Thanks for the puns! Okay, I'm a little amazed that someone here KNOWS this person. I'm thinking this "mod" can't really be good on the MPGs, right? :blink:
Based on the mileage hit I saw when I was driving with my little drag 'chutes from the damage to my rear bumper/cover, I'd SWAG a 5-7 MPG hit... It could go up or down from there depending on how the new wood work is faired/connected underneath. It would have been relatively easy to work in a value-added rear wheel skirt upgrade too and get 1-1.5 MPG back. Probably in the neighborhood of $2K. I sure hope that the various bits of the energy absorbing system were replaced back there. Bob earns a complementary membership in the PRIUSchat, Club Innuendo.
A quote from his site about the original picture: It's not surprising that he gets good mileage... wood has one of the best strength/weight ratios on the planet, meaning he can get more strength back there for less weight than with anything else.
