Does waxing help mpg?
#11
12-16-2006, 12:31 AM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
For highway driving at least, aerodynamic drag accounts for over half of the vehicles fuel consumption, so a 10% reduction in that is very huge, that's as much of a change as Honda achieved in the Civic Hybrid by sealing the bottom of the car up with plastic panels, choosing flat rims, and lowering the ride height, all of which are very significant design changes by comparsion to a carwash -- those exposed exhaust pipes, bolts, and support bars that are underneath the car for example, must certainly be more of an impedance to airflow than a small amount of dirt over paint, and covering those up with smooth panels is less than a 10% difference in drag coefficient.
There will definitely be some difference, but I expect it to be very low.
There will definitely be some difference, but I expect it to be very low.
I would love to see some actual stats on the effect of the drag relative to the surface condition of the car.
I think that without test data everything is speculation.
#12
12-16-2006, 05:22 AM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
My wife laughs when I suggest that keeping my HCH II shiny clean and waxed might actually help MPG. I figure in the city it probably makes 0 difference, but on highway trips, I expect it would help. Has anyone done experiments to see if this is true and to what extent?
#13
12-16-2006, 05:52 AM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
It is telling that at 150mph a coating of wax didnt do anything noticeable. Could be different wind conditions on each of the trips measured.
I think we need a controlled wind tunnel test of this hypothesis.
I think we need a controlled wind tunnel test of this hypothesis.
#14
12-17-2006, 07:00 PM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
Double Trinity brought up something else I've been wondering about (to take this thread in a slightly different direction w.r.t. drag). the Insight has those covered rear wheel wells. I wonder if fashioning some similar covers for the HCH would have a noticable effect?
#15
12-19-2006, 09:12 AM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
I find this kinda humerous, mostly from that stand point of the same question has been asked in boating forums. There people wanted to know if waxing the bottom of a boat would increase the speed, and the consinsous was it does not help enough for you to notice. If that is the case for a surface running thru ater, I am 100% sure that there will be no change to a surface running though air.
The boundry layer on air is just to small to be significantly affected by wax or no wax. If there was any performance increase you would see extra people at the nascar races cleaning the entire car during pitstops.
The boundry layer on air is just to small to be significantly affected by wax or no wax. If there was any performance increase you would see extra people at the nascar races cleaning the entire car during pitstops.
#16
12-24-2006, 07:38 AM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
This comes into play at higher speeds, specifically on aircraft (commercial) where it makes a noticeable difference in fuel economy.
Over time (a long a$$ time) sure, a dirty car could prove to be less efficient than a clean one. Wax or no wax makes no difference, so long as the car is clean (no dust, dirst sticking to paint).
Over time (a long a$$ time) sure, a dirty car could prove to be less efficient than a clean one. Wax or no wax makes no difference, so long as the car is clean (no dust, dirst sticking to paint).
#17
12-28-2006, 06:35 PM
Re: Does waxing help mpg?
My wife laughs when I suggest that keeping my HCH II shiny clean and waxed might actually help MPG. I figure in the city it probably makes 0 difference, but on highway trips, I expect it would help. Has anyone done experiments to see if this is true and to what extent?
In all seriousness, I can't believe waxing would have ANY noticeable impact on your car's FE. Certainly no more impact than shaving off your beard. Given the enormous number of variables involved, I can't imagine even being able to detect something that miniscule.
It may however have an impact to you, so you can be certain you did absolutely everything you can think of to increase your FE. Some people just won't feel right until they've dotted every i, even the capitals.
Last edited by zimbop; 12-28-2006 at 06:42 PM.
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