Our Two Cents: Overhyped Automotive Accessories?
In this installment of Our Two Cents, we surveyed the staff here at Hagerty Media for examples of overhyped automotive accessories. While most of these items have the benefit of appealing to owners looking to improve their car in some fashion, we all know that looks can be deceiving.
So let’s see what a few of us came up with, and please chime in with your suggestions in the comments!
More Air, Less Fuel?
“I am going to go with unproven fuel, air, and spark technology making claims that can’t be approved by general consensus. I won’t pick on one example, because there are too many to discuss in our Amazonian era of retailing.
But you know them when you see them, and they make claims that are hard to stomach. Customer reviews on places like automotive forums and Reddit are either mixed or outright angry, and buying them is like playing roulette!” – Sajeev Mehta
“To Sajeev’s point, my vote is for those plug in accelerator pedal controllers. $299 for a unit that adjusts your throttle response has got to be the biggest rip-off in the aftermarket industry right now. At the price, you’re so close to a proper access port tuner with comprehensive software that actually increases performance for the engine and (automatic) transmission, so why not actually tune your vehicle instead?” – Greg Ingold
“Open-cone air filters. They promise better horsepower, but unless they are installed just right, they only suck in hot air that slows you down. And then there’s the risk of taking in water if they’re placed too low!” – David Zenlea
Non-Functional, But Functional Looking?
“I’ll vote for the bull bar as a pretty useless piece of automotive dressing. Don’t get me wrong, there are absolutely aftermarket front bumpers that beef up a vehicle’s front end.
But the type you find that simply bolt on beneath a vehicle and wrap up and over the front end are worse than useless. Hit anything of substance at even slow speeds and the whole thing will collapse into your front end. They are nicknamed ‘damage multipliers’ for a reason.” – Stefan Lombard
“In the same vein as Stefan’s bull bars, I cringe whenever I see a ‘style bar’ on an NA/NB Miata. You want the look of a safety device while being ok with installing something that increases the odds of getting hurt in a rollover? This cheap bit of tubular steel is for you.” – Eddy Eckart
Center Lock Wheels
“Center lock wheels on street cars has never made any sense to me. Yes, I love the idea of it being completely impossible to change my own tire without an impact gun and this ridiculously expensive little part that I’ll inevitably lose the moment I take delivery of the car.” – Isaac Shapiro
They Add Horsepower, Right?
“Those stickers that you’re supposed to put on the back of your car somewhere that promise +5 extra horsepower. I have like 20 of them on the back of my car and I have NEVER noticed even a tiny bit of increased performance. I just ordered another 10-pack, so fingers crossed they work this time!” – Ben Woodworth
Kind of along the lines of the first one… additives. If they belonged in the crankcase, they would be part of the oil specification for your motor. Trust me, if there was real data that they improved mileage or longevity, the OEMs would be using them
OEMs do not add additives to new cars as it would increase the price. The dealerships on the other hand will sell them to you. Next time you may want to check the displays in the parts department or service writers’ area.
I thought most additives were BS. I had a groaning third member in a Corvette. Seems GM makes an additive for the positive traction rear axle. Yep. One tiny bottle took care of the noise.
Hopefully that one bottle won’t hurt the feelings of NCRS. It has a GM part number.
Yep, limited slip additive, friction modifier.
We’ve got it at the Chrysler store, too. Always have. That shit works!
I’ll bet Ford has some as well!
Yes, FRICTION MODIFIER. Used to be made from whales. Don’t worry, No whales in your differential anymore.
It’s a well known fact that clutch type LSDs need friction modifier so that the clutch plates don’t chatter and smoothly transfer power. Nothing new here. Quaife or Torque Sensing helical LSDs (now very popular with manufacturers) and Detroit lockers, ratchet locked or roller locked diffs don’t require friction modifier. -30-
Yes, Ford has it too – worst smelling stuff you can put into your car!
The Performance counter guy at the Chevy store I was at sold the GM posi additive as Whale Sperm part number 992694. The Sperm really did work, eliminated the chatter when the differential was differencing.
Cam and Lifter break in additive was Elephant Sperm part number 992704. This had to be used and all lifters replaced during a cam swap.
I sold quite a bit of that stuff.
Of late I’ve found that Lucas products work as advertised.
All additives are like medications and supplements.
No one needs every one of them.
You need to find what and why it’s good for your application.
I worked for a few GM Dealerships for many years and very familiar with the differential additive. There was a common issue with the locking diffs while making parking lot maneuverers, the clutch plates would chatter/groan. The little bottle did the trick every time.
As a (retired) professional mechanic I will have to disagree (at least to a point). There ARE additives that can do good – particularly if you are not using a TOP SPEC oil – because the top spec oil has an equivalent in it’s additive pack and yours does not. Might be cheaper and more effective to just pony up for the topspec oil in the first place, but???. Also additives as “tools”. “Mechanic in a can”. I have avoided many expensive engine tear-downs over the years by using the right “additive” in either the oil or the fuel (or the transmission or rear end) Stuck rings, noisy lifters, chattering Posi-tracks, rough shifting automatics, balky syncros, carboned up valves, carbon deposits in combustion chambers causing “ping” just to name a few.
The right additive, properly applied, can solve the problem just as well as an expensive tear-down in MANY cases. If it doesn’t work? Do the teardown and credit the cost of the additive to the job as diagnostic cost.(It was my policy on jobs like this to charge for diagnostics and credit the diagnostic charge if the (major) repair was performed at my shop)
I agree with most things here. Fake performance parts.
But I will take exception to the throttle controller. Not all drive by wire systems are the same and these can easily fix some factory throttles that are poorly tuned.
The Corvette guys love the Solar units as it can tune from your phone. You can choose what you like. But the best is you can shut the throttle off so even if they start your car they can’t drive it.
Fake roll bars and bill bars. Neon lights, really bad wings, etc yes not good but the throttle controllers do help as sone cars really are that bad. But just for the shut off if you have a push button start car is worth it. I know many Hyundai cars that could use it.
Please don’t speak for “The Corvette Guys”, especially those of us belonging to NCRS. I have owned four Corvettes and the only addition to any of them was the 4″ x 2″ NCRS window decal that is worth 2 extra judging points.
The problem with most accelerators is the connection between the pedal and the seat. Drivers have been brainwashed by that instant response that they think makes the car feel like it has better performance. A proper accelerator is calibrated to have the engine deliver the same amount of power as the input. Press the pedal 5% and get 5% power. 59% should provide 59% power. But people want 38% power with 3% input so that their car feels “peppy.”
Throttle controllers only remap your throttle position, they do nothing for gaining Wide Open Throttle performance. It might feel faster because it takes less pressure on the throttle to accelerate, or less pressure to allow more pedal to actually go for better control over MPG. Ultimately it is just a gimmick.
Why “tune” your throttle at all though? That is such a JC Whitney gimmick, I’ll take a Tornado for my intake while I’m at it while I’m blowing my wad of cash on stuff that doesn’t actually make my car faster.
And to your Solar pedal controller, it sounds like something that works until the thief is smart enough to figure it out and disconnect it.
You definitely had it right with “Corvette. guys like…” These are the older ones with the cargo shorts and New Balance’s that never drive over the posted speed limit (in the left lane), but want to feel like they have a “Performance” car…
Lol
I’m going to stop wearing New Balance.
I was just behind one of those guys yesterday. Brand new Vette going under the speed limit for miles. My wife and I were both annoyed.
Do any of you experts know why the Corvette is many times blocking traffic at exactly the speed limit? Because they are ticket bait. Period. LE having a bad day will choose the Vette/ Exotic every time. And don’t ask me how I know.
My Hawaiian shirt and huaraches (with ankle socks) go great with my cargos. Seriously, my C4/LT1 will sopposedly hit 120+ but I’d be frickin scared to drive it that fast. I’ve done about 85-90 and if I ever get pulled over I’ll just say nobody ever bought a vette to drive the speed limit. Maybe I’m wrong.
Truth! Hawaiian shirts, New Balance sneakers, and Aviator sunglasses.
Chrome…it won’t get you home.
….However- It Ain’t Cool if the Chrome Don’t Shine.
I love chrome. We need more CHROME!
Those cars SLAP. Theyll be even more upset that theres a professional racing league for them.
Yup
I do too better then painted bumpers.
Yes! I put a hang 10 footy gas pedal on my 50 Chevy truck in High School, it looked bitchin and improved the throttle response at the same time. Trust me, I wouldn’t lie about a thing like this;)
Ahhh-but I Do Love Real chrome & polished stainless–
My friends and I like to joke that stickers and nonfunctional wings and things like that add “visual horsepower”. I agree a selection of stickers is probably worth about 5 visual horsepower. The right wing might be worth 20 visual horsepower!
Low profile tires. They are worse than useless; they are a significant detriment to ride, handling, and long-term performance. Show me any competition cars that use them
NASCAR used 15″ wheels for decades, but they are now using 18″ wheels.
That’s nothing, my Stutz Bearcat has 25″…and 4 1/2 wide.
Great traction for 60hp.
I think there is something to this. My Model A’s run on 19” wheels at 4.5 wide and we have zero traction issues. Straight line or cornering, they are hooked up.
tires don’t effect handling, I have 22×11/11 tires on the three-wheeler and there is zero body roll
Agreed.
Bill you’re not going to believe the donks with 26″ wheels and 1″ sidewall clicking off 7s-8s 1/4’s
Those and ‘run flats’. They are hard riding, noisy and expensive as hell to replace which is why I installed plain ole’ rubber on my BMW when the first set wore out.
Dudes running snorkels on their 4×4’s, seems over the top and are you really going to cross a 4′ deep river in your $50,000 daily driver?
Mostly agree. However, our kids lived in Costa Rica for 3 years. They had to add snorkels to all their vehicles as river crossings were frequent (The Monkey Trail), and roads often flooded.
Having spent time in CR, I can say that 1) it is absolutely a necessity to have snorkels on any vehicle that has to travel outside of town; but 2) there is NO WAY that anyone is putting that on a $50K vehicle.
How about those cheap snorkels made mostly for looks that aren’t actually watertight and give a false sense of security? Looks awesome, TechBro!
Yes, some of us do drive through deep water but it’salso useful driving in the desert, helps keep sand out of engine
Isn’t that what the air filter is for?
Even if you DID drive though deep water and had a snorkel, so much of the wire harness and ECM’s are at floor level so if you get water inside, your $85,000 Jeep is now a totaled brick.
Where I’m from, most trail riding is done on abandoned logging roads. When you two-track on roads like that, a snorkel is almost a must-have especially if you don’t have some crazy big mud rig
Ben Woodworth is wasting his time (and $) with those stickers. Today’s stickers are totally useless. However, I can personally attest to the efficacy of the stickers of the 1960’s, specifically the STP stickers. I put several of them on my dad’s car. I’m sure we had the fastest ’62 Buick Invicta wagon in town.
This is valuable information!
Don’t forget Mooneyes and the woodpecker smoking a cigar!
Mooneyes were a must have, and still are if they are black and white. The original Mr Horsepower woodpecker might have been the most copied. Clay Smith cams. The decals were probably the profit centre for the company.
You could tell the serious guys. An original National Hot Rod Association decal. A few years back a decal shaped like that which read WOODWARD AVENUE TIMING ASSOCIATION was available. The Hurst H was big along with Motion and Jenkins Competition.
But the best…I Love My HOOKER HEADERS.
None of this speed equipment looks in place on a FWD electric cross over. That requires a Sunbeam Toaster sticker.
I have all those stickers on my rolling tool chest because they exponentially increase my mechanical abilities and I swear, they seem to increase the HP of the cars that have gotten close to the stickers.
Thanks for the tip! I’m off to eBay to look for some. Maybe even go to an old junkyard with a sharp razor blade and see if I can find some true vintage ones to repurpose!
Everybody knows the vintage ones were higher octane. Good plan!
I think that the Thrush muffler roadrunner sticket made the most horesepower.
Do fancy driving gloves add horse power to your classic car? My grandson Jack says my 80 MGB feels like 5 more HP when I wear my gloves. So, yes.
Holley , Edelbrock, STP stickers in my rear quarter windows didn’t mean much, but the WITHERS Automotive meant everything. Paul and Sandra’s Chevy only machine shop built my engines 😎 . Oh , I used to get ticketed for those stickers . Badge of honor stuff .
When I raced we were required to pad any part of the roll cage that could potentially come in contact with our HELMET. An unprotected skull that has the potential of coming in contact with a rollbar……….
It’s your car, do what you like with it. I’ll do what I like with mine.
Everyone doing the same thing all the time is boring.
I’ll vouch for those throttle pedal enhancers too. They dont add power, they just change the throttle map to come on earlier. It really changed the character of the car at low-mid throttle and made it more fun to drive around town. Its especially good for cars that dont have a lot of bottom end. The only downside was at a certain point, no further throttle input made a difference. But that was only close to WOT where you’re mashing the pedal anyway.
I had to remove it because it started throwing a code with my throttle body. I added a custom tune to replace it, but it didn’t provide the same feel.
They’re a big pain when driving bumper to bumper in traffic, even a stock fly by wire throttle on some vehicles are over sensitive when in traffic.
Mapping the throttle DOWN on some performance cars makes them a LOT more civilized to drive in traffic.
On older cars you can do the poor-man’s tuneup: Remove the throttle return spring and move the seat up.
Yep’ as a dealership Mechanic back in the 70’s I would stretch the carb return spring after a tune up service and it would put a smile of satisfaction on the customer’s face and a tip in my pocket, but only if the service writer didn’t pocket it for himself.
Centre locks might be a pain the rear but they are soooo gorgeous.
…..especially on a Porsche.
Unless you’re the owner of a 2024 with recalled center locks and haven’t been able to use your car since October awaiting Porsche to supply the dealer with parts! 🤬🤬🤬
Sorry, 2 or 3-eared knockoffs on proper sporting motorcars look right!( looking at you, E-type, Morgan, Cobra, Ferrari 275 GTB/4, etc…)
Most wings…especially on a family car.
IIRC, Honda (or dealers) put some, complete with CMSLs on circa 2000.
Even the factory units on a C8 at slightly higher than legal road speeds I have my doubts about.
Also those vortex generators along the top edge of Subaru back windows…
Forgot to mention, those Hondas were 4 door Accords.
In my neighborhood, they’re 1990’s Honda Civic 4-doors, with ginormous $200 chrome fart can mufflers with 2 1/2 inch inlets adapted down to the stock 1 1/2 inch diameter rear exhaust pipe. And don’t forget the $2000 stereo system, so you can hear the oontz,oontz,oontz 2 blocks away. These cars are commonly known as “hoopties”.
I see them all the time too. Also popular with older model Subaru WRX’s.
Believe it or not, but some of those winged Hondas/Acuras were homologation spec cars, so some of those cars had a legitimate purpose for them if coming off the dealer lot. Even the vortex generators, but I have seen those more commonly on Mitsubishi Evos. Now the aftermarket bolt ons, yeah, they’re just for looks, and the stuff that was put on 20 years ago was pretty tacky.
My 08 Civic Si has a factory wing on it, not sure how much it helps, but hey, I appreciate how it looks.
I use to tell my automotive students that wings on the back of FWD cars were put there by people who got scared because their fwd pos went too fast.
Hey Arthur, I toally get it. I used to carry the same attitude towards FWD cars. Surprisingly, I sold a 69 Pontiac Grand Prix to make room for the Honda. Freaking love it. You should read about my experience.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/market-trends/hagerty-insider/market-spotlight/hondas-2005-11-civic-si-is-a-sport-compact-sweet-spot-we-wont-see-again/
After market Spoilers. They do work, they spoil the looks of the car as soon as you put them on, very efficient.
Back in the early ’70s we called this kind of stuff Chrome Go Fasters
So you’re telling me that stickers don’t increase performance?!?! I always thought since they were pasted all over race cars….. Wow…. I guess you learn something new every day!!
One of the racers in the ’60s said “without those stickers, my car isn’t going anywhere.” Meaning, of course, that the stickers kept the money coming in.
They may not increase performance but they are great at hiding rust spots.
If you layer enough of those stickers on, you can hide a rotted out lower rear quarter panel.