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Modifying a car can be as complicated as you like, modifications can run from smashing through Halfords to getting down and dirty with some arch slicing. But you don’t have to make it complicated to get a good-looking car. It can be as simple as Wheels and coilovers.
Although there is a bit of a joke about wheels and coilovers “really make a difference”, it’s totally true on a cosmic level. Whatever the car gurus are saying about splitter kits and wheel spacers and other stuff, although those things are great, start with a great foundation and build it from there.
In this post we will run through why the wheels and coilovers combo, picking some dope wheels, dropping your ride on coilovers / bags whatever you prefer and what next.
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The Combo Package
Wheels and coilovers are just the thing, they are like Tom and Jerry, Laurel and Hardy, Ham and Cheese, you get the point. In the car lovers community these are the foundation to building a proper “built not bought” car.
If you follow Fitment Industries they pretty much live off this golden rule, first the lowering, then the wheels, then play around with the setup a little bit to try to minimize rubbing or any other damage to any part of the car. Simple.
Something it’s as simple as that. Sometimes it requires a College Degree in Maths and Engineering to figure out how to get those huge offset wheels in that tiny arch. But never the less, you bought the wheels, didn’t look at the size and had to make them fit, kind of like ordering Nikes online.
But whatever you want to do with your car, do it your way, but start with these basics and you can’t really go wrong.
Wheely Expensive
I’m going to start out with the wheels, most people do, you shouldn’t, Suspension should come first, but what the hell.
Buying a great set of wheels that compliment your car is tricky, there are so many designs and so many different sizes and colours, what do you choose?
Well, first, look at your car, look at what wheels are on it, and decide if something bigger would be too much or if something smaller would look like pepperami slices on a 20” pizza.
Going by a rule of thumb, use this as a guide for rim size
- Small Hatchbacks (vw up / smart cars / i10) – 16”
- Medium Hatchbacks (fiesta / civic / polo) – 17”
- Large Hatchbacks (1 series / A class / Focus) – 18” / 19”
- Saloons (3 series / Audi A4 / Mondeo) – 19”
- Crossover SUVs (Captur / Juke / ecosport) – 18” / 19”
- Large SUVs (ML class / Q7 / x6) – 22”
- Roadster (mx5 / s2000 / z4) – 17”
These are just a guideline of size, it all depends on your car, each car and Wheel will look different but use these numbers to gauge what to expect. Then you have to figure out offset, which is a little trickier, check out our post on choosing the best fitment here and go to Fitment Industries car gallery to get an idea of what they look like.
Drop It Like It’s Hawt
Dropping your car is the fun part. You can go several ways, coilovers are extremely popular and a lot of fun, or there’s air suspension which is great if your old like me and just want a smooth ride.
The debate on which is the best has waged for centuries! But we kind of put it to bed in this recent post, depends on how you see it really, but we think we ended the feud. Doesn’t matter which way is the best anyway, just get your damn car lowered, that’s the biggest task to improving your stance!
Dropping a car down low will not just improve your stance and street cred, depending on the quality of product you use, can really increase your ride, whether you like it firmer and bumpy with no roll or you wanted to have to dodge potholes because they now look like moon craters, they can give you a better connection to the road.
The choice is yours here, Air / coilovers / springs / hover car, just go low.
What’s Up Next?
Once you’ve figured out the secrets we’ve given you, you’ve minimized rub and you’ve rolled your fenders, now you can look at body kits, splitter kits, exhausts and so much more. Maybe even tuning potential and other power modifications.
Depending on what car you’ve got and what parts are available to you, we would say most cars out there offer a low line splitter kit, to make your car look even lower, just make sure it fits with your newly lowered car.
Then maybe look at wraps or window tints, these add a huge difference to your style. Even just tinting your tail lights can give a more aggressive look to your whip.
Play it by ear, sometime a car just looks fine with wheels and coilovers, but if you feel it’s missing something like a huge spoiler, just get creative and do what you think looks good and screw the haters!
Don’t Be A Sheep!
For the Cartists of the world, you know it’s all about what’s not been done! Tell it to juniors here that are reading this post, tell them in the comments below, the importance of being original and different.
Just because everyone is doing this one mod, doesn’t mean everyone should. Just start with your wheels and coilovers and take it from there, you’ll be on a roll in no time!
Get creative guys, drop us a comment below and share your thoughts!
Best of Luck
Kevin
Kevin@boostandcamber.com
Founder of Boost And Camber
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