True Story. If I didn't have a significant other I'd remove....

[oldtamiyaphile]

Weight is not the enemy, braking is. I borrowed a garden trailer from a DIY place and actually got a record trip MPG on the way home with it loaded (probably about 700lbs of trailer for a total 'train' weight of 2.3 tons - 5.6l/100km (~42MPG)). The return trip was slightly worse at 5.8 with the trailer empty. Keep in mind too that a trailer adds aero drag and CRR too. Do I really think the trailer improved my MPG? No, but it's clear it didn't really hurt.

A heavy car simply stores energy, it's up to you to use it wisely. I'm thinking about getting a set of big heavy alloy wheels so I'd be able to neutral coast sooner without slowing down too much.

[Cobb]

Well, it depends on your commute. If I drove in a bubble I would go 45 mph all day, every day and coast to a stop. The a-holes around me drive a 5 ton trucks and suvs, must go 70 in a 45 zone and race each other to the red stop lights.

I too notice on my 500 dollar shopping trips to Sams and walmart that filled the rear of my insight at night or early morning got better mpg, plus it was a rural trip taken at my own pace. Otherwise hauling more lower mpg.

I read through all 30 pages of the Acura diet. WOW..... Cant say I agree with removing the insulation between the firewall and car as Im sure it gets hotter than hell in there. Seems he left the ac and heater functional, so hes likely fighting a loosing battle when he needs he or air in the extreme temps.

Interesting the thing about the TB, spacer, water flow through the tb and use of a cai. Seems if you do not allow coolant to flow through the tb the mpg drops. If you use a spacer between the tb and intake and use a cai you gain performance.

My insight lost 40 lbs with new wheels n tires and it helped. Hes going on another diet like before. Just removed the back seat, amp, cap, sub, sub box and some seat brackets and rear floor mats. Id say 75 lbs, but Im too fat to own a scale that works or reads accurately.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

You can still replace some of the interior trim with lighter (and maybe even more efficient regarding thermal insulation and soundproofing) pieces made out of different materials. Can also try a single-arm wiper conversion, among other weight-saving tricks. And on a sidenote, a single-arm wiper also has some good side-effects on aerodynamics...

[Cobb]

I removed my hitch, sub and sub box, amp, cap, back seat and rear metal bumper. Id est at min 100 lbs. Maybe 145 is more accurate. Felt a tad quicker, only engaged vtec once today. Im sure Ill see a mpg diff as the hitch effects aero.

[user removed]

Or you could buy a 250cc bike that gets just under 80 MPG, with 3300 miles for $650 and the "significant other" would be very happy to see that you made it home alive, until she finds something truly trivial to gripe about again.

regards
mech

[elhigh]

If I didn't have a significant other, I'd remove...

Myself. To a different house, one much closer to either my family (one and a half or five states away, depending on the time of year) or else much closer to work.

There are some fixer-uppers going for small change about four blocks from my work. And they're about six blocks from a grocery store, maybe eight blocks from movies and the Tennessee Theater in downtown Knoxville, a superlative venue featuring top-notch live performances. I wouldn't need a car at all.