is there such a thing as 3rd party retractable spoiler?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvmm998V40I people have done custom retractable spoilers, but it seems to be v rare. Oh god, for a Civic, it would look horrific... Just think what would be involved - presumably you would want it on the top of the hatchback, which means the hinge for the hatch would be in the way. To get the hinge out of the equation the hatch could be welded shut. The spoiler needs to sit into a pocket, which acts as the sealed outer shell of the car, so this would be welded in place. Then fabricate the spoiler shape, design a lifting mechanism and fit each side - working out how to seal this so rain water doesn't just dribble into the car. Wire into a switch in the car. Look like a spanner and ruin the car's usability and resale value...
 
As an owner of a relatively normal car with a retractable spoiler I can assure you that it's not all that unless you own a supercar that actually benefits from active aero. Most people I see driving around have them set permanently to the up position so that they can feel like they're in the Fast and the Furious, which I recognise as just being a bit of daft 'ooh, look at me' :rolleyes:
 
Rig one up yourself with some washing line and some pulleys / gears.

The home boys at McDonald's will be all over it!

Seriously though, I have no idea why anyone would want to do this. Making it fit nicely when down would likely be the main problem, as it would have to become one with the curves of the body work. Maybe an 80s "square" style car you could make it work.
 
Stringy said:
As an owner of a relatively normal car with a retractable spoiler I can assure you that it's not all that unless you own a supercar that actually benefits from active aero. Most people I see driving around have them set permanently to the up position so that they can feel like they're in the Fast and the Furious, which I recognise as just being a bit of daft 'ooh, look at me' :rolleyes:
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Funny my new car has one and I only noticed it up for the first time at the weekend.
probably most days it doesnt go up as driving down country lanes its not needed.

Why add drag when unnecessary :)

I guess they will end up like pop up lights, once the mechs start failing they will be put up and left up ;)
 
I can only imagine the OP wants one so he can label the switch as "V Max mode" to lower it from the default top position when he has mates in the car...

I quite like the small retractable spoilers on audis, just because it makes the car look cleaner when it's down, so when they're kept up all the time (such as 1 on my work's car park) it defeats the purpose of the entire system... Realistically, the only NEED for such an expensive/complicated mechanism is when it works as an active aero system, only activating and adjusting its angle depending on the speed and braking etc. which an aftermarket one will not be, without a custom ECU and programming...

An aftermarket spoiler, whether retractable or not, just shouts chav and looks awful like that poor Lotus mentioned earlier.

You could argue that some sports/super saloons like a M3 or M5 manage to get their power down without anything more than a little lip at the rear, so similar saloons from Audi presumably shouldn't "need" a retractable spoiler and should be able to get the downforce via under-car ground-effect design - if that's true then presumably the retractable spoiler is just a marketing "look at me" tool?
 
DereksDontRun said:
so he can label the switch as "V Max mode"
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Sounds like it converts the car into a Yamaha motorcycle!!
Actually, I could find that useful....

DereksDontRun said:
I quite like the small retractable spoilers on audis
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Presumably because you've not had to spend a whole day trying to repair the stupid things, with their lying instructions and badly designed bolts...?
 
Bit unrelated but it's always very telling when Cayman and TT owners leave the spoiler deployed at all times "because it looks better". Do they understand nothing about the functional aspect of it?!
 
am i the only one who wants to see pictures of this civic si with gullwings and retractable spoiler?

i'd be legitimately impressed, in the same way i'm impressed by turbotoasters dedication.
 
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