The Most Impractical Automotive Accessories on the Market

Over the years I have had the pleasure of working on many different automobiles. I have been working on vehicles of all sorts and sizes for over 19 years. When it comes to trying to get more performance out of a vehicle, accessories come into play for many people. I enjoy helping people because I love educating and answering the “how does it work?” questions. Here are five accessories that could perform better in the design department.

5. Cold air intakes. The purpose of cold air intakes is to get the coldest outside air into an engine. The reason you want cold air is the colder the air, the more condensed the air is. The problem is most individuals do not install the cold air intake and filter in an area that gets direct cold air from outside of the engine compartment. You normally pop open the hood of the vehicles and see a short tube with an air filter stuck on it and then it is aligned behind a head light under the hood in the engine compartment. This is hot air because the engine is heating it up. If you are going to install a cold air intake, make sure you are getting cold air and not engine compartment heated air.

4. Fuel Line Magnets. The first time I saw magnets on a vehicles fuel line I was absolutely bewildered. I did not understand the purpose. I went to my boss and asked him about their purpose and he said people would try anything to get better gas mileage. But Magnets? Fuel does not have anything in it that would react to a magnet. I have heard of people wearing them on their wrists because of the iron in our blood, as that makes sense. At least the magnets are affecting something. However, fuel for a vehicle has nothing that can change when a magnet hits it with polarity. Remove the magnets they do nothing!

3. Cigarette lighters. The placement of these have for many years been in the ashtray. Makes great sense if you are a smoker. But for those of us that do not smoke it becomes a place where a penny or dime will fall into it. Once that happens it blows a fuse, then more lights don’t work that are on the same circuit as the cigarette lighter. Now the manufacturers are ahead of the game, they charge you for an ashtray to put your change in.

2. High placement air intake. This is an air intake that has been piped above the windshield so that the vehicle can go into high water. It is a great idea for not allowing water to get into the engine from the intake. But what you see is that exhaust is still lower than the frame of the vehicle and none of the electrical components have been moved to keep them dry. Then the pulleys that are being turned by the engine, such as the water pump, are in the same place. My recommendation, stay out of high water.

1. Forward Grip handle for the driver. I can understand a grip handle for getting in and out of the vehicle. But why would a driver need to have a grip handle that is on the A pillar next to the windshield? Shouldn’t both hands be on the steering wheel at ten and two? If they are driving so erratic that this handle is needed, maybe they shouldn’t be driving.


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