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Old 07-24-2019, 07:32 PM   #7 (permalink)
conor_v
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 23

Jerry - '11 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 3
Thanked 8 Times in 3 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy View Post
Looks good!

1. Check your state laws. Some require just a passenger mirror, others only require a single rearward facing mirror. As long as you're following what the law says, they can't ticket you. Rearward visibility can't be obstructed though, so you can't pull a trailer or tint your rear windows. I haven't gotten pulled over once yet despite probably dozens of police officers seeing my car.

2. On my Civic I used coroplast, attached with zip ties, painted flat black.
48"x96" sheet of Coroplast: $23. 4x15" diameter discs = $3.53 (cost by area; extra plastic was used for other projects)
Can of rattle black paint: $1.99
Pack of 100 zip ties $8.99. 4x4 per wheel = 16 zip ties = $1.44
Total cost: $6.96, and I used the paint for many things after, so let's call it $6.

3) Driving style is number one, fuel economy instrumentation is number two, and tire pressure is number three. I drive a 2006 Honda Insight but this is true for pretty much any vehicle.

4) The Insight attracts some attention due to it being a unique and small car. The Civic I owned attracted more attention because it had many more visible modifications.

What do you like best about your Volt? Cowmeat on here has owned a couple Volts, and it seems like the EV range can be extended quite far beyond stock through good hypermiling.

How is the underbody on the Volt? IIRC from what others have said, the stock underbody is already quite smooth, so you may not see much of a benefit from an air dam, which is usually a quick-fix for cars with poor underbody aero. You may see more gains from finishing the underbody than from adding an air dam.
I'm glad to hear that the mirror delete was not much of an issue for you regarding law enforcement. I have knowledge on the law and I know it is perfectly legal in the states in which I drive. However, just because the law is on your side does not mean that the cops will not be a pain in your butt. You always here stories of that one cop...

Maybe the zip ties will work better for me? I'm not sure though. Did you see the gap between the cover and my wheel? I tried velcroing the edges however it did not help. The wheel covers only gave me positive fuel economy when they were taped down to the wheel... which did not last very long in the sun and the heat nor at highway speeds (55 mph)... I might just give up on them for now and figure out a better solution this weekend when I have time.

I think my favorite thing about my Volt is the torque it has off the line. Sometimes when I'm not trying to save electrons I really just enjoy being the fastest car when the light turns green. It's the little bit of adrenaline I get on these spurts of action that keep me sane haha. Also not having to pay for electricity is super nice as my work pays for my charging. My commute is free!
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