(Sorry I didn't post this question in my other thread but I just was looking into the kit options)

Hello, thanks again for allowing me to ask questions. My second question would be for anyone out there who has added the Aero kit (front, side, and rear under spoilers) to their Civic Hybrid: Does the addition of the spoilers add or decrease your miles per gallon ratio? The dealership I'm working with here really isn't able to answer any of these questions but the sales manager thought that the Aero kit might actually increase MPG instead of decreasing it, but one of the floor salesmen told me shortly after that he thought the kit decreased MPG. Personally I like the enhanced look, but I'm not sure if I'm going to add the Aero kit if it decreases MPG. Thanks again for all your wonderful help!



- AJ

 

PM Tigerhonaker (Terry). He's done such a mod and perhaps he would have a solid thing or two to say about it.

MSantos

 

 

Adding body kit pieces that extend the surface area towards the ground work to divert air up and over the car away from underneath it, increasing the downforce on car and adversly adding drag to any moving body. Same effect with rear deck lid spoilers, they add downforce, and add drag which WILL affect your fuel economy. I am curious as to why the hybrid civic has a trunk lip spolier when its sole goal is fuel effiency.

By diverting the air moving under the vehicle with body pieces that increase the frontal surface area of the vehicle, youre decreasing fuel economy in two ways. For one, the more lift a vehicle has the less weight it has on the road when aerodynamics come in to play, usually around 65 mph. The less weight on the road the less energy required to pull it along. The larger a surface area of an object the more energy it will need to push through the air. Picture a sailboat with its sails all the way open and then with them partially open, its obvious which one will be affected more by wind energy.

Ive thought about gettting some dental floss out and taking off the lip spolier on my HCH, not only do I think it looks better without it but I also think Ill get a very minute bump in FE. My only concern is that maybe the engineers at honda put it there from and engineering standpoint and not as an aesthetic one as I am assuming. Maybe to counter some rear end instability on the fwy or something.

 

The rear lip spoiler on the HCH-2 has a functional purpose that aids FE.
Basically it introduces a bit of trailing turbulence so that a "pocket of vacuum" does not form in the rear of the vehicle. In effect, the spoiler defeats this vacuum pocket which would otherwise add resistance to the car's forward momentum.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

This is going to take some time finding my old Threads/Post on this very Topic:

Here is 1-Link you will find interesting I think. It has Pics of my HCH II with all the Mods including (Lower-Body-Panels)

Link: http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/event...2006-1385.html

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Not sure if this {Copy & Paste} of Pics will work:

CLICK TO ENLARGE THESE PICS






















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Here is a Thread I did on a Fast Drive: Link Below:

I really think you will find this Thread interesting:

It shows High-Speed Trip and also Quotes same Trip at a {Slower-Speed}

Want to know what Your-FE is at 70-75 MPH ?????

Link http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/off-t...mph--2565.html

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Before and After Pics of HCH II after Mods:

Here is a Direct Link to my HCH II before & After Lower Body Panels Installed: Link Below:

Link http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/honda...mods-1400.html

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See Pics of (Tigers) 719.3 Miles Driven on 1-Tank of Gas:

Link http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666


Here is a very interesting Thread as to how far I drove my HCH II on a tank of Gas: Link Below:

Link http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/the-d...f-gas-680.html

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Another Thread on the HCH II and FE:

Link http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666

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You might find this Thread interesting:

The actual [/COLOR
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/honda...html#post28043
COLOR=#6e8b3d]MPG [/URL] figure is: 66.7 MPG

This is Based on the Amount of Gallons (4.069) to Refill the Tank.
The Miles Driven: 271.4
That gives us the above MPG Figure of: 66.7 MPG

Link http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/newre...ewreply&p=2768




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I hope some of these Links will help answer your question on FE. Here is the Bottom Line on adding the Lower Body Panels on the HCH II. Unless you are into the "Hypermiling" thing, I would not give it another thought on adding the Lower Panels. Your FE will not be that much less. Your driving will be way more of an {Effect} on your FE than those panels.

I drive my HCH II at 70-80 MPH with the Auto Climate Control set at 75 Degrees and have my tire pressure set at 35 PSI for ride Comfort. Even with the after market wheels and the lower body kit I average around 38-40 MPG tank after tank. My commute to work is only 10 miles one way. So I do not have a long commute to help with my FE. I'm sharing this with you to let you know even the way I drive and the very short commute the HCH II still really Shines in the FE. If I slow up and drive more calmly I go up to the very high 40's instantly.

Read the Links I provided for you and you can see that FE is of little concern when you drive at a slower speed. Mods or No-Mods have little effect on the HCH II and it;s FE.

Have a Nice Day and go get your Body Kit A.S.A.P. You will Love the Look.

Terry (tiger)

 

FE aside I dont personally like the look of the OE body kit, I wouldnt pay what I surmise is a $1k+ asking price (unpainted) for a different look on a vehicle that I purchased to keep more money in my pocket. I also wouldnt have purchased rims that arent really any lighter or wider to accomodate a bigger tire just for a different look. Other than changing the oil and rotating the tires this car is best left alone. Any performance modifications will hamper FE. That bra has to go, sorry. Just my $.02. There is a customer for everything, if I had a 350 Z or another C5 Z I would be all about modifying it, this isnt a car that needs to be tinkered with to make a statement. The statement made is, I care about the environment and enjoy keeping more money in my pocket. With all that crap on it youre saying, "Im confused, I want to be noticed".

Leave the honda body modifications to the rice boys with the picnic bench spoilers (500 lbs of downforce is just what a fwd car needs), and maxwell coffee can exhausts (dual, cause the mighty 1.8 L needs it).

 

Hey your {Opinion} is welcomed as all others would be. What is for one owner is not for the other. Everyone does not like the color Black and or White. Everyone does not want a Hybrid Vehicle of any make or Model. Everyone is different and is it not just (Great) that we live in a Country like the USA where we can have and say for the most part our opinions??

Have a Nice-Day

Terry (tiger)

BTW, The New Wheels are way Lighter than the Stock-Wheels:

 

Indeed, very true.

zo6:
Terry has earned the respect of many in this and other forums. I think most folks at least here in this forum are kind and wise enough to know what that means.


Cheers;

MSantos

 

Terry (tiger)