Exhaust System

[Bert]

I'll stick with the rubberized air dam. Cheap, simple, effective, light weight, replaceable.
I don't plan on bottoming out either, and that's what most skid plates are built for!

 

[wheaters]

My present car has a full width underbody tray. Regarding engine oil changes.....there is a small access panel in it for the drain plug, with one bolt holding it in place. So instead of undoing one bolt to change the oil, it's just two. Hardly a major problem?

 

[Darrell]

I want the maximum mileage attainable. Also maybe the belly pan would shield the steel frame from a lot of the winter road salt.

 

[rdoearth]

I want the maximum mileage attainable. Also maybe the belly pan would shield the steel frame from a lot of the winter road salt.

That is exactly why I asked at the Rome Air Show whether they would offer a belly pan or not. At this point it appears it will be only an option. I'm sure they will accommodate oil changes with a separate panel or access panel, but I intend on doing all my oil changes myself. Me thinks it would improve fuel efficiency a little bit, maybe not by much though.

 

[Jay3wheel]

Re: belly pan, They are probably keeping their options open, since they don't yet know what the actual mileage will be with the production engine. If the actual engine won't give them the magic 84 mpg, then they can add a belly pan. No need to commit to something that may or may not be needed for mpg. I may get that option myself, but luckily it will have nothing to do with road salt. Still shoveling sunshine.

 

[Mark Ambrose]

Having seen close up photos of the P4 with all the rust on the frame I can only hope the production model is much better protected against road salt and the like. I read where the frame will be dipped for rust protection like all modern vehicles. Depending on how tightly the belly pan is fitted it could actually trap the salt on the frame and not allow access for spraying it clean. Just a thought. Never had a vehicle with a full belly pan so I'm talking out of ignorance.

 

[CompTrex]

Having seen close up photos of the P4 with all the rust on the frame I can only hope the production model is much better protected against road salt and the like. I read where the frame will be dipped for rust protection like all modern vehicles. Depending on how tightly the belly pan is fitted it could actually trap the salt on the frame and not allow access for spraying it clean. Just a thought. Never had a vehicle with a full belly pan so I'm talking out of ignorance.

Rust on the frame? Really? For the amount of time this car is actually out in any kind of bad weather, this surprises me.

 

[Bert]

Possible I guess? Probably painted but not powder coated. No undercoating, humidity and such, not designed to last thirty years, it's possible!

 

[zelio]

Rust on the frame? Really? For the amount of time this car is actually out in any kind of bad weather, this surprises me.

They did do a snow video plus it has been exposed to salty air at many of the coastal venues. I'm not worried. It was not built to withstand normal weather conditions. In fact I suspect it has had much more exposure to things that our Elios will never experience. :-) Z

 

[Injunjoe]

I know I posted in this thread early on, but it does not appear. As a Geo owner, I am sure the prototypes only show the muffler like they do because of the geo engine they have. It no doubt will change with the IAV engine. I do not know how my post was deleted, but suspect it has something to do with the recent belated (by a year) welcomes.