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Old 07-07-2008, 04:53 PM   #50 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530

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 pasadena_commut View Post
At first glance it looks like the side rails are straight, so the rear part will follow in the wake of the front part, and the wind should pass over them fairly easily.
Even notwithstanding that you discovered the rack "rails" aren't perfectly parallel, it's not completely true.

Remember we live in a world of cross winds, so much of the time the racks present a larger surface area to the apparent wind and generate more drag than one might think at first.

That's the main reason I would encourage people to remove their entire rack if it's not regularly used (and not ridiculously difficult).
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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