While a car is technically just an engine and four wheels, what it can mean to people is a very broad topic. From freedom, speed, an outlet for creativity to just a cool toy, a car tends to be more than meets the eye.

But some people’s car choices go beyond personal preference and into stranger, more cursed territory. So these people have documented and shared the weirdest, most unhinged, and bizarre cars and car mods they have encountered in the wild. So get comfortable, put it in neutral as you scroll through, and be sure to upvote your favorite pictures and comment your thoughts below. 

#1 Must Be A Dentist's Car

Image credits: ThaRoma

#2 When You Want To Give Your Car Some Class And You're A Plumber

Image credits: reddit.com

Most of us will limit the changes and modifications to our cars to perhaps an air freshener and perhaps a new coat of paint in time. Like an iPhone or some shoes, a car is a status symbol and also a means to an end. The generally high cost will often be enough to dissuade us from dumping more money into a car than we absolutely need to.

But as with so many other things, fandoms and interest groups form around any topic and cars are no exception. While some form exists in nearly every country, Japan is often touted as the place for a wide-ranging and innovative car culture, for better or worse. Unlike, say, the United States, Japan has an extensive network of trains and other mass transit, so owning a car isn’t a necessity. 

#3 I Found This In The Wild Today

Image credits: thesmallshadows

#4 This Car Using Cable Ties As A Suture For A Torn Bumper

Image credits: toddblevins

#5 Long Time Lurker. When I Saw This, I Just Had To Share

Image credits: dreaming-md

So someone taking their time to purchase a dream vehicle might see it as a way to express their own interests and style, not just a means of transportation. The massive aftermarket for parts and designs in Japan has spread all over the world, so enthusiasts can change and transform every part of their vehicle. And like anything else, people can and will make questionable design choices. 

#6 Tesla Model 3 With 10-Foot Wagon Wheels

Image credits: WhistlinDiesel

#7 This Bosozoku Exhaust

Image credits: ReturnOneWayTicket

#8 This Beetle Got Catfished

Image credits: blodisnut

In a ceaseless competition to stand out and be unique, some of their car owners might make tuning decisions that appear absurd to 99% of the population. On the one hand, we can laugh, but on the other, we see a person who has made their personality and stylistic choices real and tangible and is happy to display them publicly. 

#9 Hundreds Of Pounds Of Steel, And It Doesn't Even Spin

Image credits: PatPetPitPotPut

#10 My Girlfriend Found This Wrapped Car

Image credits: dinisaurus_rex

#11 Someone Turned Their Car Into A Truck

Image credits: TheFlamingTurtle123

In the 21st century, having a “weird” car is easier than ever. There is a huge market of used vehicles so you can still have a car that’s “presentable” while at the same time owning, for example, a suede-covered monstrosity. Indeed, access to a host of old, relatively unwanted cars might be the perfect scenario for any true gearhead with a plan. 

#12 Punctured Car

Image credits: Isku_StillWinning

#13 The Interior Of This BMW

Image credits: Deeds013

#14 If You Thought The Outside Was Bad, Look On The Inside

Image credits: FatFreddysCoat

Given that some people already modify their cars to be a sort of domicile, it’s not surprising that nearly every sort of modification one can imagine probably already exists in one form or another. Some enthusiasts might even treat the car as a sort of art project, never intending to seriously drive it around, except to get it from the seller or dealership to a garage. 

#15 My Uncle Found This "Beauty" At His Local Walmart

Image credits: varoz89

#16 Headlights Before Electricity Was Discovered

Image credits: jornadaa

#17 I Saw This Monstrosity In A Hospital Car Park In The UK

Image credits: Gj404

At some point, it’s easier to understand these images if you treat the car as an art project, not just a vehicle. While a car might be a strange sort of canvas, it’s unique dimensions are perhaps a better inspiration then something more neutral, like a slab of marble or a blank piece of paper. 

#18 This Car Covered In Nickels

Image credits: pacexmaker

#19 Today On The Highway, I Saw This Car Covered In Toy Cars

Image credits: Exa_N0ri

#20 Very Comfortable Leather Seats

Image credits: ServerZero

While most of these “upgrades'' are purely for aesthetics, it’s surprisingly common for there to be smaller improvements made to interiors, often for comfort. Better seats are a solid place to start, as spending hours in old, worn-out chairs isn’t just uncomfortable, but downright bad for one’s back. Adding in some leather trim is just another way to communicate that little bit of luxury. 

#21 Good Luck Cleaning Those

Image credits: Azerate333

#22 This Bull Truck I Saw In Houston. Yes, That Is Fuzzy Leather

Image credits: Sweet_Baby_Cheesus

#23 Someone Really Tried To Paint This Car's Leather Door

Image credits: ZBoyz2

And it’s hard to imagine any serious road trip without cup holders for some sugary drinks and some method to get music playing in the car. While it can be a bit distracting to navigate while a song plays, spending multiple hours in silence, with the everpresent hum of the engine in the background seems like a guaranteed way to make someone go mad. 

#24 Sometimes, You Need A Truck But Don't Have One

Image credits: BleakDolphin

#25 My Cousin's Samurai Sword Shift Knob

Image credits: MarkHAZE86

#26 My Friend Told Me He Fixed The Seats In His Truck And Sent Me This

Image credits: Timahawk627

In countries like the US, it does make some sense to invest more into one’s motor vehicle. We can debate the pros and cons of car-centered infrastructure all day, but the reality is that most people simply need a car to get around, so doing what one can to improve its level of comfort is a major quality of life upgrade. 

#27 A Beautiful Car With A Beautiful Wrap

Image credits: maks2401

#28 A Couch And A Car Mated And Produced This

Image credits: cumilitia

#29 Seen In Downtown Nashville

Image credits: Mantiseyeballs

And if that extends to the exterior of the car, so be it. Perhaps it’s a way to reclaim those hours of the day stuck in traffic. You are no longer in some metal box getting you from home to work, you are in a machine of your own making. Plus other computers get something interesting to look at. If you feel like exploring more weird cars, look no further, check out Bored Panda’s other article on this topic. 

#30 Whose Jester RR Is This?

Image credits: gunnergio14

#31 When You Try To Get Butt Implants For Your Car, But The Doctor Is Not A Qualified Surgeon

#32 I Had To Borrow My Daughter's Car Today. I'm A Chief Petty Officer In The United States Navy, Turn 50 Later This Year

Image credits: NorCalNavyMike

#33 This Spray Foam Poodle Car

Image credits: Mega_muffin

#34 Liam Nissan

Image credits: thecrunchcrew

#35 My Friend's Car

Image credits: blankfacetotherescue

#36 Typical Day At The Shop Until I Came Across This Car

Image credits: Gimpyy

#37 Formula None Racing

Image credits: louiefriesen

#38 This Car Has A Barbie Doll In A Cage

Image credits: hun_nemethpeter

#39 I Guess They'd Rather Mop Those Tiles Than Vacuum Their Mats

Image credits: Flablessguy

#40 This Rust Wrap On The AMG

Image credits: HelloYesThisIsDuck

#41 I Am So Confused By This Car Owner's Choice Of Tail Light Mods

Image credits: farfromhome9

#42 Wedding Car-Riage

Image credits: Fun6754

#43 My Friend Has Plants In His Car. Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should

Image credits: Vkor38

#44 Did Someone Cut Up Kid's Pool For Fender Flares?

Image credits: marsmedia

#45 My Neighbor Has Just Covered His Car With Actual Blue Jeans

Image credits: Huvaz

#46 How Not To Sell Your Car

Image credits: redloxchox

#47 A Friend Of Mine Added This To His Car

Image credits: maggipedia

#48 Pretty In Pink

Image credits: puhjewxtra

#49 Hippo Car's Rear End. In Case You Were Wondering

Image credits: NotoriousPYG

#50 I Heard We're Doing Rustic Bumpers

Image credits: frostbike

#51 Just Why?

Image credits: kidvange

#52 I Gave My Son Our Extra Car, And 2 Days Later, I Come Home To This

Image credits: theshtickler

#53 I Can't Tell If I Like It, Or Absolutely Hate It

Image credits: xjustinkase

#54 These Weird Things

Image credits: GriefXietyy

#55 If Your Car Doesn't Look Like This, Don't Call Yourself A Furry

Image credits: _llamacus

#56 I Saw This Car Filling Up At A Gas Station In Illinois And Did A Double Take. The Top Tires Spin Too

Image credits: javems

#57 No, It's Not Too Much Chrome And Definitely Not Blinding

Image credits: SST87

#58 High Heel-Shaped Car

Image credits: Chanderson24

#59 This Car's Trunk Is Literally A Trunk

Image credits: Nihilistic_dawn

#60 This Shrek Car

Image credits: Bubbly_Hat

#61 I've Just Finished My First Wrap Job. Only One Bubble. What Do You Think?

Image credits: Jacob Morris

#62 Carception

Image credits: Mrg220t

#63 The Owner Of This Car Lives Somewhere Nearby. I See It Often In The Grocery Store Parking Lot

Image credits: FrancescaMcG

#64 Car Parked Two Houses Next To My Girlfriend's House

Image credits: gijsvandermeer

#65 This Pirate Car

Image credits: pling_boy

#66 I Was Told To Post My Car's New Headliner Here

Image credits: That_one_guy55

#67 These Car Mats

Image credits: Bierrr

#68 Brick Volvo

Image credits: Scaulbylausis

#69 How Do You Even Wash A Car That's "Decorated" Like This?

Image credits: _guenhwyvar_

#70 Custom Car Paint Job

Image credits: DonnieBear9

#71 My Husband Is A Mailman And Just Sent Me This Photo From A Local Car Park In England

Image credits: RedBanana99

#72 Florida Car With A Plywood Hood And A Screwdriver Ornament

Image credits: blue_eyeswhitedragon

#73 Sure, Why Not Make A Nautically-Themed Wooden Interior For A Z3

Image credits: narwhal_breeder

#74 Fake It Til You Make It

Image credits: totalinfonet

#75 Saw This Car Absolutely Covered In Baby Dolls Today. Truly Haunting

Image credits: sraemsemaj_

#76 This Was In The Back Of An Exotic Car Dealer

Image credits: Apprehensive_Donut49

#77 This Car

Image credits: SubtleOrange

#78 I "Fixed" My Car Door Today

Image credits: kill3rkirk

#79 My Niece Just Got Her First Car And Was Excited To Decorate The Interior. My Niece Is Mimi Bobeck

Image credits: loki2002

#80 Owl Car In Arizona

Image credits: itsallarizona82