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I have to hand it to GM. I can't find anything on my Malibu that can be removed (without someone really noticing) that doesn't have some very specific and useful function. And anything that is strictly aesthetic pretty much weighs nothing. Just a few things I thought I would pass along:
-removing the child seat/latch system is a snap and saves a few lbs
-the crappy mat underneath the rear seat definitely reduces interior noise by a few decibels, especially with an aftermarket muffler/exhaust...leave it in or replace with dynomat if your exhaust is too loud
-the crappy underhood insulation and weatherstripping definitely reduce engine noise (I haven't checked to see which is more effective yet)...very noticeable at high RPM (which is where the sound used to taper off)
-the cruise control system weighs a few lbs, but it is really light considering...almost not worth taking off
-the emergency latch in the trunk comes off pretty easy but doesn't really weigh anything
-Autozone wants $6 for a plug to replace that hefty cigarette lighter...I'll keep the lighter!
-the driver's side engine hook is probably the closest thing to an appendix this car has, but it doesn't weigh too much...the passenger's side is too much of a pain, and would require replacement with some washers or something
Since this is a daily driver, I'll stick with the few items I removed (about 15 lbs), but the lesson learned is you can still drop a few lbs (about the difference between a carbon fiber body panel or two) without paying any money. Now if this were a race only car there are a ton of things to pull out...
-removing the child seat/latch system is a snap and saves a few lbs
-the crappy mat underneath the rear seat definitely reduces interior noise by a few decibels, especially with an aftermarket muffler/exhaust...leave it in or replace with dynomat if your exhaust is too loud
-the crappy underhood insulation and weatherstripping definitely reduce engine noise (I haven't checked to see which is more effective yet)...very noticeable at high RPM (which is where the sound used to taper off)
-the cruise control system weighs a few lbs, but it is really light considering...almost not worth taking off
-the emergency latch in the trunk comes off pretty easy but doesn't really weigh anything
-Autozone wants $6 for a plug to replace that hefty cigarette lighter...I'll keep the lighter!
-the driver's side engine hook is probably the closest thing to an appendix this car has, but it doesn't weigh too much...the passenger's side is too much of a pain, and would require replacement with some washers or something
Since this is a daily driver, I'll stick with the few items I removed (about 15 lbs), but the lesson learned is you can still drop a few lbs (about the difference between a carbon fiber body panel or two) without paying any money. Now if this were a race only car there are a ton of things to pull out...
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