Side Vents...Functional?

[Malves85]

Are side vents actually functional? I saw that video of the riced out 350z a while back and just remembered it had huge chrome side vents that were crooked and looked like they were just glued on. I'm thinking they would look cool on the Altima coupe but I wouldnt get them unless they are functional. Im not a fan of putting useless crap on my car and I also dont want huge chrome ones. A nice subtle black would be perfect. Maybe thiner and longer to kind of flow with the coupe. Anyone have any experience with these. Would my car be screaming rice with them on or are they cool to have if they actually served a purpose? How would you install one properly? Just cut the sheet metal and glue it ontop?

[adidas2go]

side vents being like Z3 fenders?

[Malves85]

Yes. Sorry didnt know the proper name for them. Im guessing you would need a whole new side panel for that setup but it doesnt look too bad. Those look functional being they are built into the car. With the Altima I would want something like that but more rounded and maybe 5 or 6 vents instead of 4.Know any companies talking about producing such things or is there a company that produces universal fenders?

[adidas2go]

There is no such thing as a universal fender. Cars body panels are built differently so your couldnt make a universal one. I personally dont like them however, just not my cup of tea. They were first used by BMW on their Z3 back in the mid 90's. Thats why i call them Z3 fenders. And yes you would have to buy and entire fender to put this look on your car, unless you got the glue on types like you said you've seen before. A custom fabricator could possibly make this for you, however no company makes this for the A/C yet.

[spike228]

Not functional at all unless you are running your air filter into the fender.

[alphapig]

Yeah side vents, for the most part, are only for show. The only purpose it could server, as mentioned above, is for air flow IF your filter/intake is routed there.

Vents can be used to cool the breaks, but for the front the vents would end up being on or near the bumper. As for the rear breaks, vents could be made out of the back of the side skirts, but that would require quite a bit of cutting/fitting to make the vents actually direct air to the breaks.

Stick on accessories like blowers/vents/scoops make me yak.

[glozaeta]

I heard on Chip Foose's "overhaulin'" show that the side vents serve to create airflow through the engine bay keeping the inside temperature lower.... so that would help if you had a short ram, no?

[spike228]

Not really. If you look closely, there are way too many things in the way of the fender vents for it to do any kind of cooling. In fact, the only thing those vents will do is create drag and screw your highway MPG.

[glozaeta]

That makes sense. I would say most vents on are functionally useless but as this article states a few are designed with a purpose....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07....html

most are just eye candy though. especially if you install it yourself.