Question of the Day: What’s the Worst Aftermarket Modification Ever?
Today we were lucky enough to discover one of the most vain and useless automotive modifications we’ve ever encountered (take a look), and it got us talking about the other bad mods we’ve happened upon in the past. Which aftermarket modifications rank with the worst that you’ve ever seen? Tell us your tales in comments.
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Comments
JOHND
Spinner wheels.
john
The rear spoiler(often bench)! It is never used for what it is designed. Often times not even designed for what it is meant to do.
94 Taurus owner
What do you mean JOHND spinners are the best.
The worst is actually Chromed a,b,and c pillers and the hood scoop .saw one on a 2002 taurus it was not pretty.
Scott in AZ
Either the non-functional hood/side scoops or the rear spoiler that has been installed backwards - thus creating more lift on the back of the car.
Paul In Jersey
If "dealer installed" counts, I'd submit the "landau roof with opera windows." On Mercedes-Benzs, it's that chrome trim ring around the wheel well. Then there's the coffee can muffler and it's knuckle-dragging predecessor...the cherry bomb muffler. The whale tale, and it's successor the what-the-heck-is-that spoiler.
Oh, I could go on. They're all awful. But I confess, I miss bowling ball paintjobs.
The Stig
Illuminated windshield washer nozzles, followed closely by illuminated exhaust tips.
Throopspeed
Lambo doors
Sean
Aluminum wings. Nuff' said.
Josh
Those double wiper blades or "hooptey blades" as my friend called his purple anodized set.
Josh
not to get stuck on wipers, but Honda Civics with one long blade attached to the right wiper blade post are pretty bad. Along with most Honda civic body mods installed by high school kids.
stu
Massive rims, for example Donk but not limited to Donk, are just ridiculous and gauddy. When you need to buy pick-up truck lift kits for your Monte Carlo and have sub 15 profile sized tires its gettin a little silly!
Otherwise massive adjustable wings on front drives coupes and hatches look really tacky and its not cause of the extra downforce!!
Jeb
Hood scoops on fuel-injected Mustangs, especially the new Shelbys that actually have visible rivets.
X3 SoB
I saw non-functional hood scoops on a Lincoln Town Car recently, that has to be the tackiest I've seen recently, this same car had three sets of fog lights on it. Honestly though, this is another lame Question.
Dave
Ehh, depends on how you have them. Mine are set up to turn on and off by independent switch, so unless I'm at a show, no one can tell. And mine cost $0, they were a beta test.
I think the cake can be taken by the 'useless' mods, like peel and stick side vents, and hood scoops which don't ram air either:
1) Into the Cold Air Intake
2) Over the Intercooler
Jeff
Truck nutz. Picnic-table sized rear wings. Donks and the like. Calling wheels 'rims'. Spinners. Fart can exhausts. Vinyl roofs. Ribbed steering wheel covers.
Mike
So Dave, are you implying that illuminated windshield nozzles are not useless?
I would have to agree that they are not useless, along with fart can mufflers, spinners, aluminum rear wings, fake hood scoops, and the like. These things are in fact very useful for helping me to identify that the owner of that car is a complete idiot.
What I do find useless are the 10 inch diameter tachometers complete with blindingly bright shift lights. First of all, it takes 30 seconds for your Dodge Neon, Honda Civic, or similar turd-bucket to reach redline anyhow. Also, if your eyesight is bad enough that you need something so offensively huge, you probably shouldn't be driving in the first place.
Cicero
Big wings, fart can exhaust, spinner wheels and tacky body pieces
Automobile News Update » Question of the Day: What’s the Wor
[...] Today we were lucky enough to discover one of the most vain and useless automotive modifications we’ve ever encountered (take a look), and it got us talking about the other bad mods we’ve happened upon in the past. Which aftermarket modifications rank with the worst that you’ve ever seen? Tell us your tales in comments. [...]
barry
metal air intakes..unpainted, or non baked paint, and plastic intakes. I guess it boils down to something nasa would use..and baked on high temp nonconductive, or one way giveaway conductive something or other. titanium high grade something...baked paint or stiff enough plastic. smooth in ribbed out.
Bad Dna
Three areas
1. Bad Muffler Bearings
2. Unanodized or cheap power-coated sky hooks.
3. Camery drivers
Ramsey
Barry, your post reads like some sort of bizarre post-modern poetry. I don't know what you are talking about, but it is beautiful.
bepsf
Decklid Wings, Pavement-scraping Ground Effects, Wide-body Kits & Hood Scoops.
Fog Lamps aimed to blind oncoming traffic.
Spinners and oversized rims.
Faux-Cabriolet Roofs and Faux-Rolls Royce Grecian-Temple Grilles.
Gold-tone trim kits.
Lift kits on SUV's & Pickups.
Multiple TV screens and oversized stereo systems w/ speakers that make the body panels rattle.
Scissor/Butterfly Doors.
Hydraulic suspensions.
Coffee-Can exhaust systems.
Faux Carbon-Fiber/Aluminum/Wood interior trim.
Anything hanging from the inside rear-view mirror.
Peter
Check this out;
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=vFWH_vuqAjE
SIlent Bob
Bling is one thing, but mods that destroy others property is another. I vote for 22" wheels. I am sick of the dings and chips on the front of my car caused by these inconsiderate idiot's wheels throwing debris at me.
Brett
metal air intakes..unpainted, or non baked paint, and plastic intakes. I guess it boils down to something nasa would use..and baked on high temp nonconductive, or one way giveaway conductive something or other. titanium high grade something…baked paint or stiff enough plastic. smooth in ribbed out.
Wow!
smokeydog001
Turn signals (its nobody's business where you're going), wheels over 15" (15" were good enough for hemis) and tachs (shift when your ears hurt).
JHinton
Extra spare tires.
Last Saturday I saw a Ford F150 with whitewall wheels. It had 3 extra spare tires in addition to the factory one under the bed. All extra tires where whitewalls on wire wheels. One extra wheel was located in the front of the bed. The second was attached to the tailgate so it couldn't open. The 3rd was tacked onto the front passenger side fender at about a 15 degree angle!
Dustin B.
I think all of my most hated have been covered:
-Overly huge and heavy bling-bling wheels
-spinners (including spinner hub-caps from Walmart)
-ridiculous spoilers
-cheezy stick-on exterior accessories
-Fart can exhausts
-Giant tachometers in ricer cars, implying they are fast...when actually it implies/confirms they are idiots.
-mis-matched body panels(carbon fiber or primer color) on anything but a race/track car.
-cut springs for "bottomed out" lowering effect on ricer cars.
-Wide-body kits
-racing seats in ricer cars
I'll end there, as my blood pressure is now through the roof just thinking about the morons that have these things. They are the secret laughing stock of society and contrary to their beliefs, when people are looking/staring at their cars, it's NOT because it looks cool.
Chris
plastic spinners.....enough said
rageous
A $200 car with $5000 worth of stereo and TV equipment inside. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the playstation.
CAFE
Anything neon on a car is terrible. The second worst thing is M3 vents in the front fenders.
Mikeo
I have a photo of horns on a 90's Toyota Celica.
jason
How about the new one -- the fake M3 shift paddles posted on this site earlier?? I will laugh in the face of anyone who puts these on their car.
Post new comment