Car performance upgrades are pretty popular with many car enthusiasts, or those who just want a better, smoother, or faster drive on the road. And contrary to popular belief, there are multiple ways you can enhance the performance of your car.
And the upgrades you need can depend on the results you’re expecting. It’s that simple. Car upgrades can range from simple checks and fixes to more significant changes that cost more than a few quid from your budget.
But before you move ahead and make an upgrade, it’s important that you understand what you want to upgrade, what options are available for that specific change, and what the legal ramifications are; some upgrades could invalidate your insurance or even be illegal, meaning you risk being pulled over and made to reverse changes or lose your car entirely if it’s deemed unroadworthy.
So with this in mind, let’s take a look at some simple changes you can make to boost performance, along with some more intensive and costlier ones that simply enhance your drive every time you get behind the wheel.
Suspension Upgrade
One of the most important things to consider before you make any upgrades is the suspension. Your suspension is integral to delivering a smooth ride and maintaining stability.
So it makes sense that if you want a better drive, you start here.
Start by evaluating your current suspension. The condition it is in. What standard is included in your car, and where does it need improvement?
From here, you can replace worn or damaged parts. This is important before upgrading anything. You need a suspension that is in good working order, so doing this will yield better results.
Next, you can identify performance parts and components to upgrade to. This can be choosing performance springs and shocks, full suspension kits, or making adjustments that facilitate road driving or driving on uneven terrain.
You might also want to consider a lowering kit, too. Lowering kits help to reduce body roll, improve aerodynamics, and can help give your car a more aggressive look. The compromise is that it might impact ride quality and performance, and it’s not suitable for all areas, i.e. if you live somewhere where there will be a lot of traffic calming measures.
Upgrade Brakes
Another great way to boost performance is to upgrade brakes. Now, your brakes are vital, and if you’re making any other performance changes anywhere else, you need to check that your brakes can handle it. Not all braking systems are equipped to deal with changes in performance, especially if you’re going against manufacturers’ guidelines. So starting here and increasing braking capabilities is a good place to start.
Brake Pads
Swap out your current brake pads for performance pads to help you increase stopping power and withstand temperature fluctuations, i.e. high temperatures, so they are able to withstand high-performance driving.
Brake Rotors
Rotors dissipate heat, and performance rotors do this more effectively and can improve braking across various situations.
Brake Lines
This isn’t so much about performance — upgrading your brake lines won’t do anything directly to change performance. But it will make your system last longer. Stainless steel braided lines give a higher heat resistance than rubber ones, which leads to improved longevity.
Brake Fluid
High-performance brake fluids have a higherboiling point, meaning they can withstand higher temperatures, something performance motors massively benefit from when looking to push their car to the limits or drive frequently at higher speeds.
ECU Remapping
The ECU is essentially your car’s brain. It is what makes your car behave the way it does. And it controls things like ignition, fuel delivery, turbo boost, and throttle response, to name a few.
Manufacturers program it carefully and conservatively below maximum performance for safety. So the same engines can cope more easily with variables such as different climates, driving styles, and long service intervals.
When people look to improve the performance of their vehicles, one thing they often consider is ECU remapping.
It is always best to have any changes made by a professional who can conduct ecutesting prior to updates. But if you’re looking at ECU remapping, you might be able to:
- Increase power and torque
- Improve throttle response
- Smooth power delivery
- Improve drivability
You’re not changing anything physical here; it’s a software update conducted via the car’s diagnostic port.
Once completed, people see common benefits including:
- Improved fuel consumption
- Increased power
- Better drivability
- A car that feels better for them
You should be aware before doing this that remapping can affect warranties, invalidate insurance premiums, or change costs associated with your insurance coverage, and you might need to upgrade associated components to be able to handle the increase in performance it delivers, i.e. suspension, clutch, gearbox, and cooling systems.
Service
One of the simplest ways to improve the performance of your car is to get it serviced regularly. You should service your car every 10,000 miles or annually, whichever comes first.
A full service completed as per the manufacturer’s directions is essential for keeping your car in good working order, and the change of various components can have a huge impact.
During a service, you can expect the following things to take place:
- Spark plugs will be changed, adjusted, or cleaned to improve start-up efficiency
- Air filters will be changed to improve how efficiently air is delivered
- Engine oil will be changed, removing old, stodgy oil that impacts performance
Upgrade Tyres
Upgrading your tyres, especially if you’re upgrading other components, can deliver an increase in performance and control. Performance isn’t always power; it’s about handling and the drive experience, and your tyres, as the only part of the car touching the road, are a huge part of this.
Think of your tyres like your footwear — the better the grip they have on the surface beneath your feet, the more stable your contact with the ground will be. The same applies to your tyres; the better your tyres, the more grip you will have and the better your car will feel when driving it.
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