Turn your car into a golf ball! (FastSkinz wrap)

[MetroMPG]

Here's how to settle this once and for all:

Get together 2 rival gangs: the ones who think washing and waxing your car make it slippery enough to improve MPG.... and the guys selling golf ball dimple/shark skin stickers.

Let them duke it out and see who comes out on top!

[Milkman]

"come see/drive one

but I do offer up for anyone that wants to come drive the cars and see for themselves to please do so"

this thread is not a success story, it's a sales pitch thinly veiled as a request for help or more info.

the wrapz site should offer before & after data, as well as a 20% milage increase money back guarantee.

i like the cost analysis on the wrap and it's dead on. there are some really cool ideas out there, which unfortunately make no fiscal sense (assuming they even work).

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Milkman

this thread is not a success story, it's a sales pitch thinly veiled as a request for help or more info.

You're correct. Yes, it's a sales pitch, and posted in the wrong forum at that (I didn't notice). I've moved it to the aero forum.

[MetroMPG]

Ah, also this is a duplicate thread. I'm going to merge it with the original.

[TheScionGuys]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

You're correct. Yes, it's a sales pitch, and posted in the wrong forum at that (I didn't notice). I've moved it to the aero forum.

Not a sales pitch on my end. We have wrapped two cars and we have seen the "success" in the fuel economy. As I look into it further and research it more I look for opinions/comments as to its true feasibility. I wonder if there is a benefit for only parts of the car (as asked above) to be wrapped to keep costs down vs the return. I have asked for the information from the company as well, but looking to see if anyone has ever done it before. We are experiencing better fuel efficiency just for those wondering and that is why I said that if anyone wanted to come try it out, that I offer it up to them. I don't work for the company, I just believe in the results that we have experienced.

[Christ]

After having studied psychology in an amateur capacity for the last 7 years or so, I believe in the "Placebo effect."

If you think it will happen, you'll manufacture the result.

Is your dealership willing to put their name and integrity (given they have some left) on the line and show before/after results for each individual vehicle the wrap is applied to?

We would need to see a large cross section of before and after MPG readings to compute the averages of each vehicle before and after, and the whole thing would have to be done with the same driver for each vehicle, on the same stretch of road, at the same relative speeds, with the same wind speed/direction, etc.

If you're willing to undertake such an experiment, we MIGHT be willing to pay attention. So far, all you're doing is perpetuating a claim that none of us can see as being accurate.

[ChocoCatCRV]

I'm the poster who originally told you all the price quote I was given from fastskinz sales rep. Actually it turns out he was mistaken in giving his quote- its $2395 and no tax because of interstate commerce laws. Even so at that price it would pay for itself in 5 years on my vehicle- exactly the length of the warranty. Of course this is assuming that it increases efficiency by 20% like they claim, and that this gain does not deteriorate as the product ages.

If the product does in fact work as they claim, I could see it being useful in commercial applications, like on delivery vehicles that see lots of mileage- it would certainly be cost effective in that case. It may also be for other vehicle owners with less surface area to cover, as it would cost less then. It would not work for me though.

[tasdrouille]

TheScionGuys,

How have you measured the increase in fuel economy? It should be pretty easy to test if that thing works or not. Just find an other identical scion without the skin, take a scangauge with you and head on to the highway.

[jthistle]

There has been some discussion before about using zz-tape or turbulator tape to attach the air flow to the vehicle. Neil Blanchard discussed it in his xA thread Scion xA aero mods. Starting with post #88. The zz-tape is a considerably less expensive option. Here is some info about turbulator tape on sail plane wings.Turbulators on Standard Cirrus Sailplanes

[trikkonceptz]

Originally Posted by TheScionGuys

but I do offer up for anyone that wants to come drive the cars and see for themselves to please do so.

Originally Posted by TheScionGuys

Not a sales pitch on my end. We have wrapped two cars and we have seen the "success" in the fuel economy. We are experiencing better fuel efficiency just for those wondering and that is why I said that if anyone wanted to come try it out, that I offer it up to them. I don't work for the company, I just believe in the results that we have experienced.

Those two statements contradict any claims of benefits ... Why? Because you have two wrapped vehicles that are stock units .. right? No one Demos Scions at a Toyota dealership, therefore those cars are not driven consistently or by the same person. You cannot "Feel" better fuel efficiency unless you go from a ICE to an electric. So unfortunately I think you too have fallen prey to slick advertising.

Best bet is to warm up two Scions one of the wrapped and one without and take them out on an extended hwy test drive with equipment, like a scangauge to determine if under very similar conditions there is a 20% difference in FE. Even a crude test like that would at least slow down the ridicule.

Besides, last week I sent them an email, through a blog because there is no way to email them directly on their site, to allow any experienced hypermiler put the claims to the test and guess what, no responce yet ..