If there’s one consumer item that’s been central to the American identity, it’s the automobile. Ever since Henry Ford made them available to the masses in the early part of the Twentieth Century, the American people have viewed their cars as an extension of the personality.
Expressing your individuality through a mass produced, stock automobile is tough and that’s why there’s been a massive customization aftermarket almost as long as there’s been an auto industry. The auto accessory business has long made it possible for anyone, no matter what their mechanical skills, to create a truly unique object from an off-the-line car.
If you’re interested in customizing your own car, but don’t want to spend a ton of money doing so, you’re in luck. There’s no shortage of easy-to-install, and really affordable, auto accessories that don’t require much more in the way of tools than a screwdriver. For those of us who aren’t especially comfortable doing any kind of work on your car, most mechanics are perfectly willing to install items like new rims and aftermarket mirrors for a small fee.
The key to making these improvements is to take it easy because it’s a very thin line between the right amount of auto accessories, and way too many auto accessories. Unless you’re really going for an over-the-top look (think: low rider), smaller accessories like license plate holders, window decals and aftermarket rims are definitely the way to go.
Finding websites and retail outlets that sell aftermarket auto accessories shouldn’t be too tough. Most standard auto parts shops, like Napa and Checker, carry a huge line of accessories. If you’re looking for something a little more unique or outlandish, you’ll definitely want to head to the Internet.
In fact, the biggest problem you might run into while trying to customize your car is simply narrowing down your choices. Given the vast selection of auto accessories out there, it’s possible to completely overhaul nearly every part of your car in a custom theme. Of course this won’t be a problem is you’re looking to trick out your ride in a specific theme, style, or color scheme.
Car customization ranges from total overhauls, such as low riders, to simple expressions of support for local sports teams via novelty license plate frames but they’ve all got one thing in common; they all turn a standard automobile into a unique extension of its owner’s personality.
