That's fair. At a distance, especially from behind, I find it an appealing shape. And, with the side covers off and dents showing, I rather prefer the cardboard
As mentioned, I took everything off. Even with a bit of rough terrain, the side covers didn't rub the tires. Looking at my fuel log and driving behavior, I don't think the 6 traffic lights I drove through should be enough to kill 2mpg from my best. Also, compared to the previous drive, I coasted my ass off and still came up a little short.
So, there may be some truth to my perception that it coasted better with the aeromods. But was it the weight or the shape? I'm hypothesizing that 200lbs of sand won't give me 2 more mpg, but I guess I have to prove it. Also, scientific accuracy would require the mods to be tested individually rather than just as a group. However, since my goal is max efficiency and nobody is paying me for these tests, I may not bother.
The hypermiling tactics on this last tank were approaching PITA. If mild, intelligent behavior and no mods brings me back down to 15-17mpg, I'll add the mods back on in short order. And, if I can get it to look good, then I'll be inspiring people rather than repelling them.