We all want to have the coolest car around. However, we also know that car mods cost money. When looking to improve your car you want car mods that are both cool and cheap. At Wade Auto, we have compiled this list of 51 cool and cheap car mods for the interior and exterior of your car that you can do right now. Check out the list and see how you can mod your car and make it look cooler without spending a lot of money.
Interior Car Mods
There are many interior car mods that can express yourself, and improve the performance of your car, and the overall interior look. Below are some great cheap car mods you can do yourself.
1. Short Throw Shifter
A short throw shifter kit changes the distance from the end of the shifter to the fulcrum point, making it respond faster to your movements. Older cars can take a bit longer to add the short throw shifter, but it is a great way to make shifting effortless.
2. Replace the Floor Mats
Replacing your car’s floor mats is a simple car mod for the interior of your car. It might not seem like a high priority but replacing your car’s floor mats is one of the great interior car mods. It is a quick way to spruce up the interior of your vehicle without spending a lot of money. Check out Wade Auto’s site to see some great options for floor mats.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/truckhardware/20857882240
3. Interior Vinyl
Adding vinyl to the interior of your is a cheap way to add some sweet style to your car, and one of the greatest benefits to vinyl is that it is easy to remove. You can add some nice color to your dash or steering wheel. It’s a fun way to really get creative with styles and patterns.
4. Steering Wheel Covers
Add some more color to your interior with a steering wheel cover. It’s one of the most affordable—starting at about $5—and cheap car mods that are quick and very easy to do yourself. Finding a fun steering cover for your car is a fun way to show off your personality and spunk.
5. Racing Pedals
Replace your stock pedals with some racing pedals! It’s a fun and easy modification that makes your car feel a lot cooler while driving.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hightechdad/6914579459
6. Interior Dome Lighting
Replacing your interior lights with LED lighting is simple and not too costly. Interior dome lighting is a great way to update your interior without spending a lot of money.
7. Cover Up the Middle Console
This is one of the interior car mods that adds some style and comfort to your vehicle’s cabin. You already rest your arm on the console between the driver’s and passenger’s seats, so why not add a cover with some extra padding to the console? There are lots of different styles and colors to choose from to really spice up your cabin.
8. Trunk Liner
Trunk liners add some color to your trunk as well as make sure you are utilizing all of your available trunk space. This is not just a statement piece, but also is a great way to stay organized.
9. Seat Covers
Personalize your ride with seat covers. Definitely one of the cheap car mods on the list, car seats are a great way to make a statement about who you are and to cover up some worn out upholstery in your car. You can find a variety of designs for car seat covers. Everything from cool designs, to superheroes, to sports teams can be found on a seat cover so you are bound to find something that will make the right statement.
10. Get Nerdy - Add a Flux Capacitor
While you are adding to the interior of your car, why not let your nerd flag fly? Add some fun interior mods, like the Flux Capacitor from Back to the Future. Sure, these modifications don’t add any real function to your car, but you never know. Just be cautious when you reach 88 miles per hour.
11. Phone Holder
This is one of those cheap car mods needed in every car! This not only adds your car’s interior, but is also incredibly functional. A mount for your phone is an essential car mod that makes using your phone’s navigation convenient and safer.
12. Interior Wraps
Most people know about car wraps for the exterior of their car—we even talk about car wraps later in this blog post—but there are also wraps for the trim inside your car that can really make your vehicle’s cabin pop. Paired with exterior car wraps they can create a nice uniform look for both the exterior and interior of your car.
13. Add a USB Charger
This is one of the quickest cheap car mods on this list, because you just need to plug it in. Like the phone holder, a USB charger is incredibly useful to have in a modern day car. No one likes having a dead battery, and having a USB charger means you can always avoid one (well at least for your electronic devices)!
14. Interior LED Lighting
Interior LED lighting is a cheap car mod to emphasize the interior designs and lines in your car or add light underneath the dash. LED lights are a great way to accentuate your car’s cabin and add a bit of color to your interior. With this car mod, a little bit goes a long way, but when done right LED lights add a great look to your car.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/scubabrett22/7261657874
15. Door Lock Accents
Adding a little extra bling to the interior of your car is super easy with door lock accents. These small additions to the interior can only accentuate your cabin. They’re inexpensive car mods and incredibly easy to install on your own, so why not?
16. Shift Knob
Replacing your car’s shift knob is a great way to change the interior look of your car. Not only is this a cheap car mod, but car owners are also starting to use 3D printers to create their own, and unique, shift knobs for their vehicle. Getting a new shift knob is an easy accessory to change and really makes a fun statement for your vehicle.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zombieite/8497858931
17. The Fuzzy Dice
The fuzzy dice around the rearview mirror is a classic of cheap car mods, and they are so affordable! Add some class and nostalgia to your car with some nice fuzzy dice!
18. Modify Your Rear View Mirror
While you’re putting up your fuzzy dice might as well modify the mirror it's hanging from. There are several options to modify and beautify your mirror. You can get a longer mirror for more visibility or find a classy cover with a little bit of bling. There are also some tech and gadgets you can add to your mirror as well.
19. Video Screens
This car mod is great if you frequently have children in your car, and adding video screens to your car is a fun enhancement. Watching a movie on a long road trip is a great way to keep the troops entertained.
20. Video Game Console
If you are going to add screens to your car’s interior you might as well add in a video game system. Though it is easy to let your passengers play on their phones during a drive, having a video game console in your car is a great way to get them to interact with each other.
Cheap Car Exterior Mods
These cheap car exterior mods are great ways to customize your automobile’s exterior. Take a look at all of the options below and have fun making your car look as unique as you feel!
21. Racing Stripes and Car Wraps
Adding racing stripes or car wraps to your vehicle is a cheaper alternative to getting a paint job. You can get car wraps to cover your entire car or accents to help spice up your car’s exterior look. When you really want to alter the look of your car then this is one of the cheap car mods for you. This car mod will take patience and precision as you add the wraps to your car, so only tackle this if you have lots of time and a fairly dust-free area to do it in.
22. Roof Wraps
Roof wraps are a great way to use a car wrap to add a nice accent and detail to your car. Just putting a car wrap on the roof of your car is a great way to restyle your whole car without having to get a brand new—and expensive—paint job.
23. New Stem Valve Caps
Simple and inexpensive, getting new stem valve caps with a little more bling to them is one of the quick and painless car mods you can do. This is a unique addition to your vehicle that you don’t see too often, and is really easy to do.
24. Wind Deflectors
Adding wind deflectors to your vehicle is one of the great cheap exterior car mods you can do to improve your automobile’s performance. Also known as rain guards, these cheap car mods decrease the drag on your car. That means your car will be more aerodynamic and cut through the air and wind more effectively, thus improving your car’s performance. When shopping around, make sure you go with affordable, quality-made wind deflectors that will securely fit on your vehicle.
25. Tire Cover
This modification is more popular with trucks and other 4x4 vehicles, but a tire cover is a fun, cheap, and simple way to add some extra personality to your vehicle.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zombieite/10459226846
26. Vanity Plates
Getting a vanity plate for your favorite car or truck is the perfect way to personalize your vehicle without spending a lot of money. A vanity plate immediately makes a statement and shows off your vehicle in its own unique way. Check out your state’s rules about vanity plates as each state has its own laws when it comes to custom plates.
https://www.grandforks.af.mil/News/Commentaries/Display/Article/763878/commentary-be-the-one/
27. Wing Mirror Wraps
Again, using car wraps to add nice details to your car is a great way to do some quick and cheap car mods. Pairing this with the roof wrap, you can match the new color of your roof with your side mirrors. This is a great way to give your car a unique and uniform look.
28. Truck Bed Caps
If you are more of a truck guy, then adding a bed cap is one of the cool car mods to improve the look of your truck. Truck bed caps are one of the great cheap car exterior mods that both protects your truck’s bed from scratches and damage sustained with constant hauling and preserve the look of your truck. A bed cap is an ideal preventive car mod that also looks good on your truck. Check out Wade Auto for some nice bed cap options for your truck.
29. Car Door Lights
Really show off your car by projecting your car’s logo onto the ground as you enter and exit your vehicle. These are surprisingly inexpensive and easy to install yourself, making them an ideal car mod that shows off your car.
30. Clean Your Headlights
By 1990, most all cars no longer used glass for headlight covers, but started using polycarbonate plastic instead. Polycarbonate is cheaper, but tends to oxidize after years of use. A simple headlight restoration kit only costs a few dollars and is a quick easy fix making it one of the cheap car exterior mods you can do yourself.
Related: 6 Different Car Lights (And When to Use Them)
http://www.blog.brightlightsnow.com/static.php?page=static120211-142435
31. Windshield Wipers
Choosing a different style or color of windshield wipers is a great way to add some variety to your vehicle’s exterior. This is one of the cheap car mods that can really make your car look cooler faster than some of the other mods, and windshield wipers are cheap. It’s the fast and cheap car mod you have been looking for.
32. Decals and Stickers
When you think about automobile decals your mind might immediately go to the infamous “my kid is an honor student” cliche. However, decals and stickers can be used as a fantastic looking feature to your car, not an eyesore that brags about your kids. Anything from company logos to a nice dragon decal, use your imagination to use stickers and decals to accentuate your car and make it cooler.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/snaks/4564955654/
33. Headlight Covers
Headlight covers add a cool and sleek look to your car or truck that improves the exterior look of your vehicle. A headlight cover is usually a small film you place over the light. They are often times colored and can offer a “smoky” look to your headlight without obscuring the light they give off. When done right, this can be one of the cool car mods that is both cheap and makes your vehicle look sleeker. View some examples of headlight covers here.
34. Get Rid of the Front License Plate
Make sure to check with your state laws first—as they can vary from state to state and we do not want that on our conscience—but getting rid your car’s front license plate is one of the fast and painless cheap car exterior mods you can do with just a screwdriver. Removing the front plate makes your car’s front look sleeker and is so easy to do!
35. Window Tints
Window tints do not just look cool, they can also block out UV light and reduce heat within the car. There are even some great do-it-yourself window tint kits. This is a great car mod that really gives your automobile a sleek look. Check to see if your state regulates how dark a tint can be.
36. Grille Inserts
Starting as low as $8 a pop, grille inserts are an inexpensive car mod. Most common with pickup trucks and other 4-wheel drive vehicles, grille inserts are a great way to give your vehicle a rugged look.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/truckhardware/33572155290
37. Update Your Headlights
One of the great and cheap car mods is to switch out your old headlight bulbs with HID lights. This is an affordable and quick change you can do yourself that gives you brighter headlights and a sleek new look for your car overall.
38. New Tires
Getting new tires is one of the best car mods that will immediately improve your car’s performance. Different tires also work better in different weather so be sure to check with your local tire shop to learn some more options for your car.
39. New Wheels/Rims
New tires might improve your car’s performance, but new wheels can add a unique touch to the exterior of your car. There are so many different styles and covers to choose from to add that extra something to your car. Just remember that you need to buy one for each tire, so keep that in mind with pricing.
40. Paint Your Wheels/Rims
If you don’t have the money to buy completely new wheels for your car, try painting them instead. For under $20 you can paint your rims a new color and really create a unique look to your car’s exterior.
41. Pinstriping
Made famous by muscle cars, pinstriping is a great way to add some spice to a car’s exterior. Use pinstriping to add some gentle detail to your vehicle, especially around the car’s emblems and hood ornaments. This gives it a unique and classy look.
42. Spoilers
Spoilers are one of the first things you might think of when you think of car mods. Adding a spoiler improves upon the overall aerodynamics of your car and helps you reach those top speeds.
43. Rim Protection
While you are getting yourself new tires you might as add an alloy protector to your rims. You can add a protective film on the edge of your wheel’s alloy to protect it from scratches and unwanted dings. You can also use various colors for the film to make a nice statement on your wheels.
44. Give Your Tires Some Bling
This all depends on your style, but you can apply a simple and cheap spray or coating to the rubber of your tires to make them sparkle. Adding some bling to your tires is very similar to adding glitter to a school project, a little goes a long way.
45. Custom Hood Ornaments
Spice up your car’s style with a custom hood ornament. With hood ornaments you only are limited to your imagination. Like the shift knobs, you can now 3D print your own hood ornament, making customization that much easier!
46. Upgrade the Car’s Emblem
A recent trend in car mods is using the car’s emblem as an accessory. Give it some color or give it some bling to really make it stand out and to give your car that extra something you have been looking for. There are lots of great and affordable options out there for car emblems, making them some of the best car mods.
47. Bling Up Your Cigarette Lighter
If you haven’t realized it by now, you can bling just about anything inside and outside of your car, so why not add some bling to your cigarette lighter as well? You can even bedazzle your existing one if you don’t want to buy a custom one.
Seen and Unseen, Four of the Best Car Exterior Mods
And finally, here are four easy car mods to improve your car’s performance and safety.
48. Front Strut Tower Bar
The front strut towers of your car are one of the main points of stress for the chassis. Adding a front strut tower bar increases the chassis’s strength by connecting the two strut towers together, making it so they flex together.
49. Replace the Steering Rack Bushings
The rubber bushings your car’s steering rack is connected to will start to wear away and deteriorate over time. Replacing the rubber bushings with polyurethane bushings is one of the great exterior car mods to improve your car’s steering input. Your car’s steering will become more exact, making you feel like you can whip around any corner with ease and speed, as your car is now able to turn on a dime. These bushings are about $50 for each set, making them ideal for someone looking for cheap car mods.
50. Automatic Transmission Fluid Cooler
For those people who do not own a manual shifter, installing an automatic transmission fluid cooler is a great way to keep your transmission cool when you are out having fun. These cooling systems are relatively cheap to buy and will help extend the life of your transmission.
51. Throttle Cable Adjustment
Performing a throttle cable adjustment is by far one of the best car mods on this list because of how simple it is and how quickly it can be done. By adjusting the throttle cable you are improving your car’s response time when you press down on your gas pedal. Check out this quick, how-to YouTube video to see just how easy this car mod is.
If you are looking for cheap car mods you can do to your car, visit Wade Auto's accessory store to start modifying your car today! We offer great ways to improve the interior and exterior of your car at an affordable rate. Check us out today and start making your car as cool as it can be.