Popular TV shows like Pimp My Ride and Overhaulin’ have reaped popularity because of the shows’ overhauling and vehicle restoration professionals’ knack for transforming every aspect of their guests’ battered and dilapidated vehicles into customized rides, from wheels and engines down to their custom seat covers.

Yet most of the time, giving a car an overhaul is a serious issue, especially if the vehicle in question has a sentimental value to the owner. Replacing car seat covers and old truck floor mats that hold memories can be difficult for the car’s owner. But then, if the vehicle has to keep on rolling, better do the necessary changes and have its seats furnished with custom seat covers, its sound system upgraded, and its hydraulics oiled.

First things first: overhauling means checking the vehicle for necessary replacement or repairs, like damaged body work. Though major repairs almost always lead to the customization of the vehicle, overhauling is not customized modification in the strict sense of the word.

Most of the time, a major overhaul is done when a vehicle has serviced its owner for a long time yet has undergone insufficient maintenance checks over the years. Sometimes, simply checking the car daily for minor details like oil level, leaking tubes, and testing electrical systems like lights can lead to overhauling and some customizations.

It may also be needed if a person purchases a used vehicle. Most overhauls are done when a car owner spots the irregularities of his second-hand car’s performance at an early phase. When one buys a used car or truck, it is best that the purchase be made with an expert mechanic to guide the buyer on the things that might need some major overhauling, such as rusty carburetors, stained truck floor mats, and shredded seat covers.

Vehicles getting totaled in accidents are also subject to overhauls if the engines can be restored or are kept intact, but most of the time, serious body work is necessary.

So how does one start with the whole overhauling process? For starters, the vehicle in question must be subjected to a total check-up, to expose what problems it may have, such as faulty braking systems, coolant mechanisms, and rubber linings. Accessories like soiled and heavily damaged truck floor mats and cracked pedals can also be slated for overhauling.

When deciding to give an aspect of the vehicle an overhaul, whether it is the body or the engine, it is prudent that such matters be left to professionals --- unless, of course, one is an expert mechanic or a vehicle customization wizard. The TV shows mentioned earlier also give out names of companies and individuals that offer services, such as SUV seat cover customization, interior designing, and engine modifications. Car shows, rallies, and other auto events are also venues where you can get information on companies offering such services.

If one is adamant on overhauling a vehicle all by his lonesome, the best move he could do before he does anything on his auto is look for companies that offer replacement parts as well as customized accessories that would give his SUV or truck a custom vibe, like a personalized truck floor mat or car paint and such.