Lets? face it. Life is hectic. I don't know about you, but I am always on the go. On average, I probably spend over five hours a day in my car. Driving to and from work, restaurants, friends? houses, etc. takes a lot of energy. If you live in Los Angeles then you know what I'm talking about. Forget making it anywhere in less than 25 minutes?even if it's just down the street.



I suffer from overwhelming feelings of anger while sitting in traffic, a condition commonly known as road rage. Working is stressful enough, not to mention having to deal with my girlfriend. That's why I try and make my commute as quick and smooth as possible. I need some sanity in my life. Screaming at the 17 year old girl in the Jetta in front of me is borderline inappropriate. Maybe I'll try yoga. Or I can add some pep to my engine for peace of mind.

Ever merge onto a speeding highway? I usually cling to my wheel with a kung fu grip as trucks barrel past my modest Subaru. Ever think about weaving in and out of traffic? I've seen Office Space. There's nothing like narrowly filling gaps to get a car length in front of everyone else. It gives you that added peace of mind. If you long for more power as you watch the Porsche cut you off only to stop short and nearly cause an accident, don't get frustrated. Get a performance chip.

I'm not talking about Doritos. Companies like Unichip and Jet make performance chips that naturally unleash your engine's potential. Think of your car on steroids?only it's legal. They don't void your vehicle's warranty because they comply with emission regulations. Dealers cannot void your warranty for using aftermarket equipment. They can however, give you problems if the part affects your emissions system. The problem with performance exhausts and cold air intakes is that they affect your car's airflow and leave you subject to a hefty fine. I don't know about the rest of the country, but cops in California are especially prone to ticketing modified cars.

Even though a performance chip will cost you a few hundred dollars, but could save you at the pump. The chip reprograms your car's factory settings and tunes shift points, rev limits, axel ratio etc. for maximum output. Not a motor monkey? Forget about mechanic fees, the installation is a breeze. I'm no gear head and I installed my own chip in a few minutes. All I had to do was plug it in.

What improvements have I seen? No, I'm not dating Christy Turlington. I didn't win the lottery. And I still can't beat that Porsche in a race. But I can definitely see a difference in acceleration. My car used to lag when I'd slam on the gas. Not only has my pick up increased, I have been getting better gas mileage. I reset my odometer ever time I fill up and I have been getting 2 more mpg. Not bad considering gas prices. By far, the best benefit is added power for merging onto the freeway. As much as getting cut off in traffic bothers me, it is not nearly as dangerous as the highway. Consider adding a performance chip for a natural increase in power.