Car Hacks & Mods For Dummies (Paperback)

~ (Author) "By virtue of holding this book in your hands, it is clear that the concept of improving a car's performance intrigues you..." (more)
Key Phrases: piggyback controllers, car modders, electronic boost controller, Faster Thinking, Basic Power, Corner Carver (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Turn the car you have into the car you want

Here’s how to get faster acceleration, shorter stopping, better handling, and more

Ever wish you’d been invited to the design and engineering meetings when your car was being created? Well, here’s how to add what they forgot and change what bugs you! This handy guide steers you safely past warranty pitfalls, shows you what modifications are legal, provides performance tips, and helps you make your car look cool.

The Dummies Way

• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

• Discover how to:
• Set up your car for better cornering
• Improve appearance with detailing
• Choose add-ons that work with your car
• Match your braking power to your horsepower
• Boost mileage by hacking the computer

From the Back Cover

Turn the car you have into the car you want

Here's how to get faster acceleration, shorter stopping, better handling, and more

Ever wish you'd been invited to the design and engineering meetings when your car was being created? Well, here's how to add what they forgot and change what bugs you! This handy guide steers you safely past warranty pitfalls, shows you what modifications are legal, provides performance tips, and helps you make your car look cool.

Discover How To:

• Set up your car for better cornering
• Improve appearance with detailing
• Choose add-ons that work with your car
• Match your braking power to your horsepower
• Boost mileage by hacking the computer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (October 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764571427
• ISBN-13: 978-0764571428
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #156,770 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #28 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Mechanics
  #71 in	Books > Nonfiction > Automotive > Customize

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for dummies!, November 5, 2004

By	S. Westhafer (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Don't let the title deceive you. This book is a comprehensive look at how to plan out modifications to your car. While lots of people love "modifying" their cars, it's quite easy to get sucked into the hole of buying the wrong parts for the wrong reasons. It won't tell you the difference between one specific exhaust to another, but it'll help you figure out what you should be looking for in qualities and features in the products you purchase AND what products you can avoid entirely.

This book helps cut through the BS in a lot of the aftermarket parts industry and helps you quickly and easily find what you should be looking for when you want to modify your car. Open the book to a random page, and more often than not, you'll find some interesting tidbit that you wouldn't have necessarily known before.

In addition there's a rather large (6 chapters) and in-depth discussion on ECU and piggyback devices, taking a closer look at how to push the limits of your vehicle with computer technologies. Given the authors background, I'd say this is about the most eye-opening chapter that's a great resource for even advanced auto enthusiasts.

And while you can't expect the book to tell you how the specifics of how to unbolt your old engine and replace it with a high performance monster nut by nut, it will help you find the resources online to get the specifics to the questions you might still have. There's a whole chapter dedicated to dozens of forums full of enthusiasts ready to help you find the answer to the questions you seek.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book, very easy to read, May 20, 2005

By	Justin W. Blain (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very well thought out book, it covers a wide range of information but doesnt seem disjointed at all. Helps alot when trying to drill through all the hype that aftermarket manufacturers use. Also it is a very easy and quick to read book. Highly recommended!!!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Girl-Friendly Read, July 30, 2005

By	R. Harting "rharting12" (Menlo Park, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a woman who only has a cursory knowledge about cars and all the potential one can hold, I found this book to be particularly helpful and written in simple enough and very clear language that enabled me as a novice modder to complete my own projects without too much outside help. Definitely A+++++.