The most commonly replaced car parts are almost always found under the bonnet or on the undercarriage which is why body parts are not necessarily replaced or fixed straight away. That’s mainly because they’re made to survive for much longer, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any to purchase when you do need them.
Aftermarket body parts are a great alternative not only for replacement reasons but also for exterior upgrades. Aftermarket parts, in general, are more affordable and more available than some OEM components. You can also expect to customise your vehicle and improve its performance at the same time.
Body Parts
Spoiler
Not a lot of vehicles come with rear spoilers as usually this piece of metal, fibreglass or carbon fibre is reserved for top-tier sports cars. But as a car enthusiast, you can also have a spoiler put on your car even if it’s a simple daily commuter. Not only do these performance auto body parts help improve the appeal of your car but they also introduce some downforce. This makes it feel more planted at higher speeds especially when going through tight corners and chicanes.
Lip
Probably the simplest in design, a lip is a thin piece of either carbon fibre or fibreglass that goes on the front of the front bumper down close to the ground. A lip can be part of a body kit or on its own but it surely does make your vehicle look a tad more aggressive. Lip kits also help improve the aerodynamic profile of your car which helps reduce drag and make it easier to propel. Lips also help protect the bumper from scraping.
Side Skirts
Like lips, side skirts are also one underrated and usually unnoticed piece of body kit that adds a touch of aggressiveness or sportiness to a vehicle. People use them to connect the sporty look of the back to the front as side skirts cover the rocker panels or replace them completely depending on the component. Some people use them to cover the rust that occurs on most older and some newer vehicles. Side skirts aid in vehicle aerodynamics but that depends on their design.
Wheel Arch
Wider wheel arches are the answer to a better stance. While they don’t necessarily widen the actual stance of your vehicle, they do, however, make your car appear that way. A wider profile isn’t only for looks though as it also helps keep your car more stable at higher speeds no matter if it’s on the straight or when cornering. Make sure that you couple these exterior car parts with the right side skirts since if they don’t have the same design or profile they will look out of place and they won’t work well together to bring down your car’s drag coefficient.
Diffuser
Keeping it true to aerodynamic auto body parts, if you want to truly reduce the drag coefficient of your vehicle you should consider adding a rear diffuser. Diffusers are placed around the exhaust’s tailpipes and they improve both performance and appearance. They are a type of rear bumper lip that doesn’t hide its aggressiveness or its capabilities. Diffusers help increase downforce as these aftermarket body parts help create high pressure above the car, much like a spoiler just in a different way. This makes your car more stable too and not just easier to accelerate even at high speeds.
Rain Guards
Moving away from performance, you should consider adding rain guards to your daily driver or track muncher. These guards do prevent rain enter the cabin but only when you have the windows cracked open and they also prevent the sun from blinding you from the sides. With rain guards, you can prevent that fluttering sound you get when you open your windows to get some air in. Lastly, they also happen to help a bit with aerodynamics. There are two types of rain guards, in-channel and stick-on, with the latter being easier to install while the former being able to stay on for longer.
Bonnet Protector
Another type of plastic piece you should put on the body of your car is a bonnet guard. Bonnet protectors, as they’re also known are made to keep the windshield tidy. This includes protection both from bugs and stone chips as cleaning the windshield from both can be quite annoying especially if you do track days on the regular. Again, like most aftermarket body parts on here, bonnet protectors also improve the aerodynamic profile of your car so that less air hits it straight on.
Scoop
Air isn’t always that bad as some exterior car parts that also go on the bonnet make use of it. More air being introduced to the engine’s intercooler can help keep it running much cooler and more efficiently at higher RPM. With a bonnet scoop, you can easily bring in air directly from the top of the bonnet so that the engine doesn’t overheat.
Aussie Daily Lifestyle 
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