When you notice that the service your vehicle is providing you is lacking in some way, you have two options. One, you can retire the whole thing, sending it to the junkyard and shelling out thousands of dollars on a brand new, state-of-the-art vehicle. Or two, you can shell out significantly less money and upgrade the already-existing framework of your current car, building a new vehicle off an already existing, familiar foundation. 

Even if you have the money to splurge and drive out of your nearest dealership with the newest of the new, you might prefer the familiarity of Ol’ Faithful over a soulless, new model. And if you don’t have thousands of dollars on hand to purchase a new car out of pocket out of response to a minor dip in functionality, the choice becomes easy. You want to upgrade your current car, choosing to invest in economic, subtle changes that will improve your overall quality of life while driving, whether you’re night driving, making an 8-hour road trip, or just on your morning commute to work. 

For those who have never considered upgrading their car though, the question remains: how do you know what you should upgrade on your car, and from there, how do you choose the option that will fit your vehicle and best suit your needs? The purpose of this article is to suggest potential upgrades that will help your car drive smoother, bring your car into the modern era, and all without breaking the bank. 

If any of the above piques your interest, or you simply want to learn to diagnose your car’s more subtle needs, read on. Without further ado, let’s talk about bringing your car into the new millennium.

New Tires, New Driving Experience

Few take the time to stop and look at their tires regularly, making sure that they haven’t been worn down to the treads. Yet, if your tires are worn down and they haven’t been replaced in a while, the likelihood that your tires blow if punctured by a stray rock or that your car slips and slides during excessive rainfall goes up dramatically. 

While purchasing new tires might be expensive, with most models of tires going anywhere from $150 to $300, new tires are an investment in your car that will pay off in spades, allowing your car to hit the road like a brand new model and making your overall driving experience smoother and steadier. If your tires haven’t been rotated in a while, or you haven’t had new tires installed in years, this might be the best place to start when looking to upgrade your vehicle.

Audio is Everything: Kicking Your Music Up

Every driver who has been on the road for any period of time knows the importance of being able to access your music, as music provides a helpful distraction from the labor of driving. Therefore, when your factory-default speakers start to peter out, not offering you the full range of sound you know your music is capable of, it may be time to replace them, as well as add quality models that amplify your sound, like amplifiers or subwoofers. 

As their namesake suggests, amplifiers amplify your music beyond the normal capacity of your speakers, allowing for a clearer, sonically booming listening experience. In contrast, subwoofers are designed to highlight deeper frequencies of sound, clearly bringing out layers of sound in your music. Subwoofers are for those who want the details of their music to be made apparent, for those who want to be able to isolate each instrument as they listen and each subtle detail made visible. Amplifiers are for those who want a louder, clearer listening experience; both, especially used in conjunction with one another, can bring you to another plane of existence entirely on your next drive. 

You might also want to consider additions like premium oil, changing any rubber hoses with silicone hoses, and the like, as these smaller, subtler changes will help your car run like new. With the right budget and the correct guidance, you can build a new car out of the husk of Ol’ Faithful, keeping her alive and competitive with newer models and forestalling the day when you’ll finally have to spring for something different.