This guide helps both beginners and veterans to the auto performance part world with info on various performance parts.

What are performance parts? First of all, they are designed to increase the overall power and usability of your car. They are typically to "soup it up," improving things like speed and efficiency. If you want a vehicle with a bit more speed going 0-60, or to simply run better in certain situations, performance parts help you do it safely.

So let's go over some performance parts to rebuild your vehicle the right way.

Air Filters. Air filters may seem to be boring when you want to go from 0-60 in 4.3, but they actually have more upside than most other performance parts. They give you car more power; a racing air filter can up your power by as much as 10%. They're quite easy to install; this can be done in a day or less. Also, if you ever want to take this air filter out, like many performance parts it's an easy job.

Cat-Back Exhaust Systems. Cat-back exhaust systems have less upside than some performance parts, but the fact they improve engine life makes them useful.

A racing air filter can improve your engine power by as much as 10%. You can install one in a matter of hours in most cases, or no more than a day. Along with many other key performance parts, it's simple to remove the air filter.

Air Filters. Air filters have the most upside of all three performance parts in this guide. They give your engine extra power, are easy to install, are easy to reverse if you want to sell your car, and are easy on the gas.

Air filters are far from boring. Most auto stores will tell you, air filters have a lot of upside and little downside in comparison to other performance parts. The best part is they pay you back over time with better gas mileage.

Cat-Back Exhaust Systems. If you really want to "upgrade" your car for speed, sound, and engine life , then the cat-back exhaust system performance part is the answer. These performance parts have less upside than some like the racing air filter, but the benefit of a longer engine life is important. Cat-back exhaust systems are quite popular for performance enhancement, using a larger diameter pipe in the stock system. If you want to get rid of your restrictive stock exhaust system, a cat-back exhaust has major upside.

There are three performance parts your street rod, muscle car, or speedster cannot do without. While this is a good start, don't forget about other performance parts from the simple, brake pads, to the cool, the carburetor.