Choosing a body kit is probably the most fun part of the entire process, short of seeing the actual finished product. There are so many kits to choose from, and you can mix and match to your heart's content. What's the secret to choosing the right body kit?

First lets outline the components to a body kit since we all know that its not just the front and back bumper. So along with the front and back bumper there is also the side skirts, fender moldings mostly for wide body kits front and back lips (lips are bumper extensions they change the look of your bumper without changing the entire bumper. For a more detailed definition click here...

If you have no idea what type of kit you want, start off by looking at some major manufacturer's websites. The most important part is getting a picture of the kit already on a car. To do this, do searches at Google or other search engines for pictures. For example, try searching for "body kits on your car application". 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.

The next step is choosing what type of material you are going to want to have your kit made of. There are currently three materials to choose from in today’s market, and those are: Fiberglass, Polyurethane, and Carbon Fiber.
Fiberglass is normally the cheapest in price compared to the other two and for good reason. Fiberglass is a very rigid material when it has been cured and hardened, and for this reason it is a little harder to install and even on minor impacts it can crack or shatter.
Polyurethane is the same material that is used for stock bumpers. It is both durable and bendable, you could think of it as the Rubbermaid™ of the automotive industry.
Lastly there is the supreme material, the coveted Carbon Fiber. Carbon fiber composites have amazing structural properties. Carbon fiber composites are ten times stronger than steel, yet are still five times lighter. There is one downside to this material… the cost.
For street use, durability is the biggest concern. Weight is not an issue. Therefore, polyurethane and ABS plastic are good choices.

Deciding on a company to buy from: Get the hook up on a local manufacture of body kits. This is sometimes the hardest step of all, because you are going to want something that not only looks and works well on your car, but something that FITS your car. Remember - you get what you pay for!. There's the high quality made fiberglass resin and there's the cheap, brittle fiberglass.

If the fit of the body kit is less than perfect you are going to be paying much more in installation fees or in time if you are trying to do it yourself. There is going to be molding and a lot of hassle if the kit doesn't fit. For that reason I recommend spending a little bit more on the kit the first time and getting one that is going to work. When dealing with a name brand company you know your order is going to get to you as soon as possible. If you go with a less well known company you may end up waiting weeks or even months for a kit to get to you.

Installation:The best option for installing a body kit is to take it to an experienced body shop. Even though the kits are made specifically for each car, there is a lot of prep work that must be done before they can be installed. It is necessary to remove stock body parts, drill mounting holes in the kit, and paint the kit before it is installed. Unless you have the proper tools and facilities to do all of this, pay a body shop to do the work.

Decide how much you're willing to invest, find the right style, the right material , and the right installer, and you will end up with a great looking car!!!