Every guy wants to drive a car that he can be proud of. Sometimes, your only option for getting around is a hand-me-down from your mom or girlfriend, and being seen in that ride can make you feel a bit self-conscious. If you’d like to give your vehicle a manly makeover, consider making the following changes to it.
1) Paint your car black
Were you unlucky enough to get stuck with driving your older sister’s bright turquoise two-seater? If so, a new paint job could really save you from being humiliated by your best buds. To give your ride some much needed testosterone, get it repainted in jet black. Black is widely considered to the manliest color because it’s classy and reminiscent of a man’s tuxedo.
2) Get rugged tires
A lot of guys don’t pay much attention to a car’s tires, but switching out the current ones for a set of Carlisle rubbers or other rugged sets might be able to up your status from girly-man to manly-man. You ought to do some research and seek out the most rugged and high-performance tires that will not only appear rugged, but that may also let you go out and do manly things like drive-off-road with no issues.
3) Increase the horsepower
Some men think that the only way to make a car manlier is to change its exterior look. Well, enhancing a ride’s guts to make it roar like a lion is another good way to make heads turn for the right reasons. Even if your car looks a bit meek, it’ll be able to run circles around the competition with some extra horses under the hood. Increasing horsepower can be done in a wide variety of ways. Nobody will say a word after you leave their all-talk-but-no-walk cars in the dust.
4) Tint the windows
There’s just something so cool about having tinted windows. Maybe it’s feeling like a secret agent as you roll around in an all-black sedan or realizing that you’re a rebel by doing something that’s illegal in some states to one degree or another. Whatever the case, tinted windows definitely add masculinity to a Plain Jane car.
5) Wood grain and leather
Sophistication can be another sign of manliness, and there’s nothing more sophisticated than a car wrapped in wood grain and leather. While it’s true that this look doesn’t compliment every car nicely, it does go very well with luxury sedans and exotic sports cars.
Driving a car that doesn’t suit your macho looks and personality can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. If you have the means, make some modifications to feel more confident behind the wheel of your own ride. The additions above can make a huge difference in the way your car is perceived, and up your man points.
About the Author
This article was co-written by Rhett Stone and Rianne Hunter. Rianne is a mother of three and avid auto, design, and technology blogger, and Rhett is a tire and automotive expert.
