Lessons learnt

[obi_waynne]

What lessons about tuning cars have you learnt since you started tinkering with various modifications and upgrades?

It's a chance to share your wisdom with our new members.

I learnt...

• Manufacturer claims, stats and descriptions are just there as a sales pitch so take them with a pinch of salt.
• Don't buy cheap, cutting corners doesn't cut costs, the amount of times I've had to redo things because parts broke, were inadequate or just didn't live up to the expectations I had.
• More power means more running costs, at the very least you'll get through more tyres, brakes, clutches and fuel. Plus parts under more stress are more likely to break.

 

[davalav]

The same thing we all do - Oh, that's cheap.

Buy cheap, buy twice.

I bought a £30 catch can from eGay and within half a year is leaking and has pee'd out any oil vapour it catches all over my engine bay.

Bought a new one, waiting to go on. Cost me £100 but so worth it. Custom made, baffled and well built.

 

[T9 man]

Do your research well, talk to those who know about the particular subject you are interested in.
Learn to separate fact from fiction with manufacturers claims on parts particularly tuning parts; a claim for another 9 BHP on that new air filter isn't necessarily so, and all of the claimed BHP gains on each performance item do NOT all add together to make you a very powerful motor. Join a forum and seek advice from those who at least have a passing familiarity with the car model you are interested in would be advantageous. Some car models have certain peculiarity's that make adding the additional parts a no-no, so check and double check.

If you have a budget per item or for the whole project, do not be tempted to break into that budget until you researched the parts properly. I myself have made loads of errors along the way and some of them have been extremely expensive. Do not be tempted to try and go for that bargain on that auction site, there is a reason why it is that price.
Do the job right and do the job once!

 

[crowley]

I've learned that you can buy a £0.30p resistor from eBay, unplug your MAF sensor, stick the resistor in there & boom! 30 more unicorns.

 

[crowley]

Or an IT fan that you can jam into your intake pipe that the manufacturers claim with effectively supercharge your car.

 

[Massive]

Don't buy French
Upgrade supporting mods when adding more power I. E. Brakes clutch
Impulse ebay buys are not the best choice after you think about it
Under car leds are not cool

 

[SLEEPER]

Start with deciding exactly what you want to acheive and then work out how much that will cost . This will be your budget






Then when you have done that come to terms very quickly with the fact that it will cost you far more than that

 

[obi_waynne]

Nice explanation of Budget sleeper, I doubt most car modifiers even realised what this concept was!

It is scary how quickly a car can soak up your money!

 

[wizzer]

I found that one performance part usually shows up a weak spot somewhere else and you end up having to change another part that breaks.

It makes sense to replace parts with a performance equivalent, rather than just buy performance parts you will be replacing items that break or wear anyway and just paying a little bit more for something better.

 

[obi_waynne]

I found that one performance part usually shows up a weak spot somewhere else and you end up having to change another part that breaks./QUOTE]

It took me a while to work that one out. 2 engines and a gearbox later it had finally sunk in!

 

[Yugguy]

Make sure you have the right tool for the make of car, especially French/Japanese. Things like sparkplug sockets, oil filter wrenches. What fits on your Ford might not fit on your Toyota.

The flip side of this is how many common parts across manufacturers there are, for instance if you can't find a howto for say draining the autofluid on a Volvo, search for one for a Saab or a Vauxhall, cos the gearboxes are the same. In fact that Aisin AW55 box is put in Nissans and Renaults as well so it's not even just within the one group. Often car manufacturers put their own labels on parts but if you can find who makes the part originally you can often save money on expensive bits like fluids.

 

[MADRod]

Work out what its going to cost then have 3 times that available is probably the most important lesson. Don't cut corners, do it right & hopefully that means doing it only once. Remember Technology progress means the goal you set may not seem the right one half way through the build its why extra cash must be to hand. Don't tackle jobs outside your knowledge a Top Tuner has his reputation for a reason. You will never have enough Power so don't kid yourself its a one-off build it never ends. Being past 70 now hopefully that last part is going to change & this will be my last build. The most important thing is enjoy the process, so many don't & sell mid stream they usually don't follow the 3 times the cash rule.

 

[obi_waynne]

There are some bargains around if you're happy to take over an unfinished project.