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