How to Make Your Car Look Sporty (17 Simple and Proven Ways)

Are you a car enthusiast like me and want to know; how to make your car look sporty without spending a lot of money? Or what are the best ways to make a car look sporty and luxurious? If your answer is “Yes,” then you have landed at the most appropriate car maintenance guide today.

Let’s face it, all of us can’t afford a luxury sports car. Right? But as a matter of fact, many of us live with the dream of having a sports car. And if it’s your pocket that does not permit you to go for a sports car, for the time being, you don’t need to worry anymore.

You can have the complete feeling of having a powerful, brand new, and expensive sports car while driving your old car. All it takes is the installation of a few modern age accessories and modification of a few parts. Yes, it’s true! Just with a little modification, necessary parts replacement, and using some of the must-have decorating accessories, you can make your car look really badass, sporty, and expensive.

how to make your car look sporty
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Don’t worry; there is nothing to be stressed about because here in this guide, we will talk about 17 simple and proven ways to make your car look sporty. So, just go through this whole article now and learn how to make your car look sporty without breaking the bank.

How to Make Your Car Look Sporty (17 Proven Ways)

Even though keeping the old car is a much cost-effective option (if it really pays off), the temptation of driving a new, shiny, sporty-looking vehicle is a familiar feeling for many of us. I’m not a fan of keeping up with the Joneses, but time and time, it happens to me as well. Buying a car is not like buying clothes – you can’t get a new one every now and then.

Hence, to stay away from the temptation of buying a new car, you need to feel good about your older car. Nothing can really beat the feeling of driving a sports car. As we mentioned earlier, your old car can serve the purpose of a sports car.

From modifying the car exhaust, installing a few vinyl strips to offering a new paint job, you can do a lot of things to give your car a breathtaking look. So, it’s time for you to hold the notion up a few notches.

Now it’s time to scroll through and learn what are the must-have car accessories to make a car look sporty and how to make your car look like a sports car without spending a lot of money. Here we go:

Fix Scratches and Paint Issues

If you are driving your car for quite some time now, then having a few scratches and paint issues is expected. Even if you take the utmost care for your vehicle, you can’t save it from the small scratches here and there.

It is just evident that things will happen once in a while – like a toddler having a shopping cart or an angry ex-girlfriend with a set of keys; if nothing else, rocks flying up off the road can damage your car’s paint.

how to remove scratches from car

So, ultimately if it’s about giving your car a breathtaking, sporty look, nothing can beat a clean look without any scratches. You can fix those deep or small scratches and paint issues within minutes. There are several DIY car paint scratch remover kits available in the market which actually works like magic. Some of the most effective, top-rated, and best car scratch remover kits include:

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Visit your nearest car body shop, ask for the fixing equipment, and get the best one depending upon your paint color. If you don’t want to go for your car’s tinkering, you can quickly look for some professional help.

Get Your Car Washed and Waxed Professionally

Washing and waxing your car is the obvious thing to do, but surprisingly, most of us don’t do it. Sometimes, we are lazy, busy, or just don’t have the money to buy a premium car wash. Whatever the reason is, not washing your car once in a while only makes it look filthy and uncared. Therefore, it does not look cool or feel like a premium at all.

If you want your car to shine all the time and catch a lot of attention, you need to remove all the grime, dirt, crumbs, stuffing stains from your car’s body. And in case if you are wondering – how to wash your car at home and how often should you wash your car in the winter or summer, then check out this list of car wash tools and equipment and step by step process to wash a car at home.

how often should you wash your car

Giving your car to a professional hand once in a while will take care of all of it. They will vacuum clean your car interior and make it look fresh and new while the outside will be appealing. Keep in mind, just washing your car from the outside won’t get the job done.

If you are looking for long-lasting and more effective results, get your car washed by a professional who will make it look great after just one wash. You can also use top-rated car polish and wax from time to time in order to remove the scratches, remove swirl marks, and boost shine.

Invest in New Tires and Rims

If you ask someone “how to make your car look sporty and expensive”, they will certainly suggest you use some high-quality rims and tires on your vehicles. It’s true! These are among those essential things that make your car look badass and expensive.

So yes, if you want your car to look forever young and top-notch for a long time, invest in rims. Sure, rims look pretty, but they are equally expensive as well. However, if you really love your car and want it to stand out, these little expenses must not bother you.

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Also, when you are investing in rims, you might want to add new tires or wheels as well to accentuate its look. Go to a professional car salon, and they will recommend the best options for your car’s wheels, rims, and tires.

If you wash and wax your car but don’t make any changes to the old tires and wheels, it won’t complete your car’s look. Hence, you can buy some new wheels that will be suitable for your vehicle. If purchasing new wheels all of a sudden seem too expensive for you, then restoring them can also be a decent idea.

Most car companies offer wheel restoration services. Just ask them to sand down and refinish your wheels so that they look new and much more elegant. You can also switch to other car company’s wheels if they are adjustable to your car and look better.

Add a Spoiler to Your Car

Spoiler is an aerodynamic device that professionals will install at the rear end of your car, helping your car spoil the air. This will make the airflow up over the car, causing it to drag the car less than before. If you take your car often to the highway and drive at high speed, the spoiler will be very helpful. It will enhance your car’s performance so that you can drive faster but safer.

When you find an adjustable rear spoiler that is going to be of much help to your vehicle, make sure that you are installing it in your car with an expert’s help. But when it’s all about your car’s look, don’t install a mean-looking spoiler because it will destroy the fancy. Here are some of the best spoilers for cars:

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Even if you have to install a stupid spoiler, make sure that it does its job beyond 100 percent. Also, if you don’t choose the right spoiler for your car, it can decrease your car’s performance by reducing its fuel efficiency. Car spoilers are the most popular in racing cars because they provide a higher speed by redirecting the air in a different direction.

Install a Front End Cover (Car Bra)

Giving the front end of your car a slight lift is what we call putting on a car bra. Actually, these front-end covers are called car bras, which come with leather and, most of the time, made with vinyl. These car bras will cover the front end of your car so that it stays protected from dust and debris.

Believe it or not, these car bras actually make your car look good, and they also protect your bumper hoods. Like usual bras for women, the custom front end covers also have various sizes and coverage levels.

Along with providing protection, they help give style and retain value to your car. Before going to buy a car bra, look at the types of bras available in the market. The most popular ones are full car bras, t-style car bra, and sport car bras. The full car bra will give the utmost coverage to the front area, including the bumper and grill.

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T-style bra creates T-shaped coverage on the upside-down that covers the hood, front grille, and bumper. If you buy a sports bra for your car, it will balance between protection and style. And if you are in it for boosting your car’s appearance, then sports bras might be the right option.

Tint Your Car Windows

When you are thinking about improving your car, you can try to get your car windows tinted. It helps you keep your car cool all the time and also helps you keep the upholstery in good shape. You can do this alone with someone’s help at home or pay a professional to do it if you don’t know how to.

Nowadays, almost every car owner is getting their car window tinted at some point, but if you don’t know what are the different types of window tinting for cars, what is the darkest window tint that is legal, or what is the best car window tint for heat reduction then you can read this detailed car window tinting guide or research online on your own.

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Basically, before tinting your car windows, you’ll have to choose the best window tint film for cars. Then clean your windows properly; you’ll have to measure each of the tints before applying the film. And at last, you are going to smooth it out with some hot water over the film.

It does take only several minutes on the first try, but you’ll become more familiar with it after that. However, you will want to take as much time as you need while tinting your car windows because the whole process requires a stable hand. Likewise, new car owners can’t do it alone and wish for a steady professional hand.

Get a New Paint Job

Have you ever thought about repainting your car or changing your car color? Getting a new paint job for your car is a marvelous idea if you have the budget. Maybe, you are using this car for more than two years, and now your eyes are so used to seeing the silver color on its skin. However, if you want to give it a new look and be unrecognizable, then there is no better idea than getting a paint job done.

There are two most common DIY car painting process, painting with a spray gun and spray painting a car with cans at home, but if you want to get a professional result, I recommend you go for a professional auto painting service.

car painting equipment list

Professional car painting services provide you with really good results because they use high-quality paint spray guns, paints, automotive paint tools, and various amazing painting techniques. So, our recommendation is to trust the professionals.

Also, there are some ways you can prepare your car for new paint. e.g., wash and wax your car properly, choose the locations wisely (as in you may choose to paint different areas with different colors), and always use a primer before painting the car.

You will also need to wipe and sand down the surface effectively before applying the paint. But the most crucial part is to clean the car properly so that you can see the color’s actual shade, which is bright and smooth, hopefully.

Among all the options available on how to make your car look sporty and cooler, repainting a car or changing the car color is a quite effective solution.

Install Vinyl Stripes on Your Car

Installing vinyl stripes on car is one of the most popular tricks that car lovers use to give the car a sporty look. In fact, by using some of the best vinyl racing stripes for cars, you can make your car look like a racing car.

The best thing about the vinyl stripes for cars or these vinyl racing stripe stickers is that these aren’t permanent. You can remove it from your car body anytime you feel like it is looking dull and install a new one. It’s entirely up to you.

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Car vinyl stripes are cheap, and they can uplift the whole look and feel of your car. There are hundreds of designs available from where you can choose. You can take help from a professional or watch a few YouTube videos on vinyl stripes installation and get the job done yourself.

Get Your Car Vinyl Wrapped

Vinyl wrap is another incredible thing to put on your car when it’s about giving it a sporty look and making a statement. You can completely cover your car or put the wrap in a portion like on the roof or hood. Vinyl wrapping is getting very popular these days as they can offer the vehicle a new look.

The best thing about the vinyl wraps for cars and pickup trucks is that they won’t damage your original car paint. You can remove the wrap anytime you want and get the old look of your car back. Therefore, using vinyl wrap is an entirely risk-free option to change the look of your vehicle.

how much does it cost to wrap a car

If you are thinking about vinyl wrapping your car yourself and feeling curious to find out – how long does it take to wrap a car and how much does it cost to wrap a car yourself, then check out this car wrapping vs painting guide. Here you will get everything you need to know about vinyl wrapping a car at home.

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If you want to get a vinyl wrap, there are various options you can choose from. You can get a mate like texture, select any color, even apply images on the wrap. Car vinyl wraps are less expensive than traditional paint job. Not only the car’s exterior, but you can add a new splash of color to the car interior, such as on the dashboard through the vinyl wrap.

Install Stylish Sports Car Seats

If you have been a racing fan and liked the sporty racing seats, then this time, you can get the same in your car. Automotive racing seats are much more comfortable and come with an additional seat wrap around the driving seat. Those seat wrap offers utmost comfort and support, especially when you are driving at high speed or cornering.

The universal racing seats are made up of lightweight material. In most cases, these are made up of carbon fiber, which helps to shed the overall weight of your car by a few pounds. Here are some of the top-rated and best racing seats for cars that you can install to make your car look sporty and expensive.

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There are various brands like Recaro, Sparco, Momo that produce quality racing seats for cars. You can choose the one that best suits your budget and requirement. The price range of typical car racing seats starts from $250.

Buy Custom Fit All Weather Floor Mats

Buying custom-fit all-weather floor mats can be a great choice when it’s about giving your car interior a new and classy look. All weather car floor mats are available in different colors and fabrics. There are rubber floor mats and carpet floor mats from which you can choose.

In wet conditions and rainy days, all-weather floor mats made up of rubber works better than carpet ones. However, the floor mats not only boost the aesthetics of your car but also prevent spillage on your car floor. So, if you stay in a weather condition where your car gets a lot of dirt, dust, and debris, then a carpet floor mat will be the best choice.

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Carpet floor mats are made up of synthetic weave fibers; therefore, they can trap and hold dirt better. If you need to use these carpet mats even in wet conditions, you should consider buying something with attachments such as water-absorbent fibers.

Add Neon Underglow Lights Under Your Car

As we are stepping into the month of festivals, you might be already in the party mood. You can make a statement even through your car. Installing neon underglow lights in your car can be a great idea if you are searching for how to make your car look sporty or how to make your car look badass.

The LED underglow lights will look really cool and fancy in your car. You can install the lights on the wheel walls, undercarriage, or on the bumper. Underglow lighting is available in two different variant options. You can either look for the Neon under-glow lighting or a LED option.

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Though neon ground effects lighting looks very bright and aesthetically much more attractive, the tubing used in these lights is quite fragile. Whereas LEDs tend to last longer, therefore a cost-effective option.

The under-glow lights not only give your car a sporty look but also adds some extra safety quotient to your vehicle. Especially whenever you drive around a low visibility area because of the ground effect lighting, your car will be easier to spot for pedestrians and other drivers.

Install LED Light Strips for Car Interior

Your car interior can have a whole new classy look with the installation of the LED car strip lights. LEDs do not consume enormous power, so you don’t need to arrange a different power source for them to glow inside your car. Thus, using the LED strips for cars is the most inexpensive way if you’re looking to give your vehicle a much more appealing look.

There are various types of LED light strips for cars interior available in the market. There are different colors of LEDs available, and those offer different light effects. If you want, you can even buy the one that shows distinct effects depending on your car’s music system.

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The LED strips are available in waterproof and shockproof variants. Hence, whenever you are looking to buy one for your car, try to look for these features.

If you are planning to use multiple LED car strip lights in your vehicle, we would suggest you use a reliable and best 12V DC to 110V AC power inverter for your car or truck. Having a powerful DC to AC power inverter for car helps you a lot on your road trips.

Use Smoked Tail Lights (If It’s Legal in Your State)

If you are looking for some cool things to put in your car, then nothing can go better than a pair of smoked tail brake lights. Smoked tail lights can help your vehicle stand out, and frankly speaking, this is one of the cheapest and easiest mods to give your car a sporty look.

But before going for a smoked tail light, don’t forget to verify whether it’s legal in your state or not. If tinted headlights and tail lights aren’t legal in your state, then drop this idea.

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There are mainly two ways to achieve the smoked effects on your tail lights. You can either get that look using a spray or through the vinyl. Using a spray is the easiest way and goes well with most vehicle variant.

But there are certain disadvantages of using the spray. It’s hard to remove the effects. Once you feel like you do not like it anymore, you have to either go for professional sanding off the spray or change the whole tail light setup.

Consider Upgrading Your Exhaust System

An exhaust modification is also a great idea if you are going to give your car a sporty look. Even if people don’t see you coming, they will undoubtedly hear whenever you pass by the street in your vehicle. Exhaust modification can give your car a very distinctive and aggressive sound.

There are different types of exhaust modification options available. You can go for a dual exhaust system, side-exit exhausts, or chrome exhaust stacks. Not only does it sound more powerful, but upgrading the exhaust system of your car improves the performance as well.

how to make a car look sporty

Modifying or upgrading the complete exhaust system can be expensive for you. Therefore, instead of modifying the whole thing, you can consider upgrading certain parts. You can choose to change the exhaust manifold or header, which is directly attached to the cylinder heads.

If you are looking for less expensive options, then modifying the downpipe or muffler is something you can consider. If you are still wondering – Should I upgrade my exhaust system? Then check out these amazing tips to upgrade an exhaust system and learn what does an upgraded exhaust system do.

Get a Vanity License Plate

Getting a vanity license plate is one of the easiest things to make your car look cool and badass. A vanity license plate can make the statement you want while driving your car. It can offer your vehicle an antique look and add certain aesthetic value to your car.

Talking of vanity plates, often people mistake them for a personalized license plate. Vanity plates and personalized plates are slightly different in nature. The vanity plates can contain only 3 numbers or 1 to 7 letters. Whereas in the case of personalized plates, it can have both numbers and letters at the same time.

accessories to make your car look sporty

You need to pay an extra fee to register a vanity license plate for your car. The price can go up to $200 depending on the plate’s content and the state where you are going to register. Not only the registration fee, but you also have to pay a certain amount yearly to renew the vanity license plate as well.

Set Up a Good Sound System in Your Car

A sound system may not contribute that much to uplift your car’s overall look but certainly can give you ample filling while driving the car. From getting stuck minutes in traffic to going on a road trip, the right playlist and good stereo sound speakers or powerful car under seat subwoofers have always worked as the real savior for us.

But if your car does not have a set of the best car audio systems, you are probably missing out on one of the most fun parts of driving your own vehicle. Yes, it’s true! Having a good car sound system is among the best and coolest things to make your car look sporty.

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So, if you have decided to give your car a sporty look, you can invest a little in the sound system too. The factory audio system that we get while buying the car has certain limitations as far as the speakers’ power output is concerned.

Top-quality sound systems come with a built-in equalizer and offer the best quality sound output. It can surely give you a completely new experience while driving the car.

Author’s View on How to Make Your Car Look Sporty

We hope now you know exactly how to make your car look like a sports car. Here I have mentioned 17 different and proven ways to achieve that cool look for your vehicle, but it might not be possible for you to try all these methods.

No matter whether you try all these methods and install these cool things or are willing to try a single one, I would like to tell you that you need to take care of your car as you use it regularly. Try to take it to the washing bay at least twice a month.

In my opinion, if you want an inexpensive way to give your car a sporty look, then installing vinyl stripes, LED light strips, tinting your car windows, and adding a spoiler to your car are some of the best and most affordable options.

Vinyl stripes do not cost you much and are very easy to use. Alongside that, if you are particularly concerned about the shine of your car, going for a car wax will do the job for you. There are many car wax kits available in the market that you can use to get the classy, shiny look of your car.

That’s all from my side on how to make your car look sporty and luxurious! I hope you liked these hacks and essential accessories to make your car look badass. Let us know which DIY car modification idea you are using for your car through the comment section below.

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About Amy Cuban

I am an automotive enthusiast who loves to be around cars. I enjoy working on cars in my spare time and love anything related to automobiles. I like using different types of car accessories, car gadgets, and innovative car care products.

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