How to Buy a Body Kit

While customizing your car with a body kit is mostly about looks, it can improve performance as well. Here are a few things to consider before getting started.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Body Kit

1. Understand that a body kit can include ground effects - typically an air dam and side skirts - that fit around the bottom edges of a vehicle and alter the airflow to improve down force. They also make a car look lower to the ground.

2. Note that the kit can also include a wing or spoilers. A front spoiler is commonly positioned under the front bumper to reduce aerodynamic drag. A rear spoiler is used to create down force to help increase traction during acceleration.

3. Decide on what type of material you want your kit to be constructed of. There are generally two types of materials used in fabricating kits - fiberglass and urethane. Fiberglass generally fits better and can be repaired if you ever damage a piece. It also has a better finish than urethane; paint will look better on the fiberglass. Urethane is much more resistant to soft impacts but it can't be repaired once it's damaged.

4. Call the manufacturer of the kit you're considering. Ask them what kind of materials they use, what their warranty is, and if you'll have to remove any factory pieces from the safety structure of the vehicle to make the kit fit properly. If removal of factory pieces is required, don't purchase the kit. Never purchase a kit that requires removal of any pieces from the safety structure of your car.

5. Remember - you get what you pay for. There's the high quality U.S.-made fiberglass resin and there's the cheap, brittle fiberglass. Decide how much you're willing to invest.

Tips & Warnings

• If you live in an area that has snow or rough roads, select urethane. If you live in an area where the roads are smooth and the weather is decent, go with fiberglass.

[louieliu]

on 11/2/2008 When you buy body kits, you should always choose the high quality authentic brand such as JP USA, Job Design, C-West, etc. Those Japanese brands are well known for their quality and fitment. http://www.ilovebodykits.com carries them and I have just purchased the JP USA E92 body kits for my own car and it fits like champ ( I have installed it by myself in 2 hours). Buy knock off cheap body kits will save you money first, but you will pay much more to get it fixed.

on 11/22/2005 Don't go to the cheapest body shop in town. I had a kit put on and the front bumper came off on my drive home (less than a mile). The front bumper broke into about 200 pieces, the rear bumper also had terrible fitments, and the side skirts cracked. Tell the people at the shop where you want the parts ordered from. Don't give them money, and let them do all the rest.

on 11/22/2005 Make sure your body kit is urethane or hand laid fiber glass. Don't buy a body kit that is sprayed fiber glass because it will often be brittle and unevenly sprayed. This could cause your body kit to fit improperly or break easily. If you are not sure if it is hand laid or sprayed, feel the back if it is smooth then it is hand laid.

on 11/22/2005 Think about future modifications when choosing a kit. Will the kit work if you lower the car? Does it need to be lowered to have the effect that you want? All this should be considered as well as the look you are going for.

on 11/22/2005 Call the manufacturer to find out what type of modifications are required to your car. Some kits require removing bumpers and other items. Provide a technical support number to your body shop during installation.