| If you have a Volkswagen Golf GTI or Jetta, and | | | | evenly. When cornering, you’ll find that |
| you’re looking for some inexpensive upgrades, | | | | there’s not as much lean in the car. This will add |
| read on. We’ll start with two performance parts | | | | to the ‘ride on rails’ feel as you continue |
| that are going to make the biggest impact for the least | | | | to upgrade suspension parts. If you want to stiffen up |
| cost. The first area of topic will be suspension. | | | | the back end a bit, a rear stress bar is about the same |
| An upgrade to your suspension is a night and day | | | | price as a front. |
| difference from stock. Let’s start at the strut | | | | Our next area of topic is the air intake system. If |
| towers. When you turn corners, your strut towers do | | | | you’re looking for a little pep in your step, and |
| not move in sync, they move independently. That | | | | some growl under the hood, then you’ve found |
| movement is called stress. Thus, when the car leans, | | | | your next modification. Several companies put out |
| different stresses occur to each strut tower. To | | | | good quality cold air intakes, but Euro Sport |
| reduce give in your car, it’s best to install an | | | | Accessories’ Cool-Flo Race Air Intake System |
| upper stress bar. Take for instance the ABD Racing | | | | seems to accommodate the widest range of VW |
| Upper Stress Bar. It’s got a twin tube design | | | | models. Even if you’ve got an old Volkswagen |
| which helps reduce flexing and twisting when cornering. | | | | with a CIS/E fuel injection system, you can still boost |
| The install for an upper stress bar is relatively simple. | | | | performance and feel results. Don’t let that fuel |
| Set stress bar into place, mark holes for drilling, drill, | | | | dizzy fool ya! Install is relatively easy, more time |
| drop hardware into holes, place in stress bar, and bolt | | | | consuming than hard to understand. |
| down. | | | | The other great perk about Euro Sport’s |
| For the test drive, head out to to the freeway and | | | | Cool-Flo Intake is that there are no more filters to buy, |
| take a spin. The first thing you’re likely to notice | | | | the filter is re-usable! Simply remove filter, rinse with |
| is that bumps will feel more stable and even. Without a | | | | water until clean, let stand to dry, re-oil, and back on |
| stress bar in place, you’ll feel one corner of the | | | | she goes! That’s roughly $10.00 savings every |
| car rise up when bumps are hit. With the stress bar in | | | | time you go to get your oil changed. (ok, maybe every |
| place, it should be blatently obvious that one side of the | | | | other time) Either way, it’s money in the bank |
| car no longer flexes and gets pushed up. The whole | | | | for two more cheap upgrades! |
| front end now disperses the shock of a bump more | | | | |