Just wondering if anyone knows the answer to this.

When the length, width and height of a car is stated, does the width typically include wing mirrors, or not?

Does height include antennae?

I would guess not.

But then again I would guess so for the wing mirrors...

But that's just what seems likely to me.

Quote from Bob Smith :

Just wondering if anyone knows the answer to this.

When the length, width and height of a car is stated, does the width typically include wing mirrors, or not?

It is.. as far as for racing cars it is afaik.

But its some % off / on i have no idea
but i know it is!

I think it varies from car to car, as some manufacturer's may decide whether or not to include wing mirrors.

For example, back when i was in school, we got given lot's of car dimensions from manufacturers like vauxhall, mercede's etc.

It was strange because with vauxhall, they did include wing mirrors on all there dimesions, yet mercede's did, but only on 2 of there models. If i can remember correctly, it was the a-class and the cl-class.

So, to answer your question, i think that some do, and some dont.
I will have to have a look at some dimensions of cars i have at work and see which ones include the mirrors or not.

I've found for some Peugeot's and Renault's, the width specifically states it excludes wing mirrors.
The Farbio GTS has both stated, but the 'normal' figure is without, while as can be seen here, the Skyline GT-R is measured without also. I've also read where a guy measured his Merc and it was substantially wider than the quoted figure, when he measured wing mirror to wing mirror.
Also found the Audi TT width is without mirrors.

So I'm definitely leaning towards without being typical, but I'd still like to know if this is always going to be the case.

Edit: Finally found a car that is explicitly stated to include the mirrors (and the without figure is not given), the Ikco Samand (34th best selling brand in Russia! ).

Also, when they say width/height/length, where are they measuring? Do they measure the largest value? Like, if the fenders flare out a little from the doors, where do they measure? Maybe they just take the silhouette of the car, thereby measuring the widest/tallest/longest parts of the car.

Yes, length is usally to the front and rear extremes of the car, and height is from the top of the roofline to the ground (either when unladen, or when at some standard load*).

* I know it's common for the cars weight these days to include the mass of a 'standard' driver and a tank of fuel. Which I don't agree with, as I'm quite able to add those figures on myself, rather than have to subtract off the standard values then add on how much I weight and the fuel I put in the car...

Oddly enough i've been looking into this recently, and i've found that if the measurement includes mirrors they always say "including mirrors", and then usually give a measurement without mirrors aswell. If they just give one width measurement it's typically without mirrors. Which is a bit of a pain to be honest, especially with all cars getting bigger these days and garages and parking spaces staying the same size. If you're very very lucky some manufacturers even give a width measurement with the mirrors folded too. But it would be nice if they could give door width measurements to.

Quote from Bob Smith :

Yes, length is usally to the front and rear extremes of the car, and height is from the top of the roofline to the ground (either when unladen, or when at some standard load*).

* I know it's common for the cars weight these days to include the mass of a 'standard' driver and a tank of fuel. Which I don't agree with, as I'm quite able to add those figures on myself, rather than have to subtract off the standard values then add on how much I weight and the fuel I put in the car...

usually touring cars have alot of negative camber wich makes their car wider thats why many of the WTCC cars tyres is so hidden in the top but they measure the widest point of the car

Quote from Bob Smith :

I know it's common for the cars weight these days to include the mass of a 'standard' driver and a tank of fuel. Which I don't agree with, as I'm quite able to add those figures on myself, rather than have to subtract off the standard values then add on how much I weight and the fuel I put in the car...

They use this to fudge 0-60 times as well.

The 106 Gti and Saxo VTS are essentially the same car, yet the book 0-60 time of the Saxo is quicker (6.6 rather than 7.2 I think). Peugeot used a 'typical load' of a passenger and half a tank, whereas Citroen did it with one guy in the car most likely running on fumes.

I'm not certain, but I think this also makes the Saxo an insurance group higher than then Gti.