Mirrors And Other "cheap" Stuff

[Craig]

I can't remember the last time I went to a car wash with brushes or those long wipes. I only see those washes that squirt water at you and don't clean worth a damn.

I know what you mean. We still have three of the Robo washes within 10 miles.

 

[Ty]

I can't remember the last time I went to a car wash with brushes or those long wipes. I only see those washes that squirt water at you and don't clean worth a damn.

Luckily, if you have access to a hose (apartment dwellers might not), it will take, what? 5 minutes to wash the elio.

 

[ecdriver711]

Luckily, if you have access to a hose (apartment dwellers might not), it will take, what? 5 minutes to wash the elio.

Add two minutes for a vacuum.

 

[BrianRosenthal]

What is this "car washing" you speak of?

 

[H2odog]

Understood. My Mom turned 90 this Feb., There will be a thriving Southwest
Elio club to meetup with when you do make it back.

Thanks, I'm just not sure how much longer it might be. Mom is still fit, she walks 4-5 miles daily and was still doing the Jane Fonda exercise thing at 68. I'm not about to begin to try that one, been sitting at a terminal far to long, while Mom was always active. A 5' dynamo!

 

[Velnias]

I don't see the big deal about the wiper being out in the open on the windshield. Every car I've ever owned has been the same way. Most vehicles on the market don't have them hidden away. My current 2005 Pontiac Grand Am has them out in the open on the windshield and I've take it through one of those car washes with the brushes without any issues. But that's just my take on it.

 

[Joshua Caldwell]

Most ve

I don't see the big deal about the wiper being out in the open on the windshield. Every car I've ever owned has been the same way. Most vehicles on the market don't have them hidden away. My current 2005 Pontiac Grand Am has them out in the open on the windshield and I've take it through one of those car washes with the brushes without any issues. But that's just my take on it.

Most vehicles, including my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix, get 20mph with a tailwind. Car washes aren't a problem, but I wonder how much hiding this part will improve MPG, if nothing else I find it really annoying that my wiper will chatter and flap slightly in the wind going down the highways while not in use.

 

[Hog]

Anyway - getting back to mirrors, the entire regulations, bikes and cars, as well as everything else,can be found here - http://cfr.regstoday.com/49cfr571.aspx#49_CFR_571p111
And I agree, substituting cameras for mirrors would be a great innovative and progressive idea, but change comes very slowly to these regs, I think the original ones are on clay tablets.... We are still using railroad regs written 150 years ago, and still requiring compliance to them. Just last year, the American Public Transportation Assoc. (APTA), finally got a change in the 'grab handles' you see on the sides of the locomotives and in the passenger cars. Prior to this, they all had to be "one solid piece steel hammer forged with no welds". Since the blacksmith retired several decades ago, it was hard to procure these items, even though hollow titanium CNC cut and welded ones were available.
The Motor vehicle regs are the same, mostly written after WW2, and pretty much the same with extras added almost daily.

 

[KN16]

I don't see the big deal about the wiper being out in the open on the windshield. Every car I've ever owned has been the same way. Most vehicles on the market don't have them hidden away. My current 2005 Pontiac Grand Am has them out in the open on the windshield and I've take it through one of those car washes with the brushes without any issues. But that's just my take on it.

It's not about car washes it's about aerodynamics. If it turns out having it shrouded helps it should be easy, inexpensive, and attractive.

Double down on easy because of the front hood hinge.

 

[Kuda]

Thanks, I'm just not sure how much longer it might be. Mom is still fit, she walks 4-5 miles daily and was still doing the Jane Fonda exercise thing at 68. I'm not about to begin to try that one, been sitting at a terminal far to long, while Mom was always active. A 5' dynamo!

She might like this.............