More aerodynamic mirrors? - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

HydroJim · 10-08-2011, 11:01 PM

Thinking about replacing the mirrors on my car. I'm going to be learning how to drive soon so I don't want to get rid of the mirrors completely for safety concerns. Either way I'll be replacing the mirrors with something you guys recommend as being more aerodynamic or oem style mirrors because the passenger side one does not like to stay up where it should be and the drivers side one is held on with self tappers and tape. I can get the oem ones for $25 a piece so try to keep anything you recommend near that price.

Any Ideas?

Thanks,
Jim

Fr3AkAzOiD · 10-09-2011, 12:15 AM

I would not get anything that would reduce your view if you are a new driver.
Though adding small fish eye mirrors to the corner of oem mirrors would help you spot cars in your blind spot.

Mirrors won't give you that big a boost. You may get 1 or 2 percent better however changing driving habits will give you 20%+. I would just focus on learning how to drive safely at first.

California98Civic · 10-09-2011, 12:36 AM

Keep the mirrors. They're not your "big fish" in terms of aero and you really ought to have as much easy visibility as possible in the early years of learning traffic patterns. Instead: airdam, undertray, grill block, or wheel skirts. Those are each better for aero it seems from the results people usually describe. And I have been much happier with those changes than with the passenger side mirror delete.

Sven7 · 10-09-2011, 03:15 AM

I'll be devil's advocate. If you are like me and enjoy messing around with stuff you could always find some motorcycle mirrors like the Chevy C/K that was posted up a few days ago.

Otto · 10-09-2011, 01:02 PM

eBay has motorcycle mirrors with pretty good aero shape, on foldable stalks, about $25.

I don't know why car mirrors need such thick, draggy stalks, as motorcycles seem to do just fine at the same speeds with stalks a small fraction the size.

Vekke · 10-09-2011, 01:32 PM

If you get/install smaller mirrors I would suggest only convex wideview mirrors. I bought also motorcyle mirrors and make my own covers to them. My mirrors are smaller but I see more. There is no blind spots on drivers side anymore

.

NeilBlanchard · 10-09-2011, 02:47 PM

Another option is to install video mirrors:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post106080

They'll cost you about $200 or so for the pair -- I highly recommend the 7" LED backlit monitors, as they don't dim as the y get warmer, and get video cameras with 90-110 degrees of view (and not the 160-170 degrees that some have). You get a huge view and this will have less distortion; which is also improved by the camera having 4:3 aspect and the monitor having 16:10 aspect -- this "re-expands" the horizontal dimension of the image somewhat.

HydroJim · 10-09-2011, 06:26 PM

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll probably just go with oem styles at first. I'm going to get my new(new to me) car up to factory specs and then do my baseline mileage as my first entry in the garage.

gone-ot · 10-09-2011, 06:35 PM

FACTOID -- what's the surface area of each mirror in relationship to the surface area of the car body? Sounds like a point of diminishing-returns relationship to me.

...if it were a land speed record vehicle, it'd be important, but on a common daily driver, I believe it's a mute point.

Sven7 · 10-09-2011, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otto

eBay has motorcycle mirrors with pretty good aero shape, on foldable stalks, about $25.

I don't know why car mirrors need such thick, draggy stalks, as motorcycles seem to do just fine at the same speeds with stalks a small fraction the size.

Probably to allow flexing when people clip them while backing out of the garage. Design for the lowest denominator