If you’re more than just a regular car owner who has little interest in improving the performance of their vehicle but is merely preoccupied with keeping it going, we understand your passion. To you, a vehicle is so much more than a means of getting from point A to point B. It’s also a very precise and original expression of you as a person.
Although every vehicle has its limitations when it comes to a possibility for improvement, true gearheads are constantly working on modifying their cars, expending on or removing certain elements of the factory models to make their cars faster and unique. Unfortunately, only a few can actually perform such modifications themselves. Most of us have to refer to experts in tuning, who have the right training and equipment. However, we should at least know what can be done to boost the performance of our car. That’s why we’ve prepared the following list of tips related to tuning.
General maintenance is a must
We have to start with the basics. There can be no upgrade if there is no basic maintenance and upkeep of a vehicle. Just like you can’t build a house on an unsolid foundation, you can’t pimp your car unless you keep it in great condition. So, make sure you regularly inspect oil and transmission fluids, temperatures, keep the bodywork as clean as possible and always use the right tyres for the season and conditions in which you’re driving.
Exterior features don’t necessarily boost performance
It would be unreasonable to think that exterior features will increase a vehicle’s power, though some of them may be able to help the car’s performance. That means that a gigantic wing on the trunk or a hood scoop won’t necessarily make the car go faster, though they could aid in downforce and air induction. Instead, focus on adding modifications that complement the original look, while improving functionality.
The chassis is extremely important
One of the most important elements of your car is definitely the chassis, which literally holds the entire vehicle together. On the other hand, if you want to build a high-powered car, you need to reinforce the stock chassis. Torque bars and sway bars will help reduce the amount of torsion caused by stressful acceleration since they are often bolted directly to a chassis, which allows the car to reduce movement in one of its most vital structural elements.
Don’t forget the brakes
The more powerful your car is, the more attention you need to pay to being able to stop it. If you’re pushing your car further than factory standards, you need to reconsider your brakes as well. Ventilated disc brakes cool off more easily under heavy braking, thus helping avoid disc damage such as warping. Some owners choose a “disc-disc” conversion, which replaces rear drums with disc brakes.
Powerful performance exhaust system
You should definitely consider replacing the original factory setup with powerful, high performance exhausts. Your car was designed for the original output of the engine and is perfectly adequate for that power level, but once you start tuning your car, it can become a limitation. A performance exhaust system focuses on two areas: sound and performance. The former is one of the biggest pull factors for some owners and each performance exhaust changes the sound of a car.
With the right combination of pipework and silencers, each manufacturer achieves their own trademark sound. That means you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Another area is performance, where a better flowing exhaust can help your car generate more BHP. By changing pipework diameter, exhaust layout and reducing obstruction in the exhaust, the manufacturers create elements that boost your car’s performance.
Fine-tune the suspension system
If you want your car to handle itself properly on any surface, you need a finely tuned and optimised suspension set up. Luckily, there is a range of supplemental suspension upgrades, which can give you that little extra bit of handling. Stiffer springs and stiffer shock absorbers will provide a lot of difference if installed.
Consider forced induction with supercharger
Arguably the biggest “cheat code” when it comes to car modification is the implementation of forced induction. If you add a turbocharger or supercharger kit to your car, you’ll notice how a docile ride turns into a real street sweeper. However, you need a professional to install this modification properly if you want to enjoy all the benefits.
Reprogramming the ECU
There are tuner cars that have the ability to be ported to a standalone unit that can rewrite the car’s internal computer to produce more power or torque. With most cars nowadays being largely computer-based, the easiest way to add more power is to have the onboard computer work differently. So, by reprogramming the ECU, you can get more power and torque virtually at the hit of a button.
As you can see, there are quite a few things you can do to boost the performance of your car, while at the same time making it truly unique. Your budget and the state of your car will play the most important role when it comes to tuning your car, but you need to know what your options are and how you can make the best of them.
