This has actually been know for a long time in the auto industry, but... just try and convience "Bubba" and "Bubba's Uncle" of this.charlie wrote: They also tested whether driving a pickup truck with the tailgate down saves gas. Suprisingly, it doesn't. They got better gas milage with the tailgate up.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/ ... er/05.html
(ck the date on this first one... Oct. 5, 1997)
http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/tailgate.html
http://www.bitware.com/5er/tailgate.htm
http://dailyfueleconomytip.com/2006/06/ ... te-up.html
http://ask.yahoo.com/20050427.html
http://www.hellerauto.com/faqs.htm
Russ