Custom cars: putting more thrill in your grille

Upgrades – wheels, tires, suspension and cosmetics – are available for most any car and your local dealership is a good place to start looking.

But beware of the challenges. For instance, most mechanical upgrades will void your warranty; cosmetic upgrades, such as grilles or window tint, won't.

Larger wheels and tires can alter your speedometer and odometer readings enough to get you a speeding ticket. (Larger total diameter will lower your speedometer readout, making it appear you're travelling slower than you really are.) Manufacturers have realized this. Chevrolet, for instance, has a range of huge, warranty-approved alloy wheels for its trucks and will recalibrate your engine computer to ensure your speedometer and odometer read correctly.

Custom grilles can cost upwards of $10,000 for a Bentley but should run around $250 to $300 for the average car.

Sites like tirerack.com and the Canadian-owned jrponline.com will ship parts to your door. It's up to you to install the parts or have a local mechanic do it. Some parts sites will recommend local installers.

And, of course, if you really want to turn your boring, run-of-the-mill vehicle into a showstopper, you need a body kit.

Most body kits – also known as ground effects, spoiler kits, bumper kits and aerodynamics – modify the look of the front and rear bumper and the rocker panels on a car. Almost all body kits come with sideskirts, but some include fender flares and spoilers. All this creates the look of a lowered vehicle, giving your car an aggressive, supercharged race car look.

Aftermarket kits can vary wildly in price, and will likely need to be painted to match your car and massaged to fit properly. The kit may also reduce ground clearance and, if you use the vehicle year-round, snowy days will be a challenge.

Still, your vehicle will stand out in a crowd. And the only penalty for a cooler car is a lighter wallet.

– Michael Banovsky

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