how do you guys figure out what mods will actually look good before buying?

Posted by BotherMedium9032@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 20 comments

Hey everyone,

I’m pretty new to the whole car modding scene and just picked up a Saab 900 that I really want to make my own.
The only problem is… I have no idea where to start

I’ve been looking at wraps, wheels, and stance setups, but it’s hard to imagine how everything will actually look together (especially since I’m not that technical and don’t really know what fits or looks right yet)

So I’m curious, how did you guys start visualizing your builds?
Do you just scroll Instagram and find cars similar to yours?
Or are there any tools, apps, or websites you use to test ideas before spending money?
Also, has anyone seen any AI or software that can realistically show mods on your own car?

Appreciate any advice, links, or even examples of your builds.

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Deadlight44@reddit

I used to use pinterest to get inspiration or Google images for somethings. Usually I have a pretty good picture in my head and have modded quite a few cars over the years. Wheels are the hardest to visualize to me and you can't always find a pic of your car with them, so far I guessed good lol. Maybe AI can help you? I do t use it but some rendering of new retro look cars I really enjoy. Love that you've got something unique, good luck!

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Sniper22106@reddit

Function over form.

If it dosnt add hp or makes things stop faster, dont care about it

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Ambivadox@reddit

Same here. If it doesn't make it better there's no point to it.

*and I've yet to see a "stanced" car drive worth a damn*

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ratrodder49@reddit

Crazily objective take. I personally think a wild custom paint job makes any car “better” - see “looks”. A kickin’ audio system makes any car “better” - see “sounds”. My Caddy will never be carving corners or taking down Challengers in the quarter mile, so it might as well ride nice and look sick.

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Ambivadox@reddit

Those do both make the car better.

Look at any "car show" these days. There are A LOT of cars and trucks out there that are basically useless.

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Sniper22106@reddit

Well, to be fair it is a 35ft long highway love boat.

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ratrodder49@reddit

Except, when the car wasn’t built to go fast or corner hard. Then it gets bags and custom paint.

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outline8668@reddit

I look at what others have done and decide if that fits my taste. Sometimes even that doesn't work because living with something is very different from yearning for something. My biggest problem is my tastes have changed with age and what was awesome at 20 sucks at 40.

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Radius8887@reddit

90% of what I do is based on what I have. New parts car comes in for me to strip, I see something I like, rob the parts, add it to mine. Sometimes, I see a neat rig in town and copy something they're doing. Sometimes, I'm just sitting there with a pile of scrap metal, a welder, and an end goal, and I just crack a beer and start welding till something takes shape. Rarely do I have some big grand picture of how whatever I'm working on is gonna turn out. Usually there's only a few things set in stone for me: what color I'm gonna paint it and what I'll use it for.

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hosalabad@reddit

Lockers before light bars.

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xheist@reddit

Google images is my go-to

https://www.google.com/search?q=saab+900+modified

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sl33ksnypr@reddit

Tbh, I probably spend 3-5x more time searching for parts/tutorials/inspiration than I do physically working on the car. It helps to have a more popular car to mod, but there's so much stuff on the internet to look at and compare. It also helps if you join some communities with the same car. Even 2 of my relatively "rare" cars still have decent communities where people share ideas and stuff. Just gotta find it.

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GoingCustom@reddit

I look at my vehicles a lot. Whether I’m in the shop working with the bay door open and can see them or just sitting out there on the stool with a beverage looking at it. There is definitely some influential projects on social media or in person that I get ideas from, but I don’t care about what’s popular versus what I want done to my vehicles. There’s definitely been some trial and error over the years, but it’s also why/how I learned how to weld/fabricate, do mechanical work, etc.

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8N-QTTRO@reddit

I pay attention to what I like on other cars I see, either online or out and about, and try to visualize what it would look like on mine. I tend to stay away from AI or generators, both out of a personal distaste for them, and for their lack of accuracy. They tend to make everything look better than it actually will, since they draw from professional photos and product photography that paints things in a much better light than real life.

Sometimes I mock things up in Photoshop/GIMP if it's pretty basic, like a vented fender or a set of wheels.

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boxbodymotorsports@reddit

Trial and Error and how you don't speed a lot doing so.

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CandidArmavillain@reddit

I just look at other builds whether the same car or not and think about how it would all look on mine. I usually buy a project car with something in mind already though which makes it easier

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Softpretzelsandrose@reddit

Make a picture folder of things you like. Then just collect pictures when you’re doom scrolling or taking a poop. Pretty quickly you’ll get an eye for what it is specifically you like on a car, and then roughly mix and matching ideas.

But the other fun part: a lot of the time you really don’t know how it’ll turn out. That’s what can make this such an art, even better when you do the work yourself. You have an idea, do your best to put it together, sometimes in a way never ever done before, and made something on of a kind afterwards. That alone is worth chasing

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