Finally filled up the tank for a second time. Here's the results.
On two fill ups. 460 miles, 13 gallons total (premium 91) 35.4 MPG.
I topped of the tank about 1/2 gallon this time. Without the top off mileage would have been 36.8. I'll be keeping a running total for the next few weeks to get this all averaged out.
So the car is nearly broken in then. You have heavy foot, Dickey? OR is this the city mileage run?
Just filled up again ... I've got about 750 miles on Gidget now ... this time I ran the tank down further ... 220 miles on 5.5 gallons (topped off) ... puts this tank at 40 mpg. Less than the last fill-up but right in there with the first tank. I'm thinking I did more in-town driving plus I got stuck in some bad traffic a couple times. I'm going to try shutting the motor off at lights (like the MHD does) to see if that does anything. You can only do this during the day as it turns your lights off as soon as you kill the motor.
I've been babying my new smart, but I can't get over 35mpg. And this tank is a disappointing 30mpg. It is a mix between highway and around town, but I was so careful not to push the car. I was very gentle on the gas pedal. Very disappointing indeed.
All that said, I still love the car. It is a blast to drive. No regrets. If anyone has any advice on how to improve milage, I'm all ears.
I've posted this elsewhere, but here's a suggestion for getting a better "feel good" mileage result. Take a two hour trip as noted below.
Go to a service station near a highway and pick any pump, but note the exact location of the front of your smart to the pump island, the side of the pump you are on, the direction you are facing. You will be returning to that exact same pump location in a couple hours. Now fill up your tank with the pump at the slowest fill setting of the click off pump handle. Do not top off when the pump clicks off. Get in your car, set the trip odometer to zero.
Get on the highway and do not exceed 60 mph over the next hour, 55 if possible. Turn around at an exit near that hour distance and drive back to the original service station... same location for your smart, same pump, same direction, same side as the first fill. If that pump already has a customer, wait for that customer to finish. Accuracy demands you go to that same pump again. (Note: I've added as much as another full gallon, by pulling my smart to the opposite side of the pump). When you have filled up at the slowest fill setting again, hang the pump up and note the total mileage traveled. When you divide by the gallons, you will be over 50mpg. Try that. For under a $8.00 investment (your cost for gas), it will make you fell much better about your potential.
(NOTE: Others on the highway won't hate you when you go that speed, they will ROOT for you, thinking you can't go any faster in that little guy ;) )
I've been babying my new smart, but I can't get over 35mpg. And this tank is a disappointing 30mpg. It is a mix between highway and around town, but I was so careful not to push the car. I was very gentle on the gas pedal. Very disappointing indeed.
All that said, I still love the car. It is a blast to drive. No regrets. If anyone has any advice on how to improve milage, I'm all ears.
those are similar numbers to what i got on my first tank driving the car the way i would normally drive a car. on the second tank, i'm doing some experimenting and as i suspected, the mileage is much better. however, it takes a lot of the fun out of driving the only way to get the higher mileage numbers is to shift as soon as the up arrow comes up which means the car can really struggle when you hit a hill unless you downshift. i've now learned enough about it to anticipate the hills, turns and stoplights. if you forget to downshift during breaking to make a turn...oh man...good luck.
"the only way to get the higher mileage numbers is to shift as soon as the up arrow comes up"
Excellent point; not having driven the car I'm guessing here but it seems the arrows are meant to get you the best mileage. Ignoring them, as others have suggested, may improve the driving "experience," but at the cost of fuel economy. As always, there's no free lunch; better mpg = less performance, and vice versa.
I'd be happy with whatever the Smart gets for MPG. Because i know it'll be MUCH better then the 15MPG my pathfinder gets on a good day!
Most people i've talked to about the smart car feel it should do better. People are expecting it to get 50+. I've seen some pretty good number here! We should see some reports of what people are getting once the smarts are well over the break in period. Again, everyone drives differently, terrain, weather and so many other things come into play so it will always vary.
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the only way to get the higher mileage numbers is to shift as soon as the up arrow comes up which means the car can really struggle when you hit a hill unless you downshift. i've now learned enough about it to anticipate the hills, turns and stoplights. if you forget to downshift during breaking to make a turn...oh man...good luck.
1976 Rover Mini
2003 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
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