Improve Your Car’s Power

I can hear it now from the Prius loving, gas sipping, and bike riding crowds: a more powerful car is environmentally irresponsible. Balderdash! Not that anyone should care what others think of them, but this thought pattern is totally incorrect. Thanks to advances in automotive technology, virtually every performance part on the market will yield greater fuel mileage for your car as well as give you more power. A true win-win result; let’s take a look at four powerful performance enhancing parts for your vehicle.

1. Power chips and programmers. Whether your replace your car’s computer chip or enhance it with a power programmer, in either case you will achieve noticeable gains in horsepower and thrust. By overriding the factory limitations imposed on your vehicle you can get more power for a small amount of money.

2. Reusable air filters. Now this is a part that the tree huggers love: air filters which can be used over and over again. That’s right, no need to clog up our landfills with paper filters once a year. Instead, air filters built for race cars can be put in your car and reused. Your engine breaths better and better breathing engine sucks up less fuel. Guess what? Your fuel economy improves!

3. Cold air intakes. That growl coming from underneath your hood is your engine telling you that it loves its new air intake. Designed to suck up colder, denser air a cold air intake delivers the “fuel” that you engine wants. Again, your engine runs smoother and fuel economy increases. The best part? A cold air intake is an awesome looking addition to your engine bay!

4. Performance exhausts. Yes, your stock exhaust system just doesn’t cut it. For starters, it works against your engine and not with it. Specifically, power flow is inhibited and your engine works harder and sucks up more gas in the process. With the wider pipes found in a performance exhaust system you can get more horsepower, achieve greater torque, and watch your fuel economy rise as your engine and exhaust work in harmony.

What many motorists do not understand is that some stock parts are not the best parts for your car. Manufacturers, in an ongoing bid to save money, will often opt for those parts that cost less to hold car prices down. Unfortunately, your car is the biggest loser as power is restricted and fuel economy drops. With the right parts installed by you the trend can be reversed without significant increases in exhaust pollution; your car will still pass its emissions test and it will runner faster and more efficiently.

Of course, the big question is this: aren’t performance parts expensive? They can be if you do not shop around. Visit the web site of a trusted online wholesaler and compare prices. Do the work yourself and your saving will more than cover the cost of having someone install stock parts for you.

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Install A "Green" Air Filter!

All right now, no laughing. Probably the easiest part to swap out in a car is the air filter. A quick pop of the hood and the loosening of a couple of clamps or a wing nut and you simply reach in and pull out the old air filter. Next, open the box up containing your new air filter, pop it into place, secure everything and you are done. Five, maybe ten minutes to accomplish the easiest job going. So, why doesn't everyone change their own air filter? More importantly, why don't more people opt for environmentally friendly air filters, commonly known as "green" air filters? You can install a green air filter yourself and do much more than keep the air clean in the process.

So, what is a "green" air filter? A green air filter is an environmentally friendly air filter. No, they aren't usually green as the color green is what signifies that the product works in harmony with nature. Now go hug a tree.

With a reusable air filter, you never have to buy another air filter again for your car. Periodically, all you would have to do is take the air filter out, clean it, and then reinstall it. Reusable air filters, such as an AFE air filter, are made of a washable cotton gauze material. As you probably know, cotton is one of the most durable materials on God's green earth.

In many states, disposing of trash is a big problem. You can do your part by not adding to the problem. Just think about it: over the lifespan of a car you could easily add 8, 10, 15 or more air filters and boxes to the city dump. With a reusable air filter, less is actually more.

A deep pleat in a reusable air filter means better filtration: your car's engine "breathes" better with a higher quality, natural product. As you may know, an efficient engine uses less fuel too.

Sure, a reusable air filter will cost you more, approximately 2-4 times the price of a throw away air filter. However, you will recoup that money over time and do your part in showing environmental responsibility. Who can put a price on all of that? Go with green and make a difference today!

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Replace Your Car's EGR Valve

Located smack dab on your car’s intake manifold, an EGR [Exhaust Gas Recirculation] valve functions by sending exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber as “exhausted air” is much hotter than intake air. By bringing warmer gas into the combustion chamber, your engine operates much more cleanly and efficiently.

Like any part, your Ford EGR valve or Toyota EGR valve is subject to getting clogged with dirt or crud. A clogged unit may cause your car to stall, hesitate, or idle roughly. Sometimes, simply cleaning the EGR valve with a product like STP carburetor cleaner will resolve the problem. Still, if you take your car in for its MV inspection and the diagnostic tests shows that your EGR valve is not working, you will fail inspection and be forced to swap out the device before bringing your car back in for a follow up inspection. What a hassle, but something you just don’t want to forget about.

Prices on replacement EGR valves are all over the place: some parts are reasonably priced while others will cost you a mint. Your Ford or Toyota dealer will charge you a mint if you purchase one through their parts department, as buying through any dealer can quickly turn into a financial nightmare. Instead of going through all that aggravation, you can save big money by shopping online through a quality wholesaler such as All EGR Valves. As is common with all high quality auto parts wholesalers, you can purchase an EGR valve at a huge discount and save a bundle over dealer mark up prices. Leading wholesalers deal directly with manufacturers, buy in gigantic quantities, negotiate the lowest prices, and pass big savings on to you.

Replacing an EGR valve is a simple process and can be accomplished with standard automobile tools. With your handy Chilton repair manual at your side, you will quickly remove and replace the device and have a strong sense of accomplishment on a job “well done.” Best yet, you will have saved yourself plenty of money which you can use for other parts, like the K&B cold air intake that you always wanted!

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Dual Power

The first hybrid gas electric car did not come out in 1983, but in 1917. The Woods Dual Power was built by the Woods Motor Vehicle Company of Chicago. Because the gas engine was so rough, but supplied more power and electric cars were smoother, but had limited range, the Woods Motor Vehicle Company wanted to supply a car that gave you the best of both worlds.

The best part is, it was a full hybrid (listen up GM) with regenerative braking. The engine was a parallel hybrid that included a 12-hp, 4-cylinder gasoline engine as an auxiliary drive system in addition to the electric drive train. The electric engine could propel the car up to 20 mph. Together with the gas engine, the dual wood power could get up to 35 mph.

The gas engine and electric engine were connected using a magnetic clutch. The gas engine became magnetized when activated (by a lever controlled by the driver). The copper disk was pulled against the flywheel connecting the electric motor to the gas engine.

Only the electric motor could be used while going in reverse. Why? Because the engine had no clutch and so the gas engine had no gears!

The car battery designed for this car was about half the size of the batteries in other electric cars of the time. Once the car got up to 20 mph, the gas engine could be engaged, allowing the electric motor and gas motor to work together. The battery could be recharged or discharged by another lever. Recharging was done by the gas motor (at speeds over 6 mph) or by braking on level ground or when coasting down hills. A conventional brake pedal was only used at speeds of less than 6 mph.

Available for only $2650 (remember this was 1917). Wire wheels were a luxury, costing an extra $25. Or you could 'pimp' your vehicle out for another $100 (paint and trim).

Ultimately, the first hybrid was a commercial failure. It was built only in 1917 and 1918. It was too expensive, too slow, and too difficult to service to be a commercial success.

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GM Brands: 1 or 2 Too Many?

A lot of people are speculating on the future of GM. If you take the heart to press reports, one would think that General Motors in life. Frankly, the opposite is true especially when you look at the overall picture. In 2005, "the lawyer" has sold over 9 million cars worldwide, the first time the automaker has reached the figure by 1978. Yes, U.S. auto sales are down and some are calling for GM to reduce its many brands, currently numbering eight. While GM should let go? Or should, General Motors stick with the game plan and keep all 8 brands?

For the record, eight GM brands: Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Saturn, GMC, Hummer and Saab. You could remove the package, such as the Swedish car maker Saab (although wholly owned by GM) is building some cars in North America. Still, GM's Saab provides a marketing scheme that we keep them in your love of the subject.

It 'clear that GM's Cadillac luxury division, Chevrolet has a budget or "All American" division, even if the GMC truck division. Furthermore, most of the division confusing, but Buick is a creator of "near luxury" cars (Cadillac lite) and the Hummer division of GM has specialized trucks. Saab line is a bit 'confusing as it was once true in continental Europe. Now, for the most part with rebadged GM and Subaru vehicles with little original interpretation. Finally, Pontiac and Saturn duplicate much of what the other departments, even if the mystique of Saturn's "no haggle pricing," which gives a light to it. That leaves Pontiac.

Pontiac, Oldsmobile as the name caught recently, is probably one of the most vulnerable of the true "American" does. Saturn survive because its peaks dealer network and consumer satisfaction ranks up there with Lexus.

Ultimately, the name Saab is the first chance of death. Outside the United States, especially in Europe, Opel and GM as known to make important. It is said that part of the production Saab will move to Germany and some rebadged Opels begin to sport the name Saab. Let's just say once they occur, there are few reasons to continue to Saab. Let the Saab name die with dignity. Why spoil it with the sale of Saab as a rebadged Opel?

Personally, I think GM should leave well enough alone with its other U.S. brands. I was not in cahoots for Oldsmobile and I'm not in favor of killing trustmark. GM is retooling its operations to kill the old and new models or models revive step in Chevy Enclave to help their respective services to arouse renewed glory. I'm living a pipe dream? Maybe, but at least my imagination is going in a positive direction.

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American Performance Cars

Bear with me as I step back in time to formulate what I believe are three formidable performance American cars built: the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro. Currently, only the Mustang is in production with the Challenger back in 2009. GM has committed to build the Camaro just yet, but the company is likely to make a decision in favor of the car and his brother, the Pontiac Firebird, this summer. So, what is the performance on American cars that set them apart from the rest? In one word: muscle. Read on as I compare these three vehicles and share with you my feeble attempts to explain the culture behind the car.

So, do you think I forgot the Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper when it comes to sports cars? No, I did not. Both models are sports cars and racing cars. On the other hand, the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger are mass-produced cars with muscle performance. There is a difference in how a typical race car handles, rides, and runs against a muscle car.

Typically, a muscle car was a coupe version of some of the larger vehicles that have been popular on the streets of the United States in 1960 and 1970. The Mustang and Camaro, however, have been designed separately [although both sides heavily borrowed from other models] and this "pony" cars were a category all to themselves. For the sake of comparison, are added to the Dodge Challenger, a performance version of Mopar cars of its time. All three were compared with the critics of that time and all three will again be compared to a few years, when production is ramped up.

a step back in time with me in April 1964 for an era in which America has been heavily involved in the space race, Lyndon Johnson was president, and General Motors said Autodom . Ford, meanwhile, had been nipping at GM's heels for years, but the success of the Edsels end of 1950 had cost the company dear. Still, it was the turn of the New York World's Fair and Ford used the right technology and television to promote his new offering, the Mustang. A 2 +2 coupe shares and loan from the Fairlane Falcon, the 1964 ½ model was the first sold and is widely credited with being the best introduction of a new vehicle ever. With a standard V6 engine and optional V8, the new Mustang quickly surpassed all sales records and was a hot seller ever since. In fact, with the introduction of the look "retro" Mustang in 2005, the car has once again generated interest in the segment of muscle cars such as DaimlerChrysler and General Motors is competing models of their craft.

After the success of earlier muscle cars including the Dodge Charger and Plymouth 'Cuda, the Dodge Challenger was launched as a 1970 model. The car borrowed heavily from the 'Cuda, but the plate was a bit' different, and the wheelbase has been lengthened by an inch. Why was the muscle car was in decline at the time of its introduction, the Challenger lasted only five years before the model was canceled. The Challenger concept is currently on display at auto shows many design is based on 1970 and is the talk of forums and blogs across the country. Look for Hemi-powered engines as favored by many owners, the car is likely that parts of the current technology with the Magnum wagon and Charger sedan.

GM was asleep at the wheel when the Mustang came out. It took almost three years before the company could respond and when he did the Camaro and Pontiac Firebird were the result. Although both cars sold well over the years, no one could match the Mustang sales levels and by the time the cars were sold last in 2002, production dropped to a trickle. Yet, at the end of the Camaro after 35 years has led to renewed interest in the name and thanks to the retro Mustang, the whole muscle car category is growing once again. Look for a Camaro 2010 Camaro will be the first time since 2002, while a ragtop version is also considered.

Therefore, only that you can expect to buy a muscle car these days? People like me: middle-aged men who grew up with the original models. In addition, a whole new generation of younger riders tired of "me too" look of many of the compact cars on the road. muscle cars of today are very different from cars as they incorporate a time before the appearance of the originals, using today's technology. Therefore, it will be decent fuel economy without sacrificing performance: a true win-win situation.

No, I can not wait to see a Mustang, Camaro and Challenger in line at a stoplight waiting for the light to change. A new era "muscle car" is upon us and we are very excited.

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