Young people with limited incomes often look for a great deal on a new car. One way to save money is to forgo options and upgrades, like a sunroof or a CD player. Just the opposite — the car company was going after a group with money to burn, called tuners.
Tuners are young car buyers who live to customize hteir cars. The trend really began among young Asian Americans, who typically bough t inexpensive Asian import cars and then spent thousands of dollars customizing them. The hobby has spread to other young people, so that today Asian Americans are a minority of tuners. But Japanese brands remain the cars of choice among those dedicated to creating a work of art on wheels.
What does a tuner do with his car? He or she; women make up almost 20 percent of the tuner subculture might take a basic Honda, add a large and loud exhaust system, paint the intake manifolds, and add ride-lowering springs.
Other popular add-ons are technologies that increase vehicle speed, like turbochargers, superchargers, and nitrous kits. And there are some serious bucks involved. The motivation? The amount of money tuners spend is reason enough to attract the attention of marketers. GM allowed young car enthusiasts to play games and enter contests for prizes, as it in turn collected names and e-mail addresses.
But even companies selling products unrelated to cars are interested in the tuner lifestyle. Pepsi has hired tuners to customize some of its promotional vehicles. Slicks, i. The law requires a minimum tread depth of 1. In addition, as a rule, all tyres on the car must be the same size. The permissible tyre size is stated in your vehicle registration document. When it comes to tyre design, self-adhesive tyre strips emphasize the look of the rim. The name of the tyre manufacturer does not always have to be on the tyre — the name of the driver or the tuning club is also popular.
Customizing the lights is also very popular — especially since LED technology has opened up new possibilities. Car tuners achieve striking effects with the light tone as well as the shape and brightness of the headlights. Turn signals are also replaced or fitted with different colouring, although attention should be paid to permissibility here, of course.
Almost standard, meanwhile, is a light bar as an indicator at the rear, which flits across the rear of the car from the inside to the outside. In the case of the rear light, LED technology reveals further advantages in addition to a more attractive appearance: The brighter beam makes the car more visible, and the LED lamps react more quickly as brake lights than other light sources.
Bodyshell tuning ranges from new wheel rim paintwork and the fitting of a spoiler to the replacement of standard parts. Especially when it comes to appearance, there are almost no limits to the imagination. Many tuners start with so-called cleaning. They first hide everything that is visually distracting: lettering and logos are covered with so-called wrapping, and mouldings or door handles are removed.
Other popular starting points for initial component changes are the skirts, radiator grille or exhaust. New sports grilles are usually a simple embellishment with a big effect.
Adding a rear apron, on the other hand, makes the vehicle appear wider and the road holding more compact. And the end of the exhaust system is formed by the exhaust pipe.
Depending on the vehicle, several exhaust pipes may be fitted. For a sporty look, tuners replace the tailpipe or equip it with trim. When chopping, certain lengths are cut out of supporting parts A-, B- and C-pillars of the body. This changes the dimensions of the body. The roof appears lower, the windows smaller. The classic tuning object is the spoiler. Whether at the front or the rear, the visual effect is enormous.
But as much attention as the new component draws to the tuned vehicle, by no means every spoiler improves driving performance. This can be the case, for example, if the vehicle experiences too much air resistance at high speed.
And so the spoiler is an example of the tightrope walk in body tuning. After all, many of the attractive embellishments can worsen the driving characteristics under certain circumstances: Wide tyres can increase rolling resistance, deep skirts can touch down on the road and add-on parts of all kinds increase the overall weight. For this reason, every tuner must be clear whether he wants to tune primarily for looks or for performance. Drivers praise the stronger lateral support and the feeling of being one with the car.
In addition, there is an individual design and the option of sitting on leather instead of plastic. But the interior can also be smaller: floor mats adapted to the vehicle, a sports steering wheel and, of course, the conversion from the standard 3-point safety belt to a 4- or 6-point belt not only improve the driving experience, but also ensure more respectful looks at tuning meetings. A top sound system in the car is primarily acoustically convincing — some bass can even be felt in the stomach.
But tuners can get into trouble for this. Because if the installed system is too loud, the police may interpret this as noise pollution. Then there is the threat of a fine. Nevertheless, it may be advisable to use special car speakers with subwoofers for bass frequencies. Together with a so-called crossover, these elements ensure a rich sound despite the usual driving noise.
Anyone who tunes without restraint is living dangerously. Because in the tuning sector, many regulations for a wide range of components cause uncertainty. Every part that you retrofit to your car can lead to the expiry of the operating licence and thus to hefty fines.
You may also no longer be allowed to drive the vehicle on public roads. An inspection of the constructional measures on the car by experts can prevent this. But how do you get the approval? A parts certificate or an ABE certificate general operating permit can help you here.
A parts certificate is normally supplied with safety-relevant car parts. However, this does not mean that the part has been properly installed and thus possibly endangers road safety. The experts there check the functionality of the component and the vehicle after installation. If the test is positive, you can take the certificate of the modification inspection to the responsible registration office.
There, the modifications will be entered in the registration certificate. The parts certificate is not always necessary.
If a part is delivered with an ABE certificate, this lists the vehicle models on which the part may also be installed. A new inspection by an expert after tuning is not necessary. However, you must be able to show the ABE at a traffic control. Caution: If you overreach with tuning, you risk your budget for the next tuning meeting or the much longed-for stylish aluminium rims. Even minor offences cost big money:. A very difficult question! The tastes of tuners are too varied.
Professionals specialize in all kinds of models. And of course, the language you speak and the people you talk to always play a role. But there are still a few guidelines: if you want to tune your car optically, German models are more recommended.
For Fiat, Peugeot and Renault, the air is a little thinner. Small cars with turbochargers are particularly suitable for inexpensive engine tuning. These models, such as the Golf IV Turbo, can be spiced up at comparatively low cost. But beyond that: many experts, many opinions. To find the right accessories for your own tuning car, it is advisable to look in a shop that spezialises in tuning.
Of course, you can also hunt for bargains on Ebay Classifieds, but as soon as it comes to your own safety, you should know exactly which dealer you can trust. In addition, the variety of products is large and sometimes complex. If a part has to be returned because it is not assembled properly, it is good to have an accommodating dealer. In addition, you need a parts certificate or a general operating permit ABE for some parts.
Anyone who buys online should be quite critical. Reputable suppliers deliver the products with the necessary certificates and approvals. We offer thousands of products from the areas of suspension tuning, lowering and merchandise. Installation by trained experts gives you:. Clearly, you can do a lot of tuning work yourself. This includes, for example, minor paintwork, wrapping with foils or tinting windscreens.
But when it comes to engine tuning or changes to the suspension and bodywork, you need specialist knowledge. If you have the necessary know-how but no equipment, you can demonstrate your skills in a workshop for hire. All others should make use of the services of a tuning workshop. This also applies when safety-relevant parts are being tuned — for example, changes to the suspension.
Many tuning workshops receive their expertise directly from the parts manufacturer or the carmaker. You can easily find Bilstein experts throughout Germany. We therefore guarantee the best possible support for customers and vehicles. A trackday is a free driving event on a track that has been closed off for this purpose. In any case, public traffic is kept out, and for once the road traffic regulations do not play a role. Not all trackdays require a tracktool, i.
Basically anyone who can drive a tuned car can take part. Trackdays are held regularly at many locations in Germany. If you want to learn to drift, or already know how, if you find the abrasion of rubber fragrant, if you want to let out a little adrenaline, this is the place for you. The tuning community in Germany is growing, the number of visitors to tuning fairs is increasing. At the big shows, such as the Essen Motor Show, it is not only spectacular tuning cars that attract an audience from Germany and abroad.
Racing teams and prominent drivers from various motorsport series also present themselves to the public. The same applies to Tuning World Bodensee, the second flagship of the German scene. This tuning event has made a name for itself with, among other things, a wide-ranging supporting programme and diverse opportunities to get involved. Both fairs are also important meeting places for the racing and drifting scene. But it can also be done without celebrities and on a smaller scale. This is proven by the many self-organised tuning meetings in Germany.
Meet and Greet! Tuning meet-ups are above all about getting together within the scene. While the big trade fairs are largely dominated by car manufacturers and tuning companies, the community gets together at the tuning meet-ups. If you are a tuner yourself, almost all meetings and some larger events offer you the opportunity to present your own car on the podium and track.
The spectrum of tuning cars ranges from meet-ups for old or young timers, to the small car of a certain brand, to the heavy hp bolides. The meetings reflect the diversity of the community.
Go there and be amazed! Bargain price: 20 million euros. There have also been gold-plated and gem-studded cars. But for a start, a fine foil will do. And it only costs a few euros, depending on the motif and size. Once they have made a start, many newcomers to tuning become addicted. Fortunately, this fate does not have to lead to ruin.
If, after the stylish film, exterior mirrors or lighting, for example, are added to the tuning range, even these costs are still manageable. A chip tuning, for example, usually involves the installation of a new air filter. In addition to the pure tuning costs, there are often legal obligations that can have a negative effect on your bank account.
You should keep an eye on fees for expert reports and official registrations. People who want to save money tend to do too much work themselves. But this can turn out to be a boomerang if, for example, the freshly fitted suspension rattles on the maiden voyage.
The general rule is: the workshop is responsible for safety-relevant measures. You should have enough money for the tuning hobby. Car tuning is not illegal in principle. However, some conversions can be illegal as soon as you dare to use them on public roads. This is because the Road Traffic Act requires that certain equipment on the vehicle may only be used in an officially approved design.
This usually concerns safety-relevant parts such as tyres, brakes, the engine and the exhaust system. However, the original ABE must be carried in the vehicle. But even with an ABE you are not completely on the safe side. An example of this is new tyres that affect the new sports steering wheel. If you disregard such requirements, you are living dangerously. The car loses its operating licence and thus also its insurance cover. Anyone who causes an accident uninsured is accused of intent by courts and insurance companies.
But to make sure that you are really tuning within the legal framework, you should always let professionals do the work as soon as safety-relevant parts come into play. It is not only the experience of the professionals that pays off with optimal installation, but also their knowledge of legal grey areas. Because every installation must be carefully checked and carried out. In case of installation errors, which even advanced hobby tuners can hardly foresee, the general operating licence may expire.
And with that, you quickly find yourself on the edge of legality. Of course, this only applies if you take your tuned car onto public roads. These rules do not apply on private property or at trackdays. There is no predefined training path to become a car tuner. However, you can often find the path via training as a motor vehicle mechatronics technician.
Additional courses such as car restorer, paint technician or car wrapping are also helpful. Since car tuning is a widespread hobby, many young people have already gained some experience in the family or in the tuning community before they apply. You can practice the profession in workshops, at car suppliers and manufacturers, and at tuning companies. Initiative and creativity are welcome in the scene — and conducive to a career.
Many passionate tuners have turned their hobby into a profession. Uwe Gemaballa, for example, began installing stereo systems in cars in Today — more than a decade after his death — the Gemballa company is still considered one of the most important tuning companies in Germany.
You want to make the everyday life of our customers and colleagues better every day? We offer you jobs in dozens of areas — from the development and construction of suspensions to IT, controlling or marketing …. Some car manufacturers, such as Daimler, offer factory tuning. This variant is usually more expensive than do-it-yourself. The advantage: factory-tuned cars are perfectly crafted, roadworthy, and as the owner you are on the safe side legally.
They specialise in tuning certain brands and also sell completely tuned vehicles. The relevant Internet portals such as AutoScout24 and mobile. Platforms such as Racemarket. If you value personal contact and want to take a test drive right away, then one of the many tuning meetings is the best place to be. However, not every event also offers a second-hand market.
Contractual, independent or specialized car tuning workshops can be used for car tuning. Authorized workshops often only use original accessories. Independent workshops are not bound by the choice of parts. At car tuning workshops specializing in certain brands, you will find a wider selection and greater expertise. The best way to find a good tuning workshop is through recommendations from the scene. Make sure that the workshop discusses with you exactly what work they will be doing on your car.
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