So you are ready for the next step in visual and aerodynamic upgrades? Well, I want to cover a few basic steps before you take the big plunge and sink a big wad of dough on a body kit that may not be all its cracked up to be. No pun intended.
First, let consider the steps of buying a body kit. First we want to determine the type of vehicle it will be going on. Not many of us are professional race care drivers, but some of us still want the performance of one. So first thing to consider is, what kind of kit do you need for your body kit buck.
First there are the standard Fiberglass body kits. Fiberglass is good because it is lightweight and should you crack, ram into, smack into, bump against any object that may cause damage, it can be repaired with some basic fiber glass know-how or a decent body shop. Also, paint is going to look the best on a fiberglass body kit. Unlike ABS, paint stays on the surface and is not absorbed into the materials of the kit. Fiberglass kits are the most widely available types of kits on the market. The cons of Fiberglass, is that it is not very durable. If you live in a mountainous area, with dirt road and such that you may frequent, the possibilities if your shiny new kit being damaged beyond repair are fairly high.
Second there are Urethane or ABS body kits. Urethane body kits are great in the fact that they are very sturdy and flexible. Cracking is fairly unlikely, unless your putting the kit on a 4x4 vehicle. Urethane kits are not as readily available as fiber glass, but can usually be find through specialty dealers. The cons of Urethane and ABS are that once they break, chip, or crack, there are very few ways of fixing them to what they once were. Unless you are really good at plastic welding, you are going to have buy a new kit. Ouch!
Third there is the ever coveted Carbon Fiber body kits. They are super light and super strong. Carbon fiber is a material that is often used in making bullet proof vest and other bullet hindering materials. Carbon fiber kits can also be painted and the finish is closest to that of fiber glass. The cons of carbon fiber is that it is super expensive and they are not widely available for many vehicles. Also, carbon fiber kits cannot be repaired easily once damaged. There are seams as well as breakage that is usually apparent once a kit has been repaired.
Check out my next article on Body Kit Brands and Quality.
