The experiment begins - put Airtabs on my Fit yesterday. Will be checking to see how mileage compares. I think they look distinctive. I thought my wife would hate them, but she likes them.

If my editor hurries up and posts the backlog of my "A More Perfect Fit" columns to autochannel.com, I'll be writing about these.

Here's what it looks like - what do you think?



Accessories and mods to date: Zeta Products dead pedal, armrest, satin dash kit, and hood deflector; Honda all-season floor mats, cargo tray, rear bumper appliqué, and tonneau cover; ScanGauge II by Linear Logic, Airtabs by Airoserve Technologies Ltd.

 

interesting, do they create a lot of drag? did you check out if your gas mileage changed with your scanguage.

i would opt for getting them painted to match the body color.

 

In the past I heard of vortice generators which were supposed to help air break away cleanly from the car much as spoilers are supposed to do. Some research has found that most spoilers are literally "spoilers" as far as aerodynamics are concerned. I'd be surprised if these airtabs didn't make the car LESS aerodynamic but I'd like to read any data available about them. I also hoped that the vortice generators would be aesthetically appealing and these airtabs aren't. Anyway they're different and hopefully don't cost much. How are they held on?

 

They might look better if they were painted to match the car.

 

Not my cup of tea.
At least they are there for a prupose.

 

doesn't make sense to me how they work but I've seen a few semis with em so they must do something :/

 

I've only just begun to test on this new tank of gas. So far I can't tell what the results are. For a flat-sided vehicle at highway speed, such as a semi, the manufacturer predicts about a 4% gas savings - that's one thing I like about this company, their honesty. This savings is huge for trailers or railway cars or even old Volvos. For an already-aerodynamic vehicle like the fit, we don't know what the results will be.

I do believe that coasting is improved and buffeting has decreased.

There's a great explanation of what they do at How it all works.

 

They're held on with a strong glue - peel off the backing and stick on.

Re: the aesthetic appeal - that's one thing I worried about, but to me they have a kind of dorky beauty - I have to admit it, I'm surprised at myself, but I kinda think they rock in the looks dept. But to each his or her own, eh?

I read that they take paint well, so I suppose they can be customized, but I like basic black.

 

I don't think they "rock" but I will grant them some "dorky appeal" which, and I'm being sincere, almost makes them desirable. Anyone who drives a fit should understand the "dorky appeal" concept. I could have afforded a car that Clint Eastwood or "anold" would look appropriate stepping out of but chose a more responsible and yes, dorkier car. I love the fit and don't care what the F-150 set thinks of me. I'm glad you provided a link to some sort of airtabs justification. Of course I'm betting it's produced by the MFr. of airtabs. I'll still read it. All aerodynamics tricks become more relevant at higher speeds when the constraints of turbulent flow begin. I wish I had the discipline to go 60MPH when everyone else is going 70MPH because that would outclass most other gas saving techniques. I'm not that disciplined! The airtabs are cool in a dorky sort of way. My fit has only 8K and I'd want to make sure that that adhesive will release cleanly and not rip your paint off. Patches of primer might be TOO dorky for my taste!

Edited: That link is pretty cool. They may be full of crap, they're selling a product, but it's still pretty cool!

 

Ekkk.... Thats all Im saying. :-/

 

If you like it, thats all that matters. :-|

 

well, youre definetley the only one with that.

 

I've followed your column and noticed the scanguage 2. Will you post your MPG results at fitfreak.net? The airtabs might surpise us!

 

you better get 100mpg with those on your car

 

*LAUGHS!!!!!*
That was great.

Id like to know if they make whistling noises at 45mph +.

 

i actually LOL'd

 

Epic fail. The fit has nowhere the mass of a big rig. Trucks also have them on the front that "smooths" out the air to the the trailer behind them. On your car, it "smooths" out the air for the area behind your hatch and I assume you're not pulling a trailer.

 

To me, it makes your Fit look like it has some sort of disease, like fin-rot or something. No go. I hope you can take them off w/o damaging the paint.

 

definitely won't win any style points, that's for sure lol ;/

 

im gonna express my face