While not everyone can afford to buy a custom-built car made to their needs and wishes, there are many aftermarket changes and adjustments you can make yourself or with a qualified mechanic to help you personalise your vehicle and help you get the most from it.
The average person drives over 13,500 miles per year, so make sure your vehicle is something you enjoy driving and can handle everything you throw at it, be it city driving, long-distance commute for work, off-road adventures or just picking the kids up and being a glorified taxi driver.
Check out these modifications you can make to your car to improve its performance and your enjoyment of driving it.
Tires
The tires your car comes with will be of standard composition suitable for road driving. And while there is nothing wrong with the tires that come with your vehicle, if you are doing anything other than driving from A to B, they might not be suitable, especially if you live in a climate where you experience extreme weather conditions.
Investing in performance tires means you will be able to feel the difference in the traction on the road and improve all aspects of your driving experience. You can choose winter or summer performance tires, focused tires for events like track days and Super Swamper Tires for off-roading adventures. The cost of changing up your tires will depend on the type of tires you choose and the car you drive, but they will be an investment you won’t regret when you hit the open road or non-road, as the case may be.
Wheels
For an instant facelift, swapping out your existing wheels for alloys can help you elevate your car’s aesthetic and handling, too.
Did you know the right wheel and tyre combo can improve your driving experience, cornering and accelerating abilities? Bearing in mind that your wheels and tires are your car’s only contact with the road, finding the right wheel and performance tire combo for your vehicle can help you get more from the car and take your driving up a notch.
ECU
All modern cars are controlled by an onboard computer. This computer is pre-programmed to set performance levels that are relevant to our engine’s output. These programmes are implemented to safeguard the engine and car against drivers who don’t properly care for the car. However, just because they are pre-programmed this way, it does not mean the ECU cannot be adjusted.
The ECU (engine control unit) can be roadmapped to give you access to the engine’s full potential and offer you benefits like greater torque and power. If you’re a car enthusiast, then you need to look at your car’s potential and get your ECU roadmapped. With gains of up to 30% for diesel engines and 20-25% for turbo petrol engines, you can experience everything your car has to offer as well as improve efficiency too.
Air Filters
As these improvements are based on improving performance, one easy and cheap way of doing this is simply to change the air filters. Standard air filters on cars tend to be paper as they are effective at blocking dirt from getting to the engine and are easily replaceable, usually not at each service.
However, they also hinder performance levels slightly, so upgrading your filters or more expensive varieties can be a good option for those who want to feel the power under their feet for as little outlay as possible. Other materials to consider for air filters include oiled foam and cotton, which don’t need replacing every year like paper ones but will need some maintenance to keep them clean and clear to get the best from them. Typically, they will last the lifespan of your car.
Lowered Suspension
If handling is something you want to focus on and want to improve how your car drives and grips the road, then you might want to opt for lowering springs. If you are concerned about body rolling when you turn corners, and you want to improve efficiency and tire wear and make your car altogether safer to drive, then lowering your springs by around 30% can give you just that.
The lower the springs are, the stiffer the springs are, which means that you get less body roll and compression during weight transfer. Combined with other performance items on the list, you can really see some beneficial changes from this modification.
Brake Pads
Much like air filters, brake pads are a relatively small outlay that can make a massive difference to your driving experience. You can feel the changes instantly upon swapping out brake pads; however, you need to do your research first, as there are a multitude of different compounds used to create brake pads and manufacturers to choose from, too.
What works best for you will depend on your personal preference, the model of your car, and what you use the vehicle for. For general road driving, you need your brake pads to be able to work from cold, and as standard, these will be ones used on all cars unless changed by the owners or the vehicle is made for other purposes. For example, in track cars, the brake pads need to be able to cope with increased demand and pressure and the vigorous and often sustained workouts track cars go through. This means they will be working at higher temperatures for longer, so the brake pad composition needs to account for this.
When it comes to your driving experience, there are always things you can do to improve how well your car performs and ensure it works for your needs. Everyone has different vehicle requirements; as such, knowing the right changes and decisions to make to get the most from your engine and your wheels will serve you well in the long run.
It’s always best to talk to and use a trained professional rather than make the adjustments yourself or desire that you are making changes properly without causing damage or voiding any insurance policies or warranties for your car. This will ensure a smooth, safe and improved drive for you at all times.
Photo by Garvin St. Villier on Pexels.com
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