Even now, I can hear the Prius-loving, gas-sipping, and bike-riding crowds: a more powerful car is environmentally irresponsible! Balderdash! Not that anyone should care what others think of him or her, but this thought pattern is entirely incorrect. Thanks to advances in automotive technology, virtually every performance-enhancing part on the market will yield greater fuel mileage for your car and give you more power at the same time. It’s really a win-win market! Let’s take a look at four powerful performance-enhancing parts for your vehicle.
1. Power chips and programmers.
Whether your replace your car computer chip or enhance it with a power programmer, you will achieve noticeable gains in horsepower and thrust. By overriding the factory limitations imposed on your vehicle, you can get more power at a lower cost.
2. Reusable air filters.
Now, this is the part that the tree huggers love: air filters that can be used over and over again. That’s right, there’s no need to clog our landfills with used paper filters. Instead, you can install and reuse air filters that were designed for race cars in your own car. Your engine will breathe better, and better-breathing engines suck up less fuel. Guess what? Your fuel economy improves!
3. Cold air intakes.
That growl coming from underneath your hood is your engine telling you that it loves its new air intake. Designed to suck up colder, denser air, a cold air intake delivers the fuel that your engine wants. Again, your engine runs more smoothly, and fuel economy increases. The best part? A cold air intake is an awesome-looking addition to your engine bay!
4. Performance exhausts.
Yes, your stock exhaust system just doesn’t cut it. For starters, it works against your engine, not with it. Specifically, power flow is inhibited, and your engine works harder and sucks up more gas in the process. With the wider pipes found in a performance exhaust system, you can get more horsepower, achieve greater torque, and watch your fuel economy rise as your engine and exhaust work in harmony.
What many motorists don’t understand is that sometimes, the stock parts are not the best parts for your car. Manufacturers, in an ongoing bid to save money, will often opt for cheaper parts to hold car prices down. Unfortunately, your car is the biggest loser, as these parts restrict its power and drop its fuel economy. If you install the right parts yourself, you can turn this trend around without significant increases in exhaust pollution; your car will still pass its emissions test, and it will run faster and more efficiently.
Of course, the big question is this: aren’t performance parts expensive? They can be if you do not shop around. Visit the web site of a trusted online wholesaler and compare prices. Do the work yourself, and the money you save will more than cover the cost of having someone install stock parts for you.