What are some inexpensive performance upgrades for an '04 Chevy Cavalier?

Answer 1

Bigger wheels and performace tires- bigger tires mean less rpm's at longer distances wich increase gas mileage as well as handling wich gives your engine more of a window to strain less for gettin up there, performance short ram air intake( i recommend looking on ebay, i found a racing air intake for my cavalier worth $124 for $25.48!) i also recomend a K&N high flow filter for that intake, and a "resistor" chip,("racing chip,performance chip,speed chip,")-wich safely unlocks your car's true horsepower by simply plugging in a chip into the AIT sensor that is attached to your air intake and is dirt cheap and is a good alternative to those costly ECU upgrades, and lastly i recommend a throttle body spacer, but beware some brands are better than others make sure you trust the brand before you buy When you fill up use high actane fuel such as 93 or so and every so often when you fill up( i know a lot of people that use the cheap gas just cuz they claim they can't afford the premium stuff but you actually get a better deal when you pay for the higher number fuel because high octane fuel lasts Twice as long as the cheap stuff and allows your car to perform better due to higher combustion ratios( believe me iv'e put it to the test) / use octane booster wich you can find at Wal Mart or an automotive store, and every time you change your oil put in your gas tank a bottle of fuel system cleaner and keep your car well checked and maintained by a certified mechanic you trust and also dont load your car down with heavy cargo such as big amps and huge speakers in your trunk and such as more weight pulls more on your engine wich decreases mileage as well as speed ( and don't be taken in by these silly little metal contraptions they call turbonators, cyclone,hiclone,tornado, etc they only make people think it saves gas by you driving slower and fooling your air flow sensor into thinking your temp is different wich makes your rpm's higher so your car goes the same speed you are used to, it doesn't actually make your car faster its a scam) but if you can save up some bucks you can always see if a mechanic can fit a custom supercharger or turbo on your manifold but that's if you want to spend some bucks