Being able to modify your vehicle is a right you have as a vehicle owner. However, certain modifications – particularly those that are permanent – may have a negative impact on aspects such as your insurance rates or car’s value. This is why it’s important to carefully weigh up the pros and cons before making any modifications. Below are some questions to ask yourself before you modify your car to help you make the right decision.
Cosmetic or practical?
Some car modifications have a clear practical advantage. These include modifications like tow bars, roof boxes, winter tyres and dashcams. Of course, you need to be certain that you actually put these modifications to use. For example, a tow bar is only worthwhile if you’re going to regularly tow things.
Other upgrades are purely cosmetic. These include modifications like custom paint jobs, personalised number plates, rims and LED interior lighting. Such modifications are less essential than practical modifications, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get them done – like decorating your home, they can be a fun way of personalising your vehicle. Just to make sure to prioritise practical modifications you need over cosmetic ones.
Is it legal?
Some car modifications aren’t actually legal in the UK. This includes installing neon lights, applying extreme window tints or driving on racing slicks for road use. Even displaying certain sweary bumper stickers could be deemed illegal.
Always check that a modification is legal where you live before you get it done so that it doesn’t get you in trouble. This post at KwikFit.com outlines a few examples of mods that are actually illegal.
What’s the cost?
Some car modifications can be very expensive. Before looking into such mods, make sure that you know your budget. You don’t want to overspend and regret it once it’s done.
Take your time to shop around for prices. When it comes to mods like personalised number plates, use sites like Reghunters.co.uk for number plates to compare prices of different plates. With mods like paint jobs, get quotes from lots of different workshops.
Be wary of going DIY to save money. A task like repainting a vehicle can be a lot more complex and time-consuming than many people realise, and you don’t want to screw it up by rushing it or not using the right tools. Paying professionals will ensure that your modification is good quality and may even be important in some case for insurance validation.
Will it affect my insurance?
Many modifications will affect your insurance rates. This is particularly the case with cosmetic and performance mods associated with boy racers like spoilers – because this demographic of drivers is more likely to get into accidents, insurance for drivers of cars with these mods can be much higher.
Of course, not all car mods will increase your insurance rates. Some will have no impact and some may even reduce your insurance rates (such as installing a dashcam or immobiliser). You can read more about such modifications here at ByMiles.co.uk.
In all cases where you make a permanent modification, you should tell your insurer as soon as possible. If you get into an accident and try to make a claim, but haven’t disclosed a certain car modification, your claim could potentially be rejected as your policy may become void.
Will my warranty be affected?
Many dealerships offer warranties on cars, but these can become void if you get certain modifications. This is something to consider if you’ve recently bought your car and are still covered by a warranty.
Not all dealerships will cancel your warranty if you modify your car, so it’s worth checking documents.
Will the value of my car be affected?
Car mods can affect the value of your car. Some modifications can increase the value of your car – particularly those that are also technically repairs such as replacing old rusty rims. Others may decrease the value of your car if they are an acquired taste. For example, painting a black car yellow could devalue it, because yellow cars are less sought after than black cars.
It’s worth remembering that only permanent modifications will affect the value of your car. For example, if you really want to turn your car yellow, you could always consider a vinyl wrap instead of a paint job. This involves wrapping your car in a thin plastic layer to change the appearance of it. If you decide to sell your vehicle, you can then peel off this vinyl wrap and revert your car back to its original colour.
The effect on the value of your car may only matter if you think there is a chance you may one day want to sell your car. If you plan to own your vehicle until you die or until it becomes a write-off, it may not matter how car mods affect the value.
