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BEST Car Mods For Cheap & Cars That Surprised Us

BEST Car Mods For Cheap & Cars That Surprised Us

MartiniWorks Podcast Jan 16, 2026 44 min
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About this episode

Exploring budget-friendly car modifications and surprising vehicle experiences, the hosts share their favorite affordable upgrades that enhance driving enjoyment without breaking the bank. From essential maintenance tips to clever mods like lowering springs and upgraded lighting, they emphasize the joy of small changes. The conversation shifts to unexpected car experiences, highlighting vehicles like the M240i and Subaru STI that exceeded expectations. With a mix of humor and personal anecdotes, this episode is packed with practical advice and entertaining stories from the automotive world.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Part

oil change

"...I literally messaged dakota because like I was uh had to do an oil change on the bmw..."

An oil change is when you replace the old oil in a car's engine with new oil. This helps the engine work better and last longer.

Term

transmission failure

"What is a transmission failure cost you a lot a whole lot more than 200 dollars where the trans fluid exactly"

Transmission failure means that the part of the car that helps it change gears isn't working properly. Fixing it can be very expensive, often costing much more than just a few hundred dollars.

Term

brakes

"it's not the cheapest but also I gotta do I gotta do brakes really bad"

Brakes are the parts of a car that help it stop. It's important to keep them in good shape, and sometimes they need to be replaced to make sure the car can stop safely.

Term

wipers

"even something as small as like going and getting a nice set of wipers after you've been using the same shit wipers for"

Wipers are the parts that clean the windshield of your car when it rains. Getting new wipers can help you see better when driving in bad weather.

Car

Civic Type R

"...when we uh, we got the type R. Yeah, um, I really really did like the um, the whole like active damping control thing..."

The Civic Type R is a fast version of the Honda Civic, designed for performance and sporty driving. It's well-liked for its speed and handling.

Term

coilovers

"Um, and we wanted to lower the car and coilovers. Pretty much get rid of that like functionality."

Coilovers are parts of a car's suspension that help control how the car rides and handles. They can be adjusted to make the car sit lower or higher, which can improve comfort and performance.

Term

lowering springs

"let's just do lowering springs. And it was like $300 for a set of lowering springs versus like $1800 for like a coilover set now."

Lowering springs are parts that make a car sit lower to the ground. This can help the car handle better and look sportier.

Car

Eclipse

"I put some like i-box springs in my eclipse back in the day"

The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a small car that many people liked for its sporty look and performance. It was made for many years and is popular among car fans.

Part

Koni Yellows

"you know pick yourself up a set of kony yellows which we have no I believe yeah, which are available on martiniworks.com"

Koni Yellows are a type of shock absorber that you can adjust to make your car ride better or handle differently. They're popular among car enthusiasts.

Car

Volkswagen Golf GTI

"One of the best things I ever did I bought my mark 7 gti. I love that car still missed that car should have never sold it."

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a fun and practical car that is great for driving. The Mk7 is the seventh version of this model, known for being sporty and having a turbo engine.

Part

headlight bulbs

"I think if you drive your car anytime at night a good set of headlight bulbs is worth every dollar that you're gonna invest there."

Headlight bulbs are the lights at the front of a car that help you see when it's dark. Better bulbs can make it easier to see at night.

Car

Toyota 4Runner

"...when I bought my 4Runner, I thought it had wireless... The 2021 TRD Pro does have wireless carpet..."

The Toyota 4Runner is a tough SUV that can handle rough terrain. The 2021 version has different models, and one of them is the TRD Pro, which is great for off-roading.

Term

USB-C port

"...the USB-C port if I like..."

A USB-C port is a modern type of plug that you can use to charge your phone or connect devices. It's designed to be easy to use because it can go in either way.

Company

HKS

"I remember didn't uh, hks drop like some like crazy ones. Yeah, I wonder like Alex, but they anything hks drops is just I wanted those so bad. Yeah, they uh, they made them"

HKS is a company that makes parts to make cars go faster and perform better. They are popular among car enthusiasts for their quality products.

Car

Nissan 240

"I'd like to pick something up for the 240 when I'm there something little sick something like like a shift..."

The Nissan 240 is a sports car that many people love for its ability to be customized and used in racing. It's known for being fun to drive and easy to modify.

Company

Continental

"...my buddy cody on his jeta sport wagon. He got a set of continental dws. So sixes. Yeah on his Conig wheels and he loves them. Yeah, absolutely."

Continental is a brand that makes tires for cars. They offer different types of tires for various weather and driving needs.

Term

all-season tire

"...It's a fantastic all season otherwise coming into spring summer..."

All-season tires are a type of tire that can be used in different weather conditions, like rain and light snow, so you don't have to change them every season.

Term

performance tire

"...the extreme contact sport Oh two is a fantastic performance oriented tire and it comes a bunch of different sizes..."

Performance tires are special tires that help cars handle better and go faster, making them great for sports cars or fun driving.

Car

Lamborghini Huracán

"...the lamborghini hurricane. Oh, whoa not where I was expecting that one to go terrible to drive terrible to get in and out"

The Lamborghini Huracán is a fast and flashy sports car that many people dream of driving. However, it can be hard to get in and out of because it's very low to the ground.

Car

Audi R8 V10 Plus

"I also got the chance to drive Gen 2 r8 v10 plus. Mm-hmm Kind of like a hurricane. You did the same car right just different"

The Audi R8 V10 Plus is a super-fast sports car that has a powerful engine and sleek design. It is similar to the Lamborghini Huracán because they share many parts and technology.

Term

pop and bang

"...They make the right noises they downshift and pop and bang and burble all the time..."

'Pop and bang' is a sound that some cars make when they shift gears or slow down. It's a fun noise that many people enjoy hearing from performance cars.

Car

BMW M240i

"Newer m240 is I thought were really really good. Good one. We got the chance to do some like basically like an autocross competition..."

The BMW M240i is a sporty car that is part of BMW's 2 Series lineup. It's designed for performance and has a powerful engine that makes it fun to drive.

Car

BMW G80S

"...we were doing a ton of red stuff like all week like with like the m cars and everything like that m3s m4s g80s g82s..."

The BMW M3 is a fast and powerful car that's part of BMW's 3 Series. The latest version, called the G80, has a strong engine and is built for performance.

Car

BMW M4

"...we were doing a ton of red stuff like all week like with like the m cars and everything like that m3s m4s g80s g82s..."

The BMW M4 is a sporty coupe that is part of BMW's 4 Series. The latest version, called the G82, has a powerful engine and is designed for performance driving.

Car

Mini Coopers

"...g autocross stuff and there was honestly like the mini coopers were fun But then there was like one section was..."

The Mini Cooper is a small car that's really fun to drive. It's known for its cute design and can easily zip around in city traffic.

Part

B58 engine

"it's got the b58 in it and they're automatic"

The B58 engine is a powerful six-cylinder engine made by BMW. It helps cars go fast and run smoothly.

Car

Toyota Supra

"...k It was basically like just another form of the supra it felt like but in a different like body and"

The Toyota Supra is a fast and stylish sports car that many people love. It's famous for being fun to drive and can be customized to make it even more powerful.

Car

BMW Z4

"...8's a good engine and it's like But we drove the z4 and that was a completely different experience an..."

The BMW Z4 is a stylish convertible sports car that's fun to drive with the top down. It combines luxury with speed, making it a great choice for sunny days.

Term

all-wheel drive

"...it felt so planted with the all-wheel drive and it was like the perfect cruising car..."

All-wheel drive means that all four wheels of the car get power from the engine, which helps the car grip the road better and stay stable, especially in bad weather.

Term

supercharger

"I cold started it and right after it fires off you hear the supercharger just... It's so sick"

A supercharger helps an engine produce more power by pushing in extra air, which lets the engine burn more fuel. This means the car can go faster without waiting for the engine to catch up, unlike some other systems.

Car

Scion Frs

"...ver been able to fit more than three people in my frs when I had it and that wasn't boosted Your mini ..."

The Scion FR-S is a small sports car that's designed to be fun to drive. It's lightweight and has a sporty feel, making it great for people who love driving.

Car

FR-S

"I've never been able to fit more than three people in my FR-S when I had it and that wasn't boosted"

The Toyota FR-S is a small sports car that is fun to drive. It's designed to be light and nimble, making it great for handling on the road.

Term

heated seats

"It's got the sunroof the heated seats are so hot They'll literally make you turn them off because they will cook your ass cheeks like a steak."

Heated seats are a feature that warms up the seats in a car, making them cozy in cold weather. You can usually change how hot they get, so they don't get too hot.

Car

BMW M2

"...ther one for me kind of similar experience to the m2 40i because we got to experience at that event bu..."

The BMW M2 is a sporty car that's made for people who love to drive fast. It has a powerful engine and handles really well, making it exciting on the road.

Car

Acura NSX

"...id you know as expected, but then it was like the nsx. It was like, man, it was like, come on guys Wha..."

The Acura NSX is a really cool sports car that's known for being fast and fun to drive. It's special because it was designed to be both luxurious and high-performing.

Car

Ford Gt350

"...en and it was really dope. Yeah. Yeah the uh, the gt350 is like that too I got a chance to drive one of ..."
Car

Chevrolet Camaro

"Yep, and then we had that zeal one Camaro. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yep. I kind of fucked with the c..."

The Chevrolet Camaro is a powerful car that looks great and is fun to drive. It's known for its strong engines and sporty design, making it a favorite among car lovers.

Car

Ford Mustang

"But that's why I like why you like yeah, so The mustang was phenomenal and I'm not downplayed it's still ..."

The Ford Mustang is a classic car that's famous for being fast and stylish. It's loved by many for its powerful engines and cool design.

Car

Nissan R34

"...ow what my favorite show is what when we took the r34 gtt to bevernam Stumbled upon a show. Yeah in th..."

The Nissan Skyline is a sporty car that's famous for being fast and high-tech. It's especially popular among car enthusiasts who love to customize and race.

Car

Chevrolet Corvettes

"...aid it was like it was belayers and chivelles and corvettes There was like a"

The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast sports car that's known for its sleek looks and powerful performance. It's a popular choice for people who love driving and want something exciting.

Car

Dodge Road Runners

"...ional cars and then the family been restored like road runners All this sort of like really dope"

The Dodge Road Runner is a classic car known for being fast and powerful. It has a unique look and is loved by many car fans for its performance.

20 cars featured

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