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Old 12-17-2009, 09:18 PM   #375 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,532

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls View Post
One other point: Insight aerodynamics are harder to improve on than Metro or Civic aerodynamics. A boattail would save you fuel, and I would be excited to see it, but I wouldn't count on a 15% improvement.
Critical point - thanks for making it.

Jim: I'd recommend testing a cardboard & duct tape prototype, to assure yourself a "good" version is worth the effort.

EDIT: however, and this is really important, we can't forget the Insight doesn't share the Metro's ICE technology. Any aero improvements to the Insight widen the lean burn window. So an Insight may not need as much of a Cd improvement to equal the Metro's 15% fuel economy improvement.

Mike may be able to speak to this since his car is now lean burn equipped.
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Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
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Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
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www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
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