Review: driving a $9998 2015 Nissan Micra (Nissan's most efficient manual in Can/US.)

[MetroMPG]

A: Good news for ecomodders: used Mitsu Mirages are selling cheap

[MetroMPG]

Before:



After:



Got the grille block just right: the electric cooling fan threshold is 207 F; temp sat around 184 F at 80 kph / 50 mph; low 190's at 105 kph / 65 mph; the max coolant temp for the day was 197 F (climbing for a little while @ 105 kph). Ambient temp was around 75-80 F.



After after:



52.6 mpg = 4.5 L/100 km

This was a round trip, mostly taking the scenic route. Details:

• 80 kph / 50 mph posted limit for most of the drive, drove at or near the limit everywhere (a few above or below depending on traffic).
• includes 50 km / 30 miles @ 100-110 kph / 62-68 mph
• includes passing through many small towns (lower speed zones), some with stop lights
• twice through the downtown of a small city (pop 117,000), many stops & traffic lights
• NO engine off coasting. The onboard fuel consumption meter does NOT update when the engine isn't running (regardless of whether the car is moving or not) and I'm trying to calibrate it. So all coasting was the E-ON-C variety.
• Engine off at long lights, though
• fine weather, dry roads, negligible winds
• aside from the air dam & grille block, the only other mod is tires at 45 (sidewall max.)

[Daox]

Nice mods! They look great. Nice mileage too.

[Baltothewolf]

I'm actually fairly impressed! That's insight range for the casual drivers haha.

[niky]

I would've centered it. That off-center hole is playing havok with my OCD.

Still, nice, smooth mod!

[MetroMPG]

A-B test of Micra mods to come.

[Daox]

Looks pretty good for a couple evenings worth of work! Looking forward to seeing numbers on it all.

[MetroMPG]

Meh. The plastic on the skirts/kamm is wrinkly. I should have heat shrunk it a bit for the photos.

[MetroMPG]

8 mods tested @ 90 km/h (indicated) = 56 mph

• tire pressure from 33 to 45 PSI (cold)
• partial grille block
• air dam
• kammback
• smooth wheel covers
• rear fender skirts
• rear tire spats/deflectors
• passenger mirror delete

Results:

11.7% / 5.5 mpg US improvement.

--

That's decent! I'll probably make a separate thread about the mods & AB test.

Update -- here's the detailed testing thread:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...0-a-32189.html

.

[Daox]

Woohoo. Not bad, not bad at all.