Table of Contents
Do you drive around in an old 20th-century car? OK, let me rephrase that! Do you drive a car that’s so old, the newest technology in it is an eight-track cassette player? If the answer is yes, you might be rather fed up of reliving nostalgia on a daily basis by now.
Of course, one option would be to sell your old car and buy a new, modern vehicle. But what if you don’t want to do that? You could instead perform some essential upgrades on it to bring your cherished car into the 21st century!
Today’s blog post will offer you some practical tips on how you can enhance your car and make your life on the road that much easier. Intrigued? Good! Keep reading to find out more!
Electric windows
It’s embarrassing when your car is the only one in your street without power windows. When you’re driving along, winding down your window can get somewhat distracting. Especially if your window is sticking and won’t open easily!
The best way to keep up with the rest of the modern world is to upgrade your windy windows to electric ones! There are two ways you can do this. First, you can source the parts from a higher spec model that comes with power windows. Second, you can install an aftermarket kit.
You will need to dedicate a few hours to the cause and know a bit about electrics. But the work involved isn’t rocket science. You might also need a friend to help you, as some parts of the job are a two-person effort.
Once you’ve got electric windows in your car, you will wonder how you ever lived without them!
Central locking
Power locks are a familiar sight on all modern vehicles. When you buy a car made in the last ten years or so, it will often come with remote central locking as standard. Is your car so old that you have to open each single door lock by hand?
The good news is that you can retrofit a remote central locking kit to your pride and joy. Like many of the upgrades featured on this page, you will need to have some basic electrical skills. And the right tools for the job.
If possible, go for a central locking kit designed just for your model. Otherwise, a universal effort will suffice. You can get power locks fitted to an mk1 Golf with parts sourced from Listers.co.uk.
I was impressed because he used parts that are fitted to the latest generations of Golfs!
Alarm and immobiliser
To complement that upgrade, you should consider getting an aftermarket alarm and immobilizer installed. It’s one of those jobs that is best left to professional installers. When the work gets done, at least you will end up with a car that is harder for thieves to steal!
An added bonus is that some alarm systems are insurance-approved. That means you are likely to get a discount on your car insurance.
HID headlamps
Are you fed up of driving around with candles for headlights? Is your LED torch brighter than the lights your car came with? If the answer to those questions is yes, you need to upgrade your lighting!
HID or high-intensity discharge lamps offer the brightest automotive lighting money can buy. They get fitted as standard to many of today’s cars. But the cars from yesterday only use standard halogen bulbs.
You can buy aftermarket HID lighting kits. They come complete with ballasts and fitting instructions. It’s worth checking that you’re allowed to fit them to your car, as such upgrades are illegal in some countries.
Front fog lights
If you live in a part of the world where fog is prevalent in the cold winter months, you will need extra lighting to help you drive safely. Front fog lights are an easy upgrade for any vehicle. You can mount them to your bumper. Or you can go for a bespoke bumper and fog light design.
All you need to do is wire them up to your fuse box, and install a switch on your dashboard. That way, the installation will be safe, and you can use your fog lights when you need to do so.
Flat blade wipers
One of the easiest upgrades you could make to your old car is to install some flat blade wipers! You often find these fitted to today’s cars. They are preferable to the conventional style of blades for one reason. They work well when driving at motorway speeds! With the older style of blades, they judder on the screen when going along at a fast speed.
It’s now possible to buy flat blade wipers that fit any car. All you need to know is what size each blade is.
Infotainment system
Some old cars have audio systems that are archaic by today’s standards. If you miss the ability to listen to your favorite tunes in your car, it’s time to upgrade to an infotainment system! The beauty of those systems is that they perform two functions.
First, they let you listen to the radio and music from other sources. Second, they make your life on the road easier.
Some of the functions that infotainment systems offer include satellite navigation and smartphone connectivity. You can make calls, send messages and emails without taking your eyes off the road!
All you have to do is give the infotainment system some voice commands. You can also stream music from your iPhone or whatever smartphone you use. Current models come with touchscreen displays and DVD players.
You can program your infotainment system to meet your needs. That way, all of your commonly-used features are just a tap away! At the same time as fitting the system, I also recommend fitting new speakers.
It’s likely your car will have old, worn speakers. Throw them away, recycle them or donate them to a museum! You need to upgrade them to modern units that offer superb sound quality.