I wish ED used the customisation system APB has. It's actually just prefabs and basic shape manipulation but the end results can be amazing. Plus, it's stored as simple data points (position, size, orientation, colour) so it is fast to transmit personal designs over the network (which might be a touch slow in APB sometimes but that's because it supports up to 100 players per instance).
This is an old thread with some customised vehicles showcased:
A spot for all vehicle related creations. Please try to keep any posted vehicles in accordance with the forum rules (specifically, censor any adult content before posting if possible).
forums.gamersfirst.com
It's actually probably not even the best example, just a quick Google search.
One of the posts shows the editor in use.
Source: https://youtu.be/K-9bpP0Nx3Y
I loved creating my own designs using the editor. It's simple to learn but the depth of skill it allows to create mind blowing custom paint jobs is unlimited.
If ED had this...
The only downsides to the system are the few who abuse it (creating abusive or politically incorrect visuals) and, to a degree, that needs to be policed. But I guess we already have that with naming ships or fleet carriers.