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Washed and waxed the car

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by dragonfinder1, Mar 22, 2012.

  1. dragonfinder1

    dragonfinder1 Junior Member

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    Ok, so today it wasn't raining so I washed and waxed the Prius.

    I used a clay bar, then waxed and top coated the car and went into town. For the first time ever I had a higher mileage reading when I got to town than when I left home. Usually it takes half way though town the get the mileage up to where it was at home. For the 45 mile round trip I was up 1.5 mpg's. I've never done that before.

    Same temp's, same speed, same traffic same everything except the wax.

    Keeping it clean does make a difference.
     
  2. fulltank

    fulltank New Member

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    What about wind?
     
  3. mad-dog-one

    mad-dog-one Prius Enthusiast

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    Are you implying that parting air improves fuel economy?
     
  4. dragonfinder1

    dragonfinder1 Junior Member

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    I'm not implying anything, all I'm saying is that after I gave it a good wax job my mpg is up by 1.5 mpg. Time will tell for sure. Nothing was different. Well maybe it was the temperature, it was up maybe 3 degrees F to 43 F.
     
  5. fulltank

    fulltank New Member

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    Yes, driving either against or with a strong wind can decrease or increase your MPG. Wind resistance is nothing revolutionary.

    Also, I really have a tough time believing a waxed car improves MPGs. Maybe, maybe, if the car before waxing had mud, salt, bugs, etc., plastered all over the car. But not just a clean car and a waxed car.
     
  6. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    I heard the prius mpg can increase .5mpg just by vacuuming the interior ;)
     
  7. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    My guess? Living in Oregon?

    My guess is that your sudden improvement in gas mileage has more to do with the temporary absence of rain than the fact that you washed and clay barred your vehicle.

    Driving in rain negatively affects your MPG's...and like you said, it isn't raining....
     
  8. dragonfinder1

    dragonfinder1 Junior Member

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    Believe it or not, it doesn't rain every day in Oregon. I know it's hard to believe. Wind is not a factor, wet roads are not a factor, however I'm not sure about winter blend of gas, I'm not sure if they change in Oregon or not, but that might be it.

    "I heard the prius mpg can increase .5mpg just by vacuuming the interior [​IMG]"

    That I didn't do, maybe there's room for improvement :D.

    I also haven't tried removing the rear wiper, antennae or turning the outside mirrors in.

    I could get maybe 70 mpg!
     
  9. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    Personally, I don't wax a car for nearly a full year. The polimerization or curing of the palstic in paint continues for a long long time. I only rinse off the grime and brush it off with a soft brush.

    Experienced body shop operators will tell you not to was or wax a newly painted car for 90-120 days. That's because the paint has to be allowed to cure.
     
  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I live in Oregon...

    It's been raining since about late October.
     
  11. p00kienrayray

    p00kienrayray Active Member

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    I've heard the same thing a while ago, but don't know how truthful that is.
     
  12. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    That may have been true years ago but that's dangerously outdated information today. The paint is already cured once it leaves the factory and modern paints used by body shops are formulated to be quick curing (and hence said not to be as durable as factory paint) and can be waxed right away.
     
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  13. dragonfinder1

    dragonfinder1 Junior Member

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    Where I am, it's only rained once in the last 5 days. Yesterday we went to town to have lunch with friends and came home and mowed 4 acres of grass, today we're taking the Harley for a ride to Westport Wa. to see some friends.

    I've ridden my motorcycles over 1400 miles since 1/1/12 and haven't been rained on. :D
     
  14. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    It's still like "quick set concrete." Curing is like a descending logrithmic curve. Paint, like concrete continues to cure with time. Maybe, modern paints have a steeper curve, but there is still a curve.

    Factory paints are applied under stricter "environmental" control. They too are a compromise from "ideal," since they are time constraints to get the vehicle out of the line and completed as quickly as possible. I can't see how an extra year given to curing can harm anything. A lot of waxes can even be harmful, if the paint is soft.

    Custom aftermarket paints , however, are not as constrained by time requirements. They can this can be an advantage in some cases.
     
  15. M8s

    M8s Retired and Lovin' It

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    I've heard people drive better (have fewer accidents) in a clean car. Maybe people drive more economically, too.
     
  16. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    No, it's the other way around. There are major time constraints for body shops because insurance companies don't want cars in there any longer than necessary. The more days the car is in the body shop the more it costs the insurance company (as well as the rental it has the cover while it's in the shop).

    Not clay barring/waxing even brand new cars for a year can be harmful to the paint if it picks up contaminants that permanently etch the paint from being embedded for too long.
     
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  17. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Additionally, a lot of brand new cars have a large accumulation of contaminates in the paint. My 2012 Blizzard Pearl paint felt like sandpaper. I am not exaggerating in the least. It was easily the worst of every car I have ever purchased. Conversely the 2005 Salsa Red car was the cleanest.

    IMO just assume you need to clay bar every new vehicle.
     
  18. SoCalBPrius

    SoCalBPrius Active Member

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    Really, but not to surprised at all when I think about it as Carson(where u picked up & bought it) is a highly industrialized area w/ refinery & manufacturing all around. I think it's time for me to clay & wax as well:).
     
  19. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    You "sure" you're living in Oregon?
     
  20. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    You can easily pick up an extra 2.25 mpg...leave the wife at home.