Wednesday, February 24, 2016

The Positives Of Having A Sports Car

Still Thinking Of Getting A Sports Car?

While my last blog presented some of the negatives, I'm here to lighten up your day by giving you some of the many positives of owning a sports car.

Going Fast:

To some, going fast is a good feeling. As mentioned in one of my previous blogs, it is comparable to the adrenaline rush you get when accelerating on a roller coaster.

What makes this different than riding a roller coaster is, you're in control. You're in your car, you control when to accelerate and you control the direction you're going in. This makes it the ultimate adrenaline experience. Although I highly encourage safe driving, there is always something fascinating about including a bit of risk in your experience.

Making It Faster:

While your sports car may be fast, you can definitely make it faster. Sports cars tend to have a bigger market for modifications, as companies will specifically target groups who own sports cars. The logic is simple: If you own a minivan, you are probably utilizing it for its extensive space and comfort, rather than its speed. Therefore, it would make little sense for after-market companies to target mini van owners using performance car parts.
 
While this may be true for mini vans, if you have a sports car, you're in luck. There are companies out there that will specialize in distributing performance parts specifically for your car. An example is American Muscle. On the given website, you can the car parts needed to modify your Mustang, whether it be the engine or the aesthetics of the car.

Stick Shift Is More Fun On Sports Cars:

If you're driving stick shift on a slow car, it almost feels like a chore. You can say the complete opposite of driving stick on a fast sports car. Driving stick itself is a very personal experience in which you give full engagement to the car. Your whole body is being used. You utilize your left hand to steer, your right hand to shift, your left leg for the clutch pedal(stick shift cars have 3 pedals), and your right leg for the brake/gas pedals. You simply have more fun when driving stick on a sports car, you feel the car's force pull you forward with every shift. Stick shift sport cars also tend to be faster than the automatic transmission version of the same car.

Expression:

Think about who you are and how much you like expressing yourself. For the reason mentioned earlier (sports cars have more after-market parts than other cars), expression is easier with sports cars. Even coming straight out of the factory, sports cars tend to have a more appealing aesthetic, they are meant to catch your eye.


On the left we have a family oriented sedan and on the right we have a two door sports car, straight out of the factory with no modifications.

Your car is a reflection of who you are, so why not project that image utilizing your sports car?

The Downsides To Having A Sports Car

Thinking Of Getting A Sports Car? 

 

One thing that I feel people don't give much consideration to is: the negatives of having a sports car. There are plenty of positives, but in the end, it all just depends on whether you think the negatives outweigh the positives. That's what will help you make your decision.

After a year of owning my car, I have definitely become aware of the negative side of owning a sports car. Luckily for me, my love for cars outweighs all of the negatives.



Insurance:

Insurance prices are definitely something to consider if you're looking into getting a sports car. If you're like me (20 years old), chances are that companies like Nation Wide will not be on your side. If you're anything younger than 25, chances are that insurance companies will charge you more than what they would charge a "responsible adult". Why is this? This speaks for itself, given the age, insurance companies figure that younger drivers will be more irresponsible on the road. This is for many reasons, whether it be because young drivers do not have as much experience or, you put someone like me behind the steering wheel of a sports car and this happens:

Logically, risky driving increases the chances of an accident.

Gas Prices:

If you're capable of reading this, chances are you've been in a car. In order for those cars to work, they need gasoline. The thing about getting a sports car is that they usually have a stronger engine. A good example is a V8 engine, often seen in muscle cars:
roush-cai-0509gt
While the engine itself looks and sounds great, the number of miles each gallon of gas gives you will not. As a daily driven car, my V8 is averaging 13 miles per gallon, on average. Today I drove past a gas station selling each gallon for $1.79. Given the price, the weekly total is not too high. However, we are all aware that gas prices can rise at very rapid speeds. Your weekly spending on gas can double in a matter of a few weeks.

Profiling:


If you drive a sports car, chances are that you will get profiled at one point or another. The other day, I was pulling out of my street. A cop drove by and looked straight at me. I pulled out of the street only to find that the cop was waiting for me on the side of the road. As soon as I passed him, he turned his lights on and pulled me over. Mind that I was not speeding or doing anything irresponsible (at the moment). I was pulled over because my "tints are too dark". While they are five percent "too dark", this is not something that is visible to the human eye. He would have had to use a device that scans the tint percentage in order to know this. With that being said, you may sometimes get pulled over because they simply assume you're up to something.

Make Your Car Look More Aggressive!

If your car looks too dull, check this out.



Cars that come straight out of the factory tend to have a dull look to them. If you read my last blog post, you are aware that it seems car companies do not want you to have fun with your car! They limit its performance from the start and they make your car look harmless. If you're looking to make your car look more aggressive in a relatively cheap manner, take a look at some of my suggestions.

Plasti Dip

I feel that this is one of the options that people have the most fun with. What exactly is it? It comes in a spray paint can, but it's definitely not paint; it's a durable rubber coating that LOOKS like paint. The great thing about these is that they can be found anywhere
Taking this one step further, there are tons of ways to apply this to your car's aesthetics. This is a great area to let your creativity flow! Some people choose to paint their rims using Plasi Dip, while others use it to paint actual parts of their car's body. Some even use them to tint different lights on the car.

The second image of the Mustang shows the center panel (between the tail lights) in black. In most cases, you have to purchase a black deck lid panel to cover the panel. With Plasti Dip, you can actually paint the panel for a much cheaper price(usually five to seven dollars for a can). Of course, it is recommended that you cover the tail lights and the area around the panel with tape, in order for the Plasti Dip to land ONLY on the panel.

Rims

Yes, new rims can definitely change the look of your car. The bad part is, not everyone has money for rims. Now, if you're in that situation, you can resort to using Plasti Dip once again!



Plasti Dipping your rims is simple. All you have to do is remove the wheel from your car, set it down somewhere that it is safe to spray paint, and then begin the process. Using this method can take away the look of a factory car, as black rims tend to look more aggressive!


The nice thing about Plasti Dip is that it is a rubber coating that goes over the rims. Which means that anything that is painted is not permanent! If you get tired of the color, simply remove the Plasti Dip (can be removed by hand once it is dry, but it is still durable for road use), and start over with a different color!

Brake Calipers

Nothing says "lame" like some unpainted brake caliper. This can easily be fixed with a paint caliper kit! The work is not too tedious, simply remove the wheel and paint the caliper using the paint and 
brush included in the kit.


 

It may not seem like much, but it can definitely make your car look much more aggressive. Especially if paired with a set of black rims (which can be easily attained using Plasti Dip).

duplicolor-red-caliper-paint

Monday, February 8, 2016

Slow Car? Let's Fix That

Tired of your Slow Car? Add Some Horsepower!



If you're anything like me, going slow on the road gets pretty boring. I'm not encouraging unsafe driving, but it sure is a great feeling to put the pedal on the floor as soon as the light turns green. The roller-coaster like experience produced can make your heart race. From personal experience, there's nothing more boring in a car than stepping on the pedal and continuing to go slow. Whether you have a sports car or a minivan, there are car parts out there that can make your car faster if you're willing to invest a bit of time and money!

Cold Air Intake

Alright, so here is how this works. Your engine is very similar to a person. It may eat gas, but it breathes our air. When cars are made, they come with a mechanism that has an air filter which connects to your engine. The thing is, car manufacturers limit the engine's abilities by providing an air filtration system that does not meet the car's full potential.


Air filter that comes with your car
Regardless of the idea that these companies are trying to impede our fun, we will revolt. How will we do this? It's called a "cold air intake". What do these do? They increase the flow of air to your engine. Increased flow of air then turns into the increase of power on your car. If you're still having trouble making sense of the cold air intake, imagine this scenario: Let's say you're not feeling well and your nostrils are clogged up. Think about how much more efficient your breathing is when your nose isn't clogged. That's right, these companies make us sick... With their restrictive components.
After-market air filter
More flow to your engine means that your car will produce more horsepower. Apart from making your car faster, it definitely gives your engine a sharp look.

Exhaust

If you're exhausted of your slow car, the answer lies within this sentence (twice, actually) : exhaust.
In more simple terms, your exhaust system is the set of pipes under your car from which the engine's emissions are released. Much like the situation with the cold air intake, car companies restrict the flow of air in cars using a muffler.
.

What you should be gathering from this is, the better the air flow, the faster your car will be. The exhaust that your car manufacturer provides you with will make you car run quietly and it will also steal some of your car's air flow. The main reason is: car companies clearly don't want you to have any fun. Aftermarket mufflers will take away the restriction of air flow and they will even make your car more aggressive. Take a look at the exhaust that this Mustang has for example. What better way to modify a Mustang than to give it the exhaust it deserves?

Aftermarket exhausts can be found anywhere as long as you know what kind of car you have.
All it takes is a quick search on your favorite search engine!

A Tune

I feel that this is the one that most people find interesting. As if we don't already have a grudge against car companies for restricting our fun, it doesn't stop with air intake and exhaust systems. Car companies actually restrict your car's performance simply with the software that is included with the car. How can we combat this? A tune! What's interesting about tunes is that you do not have to physically add anything to your car. You simply purchase a tuner 
Bama X4/SF4 Power Flash Tuner w/ 2 Custom Tunes (11-14 GT, 12-13 BOSS)
If you're wondering what the tuner does, prepare to be mind-blown. A tuner connects to the car and has the ability to optimize the car for performance purposes. This means you can increase your horsepower without physically installing anything on your car. Tuners benefit you in many ways, some of which are : increase in fuel efficiency and acceleration. The irony is, your car will be going faster and saving gas more gas than before. American Muscle claims that their tuners can add 50+ horsepower to 2011-2014 Mustangs

If you take the initiative and take some of my suggestions, I will guarantee that you will have more fun than ever with your car!