8 Ways to Make Your Beater Look Bad

Is your car a “beater”—a car that you’re happy to beat up instead of risking it with a nicer automobile? If so, then read on.

For many beater-drivers, the rough, broken-in quality of your car is a source of pride—and even liberation. While others worry about encountering the slightest ding in a parking lot, you can drive and park without fear. Moreover, your beater-mobile can serve as a blank canvas—allowing you to express your automotive creativity in many different easy and inexpensive ways. Here are a few ideas to love your beater even more.

Sticker-Bomb!

One way to embellish your ride—especially a JDM or Euro car—is with sticker graffiti. Sticker Bombs are available as vinyl wraps or individual decals. With a wrap, you can quickly transform your entire bumper, hood, or tail. It’s also a great way to disguise scrapes, dents, and imperfections in your exterior.

Flat Black from a Rattle-Can

Nothing says badass performance like a flat-black hood—even when your beater spends most of its time in the granny lane. Performance-oriented cars often sport a matte-black exterior. So give the appearance of power via a “ready to spray” black rattle-can—or choose any color you like and spray away.

Engine Emblems and Hood Scoops

Even if your ride has a 1.3-liter wheeze-bang four, a high-performance engine badge on the front fender can make you feel like you added 20 ponies. Or double the “virtual” horsepower with a turbo badge on the trunk lid. Bolt or stick-on hood scoops reinforce the idea—even if not the reality—that there is something remarkable under that hood.

Plasti-Dipped Wheels and Chrome

Painting your car’s wheels and chrome with Plasti Dip is one of the original low-fi ways of making your ride look like it’s is all business. Plasti Dip is a durable synthetic flexible rubber coating that’s easy to apply. It air-dries to a durable finish that is resistant to chipping and won’t become brittle in extreme temperatures. One beautiful thing about Plasti Dip is that, despite its toughness, it’s easy to remove if you change your mind.

Modernize Your Tape Deck

eBay Music is a wonderful source of inexpensive audio tapes, but perhaps you don’t want to fill your interior with cassettes. It’s easier and cheaper than you might think to modernize your audio system with a tape-deck-to-smartphone adapter. In one easy step—and for around $10—you can stream your favorite playlists from your mobile device. It’s the best of all worlds.

Performance Hubcaps

Nothing communicates vehicular attitude more than a set of performance wheels. But a set of pricey rims for a beater—let’s face it—might not make sense. The solution is performance-wheel covers. Unless your car is stationary and the onlooker pays special attention, a set of carefully selected covers can make it look like your car is decked out with expensive steelies.

Mexican Car Blankets

Perhaps your car’s interior has seen better days. Maybe the upholstery is ripped and is losing its padding. The no-brainer Bohemian solution is to cover a sagging seat with a beautiful Mexican car blanket—and throw a pillow in there for extra comfort.

Halo Headlights and Rear Spoiler

Here are two more ideas to finish off your beautified beater—to impress others while coming and going. A set of halo headlights will let drivers in front of you catch an early glimpse of what’s approaching in their rearview mirror.  A set of plug-and-play angel eyes can be installed in a matter of minutes on just about any model. And when you pass them up—if you indeed you can catch up to them—impress them with a rear spoiler. They are also easy to install and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A rear wing, which improves handling, obviously doesn’t add any more oomph. Who cares? It gives the impression that your beater is capable of leaving other motorists in your dust.