Types of Body Kits

Now that you're in the market for exterior parts to upgrade your vehicles visual and aerodynamic appearance, you need to start figuring out what it is you really want.

In most cases choosing the right body kit for you is as simple as looking at...

• your car
• the road you drive on and
• obviously the look you are going for

Before you decide on a brand or style for your car, you should look at the car itself. Will your car look good with a lowered look that comes from custom bumpers and side skirts. A good way to find out is to simply Google your make/model with the term body kits. You're likely to find that someone else has installed one, and you'll be able to get a good idea what it might look like.

The next step is to search some major body kits manufacturer's websites and look at the pictures of their kits.

Body kits come in all kinds of designs. However, there are basically three kinds of kits you can choose from...

• lip body kits
• bumper replacement body kits and
• wide body kits

Lip body kits consists of a lip you attach to your front bumper, a side skirt for each side and a lip for the rear bumper. These kinds of body kits completely attach to the factory bumpers.

The second type of body kits are the bumper replacement body kits. Bumper replacement body kits use completely new front and rear bumpers and side skirts for each side which alter the appearance of the car.

Lastly, the most costly and dramatic type are the wide body kits. These body kits typically include a replacement front bumper and rear bumper, custom side skirts, new front and rear fender flares. Many wide body kits require excessive bodywork to properly fit and align the parts. Vehicles with wide body kits exhibit the most dramatic design change of all three kinds.

As you compare body kits take note of the material that they are made of. Body kits are usually made from fiberglass, polyurethane or carbon fiber.

If you plan to race your vehicle, I recommend installing the lightweight carbon fiber body kit, preferably one that has been aerodynamically tested. Carbon fiber is the best material to use for racing because it is not only lightweight, it's strong.