Whether you are the owner of a vintage car or someone who has time and money to spare to upgrade your car, tuning a car is a great way to give it a fresh and modern look. If it’s your first time customizing your ride, you will want to be sure that you do it properly — or you will be wasting precious time and money on the wrong things.
Car tuning is not like building pirate ships out of lego blocks. A lot of thought and preparation goes into the process, from visualizing how your car is going to look down to adding details on the car’s exterior.
Here’s a nifty guide to help you make the right decisions on your very first auto tune-up:
Know your purpose
Before you get around to making improvements to your car, you have to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. For instance, you might be thinking of converting your vehicle into a drag racer with all the features of a street car. There are also other reasons for tuning up your car. If the vehicle is involved in an accident somewhere in Ontario, you can call up a repair center that specializes in car detailing in North York like J&E Tokyo.
A damaged vehicle is definitely a good reason to include some improvements. If there are dents on your car, you may as well consider full exterior rehab. A shattered windshield can also serve a perfect case for improving the appearance of your vehicle. You can replace it with laminated safety glass so occupants are fully protected from a head-on collision.
But of course, these are just aesthetic improvements, which are far different from a car tuning. So, while you work toward making the exterior stand out, make sure to focus on making performance improvements to the vehicle. From here, you will need to decide whether tuning your car would be a good investment. If you have owned your car for some time now, it may be the right time for an upgrade. As a plus, an upgrade can increase the car’s resale value, which is perfect if you are looking to replace it with a brand new model in the future.
But whatever your reason for tuning your car, you will need to do it properly. The first step is figuring out exactly what you want for the vehicle.
Come up with a plan
You have to understand that tuning a car isn’t going to happen by going to the hardware store and picking whatever you think would look good on your car. You need to have a clear idea of what you want to do with the vehicle.
The reason for this is that certain features cost a lot of money and it is difficult to replace them once they are installed. That said, you will need to be very specific and careful when modifying your car. This should keep you from making decisions that you are going to regret later.
No doubt, there is a wide range of activities involved in car tuning, so if you are not sure how to approach this project, you should seek consultation from a professional tuning service. Your vehicle will be assessed to determine the right type of tuning. You can then come up with a detailed list of requirements and hire them for specific upgrades.
Working with professionals allows you to get an expert opinion on how best to improve your vehicle. Your vehicle can then be fitted with the right features that maximize performance. On the other hand, if you already have a background in auto-servicing, you can assess your vehicle yourself and customize it as you see fit.
Start with improving performance
The most important part of car tuning (and indeed the key to the activity itself) is to improve how the vehicle performs on the road. For this, you will want to modify the engine. If you are a newbie to the world of engine tuning, it’s best to start off with workable changes to the intake and exhaust parts.
Look for high-performance air filters that allow for better airflow. Look for brands or OEM suppliers that install effective filtration systems, translating to better engine output. The trick here is to find air filters that are suitable for the type of vehicle you have. If you want to convert it into a muscle car, for instance, opt for greater air intake common among race cars. If the noise of powerful engines isn’t your thing, you can opt for quiet filters and sports mufflers that reduce noise. The trade-off, however, is that, with limited airflow, your car won’t be able to accelerate faster.
If you are planning to turn your vehicle into a sports car, you will need a great deal of time and money because of the complexity involved. Aside from replacing your tires, you might also need to add turbocharge features and the kits needed to support the vehicle as it reaches top speeds.
When it comes to fuel management, you might want to include a D-jetronic fuel system to your mod that regularizes airflow and leads to better fuel economy. Aside from the engine, you may also want to modify your transmission system by changing the clutch to a dual clutch and adding a high-quality shaft. These are somewhat basic modifications that can have a big impact.
The Bottom Line
You can tell from this article that tuning a car isn’t as easy as it sounds, but if you know what you’re doing, you can hack it. There are a lot of technicalities to understand on top of the dynamics that influence a car’s performance, which is why most people are better off looking for a specialist for this project.
But whether you need help or not, you will realize that tuning your car provides long-term benefits. You just have to handle it carefully and make sure you choose the right improvements based on the model and make of your vehicle. It will be an investment that’s worth all the time and effort you put into it.
