Whether you’re just replacing a faulty car part, looking for more performance, or doing an entire car rebuild, sourcing spare parts needs some consideration. Not everyone is a mechanic, but some prior knowledge about how cars and engines work helps. This pinpoints the problem, identifies the options for brands and parts suppliers, and gives you guidelines on getting your vehicle up and running.
Replacements are straightforward and you’ll be shopping for OEM components to sort out any issues. This means having VIN and parts numbers ready and sourcing directly from the dealership or approved third-party brands that also supply the car manufacturer. But for more performance, better handling and a car that’s different from anything else on the road, performance parts are the way to go. Here styling kits, exhaust and engine upgrades, and suspension tweaks offer more of everything. You get a car that’s faster, more responsive, keeps its poise in turns, and is a hoot to drive.
Why Consider Styling Kits?
Styling parts and complete styling kits are some of the more sought-after car parts in Australia, as they improve on bland looks, and can add an aerodynamic edge over cars of the same model. Here front and rear bumpers, lips and splitters and rear spoilers and wings control airflow over, under and around the car to reduce a major factor hurting performance – drag. This is the oncoming air that slows the vehicle down.
Different parts are assigned different purposes when dealing with drag. Front splitters for instance disperse air over the car to improve downforce, essentially pressing the car on the road and increasing the steering feel with more grip through the tyres. Front and rear spoilers send air left and right to improve high-speed stability, while side skirts prevent air from pooling under the car. Other minor additions such as gurney flaps, fender vents and rear diffusers can be added to the mix for additional handling gains. Parts can be added separately, but for the best results, both for improved looks and performance, look to complete body and styling kits made specifically for your make, model and MY.
The visual effect parts have and how durable and effective they are depend on the choice of materials. Affordable choices include ABS plastic and fibreglass. Plastics have decent strength, can last in minor impacts like potholes and kerbs, and have good weathering, so keep their looks for longer. Fibreglass parts are cheaper, with less rigidity or flexibility, but are easy to work with, especially when applying primers and paint. They also fade less in direct sunlight and better handle heat.
Spend more on carbon fibre kits to get styling parts with head-turning appeal and the rigidity to deal with oncoming air. The material is exceptionally strong (10 times that of steel), flexible to absorb impact and extremely light. Besides aerodynamic parts, it is used in roofs and bonnets to shed considerable weight. For faster track times, this is the performance kit to get.
Exhausts and Engine Upgrades
More performance is all about bigger bangs. This can be improved by increasing the amount of the two main ingredients in every combustion cycle – air and fuel. By burning more of both, car engines produce more power and torque, basically netting you a faster car, and one with higher top speeds.
The first engine part that deals with getting more air in is the air intake. Performance intakes are paired with bumper air scoops, reworked and bigger air filters, wider and straighter piping and bigger airboxes to store and push more air into the cylinders. Cold air intakes also help by using heat-resistant parts to keep air cool, dense and oxygen-rich for better combustion efficiency.
To match the increase in air, you’ll also need high-flow fuel injectors and performance spark plugs. Most vehicles require an ECU tune to balance all parameters for smoother power delivery across a wider power band.
More air in also means more air out, and this is done with the wider piping of performance exhausts. These car parts in Australia remove restrictions spent gases face when exiting the vehicle, allowing the engine to breathe. Faster exhaust flow implies faster air intake, so more power. Performance exhausts achieve this with wider tubing made from stronger materials (stainless steel for instance) and revised layouts to speed up gas flow. The designs are modular, meaning car owners can also swap out individual parts like catalytic converters, manifolds or restrictive mufflers separately, or choose from different configurations and systems (axle-back, cat-back or header-back) for the expected results. Bonuses include customising the exhaust sound for more substance and volume and parts that deal better with high heat, pressure and impact, so help with durability.
Tuning the Suspension
Styling mods complement suspension upgrades when the end goat is improving how the car handles. Most passenger cars are tuned for comfort but for a sportier feel, coilovers are still regarded as the best upgrade. These are preassembled springs and shocks, calibrated for damping and rebound. They stiffen up the ride, offer more control in turns and bends, and keep the car glued to the road. Coilovers deal with potholes, bumps and other road imperfections with more control, increase tyre contact for more grip, and prevent issues like diving and squatting when hitting the brakes. Most also lower the car by a few millimetres, for a more aggressive look.
Look for monotube coilovers for the best performance, handling improvements and high-speed control in typical racing and track applications, or opt for twin-tube variants across all four wheels if you want a good balance between a car that equally manages track and street duty.
