Performance Editor

Marcus Reid

Marcus has been building and breaking cars since his first turbo swap on a hand-me-down Civic in college. He covers performance modifications, tuning, and anything that makes a car faster. His current project is a 2019 Mustang GT with a Whipple supercharger that keeps finding new ways to empty his wallet.

Covers Performance 16 guides by MarcusCustomization 19 guides by Marcus

35 guides since 2014

All 35 guides by Marcus Latest update first

2026

24 guides published or refreshed

DateGuideRead time
Revised 6 Car Modifications That Can Improve Acceleration 7 min
Revised Paint Protection Film vs Vinyl Wrap 5 min
Revised Daily-Driver Mods That Won't Hurt Resale Value 4 min
Revised What Is Car Backdating? Meaning and Examples 5 min
Pre-Summer Tune Check — Why Spring-Calibrated Tunes Often Run Lean by July, and What to Watch 10 min
Brake Pad Selection for Street Cars That See Occasional Track Days — What Actually Matters 7 min
Revised Winter Car Customization Ideas That Improve Comfort and Protection

Affiliate links

10 min
Revised AI in Car Customization: Real Tools and Limits 10 min
Revised Car Mods You May Regret: Three Mistakes to Avoid 15 min
Revised Customizing a Car on a Budget Without Wasting Money

Affiliate links

19 min
Revised Throttle Response Controllers: What They Change and What They Do Not

Affiliate links

5 min
Revised Carbon Fiber Car Mods: Real Gains vs Pure Style

Affiliate links

3 min
Revised After Lifting Your Truck: What to Check Next 3 min
Revised 10 Custom Paint Job Ideas and How to Choose the Right Finish 3 min
Revised What Is a Restomod? Classic Style With Modern Drivability 4 min
Revised Car Customization: Classic Mods to Modern Tech 4 min
Turbo vs. Supercharger in 2026 — A Decision Framework That's Not Just About Power 6 min
Cooling System Upgrades Before Summer — Where the First Failure Actually Shows Up 6 min
Intake and Exhaust Pairing 101 — Why Matching Matters More Than Either Alone 6 min
Opening Tuning Season — What to Check Before Your First Dyno Day of 2026 5 min
How to Read a Dyno Sheet Without Getting Fooled by Peak Numbers 7 min
Bolt-On Exhaust Upgrades That Actually Change How Your Car Drives 6 min
2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC: What the Supercharged V8 Means for Enthusiasts 4 min
OEM+ Interior Upgrades That Age Better Than Trendy Add-Ons 7 min
2025

2 guides published or refreshed

DateGuideRead time
Do Throttle Controllers Change Performance or Just Pedal Feel? 5 min
Cold Air Intake, Cat-Back, or Tune: Which Upgrade Changes the Car Most? 6 min
2024

7 guides published or refreshed

DateGuideRead time
Revised Riveted Body Kits: Why Cars Run Riveted Fenders 3 min
Revised Featuring Turner Motorsport in Amesbury, MA 2 min
Revised 8 Inexpensive Custom Truck Accessories 3 min
Revised Three ways to quickly customize your car 3 min
Revised Check out all the awesome goldRush Rally cars! 1 min
Revised Featuring Venom Motorsports from Grand Rapids, Michigan 2 min
Revised Make Your Ride Green: Eco-friendly Customizations for Cars 13 min
From the archive

Older coverage, kept for the record

DateGuideRead time
Lifted Trucks of the SEMA Show 1 min
Maximizing your car's performance by optimizing as a system 3 min

New guides and tools, by email.

Notes on new and refreshed guides. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.