The front and back bumpers are the first thing you see when you look at a car. Bumpers also serve as the first encounter between the car and the passing air that is flowing over it. If you have a car that doesn’t have the most aerodynamic bumpers - you can change them. That is where the body kit materials come in. The bumpers can either be replaced completely or a "bumper cover” can be installed over your existing bumpers. It is like a skin that goes directly over your stock bumper. Obviously, bumper covers will add weight to your car (you would not notice this at all unless you are racing your vehicle and weight is an issue for you). Another choice for you would be to add a Front Air Dam or Rear Skirt to your existing factory bumpers. Once an air dam or skirt is added to your bumper and painted it gives that appearance of an entirely new bumper, and many would think that you replaced the entire bumper. Looks and performance can go together- but at a price.

The side skirts of a car are what give it the sleek appearance- or a low profile one! Depending on your car, the basic contour lines and the existing side skirts will decide what needs to be done in this category. There are many different options with companies like Wings West and Xenon Body Kits delivering some of the best on the market. A car like the Nissan Almera benefits greatly from the addition of a lower side skirt because it gives the imagery of the car being placed lower to the ground.

Hoods serve as a great opportunity to give your car a “new” look. Some hoods have hood scoops built into them and are functional. . Universal hood scoops work well (and are easy to install) on any vehicle, especially Japanese brands such as Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi. Usually hoods are made of fiberglass material or you could choose to add a carbon fiber hood to lighten up your vehicle.

Wings, otherwise known as car spoilers usually sit on the trunk of your car and redirects where the air flows. The car wings alone will get your vehicle the looks and an appeal of a race car. This is probably why car wings are the most popular of car accessories.  

For many, aerodynamics really factor into the body kit decision. Keeping a car aerodynamic is what most body kit enthusiasts are all about. Aerodynamics involves letting the wind fly over and around a car with the least amount of effort and in the freest way possible. The biggest factors prove to be the spoilers, hood materials and overall car shape.  While most people just buy aerodynamic material to purely make their car more pleasing to the eye, many purchase with the intent of attaining higher speeds. Some items that are popular in this area are hood scoops, roof scoops and spoilers.

Hood and roof scoops allow for the look of a total transformation with the involvement of just a couple of minutes of installation time. The scoops are usually duel (two) or single (one) and rise up to several inches off a car. In the race car world, they would be useful for cooling off an engine rearing at 200 miles per hour. On the streets, they are more for show, as most cars come equipped with suitable ways to avoid overheating. While they won’t help with most cooling systems, a hood or roof scoop will make a car more aerodynamic as it allows wind to slide easily over the car making it easier to drive faster.

Wheels give a great look to any car and add special aerodynamics to give cars a sleeker look. (If you dont have custom wheel rims yet and you still have your factory "steel wheels" you can add a set of new hubcaps for a fresh look. They attach easily and are quick fixes to unattractive wheels). There are two primary options when it comes to custom rims. A car owner can either go with simple rims or go further and add a set of spinners as well. A simple rim set will include shinier rims (usually chrome) that are bright and that add life to the whole car or truck. Spinners take that to the next level. They spin in circles against the wheel direction that will make your eyes dazzle. A car driver should definitely consider wheel rims when doing a complete body kit make over. 

These are the biggest adjustments that you could make on a car with a full body kit installation. However, there are other considerations and smaller items that can be of use.

• Pinstriping tape - put anywhere you wish, the sides, back or right over the top of the car to really give it a race car feel. Colors and graphics enhance the look.
• Hubcaps- these covers are a great idea if you are already missing one or two to begin with (many people are) or if you just want a change or possibly spinners.
• Rear window graphics - a very customizable option. You can have designs, pictures or symbols in the form of decals- just peel and stick!

There are numerous decisions that could be made to get the look desired and it is always possible to have any car looking the way you want with quality materials.