How To Customize Your Vehicle On A Budget

April 7th, 2022 | Updated on October 10th, 2022

There are so many excellent ways to customize your vehicle on a budget, from minor upgrades that improve the performance and maintenance of your vehicle to eye-catching updates like car decals that genuinely make your vehicle look one-of-a-kind.

The best budget-friendly updates include vinyl wrapping, changing out the rims, and a variety of other small-budget upgrades that work to improve the luxury-feel of your vehicle.

Vinyl Wrapping

One of the easiest ways to customize and update your car is to invest in a vinyl wrap. Vinyl wrapping can cover the entirety of your car, or just parts of it as you decorate your vehicle with vinyl decals. The wrap is done closely to your vehicle’s body and looks seamless when finished.

You can quickly change the color of your vehicle, the finish (gloss, matte, or clear), and of course can even add texture, patterns, or advertising to your vehicle. Vinyl wrapping can completely cover your vehicle, or just parts of your vehicle, depending on your vision.

What Are The Benefits Of Vinyl Wrapping?

There are several benefits to vinyl wrapping, especially in comparison to getting your vehicle repainted. You can completely change the color and finish of your vehicle with a vinyl wrap. Wrapping your vehicle also protects the paint job underneath.

What Is The Cost Of Vinyl Wrapping?

It is also a very cost-effective treatment, and costs around $500 to $750 to get a standard vehicle wrap completed. Of course, costs can go up or down depending on the size of your vehicle, the brand of the vinyl material, and the overall design.

Is Vinyl Wrapping Right For You?

Mike Savage New Canaan is a classic car enthusiast and business entrepreneur with plenty of experience combining both. Vinyl wrapping is an excellent choice for those looking to customize their privately owned vehicle and also for any business-owned vehicle.

Knowing whether vinyl wrapping is right for you boils down to your needs, and your budget. Savage’s easy 5-point guide walks you through everything you need to know to make your decision. Overall, of course, if you want a custom look that a paint job cannot do easily, or cheaply, then vinyl wrappings are a great choice.

Changing Your Car’s Rims

Changing out the rims of your vehicle is an easy, effective way to upgrade the look of your vehicle, especially if you have a vinyl wrap to match. You will want to match the rim design with your overall car design, as going all out can look completely out of place and even gaudy if the rims don’t fit in with the rest of your vehicle’s design.

What Are The Benefits Of Changing Your Car’s Rims?

There are many benefits to installing either custom wheels or rims on your vehicle. Doing this immediately improves the overall look of your car. It can also increase the resale value. Upgrading your wheels and rims also works to improve the safety and maneuverability of your vehicle, making it easier to drive overall.

What Is The Cost Of Wheel Rim Replacement?

It costs between $200 to $500 per wheel.

Is This Upgrade Right For You?

This upgrade is mostly an aesthetic one, unless of course you need to change out your wheels and rims anyway. If they already need to be replaced, spend a bit of extra time to find a great new design or look to really customize the look of your car and make it your own.

Interior LED Lighting

You can easily add interior LED lighting to your vehicle with a simple kit. You can easily choose the accent color that goes well with your vinyl wrap and use it to highlight the sleek design and edges of your vehicle. Less is more when it comes to interior LED lighting, so choose the lines that you want to highlight the most within your vehicle.

There is a variety of options as well. You can alternatively get LED lighting that brightens the foot space in your vehicle, which gives a soft glow.

What Are The Benefits Of Adding LED Lighting?

Adding LED lighting is a purely aesthetic and design update. Do it because you love the look, and you’ll immediately fall back in love with your car!

What Is The Cost Of Adding LED Lighting?

Adding LED lighting in your vehicle is very cost effective. Replacing the bulbs in your vehicle can cost between $15 and $45, while there are kits that cost less than $10. The most you can expect to pay is around $100.

Is This Upgrade Right for You?

If you love the look of LED lighting and want it for your car, the low price and easy-to-install kits make it an obvious choice.

Seat Covers

The easiest way to update your interior detailing is with a seat cover. Seat covers are inexpensive and immediately update the look of your seat.

There are many different kinds, allowing you to easily update the look based on how you feel. The best news is that this is also a great way to protect your seats themselves, allowing you to update the look and improve your ability to maintain your vehicle all at once.

What Are The Benefits Of Custom Seat Covers?

Seat covers can add comfort and improved back support. They can also protect your actual car seats from stains and damage. Overall, of course, they allow you to quickly upgrade your interior detailing on a budget.

How Much Do Seat Covers Cost?

The cost for seat covers depends on the material and make. You can expect them to cost between $25 to $1000, depending on whether they are custom, and how well they fit over the curves of your seats.

Is This Upgrade Right For You?

If you wanted a different look for your seats, then a seat cover is a cost-effective alternative to getting new seats or getting your seats reupholstered.

Get A Customized Grille

A slightly more expensive upgrade that works to immediately update the look in a tasteful manner is with a grille insert. This has to be either customized for your vehicle, or alternatively made to fit your car’s model.

A new grille can make a huge impact on the look of your vehicle and can be a very simple update for your mechanic to do, so long as the piece you have fits properly.

What Are The Benefits Of Getting A Custom Grille?

Custom grilles immediately update the look of your vehicle. Always check with your insurance provider, however, as changing out the grille can affect your premiums.

What Is The Cost Of Wheel Rim Replacement?

A replacement can cost between $400 to $1200, depending on the vehicle and replacement.

Is This Upgrade Right For You?

This upgrade is mostly for aesthetic purposes. If you like the look, go for it!

Custom Hood Ornament

You can add or change out your hood ornament with your own custom piece with relative ease. There are many options that you can choose from, both new and vintage.

Before you get started with this hood ornament upgrade, first take your vehicle in to see what the cost would be. Vehicles that already have a hood ornament might easily allow for a new, custom ornament to be added, while those without one may need a special base and extra work to fit it into place.

What Are The Benefits Adding A Custom Hood Ornament?

This is an easy way to make your vehicle iconic. You can add a vintage ornament or a custom one that suits you.
What is the Cost of a Custom Hood Ornament?

Hood ornaments can cost next to nothing and go all the way up to $350,000 for a diamond-studded option.