker doesn’t make your car stand out, but it does help it feel more personal and doing so with small details helps make it more appealing to other gearheads who like the same type of cars you do.

There are also different types of adhesive surfaces the stickers can have, such as permanent, front and light. Stickers with a permanent adhesive make for a stronger bond and thus are ideal for long-term use, while front-adhesive stickers are meant to be applied only on the inside of a window with the adhesive side facing the glass. Light or standard adhesive stickers are meant to be used for short-term use since they don’t leave residue when removed.

Body Kits

Going for a more drastic transformation? You should consider installing a body kit since it comes with trim pieces that either replace or bolt-on/ stick on your car’s current parts. These can help not only make your car look more aggressive but also to stay stable when cornering. Body kits are known to improve the aerodynamic profile of a car, which can, in turn, help improve fuel efficiency in the long run.
You can go for a lip kit, which only gets you the front lip that goes on the lower end of the bumper. For a greater change in appearance, consider getting a wide-body or full-body kit. The former makes your car look wider as it adds flared wheel arches and side skirts, while the latter makes a complete overhaul by adding diffusers and a wing.

Wheels

There’s no doubt that alloy wheels are the only option when you want to make your car look its best. Since aluminium is easier to manufacture into different shapes than steel, it makes for more intricate rim designs that bring your car’s appearance to a whole different level. Also, aluminium wheels are lighter, which can help with acceleration and cornering.
Keep in mind the material is not as strong as steel unless you go for cast aluminium wheels. You can get alloy wheels with multi-spoke, mesh and concave designs and in finishes such as silver, black polished, bronze or even gold. Matching the finish with the colour to make your car stand out more is a common practice most car enthusiasts take pride in.

Tint

Nothing speaks cool better than some window tint. Now that doesn’t mean you should make your car like something from a gangster movie, however, a little bit of tint can make it look more mysterious. This can help turn more heads and also block you cool during summer as sun rays won’t go past the tint as much as they would without it. There is nothing to think about tint, you either put it on your car or you don’t, but the level of tint you can have depends on local regulations.

Underglow Kit

The simplest of accessories sometimes make for the most interesting ones and underflow lights are a good example of such an accessory. These lights go under your vehicle, below the sills and the front and rear bumper, where the valance panels are. These lights also come in the form of kits, which have all the hardware and instructions needed to install them and hook them up to your car’s battery. At the press of a button, your car becomes something out of the future, but it only does so at night.