Three Budget Modifications to Make Any Car Faster

Making your ride perform better and go fast is a fun and equally expensive hobby. However to get increased performance you do not always have to spend a fortune. In this article I would like to show you three easy and cheap ways to get more out of your vehicles performance.
Tip 1. Get a tune.
All the modifications in the world mean nothing if the are not properly in sync and running smoothly. Especially when it comes to a bone stock car or even a heavily modified one getting a good tune especially with the assistance of a dyno can be one of the easiest ways to get more power. Dyno sessions do not cost to much and can allow you to see on paper the real gains to be made by making optimization adjustments to things like fuel and timing. Now depending on what type of vehicle you have this can apply to a number of areas. Not all vehicles are going to come stock with easy ways to make adjustments so if your going to spend money on some parts try looking into tools and parts that can allow you to make the small changes that make the big difference. (this can be anything from timing gear kits to carburetors and F.I. tuners)
Tip 2. Get a Grip
Part of the fun of a well modified car is an increase in the vehicles handling capabilities and just like tip number one having adjustability is key. There are lots of suspension parts out there that can offer a wealth of adjustability even on a limited budget. As a warning to the amateur however I would mention that suspension tuning and testing can be more of a seat of the pants feel and we must be careful that we are actually making progress and not making things worse. In other words stiff as a board and bouncing off the bump stops would probably be a backwards step. If your really itching to spend money on just one part for your vehicle to increase overall performance in all areas however I can always recommend to start with the tires. A vehicles tires will affect the handling, braking, and speed capabilities so investing in better tires for your purposes is always going to pay off.
Tip 3. Get a Diet
In the words of the famed founder of Lotus "Add lightness". Every pound you can shave from a vehicle whether sprung or unsprung weight is always going to help benefit all areas of performance and its also mostly FREE! However before we start ripping out our carpets and popping in the Lexan glass, remember that these modifications can compromise the street-ability of a vehicle. So how fast do you want to go? and what are you willing to give up in exchange for some speed?
Now that you have some tips get out there and put them to use and remember to keep be safe