The other week we went to see Wall-E and there was a commercial at Regal before the show began which promoted saving gas. Wonderful, new ideas to save gas or get more miles per gallon.
However, this was a little more ridiculous, especially as it was targeted at kids and wanted them to help save the environment. They said that kids should urge their parents to wash and wax their car, because it would created 7% better gas mileage.
That's right, driving a dirty car apparently creates 'drag', I am not sure how. I guess I can see it if I took my car through a mud park and compared it after I washed it...
But in order to be fair, I have decided that my last fill up will count as my 'standard' gas milage - and when I fill up next I will wash my car (and waste gallons of northwest water). I will then compare my miles per gallon. My car hasn't been washed in almost two years, so it should be a good comparison.
(For the record my husband says this is not scientific, because I can't guarantee I will be idle, using air conditioning, ect, for the same amount of time. However, I believe I drive similar enough over the course of two weeks for everything to wash - and it takes me about two weeks to use my entire tank.)
So look for an update - I will let you know if I get 7% better gas mileage... or (more expectedly) not...
PS Sorry I couldn't find a link to the commercial, apparently it hasn't horrified enough people to be posted on YouTube.
Well - it's ETC. :) I know I've told you that before. Now I have you on my blogspot - so I know the moment - well w/in 41 seconds of your posting something ... :)
And you better wash that car more than once IF you want to save gas. ALso you may want to get that gas tank down really low - b'c supposedly only THEN can you really tell what your mileage is. Hey - GET THE KIDS to wash your car - tell them they're saving the environment! :)
And don't worry - we have PLENTY of water here ... :) Unlike Calif. Love, Mom
Drag is a hard thing to get my head wrapped around. If wind was not so darned invisible... :P
7% seems drastic. And my hunches tell me that the car doing the test would have be ridiculously smooth to begin with.
All that being said, driving slower does seem to help a heck of a lot. I have become one of those weirdos that drives 60 in a 70.
Posted by: babada at July 14, 2008 06:06 AMMy boss actually purchased (within the last day or two, so it hasn't arrived yet) an in-car OBD-II analyzer to allow him to track real-time MPG (among other things). He hopes to both pick optimal speed and adjust his shift points for the best economy. So your testing a car wash isn't the most interesting idea I've heard even today. :)
Posted by: Jeremy at July 14, 2008 05:36 PM@jeremy- Did he get an ELM (http://www.elmelectronics.com/obdic.html) to interface with his laptop or did he get an all in one unit like the Scan Guage II (http://www.scangauge.com/)?
Posted by: jeff at July 15, 2008 06:39 AMI don't know specifics on brand/model, but it's standalone (no computer interface even as an option).
Posted by: Jeremy at July 15, 2008 09:43 PMI going to guess you have to actually wash and wax the car. As the wax will do more to reduce drag then washing...however you have to wash a car first. thought 7% seems a a lot of savings.
Posted by: bran at July 16, 2008 07:58 AMWell at least he didn't buy something that was supposed to improve your gas mileage - I've heard none of those work.
7% does seem drastic, I'm betting it was either a really dirty car before, or something...
I did wax the car too! (well not by hand or anything...)
etc or ect... either way :-)
Posted by: 10lees at July 16, 2008 06:42 PMI'm looking forward to the results of your experiment!
you took the car to one of those drive through car washes didn't you. that does not count they don't even really clean the car. you have to do it by hand.
Posted by: bran at July 18, 2008 07:57 AMI try to keep the tach under 2.5 and that seems to help with gas mileage! Try it you'll LIKE IT!!! :)
Posted by: bevy at July 19, 2008 10:46 PMSame ad was playing on the previews for Wall-E in MN. I laughed.
Posted by: Laura McMullen at July 22, 2008 05:06 AMI saw that on the previews for something I saw earlier this summer or spring... I can't remember what. I didn't think it was a very "kid-esque" movie at the time. I admire your scientific inquiry.
It would be interesting to see if, by the time you pay for wax, water, supplies, and your time, you actually save anything. (Or, if you use an automatic car wash, by the time you pay the $6 or $7 it costs to wash and wax.) My guess is you'll spend more than you spent on gas.
When I'm making a long trip, I drive fast. I figure that my time can be calculated at a certain amount per hour, and the time I save is worth more than I'd save on gas.
I'm not very green, as you can tell, unless the green we are talking about is accepted as legal tender and can pay off student loans.
Posted by: Lo at July 23, 2008 07:49 AM