Welcome to my guide. I am not a retailer or manufacturer, just an enthusiast that wants to share from my experience. Enjoy

Congrats you just purchased that new vehicle that is finally in your price range through Ebay. Maybe it's just time to freshen up the old steed for you or your teenager. Three things that really show age on used car are wheels (Rims), lights, and trim. I can hear the readers already, what about paint? Nope sorry I have seen new cars on the lot with early stages of paint degradation. The facts about paint and finish are to complex  (Lengthy) to tackle in this guide but if I get positive feedback I will adress that next.

I promise if you replace yellowed headlights, re-finnish the aluminum wheels (or replace hubcaps) and replace the weatherd or missing trim you will fall in love with you car all over again. If  I have to mention a wash and a wax do wonders for tired paint...... Please close this guide and move on since you are not concerned with your autos appearance in the first place. Ok enough of my banter lets get down to buisness.

Wheels: The huge demand  for aftermarket wheels has priced them into the hands of everyone who desires them. That is a good thing, but lets explore the disparity between the high and low end of the price spectrum. For the high end look past brands and look at construction. Through what process are the wheels made:  forged, cast, single or multi piece construction? You should expect precision uniformity and balance, corrosion resistance and durability. If your wheels are to exist in a harsh environment then PLEASE spend them money for a quality wheel. For the low end of the wheel offerings look for a reputable seller; then hopefully th likelihood that you will recieve a  defectiveproduct is less likely. Inspect the wheels as soon as you get them, the more time has past since the purchase the lest likely that a seller will feel complaints are warranted. If the seller does not give refunds walk away. Expect to pay restocking fees associated with a return but you need to be an informed consumer and know what fits your vehicle. The safety margins, and durability issues that are compromised by  inexpensive replicas will cost the same as a quality wheel over a relatively short time. Modern suspension systems are designed with the factory wheels and tires to prevent irregular weight transfer, suspension geometry changes and bearing wear. Automobiles with poor fitting wheels will sustain expensive driveline damage that may not be covered under the manufactures warranty. 

Typical symtoms of poorly constructed or defective wheels; assuming you have good alignment and a balanced wheel/tire would b: Vibration or shimmy at various speeds: The need to use wheel spacers for proper fitment: Broken wheel studs due to lateral movement of  the wheel at speed: Inability of good tire to hold air pressure: Deformation of outer rim of wheel during excessive speed or offroading.

Alternatives to buying aftermarket wheels. Refurbish your current wheels locally or send them off to a wheel refurbishment company. Many of these services are offered on Ebay and many will exchange your current wheels for new ones so the process is quick. Find wheels from an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) that fit your vehicle. An example would be: The model SUV above yours has a larger chrome option not available for you model. In most instances if its a dealer option it will fit you vehicle with minimal modifications like new tires. What makes this a great alternative is OEM wheels can be found for great prices and the are made to the exacting standards of the auto manufacturer so they will more then likely last as long as the vehicle if not longer.

Lights: There are so many reasons that people choose to replace the lighting on their car that the aftermarket has stepped up to meet the demand. What do I want you to know abought lights? Well a couple of things. First I dont like paying dealer prices for replacement parts but there are certain DOT ( Department Of Transportation ) criteria that any lighting on a vehicle driven on public roads must comply with. Please see your state DOT guidelines for this info but what I want you to understand is DOT makes lights more expensive but for safety's sake it is necessary. Look for products that meet or exceed the DOT and OEM requirements. Hint, Joe's lights are better then stock 50% more light yada yada. Search for the product elsewhere; if these things are so great how come they are only sold in Atlantis? Most inexpensive lighting that is imported is not made to standard, actually well below. I would not trade of a short or engine fire due to wiring designed for alarm clocks handling my (HID) High Intensity Dischargefog lights. On that note if you are updating a late model car with current lighting: LED (Light Emitting Diode)  HID please inquire into the electrical load that will put on your outdated system. Also factor in replacemet parts like bulbs that might be very expensive to replace down the road.  Like before trusted brands and OEM replacements will ensure your safety and the longevity of the lighting system.  

Signs of poor quality lights: Uneven color of light pairs: Flimsy exceptionally light plastics compared to OEM equipment: Positive and Negative wiring not consistent with entire kit or light assembly: Thin or non-existent seals, (ever seen a fishbowl in a vehicles rear or front lights?) Most lights coming to the consumer straight from overseas are not up to OEM standard.

TRIM : That 10 year old caddy is looking pretty good now. The wax really brought out the paint the refurbished wheels shine better then new and the OEM replacement head and taillights have the road and driveway well illuminated. What is missing? The Deville is only a devil now and that ash grey sidesil was supposed to be black. The points made earlier in this guide still ring true. Trim peices don't have much to do besides hang off the vehicle but...... the infamous BUT the motorist next to you or behind you might appreciate them staying on your vehicle. If you have ever had to dodge a peice of tire from a semi you knw what I mean. Also quality should be very important since poorly crafted trim pieces will fail or discolor twice as fast as the OEM part so after buying a second set of trim pieces and installing them you could have bough good pieces in the first place. Look for a known manufacturer a good feedback record and a customer service initiative. Ask questions before you bid, if they dont have time to answer a potential sale then they really wont have time for you once they have your money. Be wary of products coming to you from directly overseas I have had terrible experience with these products. If  GM wants $180 for a trim and badge kit but there is a buy it now for $19.99 please scrutinize the seller or you might just get emblems for a 1:18 scale model.   

True story; I have a 11 year old imported luxury car that I bought for cash when I moved here from Japan. When I decided to freshen the appearance up I had the car repainted the glass and lights replaced and added  a set of aftermarket wheels that were 3 diameters up from the OEM spec. I went through 3 sets of recycled headlight assemblies at $300 a set. On the last set (and the end of my nerve) I found one that had good seals and was not as weathered as my originals. I purchased two new sets of wheels since during an autocross event my car cracked one rim and striped a lug off of another. The next set did not clear my brakes even though I specifically addressed this issue with the seller. I also want to pont out that the substandard wheels constantly vibrating and caused extensive wear to my wheel bearings. To finnish it off after a very expensive paint job that took two months. I put shoddy emblems on my car just to have the crest discolor after the first wash. I cant tell you how embarrassing it is to have people admire your premium automobile just to have them poit out your new fog light is flooded or the turbo emblem is hanging off. Do yourself and your auto better,  purchase quality parts, the other road can be just as expensive and alot more frustrating

  If you stayed with me this far I thank you, really did not mean for it to be this long. The deals on great parts can be found right here with persistance patience and knowledge, hope this guide was helpful. If not then mabey a little entertaining or even reassuring since alot of us enthusiast have thrown money away on our passion.   

    God bless

Michael William