How Long Does It Take to Fit a Body Kit?

If you’re itching to slap a new body kit onto your ride, you’re probably staring at the boxes and wondering, “How long is this actually going to take?” That answer is never one-size-fits-all. It depends on your skill level, the type of kit, the car you drive, and even your tools.

Let’s be real—fitting a body kit isn’t a quick afternoon job (unless it’s a simple lip kit and you’ve done it before). For full body kits with bumpers, side skirts, and spoilers, it’s nowhere near plug-and-play. Sometimes, there’s test fitting, trimming, drilling, and maybe even some unexpected drama with old bolts or stubborn panels.

Knowing what to expect can save you a massive headache. If you’re hoping to leave the shop in a couple of hours or be street-ready by sundown, you could be in for a surprise. But don’t worry—stick around and I’ll break down what really goes into the timing, so you can plan your project with way less stress.

• What Affects Body Kit Installation Time?
• DIY vs. Professional Install: Comparing the Hours
• Breakdown by Type of Body Kit
• Tips to Avoid Time-Suck Mistakes

What Affects Body Kit Installation Time?

So, you want to know what can speed up or slow down the body kit installation? There’s no magic number, and here’s why: a lot of details play into how long you’ll have your car on jack stands.

The most obvious factor is the type of car body kits you’re dealing with. Some kits, like simple front and rear lip add-ons, might only take an hour or two. But, if you’re going all in with full bumper replacements, side skirts, and custom fenders, you’re looking at a much bigger time chunk—sometimes a couple of days if things get tricky.

Here’s what will impact your installation time the most:

• Kit Material: Urethane, fiberglass, and ABS plastic kits all fit and handle differently. Fiberglass needs more finessing and possible sanding to line up, while ABS kits tend to fit better out of the box.
• Fitment Quality: Some kits come spot-on, but cheaper off-brand kits can be way off. Expect more hours spent grinding, drilling, or modifying if fitment is poor.
• Experience Level: First-timers stop to check videos and instructions, while someone with more installs can move faster. Don’t rush if you’re not used to handling tools—you’ll thank yourself later.
• Tool Setup: Having the right socket set, drill, panel removal tools, and even body filler on hand matters. Missing tools equals more runs to the hardware store.
• Car Condition: Old bolts rusted solid or warped stock panels? That will easily double your time. Newer cars or well-maintained ones usually come apart faster.
• Painting and Prep: If you need to paint the body kit before installing, tack on drying time—sometimes a full day between primer, paint, and clear coat.

To put all this in perspective, check out the average install times some folks report based on kit type and experience:

Keep in mind—these are averages. Stuff always comes up, especially with old fasteners or unexpected fitment issues. But knowing what to expect helps you budget both your time and your patience before you dive in.

DIY vs. Professional Install: Comparing the Hours

Here’s where expectations often hit reality. Tackling a body kit install yourself can be fun, but it’s going to eat up way more of your weekend than if you paid a pro. A basic install—think bolt-on lip or side skirts—can take anywhere from 3 to 6 hours if you’re comfortable with tools. But for a full kit that needs some finesse, you’re probably looking at 10 to 20 hours, especially if it’s your first rodeo or if the kit needs modifying to actually fit your car (and trust me, most kits don’t just snap right on).

If you go to a shop with experience in car body kits, a full install is usually wrapped up in 6 to 12 hours. Pros have the right tools, more hands, and they know the sneaky tricks that shave off time—like fitting a bumper on the first try instead of spending an hour just lining up holes. Plus, pros can handle any painting, which adds extra time if you’re DIYing.

• DIY install time: 3-6 hours (simple kit), 10-20+ hours (full kit with mods)
• Professional install time: 6-12 hours (full kit, including prep and fitment)
• Painting and drying add hours—sometimes up to 2 days for everything to cure properly

One shop in Texas said their average installation time for a widebody kit (including test fits and painting) was 16 hours. On car forums, do-it-yourselfers often report spending weekends or even several days for first-time installs, because of unexpected hiccups with fitment or missing hardware. Here’s a quick comparison:

The biggest time-killer for DIY? Trial-and-error. Drilling, sanding, and just dealing with headaches you never see in shop highlight reels. If you want that fresh car body kit look faster and less stressful, sometimes letting the pros handle it really is worth the cash.

Breakdown by Type of Body Kit

Installation times aren’t the same for every body kit. Different setups mean different jobs. Here’s how it really shakes out depending on the type you’re picking—and trust me, the difference can be a matter of a few hours or a whole weekend lost in the garage.

Lip Kits and Spoilers
These are the easiest and quickest options. You’re usually looking at 1 to 3 hours if you’ve got the tools handy. Most lip kits bolt or tape right onto existing bumpers with minimal fuss. Spoilers can be simple too, but sometimes you’ll need to drill if your trunk wasn’t built for one. Either way, if you’re a regular wrench-turner, you could do this on a Saturday morning before breakfast.

Full Bumper Replacements
Switching out an entire front or rear bumper kicks things up a notch. Now we’re talking about removing stock parts, possibly undoing sensors, and making sure your new bumper lines up with your car’s original bodylines. That’s a solid 3 to 6 hours, and if you’ve never done one, it could take longer. Budget time for test fitting, since most aftermarket bumpers aren’t perfect straight out of the box.

Widebody Kits
Widebody kits are where the real commitment begins. These usually include fender flares, new bumpers, side skirts, and sometimes cutting into the original panel. That’s not for the faint of heart. Shops that do this every day say the whole process can take 16 to 40 hours—so think two to five days of solid work if you’re not rushing. If you’re doing it at home and want it perfect, it might take even longer, especially if painting and blending are required.

Aero and Track Kits
Serious about track use? Aero kits with splitters, diffusers, canards, and wings add even more steps. You’ll have to do dry fits, adjust brackets, and maybe reinforce mounting points. Depending on complexity, plan for 8 to 20 hours, more if modifications are needed to your chassis.

Here’s a quick look at estimated times for popular kit types:

Every car body kit brings something unique to the table, and installation times jump a lot depending on what you pick. Even on the same car, a simple lip kit is light years from a full widebody install in terms of hours and effort. Before you open that box, figure out where your choice falls on the scale so you won’t get caught halfway through with a half-off bumper or unfinished fender flares.

Tips to Avoid Time-Suck Mistakes

Fitting a body kit sounds straightforward until you run into those classic “why won’t this fit?” moments. You can dodge a ton of frustration—and wasted hours—by getting a few things right from the start. Here’s what actually helps smooth out the installation.

• Test-Fit Every Panel before you drill, cut, or paint. Don’t trust that every piece will line up perfectly out of the box, even from top brands. Bolt up panels loosely first so you know what needs tweaking. This step alone can save you hours fixing surprise gaps or misaligned bumpers later.
• Sort Your Tools and Hardware before even touching your car. Lining up all the bolts, screws, drill bits, and even basics like masking tape stops that “where’s that socket?” vibe, which turns a 6-hour job into a weekend ordeal.
• Watch for Fitment Issues with older cars. Factory panels might be warped or rusted, and aftermarket car body kits aren’t always precision-molded. If you spot a spot that needs grinding or shaving, mark it and handle all the mods before painting anything. Nobody wants to repaint after a miss-cut.
• Use the Right Adhesives and Fasteners. Double-sided tape can be fine for subtle lips, but anything heavy like wide fenders needs bolts or even rivets. Skimping here leads to broken panels or (worst case) expensive repairs later down the road.
• Buy Extra Clips and Fasteners. Seriously, these little things vanish on you, especially if your car is more than 10 years old. Have spares on hand unless you like last-minute trips to the parts store.

A lot of people rush this job and regret it. According to a survey from a popular auto modding forum in 2023, nearly 60% of DIYers admitted the last-minute hardware run or missing drill bit was their main cause for delays.

Double-check your instructions, take it slow on your first go, and don’t be afraid to phone a friend if something feels off. Most delays happen because of skipped prep—doing it right the first time beats fixing it later, every single time.