It seems a couple of Detroit area Hummer dealerships are having some success convincing buyers this little doo-dad will increase fuel economy by 30% on their gas-guzzling mobile boulders. In fact, those buying are coughing up about $190 for this option, installed.

Interestingly enough, a search for the company listed in the WSJ article led directly to the Vortex Valve website - which lists this same item for sale to the general public for $69.95 each. And if the testimonials are to be believed, it can be installed by anyone in their driveway with a screwdriver and 5 minutes of free time. What the heck are those Hummer owners paying $190 for then? More money than brains comes to mind…

The Wall Street Journal covered the story, and everyone seems happy - though I’m sure the owners are oblivious to the obvious rip-off. Never mind that the claims are unproven and no recognized authority has actually tested the device to see if the results actually exist.

Apparently the dealership has had several calls from new owners saying they were happy with the results! Imagine, you just bought the damn truck, you drive home and then call the dealer to say you’ve noticed the difference in fuel economy…LOL

While not as simple as THAT, it’s not far off…

Here’s the little item in question:

Hell, even if new owners ran several tanks fo fuel through their Hummers before calling the dealership to spread the good news, the normal breaking in of an engine would show improvements in fuel economy after several thousand miles of driving…

Read the complete article here, at the Wall Street Journal.

It baffles me how folks in an educated society can be taken by crap like this…

Hold on, just got an e-mail from Nigeria I have to read…

Jeep v. Hummer video: