[vandykkd]

After finding this sight and reading many interesting posts, including consideration for many mods on my own 94 Honda Civic, I wanted to post the three simple mods I have made on my own vehicle for the next persons looking for gas saving ideas. No difficult calculations, no major alterations, No engineering required, just a few simple and cost effective upgrades. Yes there will be some responses that will argue I may never recover the investment cost, but I will preempt that thought with this. My $950 86 Accord that I have driven 7 years gets 30 MPG was relegated to back up car 2 years ago when I purchased a $1100 94 Civic that gets 36 MPG (stock). With the price of gas @ $3/gallon, the break even payback period for the difference in gas mileage with consideration of my annual mileage is about 28 months. The 3 mods cost me about $200 and gained 5 MPG (avg after 4 tanks actual mileage) ......In the end both are reasonable investments since I needed a second car, but you do the math. If you don't mind getting some odd looks, here are the mods:
1) Add moon caps - snap on $90/4 - ebay. The truth is the caps on the rear wheel for this car will accomplish almost the same improvement as adding the skirts and a very easy upgrade
2) Added rear wheel skirts - Custom made from some scrap aluminum 0.024" panels I had - Something more complicated than first thought at about 8 hours labor, but I had already started the mod before the caps arrived. In the end I probably would stick with just the 4 moon caps.
3) Shaved stock outside rear-view mirrors and replaced with large inside blindspot mirrors and convex center larger view mirror. These give very good blindspot coverage which I believe is better than stock view. The car is also much more quiet. Yes I checked Fl law which is still legal and keep a copy of the statute with me in case I get pulled over, but we'll see.
I did add the vacuum gage and the changes are indicating about 3" increase in vacuum at 60 MPH. So, until the next mod that's it for now.