Sick of your ride looking way too much like the boring daily drivers all around you? Let me tell you the secret to helping your car into a new body. Body kits are the fastest, simplest, and least expensive way to separate yourself from the crowd. When done right a tasteful set up can really set you apart from Johnny down the street. The right body kit and a good paint job can turn your ho-hum ride into a one-of-a-kind rolling eyeball (and chick) magnet. Search around and you can find some kits designed to lighten your car and improve its aerodynamics, leading to lower ETs and lap times. Don't be fooled: body kits are 99% eyecandy.

Most aftermarket body kits come in four parts--front bumper, rear bumper, and a side skirt for each side--and range in style from mild to extra wild, mayo on the side. Some high-end "wide body" kits will add parts like door caps and fender flares. Most kits are made of either fiberglass or polyurethane. What's the difference? Well I'm glad you asked, but just keep reading and the I'll fill you in. Fiberglass is lighter, easier to work on yourself, and is easier to mold than polyurethane, so it's a good choice if you're looking to lighten your car or if you're looking for a wild mod. Polyurethane, on the other hand, is more flexible, so it will stand up better over time, and paint tends to look nicer on urethane. ViS Racing makes kits from "poly-fiber" which they say combines the benefits of both. Their web site shows some impressive video backing up these claims.

Because they are designed to make your ride unique, there are literally thousands of kits available from dozens of manufacturers, and choosing from them all can be like trying to pick your favorite movie. As you check out the web, you'll see a huge selection of kits for every taste and budget. As you browse, remember this tip: don't be afraid to look at body kits for different cars. Many manufacturers make the same kit for several different cars, but publish only one photo to represent them all. So if you drive a Lancer and find your ultimate kit on a Honda Civic, don't freak out - chances are that kit is available for your car.

If you have no idea what type of kit you want, start off by looking at some major manufacturer's websites. Try WingsWest and Erebuni.. The most important part is getting a picture of the kit already on a car. To do this, do searches at Google. For example, try "Civic Avenger Kit Pictures" Almost every time you will find detailed pictures of someone's personal car on their web page. Now you will know how it will look.

Here's another tip: Most pieces can be purchased separately so you can design your own unique look. As long as the pieces are all from the same manufacturer, the price of a complete body kit won't change. Once you start mixing and matching , variances in materials used and manufacturer pricing for single pieces will affect the end price.

I recommend you get your body kit installed by a professional body shop so that all alignment and painting is done correctly. Be sure to have your body shop dry-fit your kit before they drill, cut, or paint. Once they've been modified in any way, you'll be up a creek if there is a problem with fitment. Which brings us to our last tip o' the day: most body kits ship in boxes bigger than coffins, so have your kit shipped directly to your body shop in order to minimize hassles.

THE POINT: Body kits are a great way to earn style points whether on the street or at a show.

Mr. X — Bigger, Better, Faster