How to Make Your Dodge a Lean, Mean Racing Machine (Safely and Legally)
If you ever doubted the performance potential of a Dodge, you need only look at the "Fast and Furious" franchise to see what a Dodge can do. Even if you don't ever need to jump out of a helicopter in mid-flight in your car, you'll still appreciate the power, speed and agility of a Dodge.
In recent years, the Fiat Chrysler Automobile group has shifted its focus for Dodge to produce exclusively performance vehicles. Now, when you shop Dodge dealers in Miami, you'll find plenty of muscle cars like the Charger or sports cars like the Viper.
Yet if you want to give your car even more juice, you can make some aftermarket upgrades that will improve its speed, horse power and handling. You'll just need to make sure you do it legally!
The exact step-by-step for making these upgrades will vary by vehicle and what you want to do. However, here are some guidelines you should follow:
Know Your Local Ordinances
Every city, county or state can have different laws about what modifications are allowable on your vehicle. Some ordinances are designed to regulate emissions, but others are put in place to keep top speeds in check.
Ignorance of the law is not a defense for breaking the law. Don't wait until you see blue lights behind you to start figuring out how to protect yourself. Take the time to learn about your local ordinances before you begin your upgrades, and stick to the letter of the law. Trust us: You will get caught if you make upgrades that aren't street legal.
Start Small and Work Your Way Up
You don't necessarily need to update your Dodge with a whole new suspension system or hook it up to a tank of Nos to get the performance you want. Even minor changes can improve your Dodge's horse power and speed.
Start with small changes first and see how you like the way the car responds. Small changes can include higher-grade filters, specialty spark plugs and new air intakes. You may find that your car gets the job done that you want with a handful of minor upgrades, which can save you a lot of time and money.
Make Sure Your Car Can Support Each Change
Making even one upgrade can set off a cascade of additional upgrades. For example, if you upgrade the tires, you might also have to upgrade the brakes, the shocks or even the suspension.
Simple changes like these may not pose any issues. However, some changes may then require additional changes that your car just can't handle. For example, to get the full performance from a new engine you select, you may need a suspension or exhaust system that don't fit your current platform.
Consider All Elements
The engine in your Dodge is what gets the most attention when evaluating its performance and power. However, it is only one piece of the puzzle.
Consider all the elements that contribute to performance when you are upgrading your Dodge. That includes the transmission, exhaust system, suspension, tires, and even the peripheral accessories, such as the spark plugs and filters.
For each potential upgrade, consider how much it will add to your performance in terms of measurable outcomes such as horse power or speed, and weigh that against the cost or time involved in making the changes.
Work with an Experienced Mechanic
Even if you are pretty handy under the hood, you should not make your own performance upgrades. Not only may you void your warranty, but you may also seriously injure yourself and impair the safety of the car. You can easily make mistakes that can lead to accidents that injure you and many others on the road.
Find a mechanic who has experience making performance upgrades to Dodge vehicles to do the work for you. Your mechanic will have the proper tools to get the job done right, making your car safer and getting the best performance from it. Working with a mechanic will also save you money in terms of the repair bills you won't have from the mistakes you are likely to make.
Check with friends and family to get referrals for the right mechanic, or talk to local Dodge dealers in Miami to find one that specializes in performance upgrades. Ask for examples of past work, and talk to previous clients. You want to get as much information as possible to make sure the mechanic can handle the work you want done and will perform it to the highest quality.
Choose a High-Performance Dodge
You really don't have to make after-market upgrades to some Dodge models to feel like you are driving your very own race car. Some models like the Dodge Charger or Challenger Hellcat or the ACR Viper offer amazing power and performance right off the lot.
The 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat gets 707 horse power and 650 pounds per feet of torque, and it reaches top speeds of 199 mph. The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR will have an 8.4-liter V10 engine that puts out 645 horse power and 600 pounds per feet of torque. It will reach a top speed of 177 mph.
Those are all figures that could pass muster on amateur racing tracks. The Challenger's top speed comes in only 13 to 14 mph under record speeds set on professional race tracks.
You can buy top performance models like the Challenger, Charger or Viper at Dodge dealers in Miami -- though you may have to pony up some serious cash and you may have to wait awhile.
Cars with such phenomenal performance are hot sellers, so you may find it a bit hard to snag your model before they sell out. Otherwise, you can use these tips to make upgrades to any other Dodge vehicle to get the street racing performance you want.
Visit Miami Lakes Dodge to get great deals on some exceptional Dodge models today.