Is the era of "Ricers" over?

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: SOHCman
After finishing this whole thread, I just realised there is another sub set "ricers" , Eco-Modders that tape a bunch of plasticore around their car for aerodynamics and move down the road like a rolling roadblock.

I can respect the strive for efficiency and everything, but drive the speed limit.


They are at least accomplishing something.

Some of them go too far. Wearing out a $300 starter to save $.10 in gas ...

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: Miller88


Some of them go too far. Wearing out a $300 starter to save $.10 in gas ...



That will be standard on all new cars soon.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
This is considered 'dope' on my Gen Coupe forum. I think it looks broke.

As a guy who appreciates photography, that photo is absolutely disgusting. It looks like it belongs in a cartoon.

 

[SHOZ]

I don't know he may have a air bag suspension. It lo and slow the way it is. I could get in it but probably never get back out with out crawling on the ground....

 

[Peted]

I was just thinking it looked nice haha

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
After finishing this whole thread, I just realised there is another sub set "ricers" , Eco-Modders that tape a bunch of plasticore around their car for aerodynamics and move down the road like a rolling roadblock.

I can respect the strive for efficiency and everything, but drive the speed limit.


They are at least accomplishing something.

Some of them go too far. Wearing out a $300 starter to save $.10 in gas ...


Absolutely, and I can respect that. And you make a good point about the abuse some parts get, and i cant imagine how hot it gets under the hood when they block the whole front grill. Then theres the coasting on the highway with a dead engine, is that even legal? It's certainly not safe.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
After finishing this whole thread, I just realised there is another sub set "ricers" , Eco-Modders that tape a bunch of plasticore around their car for aerodynamics and move down the road like a rolling roadblock.

I can respect the strive for efficiency and everything, but drive the speed limit.


They are at least accomplishing something.

Some of them go too far. Wearing out a $300 starter to save $.10 in gas ...


It's worth it...even UPS does it!

 

[Michael_P]

Click here for brilliant aerodynamic ideas.

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
After finishing this whole thread, I just realised there is another sub set "ricers" , Eco-Modders that tape a bunch of plasticore around their car for aerodynamics and move down the road like a rolling roadblock.

I can respect the strive for efficiency and everything, but drive the speed limit.


They are at least accomplishing something.

Some of them go too far. Wearing out a $300 starter to save $.10 in gas ...


It's worth it...even UPS does it!


Good point. If anyone has done the math to determine if the more frequent starter replacements are made up in fuel savings, it's UPS.

 

[SHOZ]

Mazda says all their cars will be stop-start by 2015.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
After finishing this whole thread, I just realised there is another sub set "ricers" , Eco-Modders that tape a bunch of plasticore around their car for aerodynamics and move down the road like a rolling roadblock.

I can respect the strive for efficiency and everything, but drive the speed limit.


They are at least accomplishing something.

Some of them go too far. Wearing out a $300 starter to save $.10 in gas ...

Some of the start stop systems stop the engine with one cyl at just over TDC and then just inject fuel and pop that cylinder to get started again. No starter required.
If they can integrate engine stopping with coasting on highway, mileage can be improved quite a bit even for rural commuters like me.

 

[SOHCman]

Sure, aerodynamics, engine tuning for milage. This is Indy 500 country, I love how they can trim fuel, adjust downforce, and turn to hold momentum, etc. all while going as fast as possible. I love racecar efficiency.

What i dont like is someone driving way under the speed limit or coasting down to 15mph on the highway before starting their engine to gain speed. The public roads werent designed for such driving, causing backups, or even pileups. An auto coast feature would be cool if say the car sensed you were going down a grade and you could maintain speed but with the engine off.

 

[y_p_w]

This morning I saw something horrendous. It was a 2001-2005 Honda Civic LX 4 door sedan that had been repainted a non-standard color. These were sort of Honda's attempt to keep people from modding their cars since nothing would look right bolted to the body. The color was a fairly inoffensive shade of orange. It still had the unpainted body-side anti-dent moldings. But attached to the rear was a huge coffee-can exhaust tip and a REAR bumper cover with a grill and grilled side ports. It was the most senseless thing I'd ever seen. There's no intake there and no radiator. It can't possibly be useful in routing air cooling to anything. Not only that, but it clearly didn't look like it fit properly.

My wife drives one of these. It's perhaps the most mod-unfriendly cars that Honda has produced in ages. It seemed to be styled to look bland where little can be done to overcome the blandness. They've got exterior chrome-like touches compared to the coupe version. And the car I saw still had the faux-chrome. I'm guessing that other than the small amount of body trim and a new muffler and exhaust tip, the thing was as stock as my wife's car.