6 Temporary Modifications for Car Leases
If you don’t own your car but you want to add some spice to it, here are some suggestions for temporary, reversible modifications.
Upgrade your wheels. Do you want your car to look sportier? Tougher? Classier? Do you want to use it for a type of driving other than that which the vehicle was intended? Wheels are now available in a variety of designs to change the way your car looks and drives. If that seems too expensive (nice tires can cost up to $1,000), try looking on Craigslist, Amazon or EBay for nice used ones, overstocks and discounted sellers.
Tinted Windows add an element of mystery to a car. Plus, the tint acts like sunglasses while you drive. Just be careful with the installment of tint; it’s very easy to get bubbles, creases and fingerprints while laying tint down. Also, learn the local laws; some places don’t allow tint at all, some only on the back windows and some only up to a specified darkness.
Vinyl Wrap. Up to now, if you leased a car and didn’t like the color, you had to live with it anyway. With vinyl wrap, you can temporarily change any part of the color and the wrap won’t harm the car’s actual paint. As with tinting, you might want to have a professional install it; there are too many things that could go wrong during installation that could make the car look ridiculous versus dashing.
Plasti Dip is a spray-on color that was created as a rubberized coating for the handles of pliers and hedge clippers. It gives a low-gloss rubbery finish to any part of the car the driver wants to highlight, and it peels off when you want to change the color or you just want to remove it. A variety of colors are available and you can buy a kit to change an entire car.
Switch out Parts. Some car models may be pre-wired for back-up cameras, premium stereo systems and navigation systems—they just aren’t necessarily used. If you do the right research, you can find out which parts—electronic and otherwise—can be swapped out for something newer, fancier or just different. Make sure you don’t damage the original part—or the area around it on the car—when you add or remove the piece because that will be a problem when you return the car.
Are you an aspiring automotive technician interested in car modifications, upgrades and the newest automotive technology available? Check out our free eBook, The 7 Mistakes Students Make When Choosing An Automotive Training School.
