Best fill in 6 years in the Firefly/Metro: 84 mpg US with 3 new mods
 

I've seen some very encouraging numbers on the ScanGauge after my latest batch of mods (done since my last fill-up), so I filled the Fleabag before hitting the half-tank mark because I wanted to find out if they were for real. (And I made sure I filled it right to the top of the filler neck.)

2.8 L/100 km = 84 mpg (US) = 101 mpg (Imp)

That's over 582 km / 362 miles of my typical summer usage: mostly on scenic route & back roads, with a max posted speed limit of 80 km/h / 50 mph.

The latest mods...

1) New air dam:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1436236744

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post486061

2) LRR RE92's:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1436795199

It's now wearing the worn out set of RE92's on alloy wheels from the ForkenSwift (RIP).

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post486687

3) Full wheel discs

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1437057405

I re-used the discs from my failed magnetic attachment experiment (zip ties this time!). A little bit sad to cover up the pretty Suzuki alloys, but the results are attractive in their own way!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post487092

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Ever since I put the air dam on, I could have sworn that my butt-o-meter was telling me good things. And then with the wheel/tire change, it got even better.

It's actually one of my best non-pulse & glide, non-competition tanks. Not counting those, I beat it back in 2008 when I was alternator-less for a portion of that fill. But I haven't run without the alternator for a few years now.

And comparing some trip data, I had a best ever trip to & from my friends' cottage, AND with the highest average speed I've recorded on that trip. (I tend to spend some of my efficiency dividends on going a bit faster.)

Wooo, very nice. Congrats!

Dang man, nice tank! Those discs look pretty legit, almost as good as mine.

I've thought about putting an air dam like that on the Insight, but I already cringe if I pass over an armadillo, or a racoon, or a turtle . . . or a squirrel . . . . . or a field mouse . . . . . . or a nickel

HA! I actually thought of the G1 Insight fleet when I saw my tank numbers. Of course, you guys can get these results going a lot faster than the Firefly.

For comparison... on this weekend's trip to my friends' cottage, on a route that goes through a bunch of small towns plus a small city each way:

- 3.1 L/100 km = 75 mpg US @ 39 mph average in the Firefly

In the Insight (pre-boat tail), on multiple trips at around the same average speed I averaged:

- 2.5 L/100 km = 96 mpg US (Then the boat tail brought that up to 109 mpg, round trip.)

As for the air dam, it's still too high! How do I know? I hardly scrape it on anything! The car needs to be lowered.

Damn.

Stuff like this is why I came to ecomodder in the first place.

Major props, man!

Very impressive Metro! Congrats on the awesome tank! The Firefly is looking very good! What is the ground clearance on the front air dam?

There's still tons of clearance:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1436296388

(http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post486061 )

Very nice Metro! I think that is actually about the sweet spot between ripping the bottom of the car off on everything on or near the road and getting good aero coverage at about 5-6 inches above the ground. Anything lower and your dragging it on everything! Your car looks sweet!

that airdam results seem promising. do you have a belly pan as well? also how deep is the air dam or how far does it extend from the bottom of the bumper?

No belly pan. It's on the list!

The air dam is about 10-11 cm / 4-4.5 inches tall.