AutoAnything

In one corner, we have EBC Brakes, stalwart of the motorcycle scene and automotive up-and-comer. In the red trunks, track-dominator Brembo. Who will win the war for world brake domination?

For most of the past seven decades, Brembo has possessed a totalitarian hold on the title of “best brakes in the world.” The frequently lauded company from Bergamo, Italy has also added scores of race victories and many more outposts around the globe, crushing rotor rebellions right and left. No sight of braking beauty quite matches a glorious red Brembo caliper, which sends weak-pistoned competitors cowering away.

Then, there’s EBC brakes—the band of rebels to Brembo’s empire. EBC made its bones in the motorcycle world first. And, oddly enough (or not odd at all), EBC planted its pads and discs into the realm of competitive mountain biking, too, before going automotive almost 25 years ago. Since then, EBC has been chipping away at Brembo’s expansive territory, doing it all from their humble British beginnings.

What happens when the formerly two-wheeled David takes a swing at the one true Goliath in brakes? Let’s imagine the semi-metallic, cast-metal warfare. (Hmmm…England vs. Italy in an epic battle. Hasn’t this happened before?)

First, EBC sneak attacks Brembo with surprising quality at a price the big boys won’t ever reach. Meanwhile, EBC’s green, red and yellow pads occupy territory where Brembo hasn’t made big gains. Brembo responds with their undefeated drilled rotors vanquishing most of EBC’s disc forces. The death blow comes from Brembo’s big brake kits, which combine the invaluable traits of having unbeatable quality and several rap video appearances.

It looks like Brembo has taken this skirmish by a long shot, but the EBC rebellion lives on. In fact, you’ll still find pockets of EBC resistance throughout the performance and street braking worlds. As for Brembo, their brakes empire still encircles the globe, oppressing inferior parts.

Find quality brakes and parts from upstart EBC Brakes or stick with the tradition of Brembo Brakes to transform your stopping power.

I lived a great life until I was in a horrible car accident. Luckily, I am still alive. But I could have avoided this bad experience if I had replaced my brake pads and paid more attention to my vehicle’s maintenance.

I am 26 years old and I was having problems with the performance of my brakes. I am an auto fan and love driving very fast, but driving fast only makes sense when you have brakes that can handle speeds over 100 mph. Two weeks ago I was with a few friends of mine at a racecourse to have a bit fun in a race competition. We were all driving very fast cars. For instance, I have a Lamborghini, so if you want to win such a competition you need pretty good brakes. I think there are three important factors that decide who will win a car race: The power of the car, the talent of the driver and last but not least the performance of the brakes. This hypothesis was confirmed by the mentioned race. After 20 rounds I was in second position, behind a friend driving a Ferrari with a bit more horsepower than mine, so I was content with the progress of the race. In round 21 I wanted to pass him with a risky maneuver. I knew it would be tricky but I had the confidence to try it. That was a mistake! My brakes were not able to handle the speed and I crashed into a small wall close to the racetrack. You cannot imagine the fear you have, when you see a wall coming closer and closer and you have no chance to avoid the accident. I am very happy that I am able to talk about this experience, which has changed my life. Not because I like to remember this day, but because I can warn guys like me, who risk their life, just to feel the speed.

At this moment, I am currently in a hospital and a nurse told me that I will be able to walk again, although I had complicated fractures in both legs. I thank god for giving me a second chance. But now I want to give something back. I was never rich so I am not able to help humanity by donating thousands of dollars. But I have experience concerning cars, which I can share with other guys, who are not supposed to repeat the same mistakes I made.

First of all I have to correct my hypothesis I stated earlier. The factors that characterize a winner were mentioned in the wrong order. The most important factor is the brake performance. You can be the best racer, you can have the most horse power, but if you are not able to brake like you need to after racing at speeds near 200 miles an hour, you will never be a winner. Maybe you will be famous because you are a young guy who lost his life in a car accident and people are interested in stories like that. But you will never have a wife, children and a nice home; attributes that define real winners. So listen to me and pay more attention to finding good brakes. The selection of good brakes is vast. For instance, there are the Hawk Brake Pads or the EBC Break pads, which have unmatched braking power that eclipse standard and even other performance pad replacements by 20-40%. And they are the ideal partner for a set of high performance rotors.

The last advice of mine will be the following: Seize the day and thank god for each day you live in this beautiful world. And buy good brake pads, because they are one of many steps to living a long happy life.

I suggest buying good and cheap Brake Pads online. There you will find the best selection of Car Brakes and other auto accessories. - Tim saunier

Ever since I saw the Godfather, I’ve been obsessed with mobster culture. Their likes. Their dislikes. Their mannerisms and dress. Now, as I’m accessorizing my ’06 Escalade, I can’t help but wonder: what would Sonny buy? The Husky Liners or the Weathertech Floor Liners? It took some serious consideration, but I think I made the right choice.

When people ask me how I first became interested in the Cosa Nostra, I can pinpoint the exact moment. It was August 11th, a muggy Sunday afternoon with no games on TV. HBO was running a recap of Saturday night’s big premier, What Women Want, so I treated the pay channel like it had crabs and avoided it. Then, a magical moment happened, and I’m talking very, very magical—like Moses parting the Red Sea or Lazarus creeping back out of the grave magical. Here’s what happened: I stumbled across The Godfather playing on TBS. Now, to some people, this would hardly constitute a defining moment in one’s life, but I was forever changed by the experience. You see, I had never seen The Godfather before. Even though I’m no spring chicken, I had never run across this film. Sure, I’d heard people talking about it at parties, and Bruce Vilanch couldn’t write an awards ceremony script without dropping scene references like he drops Twinkies. But, for the first (and certainly not the last) time, on that Sunday afternoon, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a made man.

Because I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, I knew practically nothing about The Black Hand. So I sat down and started to do some research using the one source I knew I could rely on: Hollywood. I took a trip to Blockbuster and came home with a mountain of flicks. Goodfellas, White Heat, Casino, Carlito’s Way, Donnie Brasco, Angels with Dirty Faces, Pulp Fiction—I watched them all. I even sat through stinkers like Oscar and My Blue Heaven! I mean, I’m talking serious dedication.

Five weeks and four bottles of aspirin later, I had logged over 200 hours of straight mafia movie viewing. I didn’t realize it at first, but I started subconsciously transforming into a bona fide goombah. It was a very subtle change, like paint drying. I really didn’t notice it until one morning I found myself putting on a blue and black track suit to wear to work instead of my usual Haggard khakis and Nautica polo. I stepped in front of the mirror to take a good look at myself, and I saw what had happened: my hair was dyed black and greased back; a tangle of gold crucifixes dangled from my neck and matched the gold horseshoe ring on my pinkie; and a pair of sock garters clung to my calves. After soaking in my image for a minute, an epiphany struck me like a .22 caliber bullet: I had become a wise guy.

Though my dress and affect changed, my physical possessions still reflected my previous life. My first move was to push my Suzuki Sidekick into the lake and pick up a flashy new Cadillac Escalade. Then, I decided to accessorize it to the nines, but I wasn’t sure which cargo liner to go with: the Husky Liners or the Weathertech Floor Liners. Both were custom-made for a form fit and they both promised all-weather protection. So I had to ask myself, WWTD (What Would Tony Soprano Do)? He’d probably appreciate the textured tread on the Husky Liners, but the high walls of the Weathertech Floor Liners would keep pools of blood and little pieces of brain from sloshing around after a hit. So I went with Weathertech. And I’m even working on my Italian. Right now, I just know 1 word: “Fuhgetuhboudit.” I can’t find it in any dictionaries, so I’m guessing it’s a special code word that gets you discount prices at the Olive Garden. Life is good.

You may not have the same requirements for your vehicle interior as a mobster but, if you need some good interior protection, I highly recommend either Weathertech Cargo Liners or Husky Cargo Liners. Fuhgetuhboudit. - David S. Brooks

You’re halfway across the country and your check engine light goes.  What do you do?  Discover how beneficial it is to have a programmer.

I awake in a large grassy field.  The body aches from spending hours on the cool moist earth. From the position of the sun it must have been around noon. The blinding sun stings my eyes as I frantically try to decipher to my surroundings.  I roll over to discover my hands bound together – duct tape. The taste of blood and sweat lingers in my mouth.

“What the…?” It hurts to think.  It feels like I jumped out of a speeding car. I can hear footsteps. The silhouette walking towards me slowly comes into focus.  My memory comes flooding back…

Kara and I are speeding down route 66 in our sparkle blue retro van – fully equipped with a disco ball, black light and enough albums to entertain us for days.  What else could two twenty year olds ask for?  I’m manning the wheel, focusing on the seemingly endless road in front of us. Kara, official road trip navigator and DJ, sits Indian style in the passenger seat next to me. 

We left California yesterday sometime around noon on our way to a three-day-long music festival in Tennessee.  We are looking at a 4 – 5 day drive.  It really depends on how many road side monstrosities tickle our fancy.  Would we be able to resist the world’s largest ball of yarn?  Only God knows.

“How about we change drivers when we fill up?” Kara asked.  “Um…I actually wanted to make it to the concert, so I think I’m good,” I responded. 

“Well if I drive now, you can take a nap and then put in a few hours when the sun goes down.  I hate driving in the dark anyway,” she said. “And if we want to get a decent campsite, we should get there as soon as possible.  That is unless you don’t really care about being able to see the bands?”  I hate when she’s right.

Cruising down the highway, we pass a small makeshift sign for Moe’s Gas, 3.1 miles away.  I flip on the blinker, pull off historic route 66 and head down a dirt road towards Moe’s.  As we pull up to a desolate dilapidated building, Kara said, “Looks like Moe hasn’t been around for a while.” The abundance of overgrown weeds and spider webs were proof.

“My turn!” she said.  I could tell she was itching to drive, so I threw the van in park and plopped down on our make shift bed in the back – a cozy combination of bean bag chairs, sweatshirts and pillows.  “Wake me up when the sun starts to set,” I said and closed my eyes.

I’m woken up by the sound of the engine stalling.  “What’d you do?”  I ask.  “So… the little check engine light came on…around 200 miles ago,” Kara softly mutters.

“What!” I shout.  I run around to the driver’s side and pop the hood.  The engine hisses and exhales a cloud of smoke.  I grab the oil dip stick and yank it out – bone dry.  “I think I found our problem,” I say, holding up the long thin stick.  Frustrated, I slam fist onto the hood.  “What were you thinking?  Now we’re stranding in middle of…”

“Texas,” she adds.

“Texas!  Great!  How the hell are we going to get…”  I’m interrupted as two dim headlights peek over a hill in the distance. 

As the car approaches, it slows to a stop right front of us.  Through the blinding lights a voice yells, “You guys need a jump?” 

“We need oil,” I yell back.  “Do you know of any auto shops around here?”

“Yes sir, but the closest one is ‘bout twenty miles down the road,” replied a full, deep voice. “Want a ride?”

Now I know what you’re thinking - we would have to be out of our minds to accept a ride from this mysterious stranger, right?  But turns out the guy played keys for one of the bands in the festival.  Not only did we make it to the festival on time, but he tossed us some backstage passes and we hung with his band after they played.

Those guys know how to party.  Apparently I wanted to take the van to do donuts in a field, so Kara and some of the guys, pulled me from the van, taped me up, and left me in the field.

Back to present time.  As my eyes adjust, I see that Kara is the one walking towards me.

As she kneels down to help me up, I joke, “I guess this is what happens when you let a woman drive.”

She wasn’t amused. She gets up and starts walking away.

“Oh come on, I was joking.  Kara.  Kara!” I yelled, but she just kept walking.

How could I have avoided this whole mess? If only we had a Hypertech programmer, we would have known what the check engine light meant. Instead I spent my money on these awesome Power slot rotors. Rock on! - Mike Rosania

It’s my first time in the USA and I am really enjoying my time. But there is one factor that does not match the rest of my impressions: the condition of the streets. But I think I found a good way to avoid the trouble with them. The solution is adding a Suspension Lift Kit.

I am 21 and come from Germany. Now I have to do an internship in the U.S. for 6 months that takes place in San Diego. I love this city! Everything is so different from my home in Germany and everyone knows that different things are better things. And to be honest this saying is true in my case. I love the beaches here, the weather and of course the people. They are so friendly and open minded. We have had the best parties here during my first days after my arrival. But one thing is definitely better in Germany; the condition of the streets. We spend so much money on the improvement of the roads and highways that it is nearly ridiculous, but I didn’t fully understand the advantages of this policy until I came to the USA. In Germany, there are no damages to the car and no sudden scares due to road holes during drives. It is awesome. But here in the USA it is quite the contrast. There are road holes everywhere and you must take care to avoid all the threats of these. This is why I asked a few guys what to do with my car. I have a Cadillac Escalade and I am not willing to destroy it within the first two months. So, one of my American friends gave me some advice. He said that suspension lift kits are able to lift my car so that it can not touch the ground when driving over a pothole. Beside this great benefit, it also makes my car look great. So I found two benefits from just one piece of advice. Is this not the American dream? Maybe not yet, but you just have to imagine two hot girls sitting in the car and watching a fat flat screen and playing PlayStation during the drive; I think then your dream came true.

But I want to tell you more details about the suspension lift kit, because I think my friend is right concerning the benefits of it. There are some that include custom body spacers, steering extensions, bumper brackets and more. And that is not all, they account for relocating stock parts, such as front and rear bumpers, for a lift that looks great and functions well. Another benefit for me, since I’m not such a car freak, is the fact that you can install it by yourself in 1 day with basic tools and moderate mechanical skill. I think these attributes are enough arguments to buy this stuff. And I think I will buy it as soon as possible and possibly I take it with me to Germany. Of course I do not need it in order to avoid the difficulties with the road holes, as I mentioned, but it looks so great. And looking great is a benefit in each country!
 
I found a very good selection of Suspension lift kits online. I prefer Skyjacker lift kits because they are good quality for a good price. - Tim saunier

I recently put of few thousand miles on my car driving across the country. So I went over to the local Jiffy Lube to get my oil changed. The mechanic tried sell me a new air filter, but I chose to hold off. They weren’t giving me a great deal, so I figured I would at least check out a few performance air filters if I was going to be spending the money anyway. I started doing some research and discovered that there are two types of aftermarket intakes that people like: either short rams or cold air intakes. The two names pretty much are self explanatory. The short ram intake has a shorter pipe. The cold air intake has a longer pipe that allows the intake to breathe in cooler air because it is further from the engine. Sounds logical enough, but then I my inquisitive mind got the best of me. I’m a little unclear about the abilities of cold air intakes. If you have ever popped your hood after a long drive, you know that everything under the hood is scorching hot. Would it really matter if the intake head was a foot further from the engine? Moving the intake is like putting a pan in the oven; it is going to be hot no matter where it is because it is in a confined area with limited air flow. Secondly, cold air intakes have longer pipes, which mean that air has to travel a longer distance to reach the engine. I’m not a car expert, but I do know the general principle behind turbo engines and increasing horsepower. Horsepower is derived from an equation where the major factors are the amount of air flow to the engine and the density of that air. If a cold air intake is longer and is bent in order to reach a different part of the engine bay, then it will take air longer to reach the engine. Also, the bends in the cold air’s pipe prohibits maximum air flow; a short straight pipe would be ideal. Now even though the short ram intake is breathing warmer air because of its location, it will simply start sucking in cooler air as your car accelerates. Sure, it may not give you as much horsepower when you are at a stop sign, but then again, who cares? The weather should also be taken into account. If you live in Florida and it’s 94 degrees out, it doesn’t matter where your intake is; you’re not going to be getting cold air. And even if you are in premium driving conditions, how much cooler would the air be that is a foot away? Would you really miss or even be able to feel if you had 1 Hp less? I could see if you are Vin Diesel in the Fast and the Furious, racing for pink slips, then you might want to get the most out of your car. But until that day, I think regular air filters and short ram air filters are the better choice because they are cheaper.

Also, upgrading to an aftermarket AEM Cold Air Intake or a short ram Air Intake can add a throaty growl to your car’s sound. Both types of intakes have their pros and cons, so you should evaluate your priorities when shopping for one.

The short answer: No. I recommend paying a trustworthy mechanic. It’s about the same price and saves you the hassle.

It’s that time of year again. You’re in your car and you happen to glance up at that little Jiffy Lube sticky on the top in the upper corner of your windshield. “I was supposed to change my oil when?!” You immediately panic when you realize your oil change is five months and two thousand miles ago overdue (which ever came first).

As long as you actually have enough oil in your engine you aren’t in horrible shape. If you had a leak or were low on oil, then you would have a problem. Your engine is comprised of metal parts that are constantly moving. The oil servers as a lubricant and is the blood of the engine. It is vital. Never drive without oil.
I just want to stress that oil is everything to your engine. Not regularly changing your vehicle’s oil will drastically shorten the life of your engine.

You should really consider having it done by a service. For not much more than you will pay for a new oil filter and 5 or 6 quarts of oil you can have the oil changed professionally. You also need to take the old oil to a mechanic or auto shop for disposal anyway. It can also be a messy procedure. Professionals can do oil changes with their eyes closed. It will take 20 minutes and cost a few bucks more. But, if you insist on doing it yourself, read on.
Before you start, gather the necessary tools and supplies. You will need the following: a new oil filter, 5 or 6 quarts of the recommended oil (check your car’s manual), an oil filter wrench, a socket set, rags and an oil pan or old bucket to catch the old oil.

You will also want to warm the engine up taking your car on a short drive around the block. Warning—you only want to warm up the engine to loosen up the oil. Warm oil drains better, but hot oil is flat out dangerous!
Now position the drain pan directly underneath the oil pan’s drain plug. Using the socket wrench, loosen and remove the oil pan plug, allowing the oil to drain freely. Be careful of hot oil and try not to drop the plug into the pan. This is what you might want to wear old clothes. Watch for splattered oil—it stains.

After all the oil has drained, remove the oil filter from the vehicle using an oil filter wrench. Set the old filter to the side and clean off the filter’s mounting surface with a clean rag. You can now take the new filter and apply a thin coating of oil to the gasket. Attach it to the vehicle and tighten according to the directions on the package (usually hand tight).

Finally reinstall the oil pan plug, pop the hood and fill the engine with the amount of oil specified by your manufacturer. Be careful not to over pour. The new oil will likely take a little time to travel down into the engine. So if the oil level on your dipstick looks low, give it a second and add a very little bit. Too much oil will require you to repeat the whole process.

That’s it, you are done. Now just clean up your mess and properly dispose of your used oil and filter. Your local mechanic should be able to guide you on where you can get rid of it.
If you want to save money, look for coupons. If you’re having doubt about your skills learned in auto shop, then you might as well take it in to a professional. Good luck!

I can understand why you gear heads prefer swapping your own oil filters. I once had a mechanic charge me $150 to install a performance muffler; a procedure I easily could have done myself! – Mike Rosania

Your relationship with your car is a lot like your relationship with your girlfriend. When you first get her, she is flawless. I’m talking perfect — spotless paintjob, shinning chrome, totally clean under the hood, nice tight brakes. But after a few months of breaking her in, you start to realize every little flaw. Where did that dent come from? The engine never used to make that sound, did it? Slamming the gas doesn’t give you the same thrill that it used to. Well here is your solution.

Three words – Cold. Air. Intake. Cold air intakes provide amazing benefits for you and your vehicle. A cold air intake may be just what the doctor ordered to rekindle you and your car’s passion.

What is a cold air intake? A cold air intake is a system used to lower the temperature of the air going into a car for the purpose of increasing the power of the internal-combustion engine. A secondary goal is to increase the appeal of a car by altering the appearance of a car’s engine bay and consequently creating an attractive engine noise.

The cold air intake replaces your car’s stock air filter with a cylindrical tube that has cone-shaped filter on the end of it. The long, cylindrical extension tube strategically positions the filter in a cooler part of the engine bay, allowing for the engine to draw in cooler air than a normal filter.

The purpose of the intake is to collect a colder air charge than inside the engine compartment, allowing the fuel management system to give the engine a denser air/fuel charge into the combustion chamber. To clarify: Cold Air = More Horsepower. The warm air from your engine compartment is good for fuel economy, but because it has less oxygen molecules than a cold air charge, the fuel will be leaned out. This increases your fuel efficiency, but decreases your horsepower.

Next time a ricer Civic pulls up next to you at the stop light, you can look over and laugh with confidence. Simply tap your gas and listen to that beautiful intake breathe. His fart-can muffler will pale in comparison to your car’s throaty growl.

Cold air intakes are also extremely easy to install. If you have two hands and a screwdriver you can install it yourself. Most kits come with directions, which you will only need as a rough guideline. You basically need to pop out your old air box and pop on your new cold air intake.

But how on Earth will I know which CAI (cold air intake) to get for my car? Well my friend, you are in luck. They recently came out with this crazy invention called the internet. You can research, shop and buy one, all from the comfort of your home. A lot of automotive sites, or at least the good ones, have a vehicle selector features. All you have to do is pick out which year, make, and model you have and the site will return all the intakes that will fit.

K&N is probably the most popular brand, but companies like AEM, AFE, Volant, and Injen also make quality products. The K&N FIPK (fuel injection performance kit) offers gains of up to 26 horsepower. In addition to the added power, the intake will add a nice growl as you accelerate, but isn’t too loud.

The K&N FIPK and other cold Air Intakes may be the best option for some cars, while short ram intakes may work better for others. Get online and start researching what will work best for your vehicle. –Mike Rosania

It’s raining. Actually it’s pouring. Golf ball-sized rain droplets are pounding on your windshield. You flip on your wipers, which only make matters worse. As you bob your head, struggling to catch a glimpse of clarity through cloudy, streaked glass you will probably curse and think something like, “OMG, what is wrong with me? Why didn’t I replace these stupid things?!”

Guess what? Life doesn’t have to be this hard. Most experts say you should replace your wiper blades every six to twelve months for optimum performance and driving visibility. That’s because the materials don’t last forever– natural rubber deteriorates over time. Halogen-hardened rubber and synthetic rubber provide longer life, but eventually fall victim to environmental factors as well. Think about it. Your wipers are exposed to nature’s elements 100% of the time. Exposure to sunlight and ozone will cause the rubber to age, even if you barely use your wipers.

The irony is you really only think about your wipers when you wished you had replaced them — times when you vision is obscured by water, road splash, sleet or snow on the windshield. But good visibility requires wipers that are in good condition. If the wipers are chattering, streaking or otherwise failing to wipe cleanly and consistently, you need new blades — Pronto!

But what really happens to wiper blades over time? As they age, they lose much of their flip-over flexibility thus losing their ability to wipe cleanly. They can develop a permanent set or curvature, which prevents full contact with the windshield. This is more likely to occur on vehicles that are parked outside in the hot sun all day. The sun bakes and hardens the rubber making them streak and chatter because they’ve taken a set and won’t follow the curvature of the windshield. Not only are they dangerous, but annoying.

Cold weather can also affect your blades’ life. Freezing temperatures make rubber hard and brittle, increasing the tendency to crack and split. For you snowy drivers, your wipers can become clogged with ice and snow, preventing the holder from distributing spring tension evenly over the blade. The blade then “freezes up” and leaves smudges as it skims across the glass. Driving in the snow is hard enough.

Heavy use can take a toll on your wiper blades, too. Dust, abrasives, road grime and even bug juice wear away the edge that allows the blades to wipe cleanly. As blades lose their edge, water gets under the blade and remains on the glass. The result is reduced visibility and poor wiping action.

If your blades are chattering, streaking or doing a lousy job of wiping, it is time for a replacement. Blades are cheap and easy to replace.

You should also check your windshield washer system. Do both squirters work? A nozzle could be clogged with dirt or a hose may be kinked or loose. Do the nozzles need adjusting? Does the washer pump deliver an adequate stream of solvent? The vehicle may have a weak washer pump, or a clogged, kinked or loose hose.
The wiper blade performance depends on the condition of the wiper arms and holders. The amount of spring tension on the wiper arm, the number of pressure points or claws that hold the blade, and the design of the blade itself all affect the blade’s wiping ability. If the springs in the arms are worn out, the wipers may not be pressing firmly enough to wipe your windshield clean. In this case, replacing the blades won’t make any difference because the problem is weak arms not bad blades.

One of my favorite brands is PIAA. Consider ordering a set of PIAA wiper blades online and having them handy when your old blades need replacing. –Mike Rosania

The TV commercials, radio ads, and even magazine pages about Hypertech’s new Max Energy programmer are coming at auto enthusiasts in waves. Among the claims of huge horsepower gains and other handy adjustments, there are also big promises of gas savings. Does the hype measure up to the real-world results? Read on to find out.

Programmers have become all the rage in automotive performance upgrades. Thanks to the nature of computer-controlled engines, a little box is the best and fastest way to tune. Naturally, when the latest and greatest is released by one of the major programming companies, the ad blitz begins.

This time, it’s Hypertech and the new Max Energy programmer. The expectations have been ratcheted up this time, with big and bold claims of huge gas mileage savings, 50+ horsepower for gas vehicles and 120+ for diesels, plus the alleged ability to get big gains on low-octane gas. Enthusiasts who know less about cars and performance have been sent off drooling; gearheads remain quite skeptical.

Let’s look at the horsepower gains first, starting with the claimed 50+ boost to gas vehicles. Of course, you can’t get this with every vehicle the Max Energy fits. This dyno-proven gain belongs to the Ford Shelby GT. Vehicles with less displacement and considerably less performance equipment can’t expect to get even half that much of a gain. Most of the gas trucks will be in the 20 range. Only the Hemi-powered DC cars can get up to that mid-20s range too; smaller V6s won’t even get close. Because of the massive compression, diesels can see some unruly gains from this type of programming. The Max Energy also claims to keep these diesels from suffering high EGT damage, thanks to tuning that keeps power high without over-fueling, even when towing. And, it claims to not de-fuel and kill your momentum.

The big problem with the big power gain claim is this: huge, noticeable HP boosts only happen at RPMs most drivers won’t reach—especially if they have an automatic. Peak horsepower usually happens around 4500-5500 RPM. That’s not to say the smaller gains at lower RPMs won’t be noticeable, but the impressive power only happens when you’re really gunning it.

On to the gas savings claims. This feature is one of the main reasons programmers have become so popular in the two years since $3/gallon became the societal norm. Programmers didn’t previously sell themselves on mileage, but began doing so once the big pinch at the pump began. Hypertech reports test vehicles gaining up to 6 MPG, with others settling in the 1-2 MPG gain range. In terms of real-world experience with programmers and mileage, the gains are almost always more modest than the ad claims. A boost of 1-2 MPGs—if any gain is achieved—is the most common scenario. Many drivers see no mileage gains because they simply can’t keep their foot far enough out of the gas pedal.

Some features of the Max Energy are undisputable. The ability on most vehicles to change tire size for odometer and speedometer corrections is great. Reading engine trouble codes is a mainstay of programmers; it’s present here too. Fuel octane settings are also available for some models to help save some coin at the pump. But, it’s not available for performance cars, and as you adjust the octane down, the power also goes down.

The bottom line on the Max Energy: set realistic expectations before you buy. The massive horsepower gains in the ads are probably far from what you’ll actually get, but you will get enough of a gain in power to notice it everywhere you drive. For gas mileage, don’t expect this programmer to save you from all of your petrol peril. Gaining 1-2 MPG is realistic if you’re not racing; anything more is gravy. If you can also make use of the other cool features, this new programmer is a solid buy. If you were hoping to get 50 hp more, save 6 MPG and run all on ethanol, you may want to pass until a programmer that can do all of those things exists. The Hypertech Max Energy Programmer, the latest Hypertech programmer, comes with much hype. Do your homework first. - David S. Brooks