I bought a car.

I’m not a huge car guy. I can’t do engine or suspension work. I don’t know how to change my oil. But when I actually BOUGHT my first non-parental car three years ago, a 2008 Toyota Corolla, I started doing some research. I learned right away that there is a lot of stupid stuff people do to ruin their cars. They add fake plastic parts; they Walmart-tint their windows, leaving all kinds of bubbles; and they add more lights and sounds than a church carnival.

At the same time, however, there are always a few aftermarket things you can do to improve your car. The guys at the factory in Michigan did a good job, but there are smart decisions an owner can make to result in a better experience.

Here are five things I plan to do to my 2012 Dodge Charger R/T Road & Track Edition HEMI V8 5.7 (and three things I won’t do).

1. Professional, legal, aftermarket tints

It’s $200 well-spent to hire a reputable pro to tint your car. This was one of the first things I did to my Corolla. In the spring, I’ll return to Rick Maas, at Eastern Glass Tinting Co. and have him do the standard tint job.

In Massachusetts, aftermarket tinting must allow more than 35 percent of light in on the front and rear side windows. There are a lot of benefits to getting it done. It protects your seats, keeps the car cool, and is an added security measure, keeping prying eyes at bay.

2. Mopar Front Strut Tower Brace

It’s not vital, so at $295 I won’t be diving into this right away. But Mopar’s Front Strut Tower Brace is one of the best suspension upgrades you can make for under $1,000. I’m not taking the car on the track or doing any racing, so I don’t need coilovers or lowering springs — which are popular with my former Corolla brethren.

A Tower Brace connects the left and right suspension at the top in the engine compartment. I did it with my Corolla, though I’m shocked I never wrote about it. I loved the results — less body-roll in corners, more responsive handling. I do want to check with a Dodge dealer before doing this, though. My R/T has some suspension options already, and a button called “Sport Mode” that I’m not sure what it does yet. (Appreciate any helpful comments below.)

The front bar is about $300. There’s a rear bar too, for $411, but it’s trickier to install and takes up trunk room from the photos I’ve seen. Westbury Jeep Chrysler Dodge, otherwise known as Moper Performance Online is the best website to start at, and it’s where I learned about these parts.

3. Billet Technology Signature Series Catch Can

Billet is a well-respected company in the automotive world. They machine quality parts, and that’s really all they have to do to maintain that level of respect.

Car forums are full of debate — try asking about the benefits of a Cold Air Intake — but one thing car guys tend to agree on: a catch can is a good idea.

What does it do? Here, I stole this right from the Billet website:

Question: What does the Billet Tech Catch Can do besides look good?

Answer: The Billet Tech Catch Can slows down and filters oil that may end up in the intake and combustion chambers. Oil in the combustion chamber could lower octane ratings that may cause your automobiles computer to sense knock/KR. This may cause a decrease in performance. The Billet Technology Catch Can helps decrease the symptoms of the scenarios described. So as you can see, the Billet Tech Catch Can not only looks good as stated, but performs flawlessly.

4. Install a drop-in K&N Air Filter

This one will be controversial with the guys and girls on the forums. I’m not going to replace my air intake — at least not yet. There is scattered proof that a cold air intake gives real tangible benefits. That is compounded by the fact that most of the benefits people see with an aftermarket intake are seen after the car is tuned properly afterward with another aftermarket product like the DiabloSport inTune. Trouble is, the codes are still locked up tight for the 2011 and 2012 Chargers.

Once the companies like DiabloSport catch up, I might consider playing with the air intake. Until then, I’m going to stick with a K&N drop-in filter. I used it in the Corolla to great results. It allows slightly better airflow than stock, and it only has to be cleaned every 50,000 miles or so. And it’s only $50.

5. One little stripe

I bought a black car with a black interior on purpose, but I think a tiny-yet-tasteful splash of color is in order. It also gives the car something unique to “me.”

I think a stripe on the rocker panels would be good. RiderGraphix has a nice kit for sale for $125 that I might purchase. I haven’t decided on a color yet, but I’m thinking yellow. Everyone else does red and blue, and I am not alone in thinking black and yellow go great together!

I won’t: 1. Change the exhaust

Absolutely unnecessary. My car has a cat-back system with dual tips. I am not interested in changing the sound that comes out. My car has a HEMI. That’s the sound you should hear when I pass you.

It’s $1-2,000 wasted plus installation. I’m good. I’d love to hear the argument for this.

I won’t: 2. Do a damn thing to the wheels, except maybe buy snow tires

Yes it’s a RWD car. (I actually thought it was AWD, but that’s another story.) The only thing I may have to do next year is buy some snow tires.

I am not doing a thing to change my wheels. I have 20″ chromes, and I’m happy. I’ve literally seen people paint OVER THE CHROME before. Jesus.

I won’t: 3. Add any unnecessary lighting

This is not “Fast and Furious 6″ here. I don’t need any glow underneath my car. I’m also not hot on those aftermarket halo lights that make the car look European. It’s Detroit muscle, and it comes with HID lights and fogs.

There are tons and tons and tons of lighting accessories available for the Charger. I may do an LED replacement kit inside the car (I rented an Avenger that had the LED kit once, and was very pleased) but not much else.

But that’s just me. What do you do/want to do/don’t want to do to your ride? Let’s get a conversation started below. I’ll even join in.

Most performance-enhancing aftermarket products can be found under the hood of a vehicle, but they can also come in the form of replacement hoods, body parts and even wheels. (Media credit/ARA)

(ARA) — Did you miss “Cash for Clunkers?” A recent study from RL Polk found that the average age of both cars and light trucks is at an all-time record high at 9.4 and 7.5 years, respectively.

Those looking to re-energize these rides with a bit more power may want to consider installing a performance-enhancing aftermarket product. Thousands of such products are available to bring new life to a tired car or truck, and many are designed to elevate the car’s performance beyond what it was capable of in the first place. Here are just a few ideas:

Bolt-on power

A carefully designed intake system combined with a high-flow air filter can add significant horsepower to any car or truck. Combined with a performance exhaust system, gains can be as high as 25 horsepower or more on some engines. Because these changes offer a good return for relatively small investment, they are among the most common bolt-on upgrades on an older car or truck.

Lighten up

Another easy way to improve performance is to replace heavy original parts with lighter ones. Replacement hoods and body parts made from carbon fiber and other light-weight materials are available for almost any vehicle, as are wheels that weigh less than the ones from the factory.

Handling products

Improving handling is an often-overlooked form of performance. It’s rare to find a car that came with high-performance shocks or struts, and after a few years, the original suspension can wear significantly. By installing new, specially-tuned shocks, bushings and springs, a car can handle even better than it did when it was new. Another easy way to improve handling is by adding better brakes. These are widely available in bolt-on form, which allow for upgrading older cars to disc brakes, or adding specially designed brake pads, stronger calipers, and longer, better vented discs.

Turbochargers and superchargers

For those who are serious about improving power, turbochargers that force more air into the combustion chamber can add 50 to 100 more horsepower. It’s possible to replace the original turbo with a bigger or more efficient one, or add a turbo where no turbo was offered. Superchargers, another high-performance option, are commonly offered by manufacturers in their specialty high-performance cars and trucks.

For trucks and 4x4s

Replacing an easily-clogged air filter with a reusable one can save a lot on a truck that sees extreme duty. A wide variety of electric fans and auxiliary coolers allows trucks to pull more and work harder without overheating. For trucks and 4x4s, stronger axles, lower gears and better suspensions are available for models dating all the way back to World War II.

Generally performance parts come in kit form, with instructions and an 800-number to call for advice, so there are a lot of products that can be installed by the average backyard mechanic.

That said, most performance upgrades are best handled by a professional installer who has all the right tools, including a lift and service bay and experience with the type of job at hand. Visit www.enjoythedrive.com for information on the latest aftermarket performance parts and installers.

Courtesy of ARAcontent