You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to improve your vehicle’s performance.

When people think of improving their vehicle’s performance, they often picture pricey aftermarket kits. But, if you’re hoping to get a better performance out of your vehicle without spending more than you have to, you’ll be glad to know that there are lots of ways to do so. In our last blog, we touched on the first five, including replacing the tires, upgrading the air filters, installing a cold air intake, upgrading the spark plugs and replacing the rubber radiator hose with a silicone coolant hose. Here are five more ways to take your vehicle’s performance to the next level:

#6. Rims

Many people think that nicer rims are purely an aesthetic upgrade, and that the only reason why anyone would spend the money on a new set of wheels is because they just want their vehicle to look good. First of all, there’s nothing wrong with wanting your vehicle to look its best. You’ve worked hard for your vehicle; take pride in it! Second of all, rims are actually about more than just style. They play a role in both handling and brake performance. Just make sure that you invest in a lightweight set for the biggest benefit to your vehicle’s performance.

#7. Synthetic Lubricants

Getting more out of your vehicle’s performance doesn’t always have to mean upgrading a part of installing a new component. How you choose to maintain your vehicle, and the products you use to maintain it with, also have a huge impact on how your vehicle performs. Using synthetic lubricant instead of traditional oil is beneficial in several ways. Synthetic lubricants perform better in high-stress, high-heat environments. They also provide superior extreme-temperature and cold-weather performance. Furthermore, they reduce friction more effectively, which leads to increased performance and a longer lifespan for your vehicle.

#8. Exhaust Header

In a typical exhaust system, the exhaust produced 

by the cylinder during combustion is forced back through to the manifold. Before it is released from the tailpipe, the built-up exhaust puts pressure on the cylinders, which causes a decrease in efficiency and performance. With an exhaust header, on the other hand, the exhaust is removed from the cylinders without putting pressure on them. With an exhaust header, each cylinder basically has its own exhaust pipe, so that the exhaust is removed every time a cylinder fires. This eliminates the back pressure of a standard exhaust system, allowing you to gain more power and an improved performance.

#9. Battery Insulation

You can’t possibly get the best-ever performance out of your vehicle without first getting the best-ever performance out of your battery. Investing in the right, high-quality battery is the first thing that you can do to ensure that you get the best possible battery performance. But if there’s room in your battery terminal, you can also insulate your battery. Both hot and cold temperatures can have an impact on your battery and shorten its lifespan. Insulating your battery helps to prevent damage from every type of extreme weather. This also helps to extend the life of your battery. If there isn’t room to insulate your battery, look for a comparable battery in a smaller size. Chances are, you’ll find one, and you’ll have the room you need to insulate it.

#10. Engine Control Unit

The engine control unit (ECU) is the computer system in your vehicle that monitors the engine and keeps it running smoothly by adjusting the air/fuel ratio, ensuring consistency regardless of the temperature or the altitude. The air/fuel ratio is programmed into the ECU in the factory, but it can be reprogrammed so that the ratio allows for greater performance. This helps to free up more power, and it could even help to increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. If you have a higher-end vehicle, you may be able to program in multiple profiles, allowing you to easily utilize different air/fuel ratios, depending on where you’re going and what you’re doing. You can either reprogram your vehicle’s ECU yourself using a programmer or you could take your vehicle into a performance shop to have it reprogrammed for you by a professional.

Take the first step toward upgrading your vehicle with silicone radiator hoses from Flex Technologies.

There are so many easy upgrades that can help to improve your vehicle’s performance, and a great place to start is with new, silicone radiator hoses from Flex Technologies. We can customize the perfect coolant hoses for your vehicle, made to your exact specifications and thoroughly tested for quality and performance. We have a ton of amazing colors to choose from, too, allowing you to not only get the performance you want, but also the look. Don’t wait, place your order for your very own custom silicone coolant hoses today.