Most car enthusiasts won’t go to the extreme of recreating famous cars with their newly purchased sports cars, like Justin Bieber’s Batmobile or a Back to the Future Delorean replica, but many will consider accessorizing to give their car a more personal look. Automotive technician Brian Martyn worked at Maserati of Ontario, as a member of the pit crew for Ferrari, and at a franchise dealership, before opening his own shop, Premier Autoworks in Newmarket, Ontario. He shared some advice on accessorizing your sports car.
Popular Accessories
With thousands of accessories to choose from, you might feel overwhelmed with accessorizing your car, even if you’ve done it before. Martyn says that the most popular accessories he’s seen are performance exhaust systems, window tinting, aftermarket rims, paint protection film, and ceramic coating.
In 1 min and 8 simple steps, you’ll learn how to remove window tint off a car.
Exhaust accessories, tint, and rims help car owners personalize their vehicle, he says, whereas paint protection film and ceramic coating can help them preserve the look of a new vehicle.
Recommended Accessories for Sports Cars
Martyn highly recommends paint protection, aftermarket wheels, and a set of performance summer tires. He adds, “A direct fit floor mat such as a Weather Tech or a Husky liner are highly recommended, too, to ensure the carpets remain pristine, especially if the vehicle is driven in the winter.”
Car Accessories to Avoid
Be careful with exhaust modifications, Martyn says. “They may not be emissions compliant and may draw unwanted attention.” He also cautions against some suspension modifications, for example, excessively lowering the vehicle. Lowering your suspension too much could make your vehicle unsafe to drive and expose the underbody components to scraping.
Avoid These Mistakes When Selecting Car Accessories
“The most common mistake I see is car owners buying accessories for their vehicles based on other people’s opinions or what they think should be added to their vehicle at the time of purchase,” says Martyn. “My advice to customers is always to drive the vehicle before adding any accessories in order to allow the void that must be filled by an accessory to stand out.”
Can You Enhance Your Sports Car’s Look Without Going Broke?
“Any quality accessory does not come cheap,” Martyn says. For example, he says you can dramatically improve the look of your sports car by installing aftermarket wheels. “Although, this accessory generally does break the bank.”