What are car modifications?

Car modifications are where owners swap original parts on their vehicles for customised or upgraded components. For some, cars aren't just a boring commuter device, they're a way to express their personality and interests. Combined with movies like The Fast and the Furious, there's been an explosion in car culture that's seen many drivers personalise and customise their cars to their own tastes.

This can be as little as cosmetic tweaks – new alloy wheels and a sportier-looking body kit, for example – or can stretch to some serious performance modifications such as turbocharging or nitrous injection.

As a broad rule, modifications will reduce the value of your vehicle compared to an unmodified version, even if they substantially improve performance or aesthetics. This is because there's little-to-no guarantee that your modified parts will be as reliable as original factory parts, and you'll probably have voided any factory warranty the car has left. As a result, you'll probably have to accept some financial loss if you try to sell your modified vehicle. You'll also want to declare most modifications to your insurer to make sure you're still covered.