Challenge Question/Regarding Carbon Fiber & Fuel Economy

[galantebeige]

Today I read in USAToday about carbon fiber being used in new top model cars, and that it weighs less than the traditional body parts, from a 1/3 to a 1/5.

QUESTION:

If I change every part from my 8G for a carbon fiber alternative (at least parts available in the market at this moment; for example: hood)
The car should weigh less, right?

1. How much less
2. Any other parts that could be replaced for less heavy equivalents?
3. Is the weight significantly less, so that a car makin 24MPG would fare better?
4. If so, when do I break even, (or when I will have spent the same amout of money in gasoline savings that I used to buy the carbon fiber)

So, would it be worth it?

I'm really looking at the savings goal, more than "the look" goal on this question.

Any Takers?

:wink:

[pinoyesv6]

changing your trunk hood and fenders to cf and lets say your front and rear bumpers to fiberglass (aka body kit) isn't really gonna change your fuel economy. i mean think about how much weight you are saving. not that much. i mean do you really see a significant change in fuel economy when just you are in the car compared to driving around with a buddy or two?

lets throw up some numbers in the air.

lets say a body kit 500.
hood 500
trunk 500
fenders 500

just random number. some of them might be more some might be less. still haven't factored really the installation costs but that gives you a total of 2 grand.

you have a 16 gallon tank. give the price of gas to be $2.50 and thats 40 bucks a tank.

you say you make 24 mpg so thats 384 miles.

now lets say you made and etra 5 mpg with the cf. not really sure how much it would increase but im sure its not more than 5mpg so 29 mpg or 464

so you gained about 80 miles per tank with the cf/fg

you make about 6.90 per tank with the cf/fg

2 grand divided by $6.90 is about 290 times

so you'd have to fill up your tank from E 290 times if you made a 5mpg increase with the cf/fg to even out. if you made less than 5mpg, then you'd have to fill up even more.

ps. hope my math is right.

[Lazarus]

math is right Allan

HAHAHA 6 years of refilling your tank if you do it every week.......

[galantebeige]

Great Reply!
Makes it seem like a no brainer, right?
It is.

Actually, on the numbers:

$40 buys me 384 miles (stock 8G)
so
$8.33 buys me 80 miles

if the increase is of 5MPG, then I am buying 464 miles with the $40. (or, buying the stock 384 miles for $31.67)

Or , I am paying $8.33 dollars less to buy the standard 384 miles.

I save $8.33 each time, for a total of 240 times, or so... Still, that is a lot of refueling.

On my schedule, that amounts to about five years, which, in perspective, it not too bad if I buy the car new, and keep it for longer than five years. Ummm, I wish I knew this five years ago!!!

Thanks for the great input, pinoyesV6!!


https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[Lazarus]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galantebeige)</div><div class='quotemain'>Great Reply!
Makes it seem like a no brainer, right?
It is.

Actually, on the numbers:

$40 buys me 384 miles (stock 8G)
so
$8.33 buys me 80 miles

if the increase is of 5MPG, then I am buying 464 miles with the $40. (or, buying the stock 384 miles for $31.67)

Or , I am paying $8.33 dollars less to buy the standard 384 miles.

I save $8.33 each time, for a total of 240 times, or so... Still, that is a lot of refueling. Â*

On my schedule, that amounts to about five years, which, in perspective, it not too bad if I buy the car new, and keep it for longer than five years. Ummm, I wish I knew this five years ago!!!

Thanks for the great input, pinoyesV6!!


https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif</div>


it was an estimate. gas prices aren't exact

[seth98esT]

Well CF isnt theonly solution. Getting rid of things you dont need is another. No speakers, head unit, cf dash, cf roof(possible?), no spare tire, ect.

[Lazarus]

i thought to just get a SAFC and tune down. and gut it like Seth Suggested

[qnz]

you can not use your a/c and that will save you gas. a manual car would use less gas too.

also. all this math is assuming that you ride solo all the time. if you add the weight of 1 passenger, all that fancy rocket science math would be negated. :shock:

[low sittin 8g]

why dont we just completely gut our cars and replace everything we have to have with carbonfiber.. we'd get way more mpg's.. https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif

[pinoyesv6]

if you are gonna gut it out why even replace it with cf. i mean i've seen cars run around with no hood no fenders. bet you no hood no fenders not only cost less than cf but weigh less too.

[Jet Black]

Also make sure you dont fill up more than 1/4 the tank at any given time, so you can find some wieght savings their.

[lgary1978]

maybe you can cut out the bottom of the car on the driver and passenger sides and drive it like Fred Flinstone i bet that will save the most gas

[rez887]

How about cut the roof and make convertible galant. And replace the seats with the bamboo seats. :wink:

[Z]

how about you ride the bus if you have to go far and walk if its close? that my friend will save you the most on gas..........

[RedGalant]

Or not go out of the house https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif But anyways, I think a CF roof is possible with alot of $$$. The BMW M6 has a cf roof.