Have you ever found yourself asking: "What are the best cheap mods for my car?" There are plenty of easy DIY performance upgrades for beginners, and some will even make your car safer by improving the way it drives or boosting its night-time visibility.
There’s nothing wrong with upgrading your car. It’s a great way to show your individuality, to make you stand out from that crowd. And that’s great. What’s not great, however, is wasting your money on kit, especially when you're on a budget.
So we've picked out performance mods under $100 that are actually worthwhile. Wallets (and Haynes manual) at the ready? Let's begin…
1 Air filter
A performance air filter – sometimes sold as part of an induction kit – can make a real difference to how a car breathes, especially if the ECU has been remapped. The engine will want to use more air so replacing the OEM air filter with something with better air flow – but crucially still filters effectively – will transform the way it drives and help boost the overall power output.
Popular makes include K&N, Ramair, aFe Power and Bosch, but there are plenty of others out there, so check compatibility for your car.
2. Brakes
This counts as one of those 'safety' improvements, because you'll want your car to stop more effectively if you're going to be boosting its performance.
With a budget of under $100 per upgrade, the best you can do here is change the pads – and you can find a set for each axle at this price, unless you drive something really exotic. Brembo is a popular brand.
If you're planning on a major power hike you'll need to increase the size of the rotors, which means going for new calipers and pads, too – but you'll also need to rethink your budget.
3. Tires
Okay, yes, this depends on the size of your wheels, because it's very easy to break through the $100-per-tire barrier.
Tires are the bits of rubber that connect your car to the road, so they’re pretty damn important. As such, don’t drive around with worn or mismatched tyres.
All new tyres have to meet certain safety standards, so don’t think you need brand name to make a difference. A set matched, balanced budget tyres is better than old, mismatched brand namers, trust us. However, do your research and check out magazine and online tire tests to see which performs best before you buy a set.
4. Wheel alignment
You should always have the steering and suspension geometry checked when you've had new tires fitted (and changed any suspension part - see below). Once it's set up correctly, the car will handle properly. That also means the tires will wear evenly, as long as you keep them inflated to the correct pressures.
You may well have to pay extra to have the alignment adjusted but the wheel balancing, where weights are sometimes added to the wheels when the new rubber is fitted, should be included with the tire price.
5. Upgraded headlamp bulbs
Halogen bulbs have been with us pretty much since the dawn of the car because they last a long time and do a reasonable job of illuminating the road ahead. They're not as good as xenon or LED headlamps, but upgrading to those is a legal gray area.
Luckily, there are brighter aftermarket halogen bulbs that ensure you stay on the right side of the law (make sure they're labelled for use on road). Make sure you get the right type of bulb to fit your car and wear gloves when fitting them – never touch the glass with your skin. These brighter, whiter bulbs probably won't last as long as the OEM bulbs, but it'll be worth it when you realise how much better they are.
6. Coil springs
Lowering your car has real-world benefits. First, if you’re driving an older car, it won’t hurt to change the springs. They wear out over time and get softer.
So if you are going to change them, why not go for something a bit sportier? You’ll lower the car by an inch or two, which will bring the centre of gravity down and help the handling a bit.
Plus, the car will be a bit firmer, so it’ll corner better and respond to steering inputs faster. Basically, some lowered sports springs will transform your car, but all without ruining it. A budget of $100 should buy you a pair of springs.
Bigger budget? Coilovers give you more choice, as well as adjustable-height suspension.
7. Spark plugs
When did you last change your plugs? They can last anywhere from 20,000-100,000 miles, depending on what they're made from, so inspect yours to make sure the electrode and insulator look good.
If not – or it's time to change them anyway – they cost from around $10 per plug. New plugs won't improve your car's 0-60mph time (unless it was spluttering before you changed them) but it may start faster and there's always a chance fuel economy may be slightly better.
8. Wiper blades
Like the headlamp bulb upgrade, new windshield wipers will improve your safety by boosting visibility when the weather's bad.
Wipers should be changed once a year, regardless of where you live, because cold weather can harm rubber as much as hot, and the sun's UV rays are also relentless.
How much are wipers? Expect to pay from around $10 for a single blade, but it's always best to buy them in pairs, as a set – and don't forget to change the rear screen's blade if you have one!
9. High-octane gas
If you're changing engine parts and maybe software to improve your car's performance, you really should be running it on the highest-octane gas. This will ensure there's no knocking and you should notice an improvement in fuel economy.
Whether this outweighs the extra cost of high-octane gas is up for debate, though.
10. Exhaust headers
Also known as manifolds, these are where the exhaust gases exit the engine. Aftermarket systems are built to improve the flow, which reduces the back pressure and helps to increase power as a result.
Yes, this is probably stretching the 'affordable car upgrade' a bit far, because headers easily cost more than $200, so put this one on the back burner and do it when money allows.
