Augusta, GA getting SMART

[yakman]

Hello,

I have taken a new job that will require commuting. Round trip is 140/day. Want to get a SMART but worried the 3 cylinder engine won't last long with that much driving. Anyone want to comment?

Also after reading some of the posts on mpg, I am a little concerned about not being able to get the 41mpg that is listed. A big reason I would purchase this vehicle would be for mileage.

[jwight]

Welcome! Saw your post in the cruise control thread and the answer was pretty good. As far as the magic 41 mpg, remember that's an EPA estimate; some get more, some get less. Very dependent on driving style and average speed. If your commute is in the 55 - 60 mph range you should do OK; once you get into higher speed ranges mileage seems to drop. Same with stop and go traffic - the more of that, the bigger the impact on your mileage.

[rfernatt]

Originally Posted by yakman

Hello,

I have taken a new job that will require commuting. Round trip is 140/day. Want to get a SMART but worried the 3 cylinder engine won't last long with that much driving. Anyone want to comment?

Also after reading some of the posts on mpg, I am a little concerned about not being able to get the 41mpg that is listed. A big reason I would purchase this vehicle would be for mileage.

I can't say much about the longevity of the engine since I'm still in the break-in period, but I've owned Mitsubishi products in the past and had no engine trouble with regular maintenance. YMMV.

On the MPG issue, my car is just over 800 miles on the ODO and I just filled up after the first tank that I could measure (the dealer didn't seem to have the tank quite full). In mixed driving (mostly two-lane and highway between 50 and 65 mph), this first tank returned 45.5 mpg. I expect it to get better after the engine breaks in. As a reference, the Honda Civic I used to own is rated for 25/36 under the new 2008 EPA system, but I routinely got 36-38 mpg in my normal driving. However, I don't have to contend with sitting in traffic or stop lights for the most part, just climbing hills!