We gearheads do often love to spend our money customizing our car, investing in modifications that just make it a little bit more unique to us. However, which many of the most popular upgrades on the market do tend to focus almost exclusively on the aesthetic, here we are going to look at a few that can genuinely improve the performance of your vehicle. If you want to invest in improvements you can feel, here’s where you might want to start.
BOOST YOUR ENGINE
When it comes down to the most impactful upgrades you can make, few can argue against the improvements that a good supercharger or turbocharger can make. While some measures to improve the engine’s power, like nitrous oxide, which is illegal pretty much everything, superchargers and turbochargers that increase airflow into the engine are legal so long as your car otherwise meets its safety and emissions checks. The increased airflow to the engine increases combustion power, driving more power from the engine.
IMPROVE THAT HANDLING
As long as you’re sure you’re staying within your state’s rules for height adjustments, changing your car’s suspension system for an improved one can make a major improvement in how the drive feels. It’s important to know what kind of suspension system works best for you, be it for driving in the city, commuting through the country, or if you want to take it on the track on the weekend. Most suspension systems can be tuned to a great degree, as well. If you can’t afford to wholly switch out the old suspension system for a new one, you might be able to get it optimized with the help of a mechanic all the same.
A BETTER-BALANCED VEHICLE
There are two types of upgrades specifically designed to deal with the air pressure that causes resistance, especially when a vehicle acquires high speed. If you like to take your car onto the track, then a lip splitter or air dam might be able to help you get a little more out of your auto. Both devices work differently, but effectively their job is to allow air to pass through and around the front of the car, creating a more aerodynamic shape that, in turn, reduces drag and can thus improve MPG. Which one works best for your car is a matter worth researching, however.
WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
It might sound obvious, but if you haven’t bought good aftermarket tires for your car, then you might be surprised just how much they can impact your driving. Replacing old tires is not only the key to giving your car a longer life. Car tires are almost entirely responsible for any sense of traction the car gets and, as such, are directly responsible for transmitting horsepower and RPMs into the amount of road traveled for each revolution.
It’s important to do your research on both your chosen upgrades and how others have made it work for the model of car that you drive, too. Not everything is affected in the same way. Improvements are rarely universal.
Photo Credit: Nissan
