13 Car Mods That Are a Complete Waste of Money

It’s hard to explain this to non-car guys, but every gearhead has a list of must-do ‘mods’ or modifications for their new car. Think about it. Car meetups would be extremely boring if everyone came out with cars that looked the same. There would be nothing to talk about. 

The car modification market in the U.S. is so huge that the aftermarket industry was valued at $203 billion. It’s estimated the market will grow by 3.9% in 2024. 

While vehicle modifications speak volumes about your personality, some modifications don’t make sense and are honestly a waste of money. Don’t get me wrong. We are not in the business of telling people how to spend their money, but why spend a fortune on a modification that adds no value to your car?

We’ve reviewed the most popular mods in the car scene and compiled a list of mods car buffs should avoid because they are a total waste of money.

A Massive Rear Wing

Not many people know this, but sticking an obnoxious rear wing on your vehicle might be a total waste of your money – it adds no value. Ideally, your vehicle’s spoiler is an aerodynamic aid that helps improve its stability during ‘high speeds.’

Well, if you are not driving to work in a Formula 1 or drift car, then there’s no reason to slap that huge spoiler on the rear. It might look cool, but you are not fooling anyone. If it were that fast, it would come with one straight from the assembly line.

Racing Stripes

Like massive wings on your car, racing stripes might look cool but add zero performance value. They often give the illusion that a vehicle is fast, so slapping them on your base model daily driver is just a waste of money.

Adding racing stripes to a dedicated race car build would make more sense. It’s better to surprise everyone with a sleeper than show up with an economy car that’s all show and no-go.

Stick-On Vents and Non-Functional Hood Scoops

Fake vents and hood scoops are a huge topic around car circles. Some automakers are also guilty of producing vehicles with fake vents and hood scoops. Ideally, the hood scoop or vents on your car act as a cooling aid, funneling clean air into the intercooler or intake.

Adding a stick-on vent to your ride to make it look more aggressive is a waste of money. We understand; your car will look good. But on the downside, you’ll need to get new ones each time the adhesive fails, and sometimes, they peel off the vehicle’s paint, adding up the cost of repair.

Fake Carbon Fiber

Let’s face it. Carbon fiber trims and bits look good on any car. Still, it’s important to remember, as much as they are an aesthetic add-on, bigger pieces like hood, and roof install are actually performance modifications.

Carbon fiber is a lightweight material that helps shed weight and, as a result, helps a vehicle’s engine perform better and even save on fuel. Adding fake carbon fiber stickers, on the other hand, has zero value on anything. Worse, anyone can tell the difference between a sticker and the real thing. Yes! It’s that obvious.

Big Boy Rims

We all get overtaken with nostalgia at some point. And it’s safe to say the 90s were a great time for car lovers. But it’s all in the past now. Big Boy rims might have looked cool back then, but they don’t today.

If anything, huge rims significantly affect a vehicle’s suspension geometry and make it difficult to perform simple turning maneuvers like rapid lane changes. They also affect a vehicle’s performance; the engine strains a lot under the weight of those huge rims.

Cheap Tint

Tint is a great aftermarket modification for any car. It adds privacy while also giving a car an executive touch. However, an unprofessional tint job can leave your vehicle looking tacky and cheap.

It’s also important to check with your state regarding the provisions for tinting your vehicle. States like New Hampshire and New Jersey completely prohibit window tint. New York and New Mexico have limits on the percentage of window tint on front side windows.

Electric Blow-Off Valve

The aftermarket industry has just about any gadget you might need for performance mods on your vehicle—some not so much. The blowoff value on a turbocharged vehicle sounds amazing, and aftermarket models are tuned to increase the intensity of the noise, making them more profound.

Well, believe it or not, there’s an electronic blow-off valve. It serves no purpose other than producing that iconic hissing sound every time you let go of the gas pedal. It might be a good idea to get this as a practical joke on friends, but it’s a total waste of money if you are trying to make your car sound fast.

Wing Doors

Winged doors or ‘Lambo doors’ look great and add a lot of character to a car – when done by the auto manufacturer. The DeLorean, 300 SL Mercedes-Benz, and, more recently, the Tesla Model X look fantastic with winged doors.

Customizing your daily driver with winged door has two outcomes. There’s a slight chance your mechanic might pull it off, and it’ll look great, or it’ll look ridiculous, and you’ll get mocked at. It’s all up to you.

Turbo Whistle

It’s quite a phenomenon how car buffs are addicted to forced induction. But we get it. The turbo hiss and supercharger whine are quite addictive. The only downside to this mod is that it’s quite pricey, sometimes costing tens of thousands of dollars, especially if the vehicle was originally naturally aspirated.

Out of desperation, some car enthusiasts will opt for a cheaper, tackier solution – a turbo whistle stuck on the tailpipe. Unfortunately, this mod does nothing for your vehicle. Worse, it doesn’t sound the same as a turbo hiss.

Outrageous Body Kits

Body kits are a desirable car mod for any gearhead. Adding a tasteful body kit to your car will complement the mods on the engine and improve its aesthetic appeal.

Still, it’s important to be careful how far you go with your body kit upgrades. There’s a thin line between making your car look fast and ridiculous.

Cheap body kits made with polyurethane will crack and leave gaps in your car. Depending on how these body kits are fitted, they’ll also affect the performance of your vehicle, adding more weight and increasing drag.

Can Muffler

For car enthusiasts, the roar of a V8 or the iconic rumble of a boxer engine is often too enticing to ignore. For that reason, the aftermarket industry has a ton of muffler delete brands to choose from—and most of them have a terrible raspy tone.

A can muffler won’t improve your performance – but it’ll get you into verbal altercations with your neighbors. It’ll also dent your vehicle’s resale value, considering not too many people are eager to get that kind of attention from a car.

Booming Sound System

We all love jamming to our favorite tunes while driving, especially in busy city traffic or on long road trips. A good-quality sound system will significantly improve your driving experience and upgrade your onboard entertainment features.

But there’s a thin line between enjoying music and blasting your eardrums. The music turns into noise when everyone around your car can listen to the jams you are playing. Depending on what state you live in, music exceeding certain levels is considered illegal.

Neon Lights And Under Glow

We’ve got to thank the original Fast and Furious (2001) film for shaping the global car scene as we know it today. It set a trend that’s inspired millions of people to love cars. One trend that has stuck throughout the years is neon lights.

Neon lights present a huge problem when they are needed the most—at night. They might distract other drivers on the road and potentially lead to accidents. Maybe it’s time to let neon and under-glow lights go. Skylights are much fancier and current.