If you are a car enthusiast, you may have been tempted to modify your vehicle at some point. In case you still want to go ahead with this, though, it is best to quash it. The truth is that most car mods do more harm than good to your vehicle.
In fact, modifying your car can also impact its longevity. If you aren’t entirely convinced, that’s understandable – car mods are cool, after all. Still, you need to know why making these changes can shorten your car’s lifespan.
To begin with, let’s take a look at what car modifications are. In reality, there are three types of modifications – performance, functional, and aesthetic. Making aesthetic changes to your vehicle isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as they are purely cosmetic, they shouldn’t mess with the performance of the car.
The same thing can be said for functional modifications as well. These can include parking sensors, improved air conditioning systems, or roof racks. In short, they make your vehicle easier to use or just a little more efficient.
The modifications that you need to stay away from are performance mods. As the name implies, they change the way your car drives or performs. Some of the more popular performance mods are suspension alterations, turbochargers or superchargers, and nitrous oxide.
Here are the reasons why these mods are a bad idea:
They Compromise Driving Efficiency
There are several ways that you can modify the performance of your car. As mentioned, one of the more common alterations involves the suspension. However, did you know that lifting the suspension results in a higher center of gravity? In turn, this can reduce the stability of the vehicle, even when you are driving at lower speeds.
If you decide to modify the engine, you may discover that it requires special handling. Thus, if you are an intuitive driver, the car may become more difficult to handle. And, if you are thinking of swapping out your current brakes for performance brakes, think again. Not only do these cause a lot of problems, but they also have to be replaced more frequently.
What if you were to just swap out wheels and tires for plus-size ones – would this be OK? Once again, the answer is no. Even a small change like this can mess with the vehicle’s handling, braking system, and the suspension all at once.
They Can Damage the Car Body
Clearly, lifting your suspension isn’t a good idea. So, what if you were to lower it? Unfortunately, this kind of modification may damage your car body. Keep in mind, you will be physically lowering the car body as well. This puts the panels at greater risk of being scraped and warped.
So, why does leaving your car “unmodified” help it last longer? Well, let’s find out.
Non-Modified Car Parts are Manufacturer Tested
As you may be aware, manufacturers test their cars thoroughly. When they do this, they are individually and collectively testing all the car parts involved in the performance of the vehicle. Thus, a manufacturer can be absolutely certain that all these parts are functioning properly. Thus, they are designed to last longer within the system.
However, this guarantee or warranty doesn’t take into consideration the possibility that you might introduce new and untested parts. Therefore, you could be jeopardizing any number of internal systems by including the mods. Keep the original parts, and you won’t have to worry about this issue!
You Won’t Damage Neighboring Car Parts
Following up on the point made above, original parts are made to sit next to and function with other original and coordinating car parts. Due to this, they work smoothly together. This is what produces optimal performance.
These original parts aren’t designed to fit with or work with car mods or vice versa. So, these new car mods run the risk of damaging the components they are fixed with. This can happen during the installation process as well as when you are driving the car.
You Can Verify Quality of Car Parts
You don’t have to be told that it is important to only use the highest quality parts in your car. Now, when you are simply replacing existing car parts, verifying the quality is easy enough. Just choose a reliable brand and you can be certain that the component will function properly. Even if it doesn’t, you will be covered by a warranty.
Car mods, on the other hand, can be more difficult to verify. This is especially true if you are considering a mod that isn’t exactly legal. So, you may have trouble determining whether a particular part has been well-designed. Not to mention, if you introduce a poor quality part into your car, it could spell disaster for the system as a whole.
The verdict is clear – if you want your car to last longer, steer clear of modifying it. Or, if you do decide to modify it, make sure that you only make cosmetic changes. These shouldn’t change the overall performance of the car and should be easy to remove if necessary.
Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silver-sports-car-1329999/
