3 Budget-Friendly Upgrades to Elevate Your Ride
Contrary to what most auto shops are pushing, and the ludicrous advice you’d find on car forums, performance upgrades don’t have to be exorbitantly overpriced. Every car and every engine has leeway to give a little more and make driving more pleasurable. Simple and inexpensive additions to your ride, such as an aftermarket exhaust, or dead cheap parts that improve how the car behaves are both easy to find and quick to install. Besides the low purchase price, these can be a DIY job all of us can do, so you’ll be saving on labour costs too.
Why Have an Aftermarket Exhaust?
Your stock exhaust might be enough to get decent performance from the car as is, but if you need and want more, then look for an aftermarket version. This is usually the first car part that sees a makeover and sets the stage for all upgrades down the road. What you get from a performance exhaust system is added power, better throttle response, a meaner exhaust sound, and parts that are meant to last.
Upgraded versions feature revised designs that improve airflow (and therefore engine efficiency), lower engine wear, more push and shove across a wider power band, and more fun when pressing the pedal. The sound can be tailored just the way you like, quieter when riding through suburbs, or ear-piercingly loud when you’re on the track. And the use of tougher materials means all parts will survive the rigours of harder driving, and won’t get damaged when hitting potholes, bumps or when inundated in water.
Different exhaust types promise different results. These come at varied price points to meet individual needs. Look for axle-back systems with new parts from the rear axle to the exhaust tips, and have changes to the mufflers and resonators to fine-tune the sound. These also feature wider tailpipes to get gases out faster and improved materials in the tips which also promise better looks.
Cat-back systems go one step further, with wider mid-section pipes, either in X or H layouts to speed up gases on their way out, and the extras already provided by the axle-back system. Here drivers get more power down to the wheels and an engine gulping in more air. The biggest power gains though are in full header or turbo-back exhausts, as these get rid of your old factory exhaust, and throw in new headers or downpipes, wider front pipes, and may include changes to the catalytic converter. Streetcars add power with a high-flow cat while still meeting emissions regulations, while cars used solely on the track are better off with cat-less pipes or straight tube mufflers for faster lap times.
Whichever performance system you choose, pair this with the capabilities of the engine, how and where you drive, and the power gains you want for the money. Drivers can get improved performance for a couple of hundred dollars in well-specced axle-back exhausts or can spend a little more for full exhausts that get the most out of the car.
Get an Aftermarket Intake
Improved gas flow from a performance exhaust system also means you’ll need a better air intake. This is what scoops air in the engine before it’s ignited with fuel. It also cleans the air of contaminants and road debris with appointed filters. Stock intakes often consist of subpar filters, shorter tubing exposed to engine heat and in compromised layouts (due to cost cuts and space in the engine bay), and narrower diameters that don’t provide the air the engine needs.
An aftermarket intake solves all issues with wider ducting, heat shields to reduce air temperatures (colder air is richer in oxygen), and reworked layouts pushing the parts to the front of the engine bay, and lower to ground. There’s also the use of better materials. Filters are more efficient as well as beefier and remove almost all contaminants. The result is cleaner and colder air in higher volumes and pushed into the cylinders at higher speeds.
And this is the prerequisite for improved combustion cycles and more power. Pair intakes with a matching exhaust, and see your car hum with joy. Cold air intakes are some of the cheaper upgrades you’ll find. But don’t let the low price fool you. Besides letting the engine breathe and producing higher torque and power numbers, you’ll also notice a deeper rumble from the engine bay.
Body Kits
Exhaust and intakes are all about raw power, but putting that power down to the wheels is done with a dedicated body kit. Drag and lift are the main killers for top speeds and handling ability. They slow the car down or throw you off guard in turns and corners, making acceleration and steering a chore.
Body kit parts improve aerodynamics or ‘ground effects’. The purpose is to redirect oncoming air over, under, and around the car to produce areas of slow-speed pressure above the car (or downforce), and high-speed and low pressure under the car from front splitters (or air dams), side skirts, rear diffusers, and spoilers. This puts more vertical pressure along the length of the vehicle and increases the grip from the tyres, in effect sticking the car to the road. Overall handling (less understeer and more stability) is also improved and only gets better as the car goes faster.
Parts can be purchased on their own, but work better as a complete kit. Pay attention to materials, and how the parts fit the rest of the car. Buyers get to choose from inexpensive fibreglass or ABS plastic parts that offer decent strength and flexibility, while race-ready carbon fibre kits have much higher strength, better looks, lower weight, and prices to match.