700 local miles then a 7000 mile trip from PA to CA and back. Plan was for a one week business trip to Oklahoma (their nickel) followed by a two week motorcycle vacation from OK to CA( my nickel).. Weather, tight schedule, and wanting to scratch a new itch turned the motorcycle plan into a car trip.
Took I81 to I40 to Oklahoma I went across Colorado on US 50/ Royal Gorge/ Monarch Pass (11,312 feet) , out to Ely Nevada/Ghost Train out to Old Sacramento/ Delta King Riverboat,/Fanny Anne’s/ Pony Express re-enactment. Came back through Yosemite, Redwoods, crossed over to Death Valley(below sea level, 117 degrees on the dash display) , Vegas, down to Kingman AZ, Meteor Crater, etc... then home.
Last edited by TomfromPA; 06-26-2008 at 02:59 PM.
Reason: Tried to change font
Gas for entire 7000 mile trip to CA and back was $732.52, .... much less than paid business portion to Oklahoma and back... not too bad. Hotels and meals were the big expense, not gas.
Modest PA speed limits (mostly 65, some 55) with some AC gave 44+ mpg.
70-75 with more AC across TN and OK lowered the average to 40
Big grades, strong winds, heavy AC, and 75-80+ speeds from the Rockies to the Sierra Nevada’s yielded some tankfuls down in the mid 30’s. Return trip eastbound (tailwind vs head wind) gave me high 30’s on the western portion, and low 40’s on the slower eastern half.
Total miles divided by every drop of gasoline since I drove it off the lot comes out to 40.34 mpg. Odometer checks in at 2.2% low....(100 odometer miles equals 102.2 on the mileposts). Corrected mileage is 41.31. I’ll live with that.
Minor gripes so far. Sun screen needs help to retract when cold, retracts under spring load when warm. Dashboard LCD washes out in the sun and needs to be shielded better. Too many bright cockpit lights that don’t dim. Passenger Airbag Light is "nuclear" ... way too distracting when away from urban environment and out in the wild back yonder. Red lights should be for serious warning only ... I.E. oil or tire pressure.....AC, Recirculation, door lock lights ... etc glowing "RED" all night bothers me... ..Passenger side wiper overshoots and hits the metal frame when on fast, can only use on slow.... I’ll nit pick some of those with the dealer but probably solve the nuclear indicator lights with tape.
Cross winds are noticeable, but manageable. Got exciting once approaching some weather but when a tandem trailer exited stage right(in the ditch) I got the clue the winds were pretty bad.
Car is the social highlight of my summer. To say it gathers a crowd is an understatement. People who had seen me hours earlier in traffic would recognize me in the restaurant and start the question process. . Japanese tourists at Yosemite stopped taking pics of El Capitan at sunset to pose by my car.... waitresses , bartenders, hotel clerks, etc... would wind up out in the parking lot shortly after I checked in. Word of a Smart sighting seems to spread fast. . My car changed parking sports all by itself during the night after the hotel valet had closed up and gone home for the night,.... guess he came back to scratch an itch.
Drew much more attention than any Corvette or exotic parked in any lot..(sorry for interrupting anyone’s mid-life crisis) Mini owners seemed to be the best type to meet, guess we’re "kindred spirits", Had to do the how much does it cost? mpg? hybrid? batteries? where do you buy it? routine a zillion times, but that comes with the turf.
On the negative side there was no shortage of disparaging remarks on the CB from some truckers about my "coffin".... there is some increased risk with a small car, but it does have 4 more airbags, 1200 more pounds, and a much better crash rating than my motorcycle.... To all the truckers who were kind enough to express concern for my health I thank you ... especially the grossly overweight truckers who toss cigarette butts out the window.... your concern for MY health truly tickles me. I take my risks, you take your risks, ...have a nice day ....
Need to do it again soon... maybe a less ambitious trip this fall to relatives in FL, ... slow trip via the outer banks of NC...do the ferry at Ocracoke.....end up on Duval Street in Key West.
Thanks for the great report~! It's really nice to know how the smart performed over the long haul for you. I've driven those roads thru the Rockies many times and on to CA from there. Your gas mileage can really suffer having to climb those high passes.
And, ah, the truckers are truly angels - always worried about other folks and their health - LOL~!
Again, thanks for the great read.
Tom - Thanks for confirming that the smart can handle cross country driving. Also, I live up in the Sierra Nevadas and have to deal with the winds and steep grades every day, so I can really empathize with the mileage and keeping both hands on the wheel. I also appreciated your critique of the "riding experience!" I'd sure like to hear what kind of response you get from your dealer or service dept. You may also want to pass on your comments to smart USA - with that kind of true road test, I'd hope they take your criticisms seriously.
One comment on the truckers. If you get hit by a 18-wheeler doing 80 mph while you're in a smart or a Ford Focus or an SUV, you're probably going to end up as a road pancake! Actually, in a roll-over, the smart will probably do better than most SUVs - IMHO.
Hope you took lots of pictures. Sorry I missed you in Northern California! Maybe next time!
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It IS nice to know that the smart can maintain it's own on the open road and do well on the "long hauls". 
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