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