MX-3.com

OK, I have started to notice a trend of mx-3's that are loaded down getting significantly better gas milage. Has anyone with a lowering kit noticed that they are now getting better fuel consumption? Because, there must have been some serious aerodynamic shat going on for me to get a 20% increase in gas milage on the highway from adding 400lbs of stuff in the back causing the car to be lowered 2 or 3 inches. So much for the theory that having a mustache costs 2 british pounds a year in gas lol.

In theory it make sense .... but not at the rate of 20% ...... I don't think. If I recall, the stock aerodynamics of our cars were pretty good for thier day.

One factor may have been that I was going from FL to GA and I got the better milage on the way back to FL. Would that have much impact on fuel consumption?

If the gas mileage was better on the return trip, my guess is that you cleaned the engine out on the trip up to GA.. If you haven't been doing highway driving for some time, you could of had carbon build up in the engine, build up in the convertor and the injectors might have been a little clogged. Doing a 3-5 hour highway drive would diffenently clean all these parts up and could increase gas mileage on the return trip. You should also notice a smoother running engine and better response.

Even the landscape can affect gasmilage. The trip with better gas milage might have been on a decline, If it was hotter out it would affect gas millage as well. Even the gas that he bought could have made a differnce.

With all that said, lowering i car in theory should improve gas milage. The less air that gets under your car, the less drag you will have therefore increasing gas milage. Thats why some people put larger airdams on the bottom of there rad support to deflect air off to the sides.