Going retro

Strong demand for upgraded car features

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

While every vehicle comes with a set grade of fittings from the manufacturer, adding accessories to enhance driving comfort, functionality and, of course, turn heads is common. Spoilers, heavy tints and rims are some of the popular exterior changes, while bucket and leather seats are among the in-demand interior changes.

Brian Hollar, a diagnostician and auto technician of Auto Tech on Red Hills Road in St Andrew, said Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan-make vehicles get the most retrofitting attention, with men making most of the upgrading requests.

Hollar said the most common changes requested are "rims and tires, free-flow muffler, spoiler, lowering the car with lowering springs or coilovers, adding a turbo, getting better stopping power by upgrading from drum brakes to disc rotors, changing from regular air filters to K&N filters, changing the front seats to bucket seats, changing regular steering wheels to Grant or Mono makes, HID and LED lighting, changing pedals to racing pedals, alarms and timer kits".

The most common changes include lowering the car and adding HID lighting. "Lowering the car allows for better aerodynamics which allows less wind drag, that normally results from too much air under the car. Changing the muffler to a free-flow system allows for exhaust gases to flow more freely," Hollar said. It, therefore, improves performance.

The most popular interior changes are "installing racing pedals and changing the gear selector knobs and installing LED lights", while "putting on a body kit and LED lights under the car," top the exterior requests.

TIME-CONSUMING

Hollar said the changes might be time-consuming, depending on the extent of the modification required. He said the most difficult things to do are "adding a turbo and rebuilding the engine using upgraded parts such as forged pistons, rods, valves, larger injectors - any engine modification". And, Hollar said, to "rebuild an engine with all new components may take three weeks if the parts are available, but changing rims and tires can be done the same day".

Paul Cole, managing director of King Midas Mufflers, said for his business, the most popular change requests are "intake systems and exhaust systems".

However, Cole said, "other popular requests are headlight upgrades, muffler tips (the chrome or stainless steel extension on the end of the exhaust pipe), rims and tyres, tinting the window, bucket seats, body kits, coilovers and lowering springs, turbochargers, stereo systems and car alarms". One of the most difficult and time-consuming jobs his team has done is "a custom turbocharged set-up for a street Subaru WRX STI and getting it ready for Dover Raceway".

In doing retrofitting, Cole pointed out that "most after-market parts are universal, so they fit a wide cross-section of vehicles".

Hollar told Automotives that the products needed for retrofitting are usually ordered for a specific customer to meet individual needs, as it is a costly investment. For example, he said, converting manual windows/mirrors to power costs approximately $18,000 for two windows. Doing over seats in leather will cost about $40,000, plus $10,000 for labour.

Installing a reverse camera with television system will cost about $40,000 for the equipment and installation, while putting in a remote start runs approximately $10,000.

Supply and installation of an alarm with remote start begins at around $25,000 and goes up, depending on the equipment quality.