In the air travel industry, airlines live and die by their
operating costs, a large component of which is their fuel costs.
That is why aircraft manufacturers have whole departments whose
purpose in life is to track and reduce the weight of the
airplanes, ounce by ounce and gram by gram. Auto performance
enthusiasts can take a tip from aerospace engineers- by
instituting a weight reduction program, you can get dramatic
performance and power increases and save gas.
What other mod to your car can effect braking, cornering,
acceleration and gas mileage, reduces wear on your engine,
suspension and brakes, and doesn't void your warranty? Not many.
Here are a few ways to reduce your car's weight you may want to
consider.
1) Remove all the broken parts you don't plan on fixing. For
example, if have a broken power antenna motor or an old cassette
stereo unit you never use- you can take them out.
2) Clean out your trunk. You might be surprised how much gas
you're wasting if you haven't looked in your trunk in awhile.
Your spouse or teenager (or you!) may have decided this was good
place for long-term storage. It's not. Old phone books, folding
lawn chairs, sandbags for winter traction, cases of dog food,
we've seen it all. They belong in the garage or basement.
3) Lose the flashy bling-bling rims. Get forged aluminum wheels
to replace showy steel wheels. Those are for show, not for
speed, usually. While you're at it, look for lightweight tires.
Compare weight on your current tires to some others on the
market. The differences can be significant.
4) Carbon Fiber Panels instead of steel. They may be a little
pricy, but are certainly a cost-effective replacement over time.
Depending on your local vehicle code, you may also be able to
replace your steel hood and trunk lid with carbon fiber ones.
Major savings here.
5) Replace power seats with racing seats. Power seats can weigh
in at up to 75 pounds each. Replacing them with lightweight
fixed-back racing bucket seats that weigh ten pounds or less
each will shave 150 pounds off your car.
About the author:
Carlo Morelli writes for
www.Caroom.us, where you can find
custom car floor mats and
all weather rubber car mats
