Used cars account for the bulk of vehicles sold in the United States and Canada every year. For a number of reasons, there is much more trading in used vehicles than in new varieties, making it statistically more likely that any new purchase will be that of a used vehicle. While these vehicles have all by definition enjoyed previous owners, that doesn’t mean they are incapable of excellent performance. Tuning the performance of your car for speed, handling and drivability is possible regardless of the make or model. Indeed, even a vehicle’s age is no barrier. There are steps that can be followed with most vehicles to make them perform more effectively on the road, no matter their current condition.
You may want to tune a used car for speed, or for improved handling. There are a few techniques that can be deployed that will help make any car faster, or more responsive to drive. Better quality used cars in Winnipeg will show better results, while older models can still see improvements in the speed, acceleration and handling.
Assuming the car is in good running order, the first thing you can do to increase its speed potential is to remove excess weight. Any excess weight in your car is a drag on speed and acceleration, and it can be possible to improve any vehicle’s performance by stripping it down to more sparse components. The seats, for example, can be stripped out and replaced with lightweight bucket seats for those who want to race. This alone will make the car lighter, and thereby improve its feel and responsiveness. The same principle can be applied to anything unnecessary in the car, and in some race vehicles, even the windows are removed. Lighter cars move faster, thanks to a stronger ratio of power-to-weight.
Many of us look to improve the cornering and the responsiveness of steering in our cars. The suspension can play an important part here. Cars with lower suspensions will tend to perform more effectively around corners, allowing for tighter turns where required. By reducing the height of the suspension springs, the chassis moves closer to the ground, which enables more effective turning and steering.
Of course, there are downsides to this – low suspensions can make for an unpredictable drive over bumpy or uneven terrain, and even rises and falls in the road surface can make it more difficult to keep control. In this sense, achieving optimum handling performance through modifying your suspension is a question of weighing up these options.
Used cars often come with well-worn tires when they are first bought. One of the most effective and simple changes you can make to your car is to change the tires. A new set of tires won’t be too expensive in the scheme of things, and will be like hitting the reset button on your car’s grip and on-road performance. Tires become worn with time, and can begin to fail in gripping the road. This leads to a noticeable loss of performance that can be easily improved by replacing the tires where required.
Some cars just were not built for speed. Cars that have flat faces or excessive height are generally going to suffer from a lack of aerodynamic properties. This creates drag as the car moves, serving to lower the possible top speed. More aerodynamic vehicles are streamlined for effectiveness, allowing for faster results to be achieved. This is why Formula 1 cars have such peculiar shapes. Unlike an SUV, these cars are built for the fastest possible speeds, at the expense of practicality. This leads manufacturers to choose the most aerodynamic shapes possible for their cars.
However you are hoping to tune up your used car, it is vital that you make sure you know what you’re buying in the first place. Used cars can be good projects for those with a passion for mechanics and modifications. But they can also be good vehicles to enjoy on the road, assuming you buy the right car. Look at the mileage for any car you intend to buy – the average mileage of a car per year is roughly 12,000–15,000. This will allow you to calculate how much use the car has had relative to its age – a vital factor in ensuring you find a vehicle that can be satisfactorily modified for gains in performance.
There are many different changes and modifications you can make to your vehicle to improve how it performs. Whether you are hoping to gain speed, handling, grip or overall performance, it is possible to modify your way to a better quality vehicle.
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