Hello from Germany

[SmOoTh!]

No, i can´t. If the police find it, it will be very expensive.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by SmOoTh!

ok, i have steel wheels.

Then you can add flush wheel covers.

Can you modify your car, euromodder?

I can if the regulations are followed.
Which most often means the parts must go going through an expensive test and approval process.

So it's really more of a theoretical possibility.

Do you have a "TÜV"?

Yes.
Mandatory technical check every year, starting when the car is 4 years old.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by SmOoTh!

Does poland have a "TÜV"? Denmark for example doesn´t have one.
[...]
I can ask the "TÜV" tomorrow.

I guess you can call it that. A mess of regulations and a technical exam (first after 3 years, then after two, and every year after that) to make sure I comply to them. The inpection checks that my emissions aren't too dirty, headlights well aligned, brakes in order, etc. Groar took his stuff off for his exam, and my wheelskirts will go off for a day, since the wheels will probably be inspected for dents and cracks, so I'd rather not have someone else tampering with them. But my Kammback will stay on, since it is by no means permanent (gone in less than 1 minute, but only if you know how to do it). My first inspection with this car will be in two weeks, so I'll see how everything goes.

And yes, every light bulb I install must be certified and approved! So far, my car's only encounters with the police are when they take pictures with their private cell phones. Except for one speeding ticket (yeah, even hypermilers get them every once in a while), but they didn't care about the car then.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

Look at what Piwoslaw did. I am no expert on the EU but is he not under the same rules as you?

In theory - yes. European metalaws are born in Brussels, but every country must ratify them before that country starts to comply. And each country has its own reasons for not ratifying as soon as possible. Very similar to the US, where some states mandate external mirrors, while others don't care about them, or each has its own emissions standards (eg CARB) while still having to comply to EPA. For example, countries in northern and central Europe require driving with lights even when it's not dark, year round. But in certain parts of Greece and Portugal, using daytime running lights is illegal. Or take a look at the British - They still think in miles and drive on the wrong side of road! Now how safe is that?!?

[skyl4rk]

Former Rheinlander here

Don't mess with the TÜV you won't win. You might be able to find aftermarket spoilers and wheel covers. German sold after market items are supposedly approved and would be OK to install permanently. You could probably get away with a removable grill block, if anyone complains, remove it. My brother likes to order aftermarket stuff from the US (tuning type crap) and he has gotten away with it, but it has to look factory made. The problem in Germany is that everyone looks at you and if they see something they might report it or at least ***** about it to you. Germans are very picky people.

However, you can try to improve your driving skills to save fuel. There are very big gains available from coasting, as big as any single mod. The problem is that most German drivers are anti-hypermilers. Vollgas - vollbrems - repeat. There is a lot of traffic and drivers are very impatient if you go slow.

It is worth it to try to learn to drive to save gas. Most techniques will be legal in Germany, although engine off coasting probably is not legal. Its not legal in many places but we do it anyway. Welcome to the board!

[Piwoslaw]

Smooth, driving style is the most important thing you can do, but I'll focus on the car mods I think you'll get away with:

• Inflate tires to to max sidewall pressure, or max minus 5-10% if you are not comfortable with max yet. TÜV doesn't check tire pressure.
• Grille block. There are some nice looking grille covers available for many models. Here is one for the Skoda Fabia. Of course, you can make your own, and even make it openable, or start with something more stealth.
• Engine kill switch. Not that I'm soliciting engine off coasting, first you should make pulse and glide (with engine on) your second nature. The engine off button would be used at red lights. But once you get the basic and intermediate hypermiling skills covered, you'll find that in many cases engine off coasting and bump starting will save quite a bit of fuel without sacrificing safety too much.
• Alternator kill switch. Can save fuel by as much as 10%, you can even try to automate it, as is done in many new BMWs, Skodas, etc.
• Mini-Kammback. My opinion is that if your Kammy is stable and won't fly off, but 100% removable and doesn't stick out beyond your bumper, then no one should give you any trouble. But first you can try a shorter version. I've seen mini-kammback-oids available as tuning parts for Opel Astras and Corsas. Nobody even notices them, but by fine-tuning the angles you will see an FE improvement. If you make one that looks half-decent, then no one will care.
  
  
  
  
  
• Flat hubcaps. Vekke is starting an ecomodding company and I hope that among his first products will be flat plastic hubcaps. Keep an eye out for them.
• Bellypan. Real gains and invisible, except at the mechanic's garage, and maybe when entering/leaving the EU.
  
• Block/coolant heater. This is a heating element that is installed in your engine or in its coolant line. Other than having almost instant warm air in the winter, more importantly you get lower fuel consumption, lower emissions, and lower engine wear. I'm sure you'll have less trouble finding a DEFA heater than I did.

[SmOoTh!]

Thanks for your replies.
I asked the TÜV today and they said that i only can use approved items.

-"The problem in Germany is that everyone looks at you and if they see something they might report it or at least ***** about it to you. Germans are very picky people."
-"The problem is that most German drivers are anti-hypermilers. Vollgas - vollbrems - repeat.
There is a lot of traffic and drivers are very impatient if you go slow. "
haha, that´s right.

I want to live in America.

Is engine off coasting illegal? I don´t know.
Will pulse&glide really save fuel? And can i really increase to the maximum tire pressure? Won´t the tire wear down?

Are the items expensive?

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by SmOoTh!

Will pulse&glide really save fuel?

It depends.

If your car can accelerate rather efficiently (without using too much gas) pulsing and gliding will help.
If your car uses a lot of fuel when accelerating (as mine does) it's not going to help.


If you're also going to stop the engine while gliding, carefully check out how the car reacts first in a safe environment.
Steering will be unassisted right away.
Braking assistance will fade in a short while (rock hard brake pedal).
It's too unsafe for my liking.

And can i really increase to the maximum tire pressure?
Won´t the tire wear down?

Tires wear down faster when the pressure is too low.

Tires will wear down more in the middle when the pressure is too high.
So look for that sort of wear when you increase the pressure.

I've increased the tire pressure from 2.5 bar to 3.2 (front) and 3.0 (rear).
The tire is rated for 3.5 bar (at its maximum load).
The ride is harder, less comfortable, but I haven't noticed other drawbacks.

Of course, you can increase the pressure a little bit (0.2 bar) at a time and see how it goes.

[skyl4rk]

Originally Posted by SmOoTh!

Thanks for your replies.
I want to live in America.

Is engine off coasting illegal? I don´t know.
Will pulse&glide really save fuel? And can i really increase to the maximum tire pressure? Won´t the tire wear down?

Are the items expensive?

Unless some firm is paying you to move to America, don't. Its worth visiting on vacation though, it is a high energy place. Your standard of living is very high in Germany, it is very tough to beat, despite some of the annoyances.

Pulse and glide will save a lot of fuel.

The first thing to do is to slow down. If no one is following you, drive about 65km/hr in the highest gear. If you see a stop in the distance, take your foot off the gas and coast in neutral. The more you can coast with your foot off the gas the better.

Don't worry about turning the motor off at first. Just try to drive without having to use the brakes very much.

Give the maximum sidewall tire pressure a try. My car handles better at max sidewall. Many drivers find that tires last longer at higher pressures. It may be that slow, conservative driving has something to do with this as well. I run at 50 psi, and may increase in the future.

[SmOoTh!]

Can I pulse&glide without stopping the engine? Can it save fuel, too?

Is always coasting in neutral better than "deceleration fuel cut-off"-mode? (ok, when a traffic light turns to red, "fuel cut-off" is better)

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by SmOoTh!

Can I pulse&glide without stopping the engine? Can it save fuel, too?

Yes, and yes.

Is always coasting in neutral better than "deceleration fuel cut-off"-mode?

Yes.
While you don't use fuel while using DFCO, you've burned fuel for longer than you should have.

Check your idle fuel consumption, it'll determine the minimum speed you can coast with the engine on, and still save fuel over your average fuel consumption.
For me, fuel consumption goes above 47mpg around 6mph / 10 kph.

(ok, when a traffic light turns to red, "fuel cut-off" is better)

You should switch between techniques, and pick the most effective one in a given situation.

Use coasting when you have a long way to slow down or stop; DFCO when you have to stop or slow down a bit quicker .
Brakes are the last resort.