Wash your car: an experiment showed that a dirty car consumes more gasoline
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Washing your car is a process that you usually do for aesthetics, however, you may now start doing it for fuel economy. The experiment showed that washing a car improves the aerodynamics of the car, resulting in improved fuel efficiency.
How often do you wash your car? Once a month? Maybe twice a year? Whatever the answer, we bet you would probably park your car more often if you knew it would result in better fuel economy. But is it possible?
Does a clean car give better fuel economy?
If it is true! We know this is a shocking discovery. But the guys from MythBuster's tested this experiment. His initial hypothesis was that dirt on a car would cause a "golf ball effect" that would improve its aerodynamics and thus improve its performance. To run the test, hosts Jamie and Adam used an old Ford Taurus and took it for a few rides to test its overall fuel efficiency.
Experiment results
To test it, when it was dirty, they covered the car in mud and started it several times. After that, they cleaned the car and ran the tests again. The duo ran several tests to make sure the experiment was accurate. The results concluded that the car was 2mpg more efficient clean than dirty. In particular, the car managed up to 24 mpg dirty and 26 mpg clean.
Why does a clean car provide better fuel efficiency?
While it may seem strange that a clean car can provide better fuel economy, it doesn't. In fact, everything depends on aerodynamics. Dirt and debris protruding into your vehicle creates a rougher surface for outside air to pass through. Because of this buildup, your car will have more drag on the road, which will increase the faster you drive it.
However, if you clean the car, especially if you wax it, it will create a smoother surface for outside air to flow around the car, resulting in improved aerodynamics. After all, when automakers test their cars in a wind tunnel, they usually don't have any defects. Ultimately, this means that if you want to improve your car's fuel efficiency a little, be sure to give it a good wash.
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