10 Car Modifications People Think Are Cool … But Really Aren’t
Few things give gearheads as much joy and satisfaction as adding modifications to an ordinary production car to boost performance and make it look cooler. The car modification scene has grown tremendously over the years thanks to a vibrant aftermarket and the availability of affordable project cars.
When modifying a car, you’ll find that the options are endless. However, not all of them are right for your vehicle. It’s important to choose the right modifications for your car so that you end up with something that meets your needs without making you new enemies. With that in mind, let’s explore ten car mods you should avoid at all costs.
10 Fake Engine Noises
The EV industry is growing at a rapid pace. We now have EV options across multiple segments, from pickup trucks to supercars. While EVs are undoubtedly here to stay, there are still many gearheads who refuse to ever buy one.
One of the main things people don’t like about EVs is that they are too quiet. A Rimac Nevera could blast past you at Bugatti-rivaling speed, and you’ll never know unless you saw it. To combat this, some EV buyers install devices that make fake engine noises. No matter how good they sound, though, we all know they’re fake immediately!
9 Rolling Coal
If you’re not familiar with ‘rolling coal’, you’re lucky, since it has to be the douchiest car modification ever invented. Rolling coal is a modification trend that makes diesel engines emit large amounts of black exhaust fumes at the touch of a button.
In states where it’s yet to be outlawed, rolling coal is typically used by large pickup truck drivers as a form of road rage against other drivers, particularly those who have hybrids and electric cars. Beyond the obvious environmental pollution, rolling coal can be dangerous as it may affect road visibility.
8 Exhaust Whistle Tip
Turbocharged vehicles have some of the best exhaust notes you’ll ever hear. Gearheads with non-turbocharged cars typically use exhaust whistle tips to achieve a similar sound.
While some drivers may be fooled by an exhaust tip, most gearheads will instantly know that the noise is fake and will quietly judge you for it. Some exhaust tips may also emit a high-pitched noise that’s just annoying to listen to.
7 Fake Performance Badges
Most top automakers have special divisions established to build high-performance versions of their models. Nissan has Nismo, Mercedes-Benz has AMG, BMW has the M Division, and Audi has the RS division.
Cars tuned by these divisions look better, offer improved performance, and are rarer than the standard versions, which is why gearheads are willing to spend a lot more for them. Gearheads who can’t afford the higher prices may add a performance division badge to their ordinary car, but they’re not fooling anyone.
6 Spinner Hubcaps
Spinner hubcaps were all the rage back in the day, especially in hip-hop culture. They were fun to play with and would create an illusion that a vehicle was stationary when it was in motion.
However, we’re not in 1999 anymore, and spinner hubcaps aren’t cool anymore. In fact, if you show up with them at a car meet today, everyone will call you corny. Most states have also outlawed them since they can be a dangerous distraction.
5 Tinted Headlights And Taillights
We love a blacked-out look, as it can make any car look ten times better. However, some gearheads take it a bit too far by tinting their headlights and taillights. A totally blacked-out car may look cool, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of safety.
Of course, blacked-out headlights will not be bright enough to fulfill their purpose when driving in dark areas, while blacked-out taillights increase your risk of being rear-ended.
4 Lifted Pickup Trucks
Lifting a truck can help make it more capable in off-road situations. However, some truck owners lift their vehicles to boost aesthetics but only end up ruining them.
Lifted pickup trucks not only look bad, but they can raise the center of gravity to levels that make them unsafe. Lifting a truck can also affect its towing capability and essentially render it useless.
3 Stick-On Vents
The best supercars typically have vents all over the body to boost aerodynamics and cool certain key components. As such, stick-on vents have become common in modified cars. In fact, they’re so popular these days that many automakers are building cars with fake vents.
When properly installed, fake vents can look good. However, that rarely happens, and most gearheads can almost instantly tell that they are fake.
2 Big Boy Rims
Installing excessively large rims in a car designed to use smaller wheels is yet another trend that was popularized by hip-hop culture. There are many reasons why this isn’t a good idea. For starters, most cars with big boy rims look horrible.
Secondly, they can affect safety, as wheels have a huge impact on handling. These rims are also illegal in many states.
1 Excessive Sound System
There’s no denying that music makes any drive better. There’s something about driving a good car while listening to your favorite tunes that just pleases the soul. However, some car owners can take things a bit too far with their car sound systems.
Some cars have extremely loud sound systems that attract everyone’s attention for all the wrong reasons. These sound systems can add a huge amount of weight to the vehicle and may also be extremely distracting.