BODY PARTS - There are a lot of body kits out there. Hundreds. And most of them look ridiculous. To avoid being a ricer, make sure you don't go overboard. If you're considering a front end that makes your vehicle look like some sort of prehistoric shark, maybe you should sleep on it. The same goes for rear wings that look like they came off of a vintage biplane. A popular way to give your car some character without taking it apart (and is also functional) is a carbon fiber hood. It looks pretty swank and is also much lighter than the stocker. Carbon fiber chin spoilers and wings are also available, as are trunks and actual body panels. Think twice about these though. We're begging you. VALVE COVER - An aftermarket valve cover won't make you any faster, but it might set you apart at the next show or get together. A lot of people have their pieces cutom finished or powdercoated, which isn't so bad. If you drive a Honda, one of the more affordable options is to buy a red Type R valve cover over at the dealer or online. You should be able to get one for under $200. The one pictured is from Mugen, and has the requisite mind blowing price. The covers on the newer Honda K series engines are less visible since they no longer put the engine in backwards, and they install a tacky plastic cover over half of the motor. The JDM and UKDM Type Rs still use red covers, so knock yourself out. GAUGES - Repacement gauge faces are a popular item, unless you drive a VW with the way cool disco lights. Can't get much cooler than that. White gauge faces were cool for a while. Installing guages isn't too difficult, although the general rule is that you will break at least one of the gauges in the process. For those cars that didn't come with a tachometer, an aftermarket unit is always useful. Just don't buy one that's as big as your head. For those that did come with a tach, the addition of a shift light is worth considering (a nice surprise was that the new Civic Si actually comes with a shift light). Other gauges can be helpful as well, including air/fuel, oil temp, oil pressure, and boost for the FI guys. RACING SEAT - Unless you go to the track or autocross regularly, a racing seat doesn't really do much for you except make you pretty uncomfortable on long trips. The seats in most sporty cars are at least adequate, but the side bolsters are usually pretty small. Some JDM and EDM cars come with authentic Recaros, but getting them from the manufacturer would probably give you an aneurism in terms of cost. There are many manufacturers out there that make quality seats at affordable prices. One way to save some cash is to only replace the driver's seat if the wife will let you. Who cares about the passenger anyway? That way you get one nice seat rather than two pretty good ones. PROJECTOR / HID HEADLIGHTS - Everybody seems to be trying to make their headlights look like projectors by using PIAA bulbs and all that. Why not just buy projector headlights? They are readily available, help you see where you're going, and they look pretty swank (but please do not assume we feel the same way about those horrible aftermarket taillights - we don't). The headlight assemblies aren't the easiest things to take out and replace, but the end result is well worth it. And please resist the temptation of putting blue tint on your headlights to make us think they're HIDs. If it's that important, buy a conversion kit. JDM / EDM ACCESSORIES - If you want that domestic market look and feel but can't swing several grand for a front end conversion for your ITR, there are lots of bits with which to personalize your car. Pictured is the JDM Honda Type R ID badge, which is mounted under the e-brake instead of the awkward location of the USDM badge. Other items include a center console which doesn't have the bin that the US version has, a cover plate that says "Integra" which replaces the clock, an oh-so-sexy shift boot with red stitching to match the rest of the interior, and a non SRS Momo steering wheel if you're feeling lucky. There are lots of goodies for the VW guys from the European home market as well. EMBLEMS - Emblems are an affordable way to set your car apart, even if it means removing them and going stealth. Or perhaps putting GSR badges on your ITR to be less conspicuous since vandals seem drawn to them. For reasons that aren't completely understood, many manufacturers put emblems in different places on the US version of their cars than they do in the home market. This is a nice way to customize without being tacky. You will also see Infiniti G35's with Skyline badging, Acura TSX's with Euro R badges, and so on. Just don't give in to the temptation of claiming your car to be something it isn't. If you don't drive a Type R, please don't buy the badges. You're not fooling anybody.