Remember a few weeks ago when we wrote about planning ahead for projects? Well, if you took that advice to heart, then this weekend is probably on your list of opportunities to grab what you need at steep discounts. Yes, besides being my 31st birthday, Labor Day is also one of our bigger opportunities to mark down our in-house developed performance upgrades for you to scoop. Whether you’re just getting started on a new winter project car, need a few things for the daily, or just can’t wait for Santa to snag some new wheels and suspension, this week we’re breaking down a few stellar combinations that might pique your interest.
The Project Car
One of the ways I like to stay busy over the winter is with a nice project. This year, that’s my 1984 BMW R100RT airhead motorcycle. While that’s a bit out of scope here (why we can’t sell BMW Motorrad parts is actually a story for a different time), the same principles apply to any project with an engine. Your first step should always be to develop a good baseline to start your project. That means basic maintenance like oil, filters, typical leak-prone gaskets, ignition, wiper blades, and maybe a cooling system refresh. On their own, none of these parts are all that cost-prohibitive. When you want to run through a fairly comprehensive maintenance service that includes all of this stuff, though, it can get pricey. Sometimes it can stall motivation for a project when you think about what that set of coilovers or that exhaust costs and know that you have to spend the money on the maintenance stuff first. Believe me, it can be hard to prioritize correctly when what you need doesn’t match up to what you want. For reference, I spoke at length about this exact dilemma a few weeks back in our article on “planning ahead.”
If you read that article and put a good plan into action, then this weekend was likely on your radar as a good opportunity to do exactly what I’m about to suggest: take advantage of sale pricing to grab a bunch of maintenance parts and consumables. You’ll either make your maintenance budget go farther if you lean toward the more comprehensive side of things, or, you’ll be able to allocate some of the maintenance budget to other areas, like performance or livability.
So what’s the plan here? We’ve written extensively about our Assembled by ECS program, which are comprehensive kits of specialist-selected maintenance services all in one box. Oil service kits include all the proper oil, filter, crush washer, o-rings, drain plug, and even an inspection and service sticker to track your last maintenance. Brake service kits include everything you need to rejuvenate all four corners of your braking system. You get the idea. Anyway, the entire ABE section of our site is up to 20% off. This means you can grab full kits, like ignition service or cooling system service kits, which include everything you need to complete the job with the correct parts and do it at an even more cost-effective price.
What about tools to get the job done? Our in-house tool brand, Schwaben, is also steeply discounted. If you’ve picked up your first VW or Audi, then you’ll probably need some triple-square sockets, stubby sockets, a suspension spindle housing spreader socket, and possibly a Schwaben Professional Scan Tool for in-depth diagnostic work. Clearly, this is just an example. The point is, if you’re about to dive into a new project, you can save on both the maintenance parts and consumables you need to bring it back to a good baseline to start modifying and do so with the right tools for the job at a heavy discount.
For the Daily
I’m actually a perfect example right now. For the first time in my life, I have a car that isn’t lowered and on a set of aftermarket wheels to make it look like an enthusiast drives it rather than some two-bit used car salesman. Ironically, my winter car, the 6spd E83 X3 I pulled out of a former ECS engineer’s barnyard a few years ago, is lowered and on some aggressive tires. Meanwhile, my 996 is still sitting at stock ride height and on factory Porsche 5-spoke wheels. Obviously, I can’t live with this anymore. It’s been two years and the law school excuse will only take me so far before my friends start bullying me for wheel gap. This means its time for me to finally snag the coilovers I’ve been eyeing and at least start budgeting for a set of wheels (5×130 stuff is EXPENSIVE, y’all).
Naturally, this puts me in the same place as many of you, dear readers. I need to step up my game and get my daily on the ground so I stop looking like a nerd and start feeling like an enthusiast again. Well, right now is a great time to do it. There’s still some driving left to do in the season and some good fall weather to make a coilover install enjoyable. Every daily deserves a decent (and affordable) set of coilovers and wheels. That’s why we have TONS of suspension brands, including our own in-house developed coilovers, on sale for Labor Day. On top of that, our in-house wheel brands, Alzor and Tekniform, are also steeply discounted. Alzor wheels are “buy 3 get 1 free” for the weekend and Tekniforms are discounted for select styles.
So, if you’re in the same spot I am and want your daily to look as good as your fun car without sacrificing any comfort, grab a set of ECS Adjustable Damping Coilovers and new set of Alzor wheels at a price even the most frugal of student budgets can stomach.
I Just Can’t Wait for the Fat Man on Christmas
Alright, I know a few of you are impulse buyers. There’s nothing wrong with that on its face, but why buy on impulse at full price when you can do it with a nice little discount off the top? Maybe you’ve had your eye on a full exhaust system? New adjustable suspension arms? Exterior upgrades like a front lip, rear diffuser, and spoiler? Well, let your intrusive thoughts win. Right now, all of that stuff is on sale and waiting for you to give in to those impatient needs and just go for it. When you know you’re gonna buy it anyway, doing so while it’s on sale makes the gratification that much sweeter. So don’t wait; grab the thing that’s been sitting in your wish list for the past few months and don’t feel bad about it! You deserve it.
Wrapping Up
Yes, with discounts on our in-house developed upgrades through our ECS and Turner Motorsport divisions, Alzor and Tekniform wheels, and Schwaben tool line, most of what you need is waiting for you at a tantalizing discount. More than that, we have TONS of your favorite brands, like LIQUI MOLY, Hawk, Bilstein, and even OEM Genuine Audi/VW, BMW, MINI, Porsche, and everything in between waiting for you to get started on your next project with the right parts at the right price. What are you waiting for? Go out and make that next phase happen!
