I love racing at the local drag strip. It’s a wonderful way to see what your car can do or how a new modification works out. It’s also much safer to race on a track than to test performance on the street, and it’s a great place to hang out and shoot the breeze with fellow racing enthusiasts. But if you’d expect just a bunch of old muscle cars and modified imports at the track you’d be surprised. I’ve seen Porsches, BMWs, AMG Mercedes and lots of Audis and Volkswagens. Go to the track and you’re as likely to see a guy in a suit perusing the boost display on his twin-turbo 12-cylinder Benz as you’ll see a guy tweaking the carbs on his 68 Camaro.

It’s interesting to see so many upper level cars at racing events these days, but that’s all part of a luxury car tuning revolution. Be it entry-level luxury vehicles from Volkswagen and Audi or more expensive models from Mercedes Benz, Audi, Porsche or others, it’s become fashionable to tweak those vehicles to get even more performance from their already powerful, high-revving engines. Simple software updates can add 10-35% extra power just by optimizing engine tuning. See, most cars are tuned very conservatively so that they run well under any conditions and with any type of gas. Software tuning can unleash extra power simply and easily and without the help of more traditional performance car parts. If your car has a turbo, performance increases achievable with ECU modification are even larger. This is why catalogs for Audi parts, Volkswagen parts, Mercedes parts, BMW parts, and other luxury car parts include Electronic Control Unit, or ECU, programming, performance chips and other ways to optimize the vehicles’ computers.

But performance is not everything that is available via programming of the car’s Electronic Control Unit, or ECU. Since the ECU monitors several dozen sensors, it can provide much more information than is normally displayed. And unlike in the past where analog gauges could only show one piece of information (like oil pressure or battery voltage), most of today’s cars have screens and consoles that can be used to show all sorts of information. One example is the actual speed of the vehicle. Why would you need that when the car already has a speedometer? Because many speedometers are wildly inaccurate, making you feel like you’re going much faster than your real speed.

Information available via software add-on modules varies from brand to brand and model to model. It may include 0-60 mph and 1/4-mile acceleration times, more elaborate boost pressure display, air-fuel ratio, power and torque, or more technical information such as ignition advance, knock sensor data, cam angle, short and long term fuel trim, injector duty cycle and more.

More interestingly yet, these easily installed software control modules can be used to override annoying, limiting or non-intuitive stock programming of how the sunroof, windows, seats, mirrors and other parts of the car operate. It may even be possible to change the way the key remote works. Or you can do things like adding a special horn sequence while you’re in reverse. The possibilities are endless, ranging from performance to convenience, from customized boost display to comprehensive sensor readings, and from simple plug-in modules to extensive ECU modification. So next time you search for luxury performance car parts, keep in mind that tuning starts and ends with the car’s computer these days.

By: Chris Robertson

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BMW vehicles are best known for their well performing german bred engines and exceptional handling tested and refined on the famed Nurburgring. Despite over 60 years of automobile perfection in creating the Ultimate Driving Machine, there are many BMW Modifications available for your 3 Series, 1 Series, 5 Series, M3 and M5.

BMW Wheels 

The factory BMW wheels are designed to be sporty but are typically heavy and plain looking. There are many aftermarket BMW wheels available including sporty factory style replacements such as the Velocity Motoring VB3 CSL Wheels for BMW. These are cast wheels that are a great upgrade to the factory BMW wheels and will set your car apart from the rest. 

If you are looking for a custom set of forged wheels for BMW, you can go with ADV Wheels, DPE Wheels, HRE Wheels, Vorsteiner Wheels and a few other high end manufacturers. These aftermarket BMW Wheels manufacturers provide custom 3 piece forged and 1 piece forged wheels that will allow you to specify the sizing and color combination for a truly unique style. In addition, the forging process provides for a stronger and lighter wheel than the factory bmw wheels provide. This will reduce unsprung weight for your BMW M3 and improve acceleration.

Performance Modifications

BMW’s famed inline 6 cylinder engine is a great performer from the factory but there are a variety of BMW Modifications available to improve response and performance. BMW Cold Air Intakes are a popular BMW modification that will improve flow and performance that translates to dramatic changes in response and power output. The OE BMW Intake system is designed to reduce sound output, conform to emissions standards and above all else, reduce manufacturing costs. aFe Power BMW intake systems are designed to improve flow and maximize efficiency over the stock air intake system. aFe filters are available in the Pro5R oiled or Pro Dry S dry element depending on whether you want maximum flow or minimum maintenance.

The BMW Performance Exhaust is a good choice if you are looking for a deeper grumble but there are a variety of BMW aftermarket exhausts that are much better for power output and sound. Remus exhausts for BMW are well known as direct OE replacements that conform to strict German road safety standards. In addition, Eisenmann, Active Autowerke and Vorsteiner all produce high performance bmw exhaust systems that will dramatically improve flow, performance and sound on your BMW E92 M3.

The best upgrade will be a BMW supercharger system like the VF Engineering Supercharger Kit for the E46 M3. This is a complete system that will take your BMW E46 M3 to the next level in terms of power gains and performance.

The BMW ECU is very well tuned from the factory but can be vasty improved with BMW software upgrades including the Active Autowerke ECU tune for BMW. The Juice Box 3 software for the BMW 335 and BMW 135 is a great option to maximize power and work with your other BMW modifications. In addition, the PowerBox for BMW is a perfect alternative for non-turbo BMWs that need software tuning.

Finally, you can add EvoSport Pulleys for BMW or Active Autowerke Pulleys for BMW to maximize performance gains from other modifications. These work tremendously well with ECU tunes and are highly recommend for the BMW E92 M3 and BMW E46 M3.

Suspension Modifications 

BMW provides exceptional handling from the factory but caters to a wide customer base and thus can be improved upon. Coilovers are a popular upgrade over the factory BMW suspension that allows adjustability and customization. KW Coilovers, Bilstein PSS10 Coilovers and H&R Coilovers for BMW are all popular options for adjustable suspension. 

H&R Springs are a great option for the standard shocks to lower the car and improve handling. These are affordable spring sets that compete with Eibach Springs for BMW. Finally, Koni and Bilstein make BMW shocks that are higher performing and maximize road feel. The Koni FSD Shocks for the E90 and E92 are one of the most popular BMW suspension modifications available that will improve performance without sacrificing usability.

Bodykit Modifications 

BMW is known for their styling but there many BMW carbon fiber parts that you can add to reduce weight and improve styling. The Vorsteiner E92 Aero Bootlid is a great option to reduce weight and improve downforce. In addition, Vorsteiner manufacturers BMW carbon fiber hoods including the Vorsteiner V-35 Vented Race Hood for the 335 and the Vorsteiner E46 M3 Vented Race Hood. These provide maximum cooling and minimize weight for optimal performance.

BMW M3 Front Bumpers are a popular option for the BMW E92 335i to make your front end more aggressive. In addition, the BMW M Sport package for the E92 and E90 3-Series add style and sportiness to your BMW 3 series while maintaining the factory classy styling.

Lighting  

Most new Bimmers come from the factory with xenon headlights however you can improve the color with D1S Xenon Bulbs in 6000k or 8000k. In addition, you can replace the BMW LED License Plate Lights with a set of WeissLicht LED License Plate lights for maximum light output without errors. Finally, you can improve the interior with interior led lights for BMW such as the Interior Xenon Lighting kit. These are LED interior lights for BMW that will change the color and improve brightness.

By: Jon L

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Car Modification Parts

Most of us have heard of the Water Hybrid Conversion program which provides HHO modification kits. What most are not aware of is the significant savings it can bring in a short period of time. How? Because it involves converting your car or truck to run on water, well half water and half fuel.

In order to convert your car into a water hybrid you will require a conversion kit, which is also known as a HHO Modification kit. You can actually but these conversion kits and all the parts of less than $200 total, the beauty of this is that you can make that up in gas prices in only a few weeks with the savings you will obtain from using half water. I have provided a link at the bottom of the page to a real good review site that looks at the top three products on the market.

There are many benefits to this Water Hybrid Conversion, some of which include:

You will use a significantly decreased amount of gasoline in your car or truck due to the fact that water is free and also burns better.

It is very safe to use in your vehicle and even safer for the environment. This is due to a decreased amount of fuel burning and resulting in less overall emissions.

The IRS often will give a rebate on your taxes because water hybrid cars and trucks are seen as “going green.”

Water hybrid conversions have come a long way and that is for a good reason: They can save you big money!

By: George Knoechel

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Fashion and art, public appearance or even the simple act of meeting new people – it is all about the show. To show how you feel and how you think – to let others see your best, to let them understand you and appreciate you for everything you are. And today in the environment of this ever-changing World your car is more than your safe ride to designated destinations.

Your car is a part of your life style. It is the first impression of you when coming to a new place. And the look of it shows to others who you are and what you like.

Maybe this is exactly the reason why so many people try to give their cars a unique look – just as unique as they are. And tuning the car is maybe the perfect approach for this.

There are many ways for car tuning. Many of them help the car to reach high performance. I will begin with a few of them because no matter how cool the car looks the performance is important.

The boost controllers are a great way to maximize the smooth power delivery of the vehicle. It is the electronic brain of your car allowing for a better and faster control of the boost. The exhaust gases should be taken out more quickly because when this happen more fresh air is forced into the engine increasing the performance of the combustion process. However sometimes too much air could allow for intermittent losses of power to appear and drive your car unstable and unreliable.

To get around this problem an electronic brain is added to the valve that controls the flow through the turbo. This gives a better control of the boost at a wide open throttle and a quicker response regarding every change of the throttle conditions.

To control the boost sometimes mechanical boost controllers are applied but in some cases they will not adjust properly for a given condition and this will add fluctuation to the boost. This is why a fully mapped electronic boost controller is the better choice.

How have you ever seen a drag race? Or maybe you actually participated in one of them. The drag race is maybe the most exiting event that the car sports could offer. It is full of speed and adrenalin – the foundation of what a racer lives for. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about it is the NOS system.

NoS actually come from the name of one of the companies which manufactures these systems. Some people make the mistake to think that this states for Nitrous Oxide N20. This is not the case but it is close to it because a gas called Dinitrous Monoxide or the a.k.a. Nitrous Oxide N20 comes into play.

This gas was used in wartime to boost the aircraft engines and today it is an easy high power modification for many cars. A non-flammable gas by itself is injected into the intake manifold and it mixes with the air and the fuel there. By taking a part of the combustion process this gas dissociate oxygen which provides more power to the combustion process. The rapid change from liquid to gas of the new mixture component gives a nice cooling side effect too which cools down the whole engine area and it is highly valued for this effect too.

If you think about adding the NoS component to your car you should know that a proper fuel delivery system will be needed too because when the NoS comes into play more oxygen is released and therefore more fuel is required. You should also know that there will be an additional cost for you – the refill of the NoS system containers and the additional fuel that is burned because of this high power system. If that is fine with you and you are ready for the speed you are going to feel this system is just what you are looking for.

Now when NoS system is intact and the proper performance adjustments have been made it is time to put some style on the outside. Car styling is about the personal choice. No one could really tell you what your car should look like because it will express your own personality. However I will provide few suggestions.

The cheapest way will be to put a sticker on your car. Let others know what your vehicle is all about. If you are a drag race enthusiastic and you already own a NOS system it could be pretty cool to use the NOS logo or to put a fire looking sticker making the impression of a car entering the Earth atmosphere.

Always apply stickers on a warm day and take your time to release the air from the bubbles in order for the sticker to stick in tightly. You should also know that bonnet/hood stickers should resist the heat from the engine. Many stickers are translucent so keep that in mind too. If you apply for example a cool green translucent sticker to red car you will most likely end up with a muddy brown colour looking not that cool. Of course a good idea could be to apply many layers of stickers in order to create the right colour and effect.

You may also want to paint your wheels in the colour of the car to provide additional effect. Keep in mind that black look stylish too so don’t over paint because you don’t want to create the impression of a circus prop. Use your imagination – maybe some sprayed art could work for you too. You may even want to contact an artist about it.

Last but not least consider some interior redesign. Car mats are the most popular start for an interior transformation. Keep in mind that the wrong car mat could damage your gearbox and even lead to an accident. Dashboard styling and some plastic painting could help too but always try to balance the colours in a good way. This is where an artist could help or maybe a good seller with a fine taste.

By: Kalin Staikov

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Ask any street import enthusiast about their first choice of automobiles and they will answer, RX-7. What is so special about this car from a Japanese manufacturer? This is one of the most desired cars among our enthusiasts. People who own these cars love to modify them. They convert them into hyper performance cars for street racing purposes. Mazda car brand enjoy full freedom in car conversions, as there is a separate world of RX-7 parts available around the globe. You can get access to all these race parts easily with minimum advice. You can even purchase these performance parts online if you have expert technical knowledge, however rookies can always visit a modification shop to get their hands on the latest performance parts for your RX-7.

When you are modifying your Mazda, always keeps in mind to use factory and manufacturer approved RX-7 parts. Market out there is full of performance upgrades from several manufacturers, some of them have earned their repute. As young people get more indulged in street competition they tend to upgrade their cars with top end RX-7 upgrades. They increase the horsepower, torque, under steer, over steer, they upgrade breaking systems, RX-7 parts which are factory approved are quality tested by Mazda brand themselves and approved.

You can get RX-7 parts from other brands too especially newly emerging brands, but they are not approved and can be dangerous when used under extreme circumstances. Young people know what street racing is all about, it’s about speed, thrill, adrenalin and sweat. These RX-7 upgrades are of good quality will survive the extreme conditions, rest will put your car and your life at risk. When modifying your RX-7, spend more on performance parts for engine and chassis especially. When changing you cars engine from stage one to stage two or stage three upgrades, always invest in quality RX-7 race parts.

You cannot afford to compromise on it. Visual appeal and stereo system, also adds to your RX-7′s value but RX-7 parts for engine will make sure you always end up crossing the finish line first. To get the most out of your RX-7, seek professional advice when purchasing performance parts, you may have enough knowledge, but believe me professional help with race upgrades can make a huge difference. All upgrades for RX-7 which are factory approved are tested to their limits. So you should be confident when investing in Mazda approved RX-7 race parts to enhance your cars performance.

By: Dan Henningsen

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The concept of running a car on water has certainly taken off in the past 4 months. The concept is sound, and is certainly no scam. This article will hopefully shed some light on what to look for in an hho gas car modification system, and possible issues which may arise.

Water4gas was the first hho gas car modification system widely published on the internet. In the past 4 months their have been a plethora of competing systems showing up all offering similar results. The result has been a mass of discussions regarding the actual results possible from an hho gas car modification system.

For those that don’t know, such a system can be created from parts readily available in your local hardware store. Basically you have a container containing bicarb of soda and water, which is powered by the battery. The result is the production of hho gas (browns gas) which is driven in to the carburettor or manifold. This results in an increase in engine productivity, mileage and ultimately fuel consumption.

There are most certainly some risks associated with attaching a hho gas car modification system. Firstly as a rule of thumb, the system works bests with car or trucks that are over 10 year’s old. Recent models of cars have stricter warranties and engine designs which make it extremely difficult and risky to attach such a system. Whichever system you choose make sure you have full explanation on how the system will effect the warranty of your car. Make sure you understand the risks before you consider use such a system. Furthermore seek the advice of a trusted mechanic.

Conclusion

HHO gas car modification systems have certainly provided an element of hope in these times of ridiculously high petrol prices. On the flip side however are the potential risks such systems propose on car’s- specifically when they are not fitter correctly. Make sure you understand the risks before fitting a system such as water4gas to your car or truck.

By: Peter C Johnson

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Whenever it comes to upgrading or replacing engines for those who want maximum power it seems it is always the bigger the more powerful, the better. So it goes with Chrysler motors especially when it comes to the vintage retro “Muscle Cars” of the 1960′s and 1970′s.

The “B” and “RB” series can be said to be the “Big Boys” or the “Big Blocks”.

The basic designs of the “B” as well as the “RB” series of power plants are essentially the similar if not the same. This means to a reasonably experienced automotive person with automotive repair skills, that a “RB” series engine can be installed in place of an “R” and vice verso. Take note that if an RB block is wider and taller than its cousin or sister.

If an RB block replaces a previous B block under the hood the mechanic in charge may well find that he or she will have to proceed with additional modifications to accommodate the increased size and girth of the newer replacement engine block. In addition for clearance needs special or different exhaust manifolds or headers may be required.

The question becomes if all B engine blocks – that is the Chrysler 350. 361, 383 and 400 – are of a similar design? It seems that this group and family are all pretty much laid out the same of the same designs. Two bolt main bearing caps are the distinguishing feature in this series. You can count on the essential designs and layout being very strong and durable. So durable in fact that Chrysler never entertained the need to enhance the product line, and upscale it with four-bolt blocks, even in their very high and highest performance versions. Basically you can be reassured that virtually all the parts and components, that is except the pistons themselves, among all the different displacement versions, are interchangeable with no modifications required. Well that is the theory at least. Welcome to the real world of cars, autos and automotive and classic 60′s “Muscle Cars” enthusiasts. They are a strange and unique breed indeed.

What of the “RB” blocks? “RB” engine blocks share many similarities with the “R” series but they are not exactly identical, although more than similar. The main bearing journal diameters are the same as the “R”s. However you can count on this grouping of motors being overall larger than those of the “B” set. It is often noted that the cylinder bore diameters themselves are different among the different displacement engine varieties (413,426 and that of the massive 440) and that generally the smaller displacement in real life motoring on American roads and highways do not have a thick enough bore sleeve to accommodate the strain and work to be over-bored to accept pistons from the next larger displacement version. It can be said, for good effort and results, that you can count on the majority, if not the entire groupings, of the “RB” engines to have the same reliable, durable and racetrack proven two-bolt main bearings caps setup.

With your new and larger engine especially with the 1960′s Chrysler and Mopar “Muscle Cars” of legend – be they 60′s Plymouth “Road Runners” or Dodge “Super Bees” or all the way to the 1970 Mopar Challengers, Barracudas all the way to the 426 Hemi Cuda the thrill of speed on the highways and roadways of America as well is Canada is always there. On top of that you cannot have too big or too powerful motor and engine block.

By: Shaun Stevens

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As a result of ever increasing gas prices, many thousands of people have converted their cars or trucks through a process known as HHO Modification. Every day people are waking up to the idea that there are many gas options available to them other than gas derived straight from oil. For example, after converting a vehicle through HHO Modification, a car will then be able to run on half water and half gas. Here is where it gets exciting: That translates into an annual savings of over $1,500.

I hear some people say that they never heard of this HHO technology or they get scared that maybe it is a scam. It is good to be skeptical nowadays. You can never be too careful and you should always do your research (that is why I included an objective review of the three leading companies providing HHO Modification kits in a link at the bottom of the page). The fact of the matter is that this technology has been around since 1820 in one form or another. It is only becoming popular now due to the ridiculous prices at the gas pumps across America. Here are some of the more recent developments regarding HHO Modification that may help show how mainstream it has become:

1. The US Army has recently purchased a fleet of Hummers that use the HHO technology.

2. The US Senate and House of representatives just finished conducting hearings on HHO Modification as a viable fuel alternative and found that it was very impressive.

3. the national news has been covering very positive stories regarding HHO Modification for months now.

I included a link at the bottom of the page that leads to a website that gives an objective review of the 3 most popular companies that provide “how to manuals” for HHO Modification technology.

By: George Knoechel

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This continues the comprehensive guide to Obama’s Loan Modification Program and specifically the rules and laws of the package.

Definition of Front-End DTI:
Front-End DTI is defined as the ratio of PITIA to Monthly Gross Income. PITIA is an acronym that stands for principal, interest, taxes, insurance (homeowners, hazard, and flood insurance included) and homeowners association and/or condominium fees. The PITIA calculation excludes mortgage insurance premiums.

31% is the target Front-End DTI. The Front-End DTI target will be satisfied by a Standard Waterfall step that produces a Front-End DTI closest to but not below 31%. Although there is no restriction for going below 31% Front-End DTI, the payment reduction cost share would only cover going down to 31%.

Valuation of Property:
If it so chooses, the servicer is entitled to use a broker price opinion (BPO) or a government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) automated valuation model (AVM), that is if the AVM produces a dependable confidence score.

Alternately, the servicer can use an internal AVM on the condition that (i) the servicer may be supervised by a Federal regulatory agency, (ii) the model and/or said model’s validation has been inspected by the Servicer’s primary Federal regulatory agency, and (iii) the AVM produces a dependable confidence score.

If the GSE or servicer ATM cannot produce a value with a dependable confidence score, the servicer will be required to assess the property value using a method of property valuation acceptable to the Federal regulatory agency of the Servicer or a BPO.

The property valuation must be less than 60 days old.

Validation of Earnings and Property:
Each debtor on the note will be required to sign a form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Form), and in addition the most recent tax return on file will be obtained for said debtor9s). Each wage earner will be obligated to produce their two most recent pay stubs. Self-employed debtors and debtors who don’t earn a wage-based income will have their earnings verified by third-party documents that provide reasonably dependable evidence of earnings.

In addition, debtors must also guarantee that they don’t have adequate liquid assets to make their monthly mortgage installments.

Gross Monthly Earnings:
The debtor’s gross monthly earnings is the total income made before any payroll deductions including overtime pay, fees, commissions, wages and salaries, bonuses, housing allowances, tips, other remunerations for personal services, social security installments, including installments given to adults for or by minors for their support, insurance policies, annuities, retirement funds, death or disability benefits, unemployment payments, and rental and other income. Monthly net income may be used for the purposes of preliminary screening and qualification. If this is used, the net income should be multiplied by 1.25 to obtain an estimate of gross monthly earnings.

Back-End DTI:
Back-End DTI can be defined as the ratio of monthly debt payments (for example, the Front-End PITIA, payments on installment debts, all monthly insurance premiums, all monthly junior lien payments, all installment debt payments, car lease payment, alimony, combined negative net rental earnings from all owned investment properties, and all the monthly mortgage payments from second homes) to the debtor’s gross monthly income. Monthly installments, secondary mortgage debt, and revolving debt are required to be validated by pulling each debtor’s credit report or (if for a married couple) a joint report. Information relayed orally or in writing from the debtor must also be considered by the servicer.

Debtors who have a post-modification Back-End DTI equal to or greater than 55%, but would otherwise be able to qualify for a modification through the plan will be given a letter explaining the debtor’s requirement to work with a HUD-authorized counselor and to sign a statement stating that they would get counseling . The letter will also explain that the statement will be required to be signed in order for the modification to take effect.

Impending / Feasible Default:
All potentially qualified debtors who write or call into their servicer for or about a modification are required to get a hardship screening. The screening will assess whether or not the debtor has experienced a circumstance change that resulted in financial hardship or is facing a recent or future payment increase that will cause financial hardship (payment shock). If a material circumstance change is reported by the debtor, the servicer is required to ask about current assets and income, and current expenses in addition to the exact circumstances regarding the alleged financial hardship. Documentation shall verify these elements.

If it is determined by the servicer that a non-defaulted debtor in financial hardship will imminently default and be unable to make payments in the foreseeable future, the NPV Test must be applied by the servicer.

Discretionary and Mandatory Modifications:
Every loan that is either in feasible default or, by the calculation of MBA delinquency, is not less than 60 days delinquent will require an NPV Test which will weigh the NPV of cash flows expected from modification against the NPV of cash flows expected from no modification. If the modification scenario’s NPV is of greater value, the result of the NPV is positive.

The NPV Test does not mandate consideration of forgiveness of principal and only goes for the Standard waterfall. However, the servicer may forgive principal if the servicer believes that doing so will help loan performance and modification value. The required parameters of the NPV Test shall be published separately.

Do You Qualify? and How to Apply:

By: Frank Stevenson

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