Any issues with blocking the side vents up?

[Fish Fingers]

I wonder if it will affect the range. The electric charge port cars apparently have slightly lower range, presumably due to the vents being blocked and the effect on the air curtain around the front wheel. At least that is what I read somewhere. Probably a price worth paying if they are driving you nuts though as it was only a few miles reduced I think.

I think the range difference is about 3% or something. Sure I read that somewhere. As it's winter and I am mostly pottering about, I doubt it's even that.

As another UK / Ice Grey owner I am thinking I may block mine too for winter.
Maybe with double mesh so that the air can still pass, but a lot of the cr@p is stopped?

Anyone know how easy it is to remove either the wheelarch trim or the plastic inserts themselves?

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[tigerbalm]

I don't think there has ever been official range figures released showing difference between having and not having the vents/electric cover.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was more comparing Turbo (which comes with the vents by default) and Turbo S (which doesn't have the vents/has the electric cover) and comparing those ranges for the same parameters.

However, they also have 20" vs 21" wheels – and aero vs Mission E style, etc. So there is more than just to electric cover/wheel vents to compare the range differences.

 

[Brazz]

The second post on that thread links to parts from SunCoast to fully block.

That said, you can probably still DIY like the original post, just with a different material.

Update - I ordered the Suncoast vent blocks. FWIW, the description is deceiving. This is a complete wheel housing replacement, NOT just vent blocks. I returned them...FYI - Suncoast charges an up to 35% restocking fee and YOU pay for returned shipping. The items come in a large box that cost $200 to return... FYI...

 

[mb3195]

Update - I ordered the Suncoast vent blocks. FWIW, the description is deceiving. This is a complete wheel housing replacement, NOT just vent blocks. I returned them...FYI - Suncoast charges an up to 35% restocking fee and YOU pay for returned shipping. The items come in a large box that cost $200 to return... FYI...

Do the mod i did, works perfectly and was free. Took me a total of 10 minutes too. You can always take them back out again if you wanted. I’m planning on taking mine out when the weather improves.

 

[raharris]

Watching a clip from supercarblondie this weekend, and she mentions that the air is designed to run through the front vent, across the aero wheels and out the rear vent to help with reducing drag.

Some of her other data points were flawed, but this seemed logical to me.

I wonder, if you don't have the aero wheels, how much benefit remains....

 

[mb3195]

Watching a clip from supercarblondie this weekend, and she mentions that the air is designed to run through the front vent, across the aero wheels and out the rear vent to help with reducing drag.

Some of her other data points were flawed, but this seemed logical to me.

I wonder, if you don't have the aero wheels, how much benefit remains....

Not enough benefit compared to not getting rocks down the side of my car ?

 

[andre-s]

Same stuff as this, I had some lying about

Cubed Foam Block L440 x W310 x H90mm Insert For EN-AC-FC-A501 Flight Case https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PCA2...abc_SZM3GB65132NM9ZS88HD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Quick question as it's been a couple of months since you did this.
Any mold issue or water damaging? I was worried about the foam option with water retention, not drying and creating some mold in there.

 

[mb3195]

Quick question as it's been a couple of months since you did this.
Any mold issue or water damaging? I was worried about the foam option with water retention, not drying and creating some mold in there.

Absolutely no issue, the foam isn’t porous.

 

[Mark G]

Absolutely no issue, the foam isn’t porous.

Hi Mark, on my second drive of my new baby I was appalled at the c**p that had accumulated so I am now on the hunt for a solution after the dealer pointed me in the direction of the door! I like your foam solution but do they not get blown out?

 

[mb3195]

Hi Mark, on my second drive of my new baby I was appalled at the c**p that had accumulated so I am now on the hunt for a solution after the dealer pointed me in the direction of the door! I like your foam solution but do they not get blown out?

No mate, works perfectly.

 

[DCYL725]

I’ve got the cheapo manual electric cap, obviously this means that the vents are always open, whereas I believe on the electric ones, the motors are hidden in here which block them off.

I’ve only had the car a week, but the open vents are driving me nuts, they just kick up all sorts of gravel, stones, dirt, etc, spraying it down the side of the car.

so, I’m assuming there isn’t, but any issues in blocking these vents off and if so, any suggestions on best way of doing it?

but what about the drag coefficient?

 

[mb3195]

but what about the drag coefficient?

I’m getting around 285 miles on my 4S extended battery with 21”

 

[Fish Fingers]

I think when discussed previously the loss in range would only probably be a couple of %.

I went with the mesh option - following instructions posted on here.
Really pleased with it. Very tidy job.
If you cut them the right size (pic) and buy the right mesh, there is a recess that they just slot in to with a little bit of bending and encouragement.
I used a pencil with a rubber on the end to tease them in.

 

[bosbruce]

Having just given my Taycan 4S a Gyeon can coat EVO and a week later seeing how the top 2/3 of the car seems clean as the day I washed it despite 3 days of rain but all that junk behind the front wheel and on the driver door, I'm going to look into either the mesh or the foam, probably going with foam for Boston winters. Funny, I specifically skipped the power cover option because I hate cars with faux vents (and didn't want to add weight/complexity for little benefit) and now I'll be blocking up my vents...

On a related note, my Taycan 4S came with some PPF in front of the rear fender, which is nice, but seems that for those with functional side vents having PPF on the lower half of the driver door would be even more important.

 

[whitex]

I wonder if anyone actually objectively compared dirt on the door with and without the vent. Blocking the vent makes the air flow less laminar, creating some turbulent vortices around the back of the front wheel and front of the door, so it might actually throw more dirt against the fender and door, perhaps in a pattern (similar to how the back of the car gets dirty).

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