Low drag mirrors

[TLyttle]

What does rocket science and NASA have to do with drag? Aerodynamics can be a hobby as well as a science: more than once I have been involved in tufting a car in order to find a source of gas-eating turbulence, it ain't that hard, and the results are worth the time and effort.

Re the sedan: just the mud patterns on a sedan give you a hint, ie, there is far less mud on the back of a sedan after driving in crappy weather. This means that the air stays stuck, and the turbulence and rotors are smaller, ie, less drag. I consistently get better fuel mileage than my buddy's hatch, and we both drive about the same.

Folding in the mirrors may or may not make a difference, depending on the shape presented by the folded mirror, and the turbulence generated. Somehow, I don't think the difference would be easily measured. Now, skinning the underside should change things a lot, but not always for the better...

[slow.yaris]

Originally Posted by TLyttle

Aerodynamics can be a hobby as well as a science:

I don't think the difference would be easily measured.

Sentence number 2 is why sentence number 1 is false.

I think what he is trying to say is, unless you have access to a wind tunnel, the difference is near impossible to measure, kind of defeating the whole point of trying to become more aerodynamic. Its just like VG's - sure the theory is there and you can experiment, but unless you have wind tunnel data to back up that they are decreasing drag by stopping flow separation, you could be hurting your drag as much as you are helping.