Welcome to the beginning of summer. I hit a few speed bumps on the way in. It might have slowed me down but it cant stop me from bringing you this week’s dosage of Your Car Care REPs. Let’s talk Tuning!!! For those of you unfamiliar with this growing trend, Tuning is a hobby (turning fast into an industry) where one modifies (or Mods) his or her, yes I said her (there are thousands of female tuners out there) vehicle to improve the performance, styling and handling. Tuning ones vehicle usually requires you to upgrade stock components to high performance aftermarket parts. With the multitude of aftermarket brands and parts available, the outcome you want to achieve is almost limitless. Because Tuning takes place under the hood as well as on your cars exterior, let’s talk about these two subjects separately.
For those of you who want to do the proverbial REP-YOUR-HOOD (your car hood that is) there are a myriad of options out there for you to gain more torque and horse power without breaking the bank. One of the easiest ways to gain more power from your ride is to change the stock Air Intake. For those that are unfamiliar with the basic operation of an auto engine, combustion requires 3 main things: fuel, spark and air. And just as you would expect, the better fuel, better spark plugs and better air intake you have the better your ride will perform. Changing your Air Intake can net you 15-20% increased power. Another simple mod you can add on to your car for more pull is changing your stock exhaust. An aftermarket Exhaust System will allow your vehicle to release pressure built up in the exhaust manifold quicker, thus giving you more power. I’m sure you’ve all heard someone driving by with an exhaust that sounded like it was on a motorcycle. This is the sound of an aftermarket exhaust. What the average person doesn’t realize is that these exhausts sound loud because they are not meant to be driven at low speeds. I myself had a moded out Honda Prelude Si (miss you baby). Anyone who stepped into my ride for the first time would always ask “Why is your exhaust so loud?” I would answer “Oh, cause she doesn’t like to do no less than a 100 MPH.” And they would all have the same response.…laughter….until we got out onto the highway that is. I’d put her ass in gear and once we hit 100 MPH they would say, “Whoo, you weren’t playing”. She would even out with a harmonized hum and sound like a Philharmonic Orchestra – music to your ears.
These two items, Air Intake and Exhaust Systems, are reasonably priced for someone looking to get into auto Tuning. Air intakes can range from as low as $49 to $200 depending on the brand and type of performance your looking for. A total exhaust system can range from $200-$1000 depending on how in depth you get. You can always change or add on an exhaust tip for $30-$50 but this will only give you limited power improvements. Remember your exhaust starts from your engines exhaust manifold and has to make it all the way out of the back of your tail pipe. There are plenty of other options you can adjust or change to enjoy an increase in performance such as Engine Chips, High Performance Tires, Harness Wiring, Engine Cooling, and much more. The list goes on.
Tuning doesn’t only involve under the hood modifications, it also involves outer body mods as well. Aftermarket manufactures have opened the doors to a plethora of auto body kits that can change the performance of your ride. Body Kits can change your front and rear bumpers to ones that are lighter and lowered. Another body adjustment is the purchase of a carbon fiber hood, (or any carbon fiber exterior part) which is ultra light yet superior. You could also add side skirts and spoilers to increase the performance of your ride. These ensure that your car will stay on the ground when you’re flying at speeds of 110 MPH. Its difficult to give an average pricing for Body Kits because it depends on the type of vehicle you own. One thing I can say, the pricing has become less expensive over the years and the equipment is lighter, stronger and more durable.
Tuning has been around for years but is finally gaining the respect that it truly deserves from the Auto Industry. There are auto teams whose entire function is to build a better Tuned vehicle from a stock car. Outfits such as ASI and BRABUS do this very well and have brought tuning onto the main-stage. Car Tuning can be addictive and once you start its like Pookie & a pipe. But hey, there are a hell of a lot worse addictions out there so enjoy. Keep shining.
Welcome to the beginning of summer. I hit a few speed bumps on the way in. It might have slowed me down but it cant stop me from bringing you this week’s dosage of Your Car Care REPs. Let’s talk Tuning!!! For those of you unfamiliar with this growing trend, Tuning is a hobby (turning fast into an industry) where one modifies (or Mods) his or her, yes I said her (there are thousands of female tuners out there) vehicle to improve the performance, styling and handling. Tuning ones vehicle usually requires you to upgrade stock components to high performance aftermarket parts. With the multitude of aftermarket brands and parts available, the outcome you want to achieve is almost limitless. Because Tuning takes place under the hood as well as on your cars exterior, let’s talk about these two subjects separately.
For those of you who want to do the proverbial REP-YOUR-HOOD (your car hood that is) there are a myriad of options out there for you to gain more torque and horse power without breaking the bank. One of the easiest ways to gain more power from your ride is to change the stock Air Intake. For those that are unfamiliar with the basic operation of an auto engine, combustion requires 3 main things: fuel, spark and air. And just as you would expect, the better fuel, better spark plugs and better air intake you have the better your ride will perform. Changing your Air Intake can net you 15-20% increased power. Another simple mod you can add on to your car for more pull is changing your stock exhaust. An aftermarket Exhaust System will allow your vehicle to release pressure built up in the exhaust manifold quicker, thus giving you more power. I’m sure you’ve all heard someone driving by with an exhaust that sounded like it was on a motorcycle. This is the sound of an aftermarket exhaust. What the average person doesn’t realize is that these exhausts sound loud because they are not meant to be driven at low speeds. I myself had a moded out Honda Prelude Si (miss you baby). Anyone who stepped into my ride for the first time would always ask “Why is your exhaust so loud?” I would answer “Oh, cause she doesn’t like to do no less than a 100 MPH.” And they would all have the same response.…laughter….until we got out onto the highway that is. I’d put her ass in gear and once we hit 100 MPH they would say, “Whoo, you weren’t playing”. She would even out with a harmonized hum and sound like a Philharmonic Orchestra – music to your ears.
Tuning doesn’t only involve under the hood modifications, it also involves outer body mods as well. Aftermarket manufactures have opened the doors to a plethora of auto body kits that can change the performance of your ride. Body Kits can change your front and rear bumpers to ones that are lighter and lowered. Another body adjustment is the purchase of a carbon fiber hood, (or any carbon fiber exterior part) which is ultra light yet superior. You could also add side skirts and spoilers to increase the performance of your ride. These ensure that your car will stay on the ground when you’re flying at speeds of 110 MPH. Its difficult to give an average pricing for Body Kits because it depends on the type of vehicle you own. One thing I can say, the pricing has become less expensive over the years and the equipment is lighter, stronger and more durable.
Tuning has been around for years but is finally gaining the respect that it truly deserves from the Auto Industry. There are auto teams whose entire function is to build a better Tuned vehicle from a stock car. Outfits such as ASI and BRABUS do this very well and have brought tuning onto the main-stage. Car Tuning can be addictive and once you start its like Pookie & a pipe. But hey, there are a hell of a lot worse addictions out there so enjoy. Keep shining. 
