ECS News

It’s no secret that Volkswagen's suffer from weak, failure prone rubber control arm bushings. The stock rubber bushings are designed to allow significant movement of the front wheels and to absorb road impacts. This compliant design maximizes daily driving comfort and helps add to the “luxury” feeling of your VW, but it also contributes to the numb, disconnected feeling that many enthusiasts complain about with modern cars. Not only is the OEM design far from ideal for the street or racing enthusiast that is looking for optimal handling and braking performance, the constant twisting and deflection required of the rubber bushing often causes premature failure, resulting in degraded handling, wheel shimmy, delayed turn-in response, delayed braking response, unwanted alignment change, and poor tire wear.  For the rest of us who enjoy seeing what our car is made of, these types of bushing simply won’t cut it.  Introducing the new ECS Tuning Front Control Arm Monoball Bushings! The ECS Engineering team set out to design a solution that offers a far superior bushing when compared to OEM, requiring no modification and offering nearly instantaneous cornering, accelerating and decelerating response for the absolute best road feel and driving experience possible. Our monoball bushings utilize a serviceable spherical bearing for exceptional quality and durability. A CNC machined Delrin hex sleeve insert provides a precision fit between the control arm and bearing. By utilizing a greaseable spherical bearing, ECS achieved the ultimate in terms of low friction no bind suspension travel with no unwanted deflection, providing exceptional cornering response, and prompt acceleration and deceleration feedback; all while maintaining exceptional comfort and durability levels making these an excellent no compromise upgrade even for a street car.  These control arm monoball bushings are a must have for any track car, but are also completely street-able and are a great upgrade for any enthusiast that enjoys spirited driving. 

It’s no secret that Volkswagen's suffer from weak, failure prone rubber trailing arm bushings. The stock rubber bushings are designed to allow significant movement of the rear wheels and to absorb road impacts. This compliant design maximizes daily driving comfort and helps add to the “luxury” feeling of your VW, but it also contributes to the numb, disconnected feeling that many enthusiasts complain about with modern cars. Not only is the OEM design far from ideal for the street or racing enthusiast that is looking for optimal handling and braking performance, the constant twisting and deflection required of the rubber bushing often causes premature failure, resulting in degraded handling, wheel shimmy, delayed turn-in response, delayed braking response, unwanted alignment change, and poor tire wear. For the rest of us who enjoy seeing what our car is made of, these types of bushing simply won’t cut it. Introducing the new ECS Tuning Rear Trailing Arm Monoball Bushings! The ECS Engineering team set out to design a solution that offers a far superior bushing when compared to OEM, requiring no modification and offering nearly instantaneous cornering, accelerating and decelerating response for the absolute best road feel and driving experience possible. Our monoball bushings utilize a sealed OEM Mercedes-Benz ball joint for exceptional quality and durability. The bearing assembly is precision CNC machined from 6061-T6 anodized aluminum and features a knurled OD to ensure a perfect press fit and the longest lasting component life possible. By utilizing a sealed ball joint, ECS achieved the ultimate in terms of low friction no bind suspension travel with no unwanted deflection, providing exceptional cornering response, and prompt acceleration and deceleration feedback; all while maintaining exceptional comfort and durability levels making these an excellent no compromise upgrade even for a street car. These trailing arm monoball bushings are a must have for any track car, but are also completely street-able and are a great upgrade for any enthusiast that enjoys spirited driving.

HPA Motorsports provides no-compromise, proven, and tested performance parts for your VW or Audi. With their roots in building competitive cars for track use, HPA continuously develops parts for their race applications in-house in their CNC shop and provide their tested components to you to improve the driving dynamics of your European performance car.

Our ECS Tuning in-house engineered billet aluminum shift knobs have been carefully designed and tested to bring you one of the highest quality and greatest interior enhancements available. Our shift knobs will enhance the shifting experience and pairs extremely well with our short shift kits to give a full shifter makeover! OEM shift knobs have an average weight of 95g; the substantially heavier weight of our ECS Tuning shift knob will smooth out shifts resulting in faster engagement and a much better feel.

When you make modifications to your MK5 or MK6, the ideal situation is that those modifications serve more than one purpose. We all love to look and sound good in our VWs, but functionality is equally important. Our new Resonator Delete Pipe for your MK5 or MK6 GTI offers weight savings, less restriction, and a throaty exhaust note that allows you to experience more turbo noise and none of the highway drone associated with other exhaust modifications.

Remember the days of old fighting games when you�d hit the ol� Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start combo for a bunch of extra lives so you could beat the game stress-free? Sometimes, that�s more fun than doing it on hard-mode. Why work harder when you can work smarter? That�s what we did. We're ready to help one of you lucky enthusiasts unlock a real-life cheat code: this BMW F22 M240i 6spd powered by the already legendary B58 paired with an M Performance LSD. See the full build list we threw at this car below!

For vehicles with factory direct tire pressure monitoring sensors only The Foxwell TPMS sensor integrates 315MHz and 433MHz dual frequency and can replace more than 96% of the OEM sensors on the market. Sensors can easily be activated and programmed by any TPMS tool on the market.

The factory rear subframes in the VW MK5, MK6, and MK7 are perfectly capable of withstanding everyday commutes but are woefully ill-prepared to handle beefier sway bars, stiffer suspension components, and aggressive driving. We found a sturdier solution: With the ECS Rear Subframe Brace you can reinforce the subframe at the sway mounting points to ensure the added pressures of hard driving and stiffer components will be deflected through our brace rather than deflecting the rear subframe.

Give your MK5/MK6 the cornering control it needs to handle everything from a tough track day to a hard back-road blast with the new ECS Tuning Sway Bar and End Link upgrade kits! Designed to replace your factory setup with beefier sway bars, adjustable end links, and stiffer bushings, these kits will improve your cornering by reducing body roll which means your tires can spend more time gripping and less time slipping.

If you type in VW commercial the most popular results are still the "Un-Pimp Your Auto" from the mid 2000s when the MK5 was launched! That marketing hooked me! So naturally when I had the opportunity to buy a low mileage Fahrenheit Edition I jumped on it. My Fahrenheit is #254 of 1,200 and I have owned it since 2015. It was relatively stock when I picked it up, but it didn't stay that way for long. I immediately did coilovers, wheels, intake, tune, full 3" exhaust & upgraded fuel pump. We have used it as a development car for multiple ECS Products!

With a high-strung S54 inline six under the hood, a manual 6-speed transmission, LSD rear end, and competent suspension, the E46 M3 is a great platform out of the box. That isn’t to say it can’t be improved, however, which is exactly what we did. Below, we’ve listed everything we upgraded on the M3 before it was delivered to the lucky new owner who is surely enjoying our tasteful upgrades provided by our partners that help bring out the full potential of this incredible machine.

This is the Audi 8V A3 we gave away with the help of Bilstein, LIQUI MOLY, Rotiform, Milltek Sport, and so many other lovely partners who helped us create the ultimate version of the platform. Find everything we added to make this A3 incredible right here to take inspiration from our build and apply it to yours!

Unpopular opinion: we love the MK5 platform. That's why our MK5 GTI features some insane modifications like our Carbon Fiber Fender Flare kit to tuck the massive custom 3-piece Rotiform wheels under the beautiful composite arches. Our MK5 GTI sits on Airlift Performance suspension to let it lay frame and perfectly kiss the ground with our Carbon Fiber Front Lip. All the upgrades and modifications we've performed on our MK5 GTI are listed right here so you can take some inspiration from our build and execute it on yours!

Coilovers are the most well-rounded performance upgrade you can make on your MK5 or MK6, which is why we’re proud to announce our latest release: the ECS Adjustable Damping Coilover Systems for your FWD MK5/MK6! Independent ride height and spring preload adjustment, 32 damper settings, and special zinc coating make the ECS coilovers your best durable, affordable, and capable suspension upgrade option.

Are you worried about the plastic fender liners taking the brunt of extreme impacts with your ECS Street Shield? Want extra protection for rugged terrain? Look no further! The Engineering Team at ECS Tuning have developed sturdy impact-resistant braces that carry added impact capacity over the plastic fender liners for those in need of serious protection. The ECS Street Shield Reinforcement Kit bolts directly to the vehicle's frame and then directly to the ECS Street Shield Skid Plate for all metal mounting points.

Auto repair professionals understand the importance of properly torqued fasteners. Too tight, and the fastener may be weakened and break. Too loose and things come apart. Work efficiently and productively with Schwaben digital torque wrenches. Enabling you to accurately apply specific torque. Trust the tool the pros know, Schwaben.

These new styles of alzor wheels will not only change the look of your vehicle, but also capture the attention of others. The iconic 5-spoke "Rotor" design will give your car a sleek appearance that will keep people looking as you pass. Designed to bolt right up to your car, these wheels fit without any modifications or hassle. Of course, if you want to achieve an extreme look, don't forget to check out our large assortment of ECS Tuning wheel spacers and lug bolts.

Are you spending some quality time with your car this Fall? Equip yourself for the season and make the most of your plans with Schwaben Garage Gear! We offer an extensive line of standard & European specialty tools for your collection, as well as high quality items to help keep your car cleaner while getting work done and improve the DIY experience for both you and your tools.

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Be a hero to the car enthusiast in your life! With ECS Virtual Gift Cards, worrying about fitment, years, makes, models, or any other difficulty you find in shopping for them is gone! These cards are the gift of tuning: you can know their next project was on you, without having to play a guessing game to get the right parts!

Carista is a smartphone app that allows you to diagnose, customize, and service your car. Diagnose: Check your car's health and report any stored faults. Access manufacturer-specific diagnostics, clear fault codes and reset your CEL. Customize: Personalize the behavior of your car’s windows, lights and more, with a click of a button. Service: With Carista’s DIY tools, resetting your service indicator, or checking your launch control count becomes a 1-click action. Engage: Simply plug in the Carista dongle and download the app subscription from your play store.

Schwaben Specialty tools has earned a reputation for producing exceptionally clever tools for a variety of difficult automotive projects. Their latest Wheel Essentials release contains superb examples of the Schwaben approach to premium tool design and manufacturing. The unique Protecta Socket Kit helps prevent damage during wheel installation & removal. Quickly measure bolt circle on wheels or hubs with the Schwaben Wheel Bolt Pattern Gauge. The Schwaben Low Profile Aluminum Floor Jack is loaded with design details that make this floor jack one of the best jacks on the market.

Free up horsepower easily without sacrificing comfort with the ECS Vacuum Actuated Exhaust Cutouts! A simple modification that allows you to flip between the factory exhaust routing through the full system or dumped out the open valve when you need extra performance. Since the vacuum-actuated valve is not electronic, it will not stick or burn out, meaning you will enjoy this effective modification for a long time without worry. No welding required, instant power, and a fraction the cost of a full exhaust system makes this the perfect upgrade for your German performance car.

The ECS Tuning Billet Aluminum DQ250 DSG / S Tronic Oil Filter Housing is an attractive, durable upgrade, machined from a solid block of T6 6061 aluminum. Engineered in-house to OEM specifications, our design includes OEM features that are often left out on other aftermarket housings, such as radiant heat protection, internal spring steel oil filter retention feature and thread vent port. The ECS DSG Filter Housing accepts a factory oil filter to maintain simplicity and OEM fitment. You can forget about cracked housings or stripped heads with our durable upgrade housing.

LIQUI MOLY is not only our favorite producer of lubrication and additive products, but they hold the title as the best oil producers in Germany: for seven consecutive years. A major part of any service is often a frequently forgotten one: using proper flushes and additives to ensure buildup and sludge are eliminated with maximum effect. LIQUI MOLY is a leading producer of oil additives, engine flushes, and fuel system cleaners, so we have picked out exactly which of their products your car needs to maintain peak performance at all times.

LIQUI MOLY is not only our favorite producer of lubrication and additive products, but they hold the title as the best oil producers in Germany: for seven consecutive years. A major part of any service is often a frequently forgotten one: using proper flushes and additives to ensure buildup and sludge are eliminated with maximum effect. LIQUI MOLY is a leading producer of oil additives, engine flushes, and fuel system cleaners, so we have picked out exactly which of their products your car needs to maintain peak performance at all times.

ECS Tuning Performance Kevlar reinforced belts give you that extra piece of mind! Kevlar reinforced belts experience less elongation over time minimizing the amount of belt adjustment needed as well as offering a higher shock and impact resistance compared to OEM style belts.

The perfect stocking stuffers for any European car enthusiast and backyard mechanic are right here at ECS. Everything from specialty tools to make your life easier, ECS has something for every stocking.

We've all found ourselves using highly "creative" methods for separating or removing parts in the midst of an intense project. Some methods do work... but usually at the expense of personal injury and a few broken or damaged parts. So why not start with the right tool? The Schwaben Open Barrel Crimping/Stripping Pliers feature hard-to-find open barrel crimp option used on many German cars.

ECS loves helping you make your car all it can be, that’s why we’ve put all our top performance parts for your VW together in one place. This list, compiled by our MK5 GTI gurus and designed by our fantastic R&D team, is everything you need to outfit your car with all those goodies you’ve wanted for your build. Let’s make your summer even more fun with all the best ECS Performance parts for your VW.