No matter how great a car is, as enthusiasts we are always looking for a way to make our rides better and unique. After some thinking I came up with three classification of modifications one can perform on their cars.

The first classification are modifications we perform that may look good, but make the car worse (eg lowering your Mazda 3 without swapping out struts). The second classification, may look awful, but do offer some sort of sensible function (eg universal floor mats, mud flaps).

And then there is thethird classification of modifications that actually improves the esthetics and the function of the part it’s replacing. Kind of like the Holy Grail of mods. The kind of modification that no one can deny that not only does your car not only look better, it actually is better for it.

The one modification that I have performed on my own car that falls into the latter category was replacing the factory climate control knobs. It was a simple modification anyone can do without any tools in around 30 seconds and costs under $50. It was replacing the climate control dials / knobs with custom aluminum ones that look and feel like they belong on an Audi or BMW.

Not only did the interior of my car look instantly better, but the ergonomics of using the heater and fans improved. Adjusting the temperature, fan speed or the directional flow of the fans feels easier and more positive, requiring less effort.

You can view the before and after photographs below and learn more by clicking here.