Gas Miles per Gallon tracking

[wahi]

Latest from me.

Terrain 20% city, 30% rural and windy, 50% four lane state route to Pittsburgh and back. Total commute miles = 150 miles, two days a week. Been on EZ-Mart gas 93 @$4.22-$4.29 diet the past 6 fillups.

I changed one thing; 95% manual to 95% auto for the past two fillups, other variables stayed. Today I clocked 46.7 mpg , my best so far. Car has 7200 miles now after six and a half months of ownership.

Previous mpgs on mostly manual mode: 43.6, 42.5, 41.9 (mpg).

Incidentally, I've just installed Radio 10 a week ago. Loved the many ways it can play my tunes and that was one big reason to stay off the shifter -- less busyness..

I'll be on auto mode the next few fillups. Maybe my smartbiru is a smarter driver than me..

[Drivenorth]

In general suburban driving I always get between 37 and 38 MPG. First couple of highway trips with my slim wife as passenger I only got a disappointing 38 MPG. The highway mileage has been slowly creeping upward. On my last solo trip to our cottage in Northern Vermont, I got 43 MPG going up the mountains and 46 on the way back to the coast. That's more like it!
Once you get to know the Fortwo, you will find that you are covering ground much more quickly than you would have expected it could when the engine had been tight and new. The roads in suburban New England were made for small sports cars, but when you do drive your Smart as if it were an Austin Healey Sprite or an early Porsche, you will quickly discover that your mileage can fall to the low 30s. So what, it really is a kick to get smart on our back roads.

[c20500]

Finally got 321 miles out of a tank and computed 40.8 mpg on hilly fwy driving with a passenger and using 87 octane regular for the 1st time. It was hot outside and I tried to make the engine ping under load but it wouldn't. I now have 2k miles on the car.

Charles

[jefferios]

Thanks Mr. Jack for your results...why their accuracy may not be "perfect" who cares, its data you recorded and it is good enough for me. Thanks for your help!

I'm sticking w/ 90+ gas...as I've been averaging around 42mpg

[dave104]

First Tank: 297 miles, 8.3 gallons, 35.8 mpg
Second Tank: 308 miles, 7.1 gallons, 43.4 mpg
(I expect the first tank, which was dealer supplied, was not quite filled)

Typical terrain: Generally flat, stop-and-go-suburban.
Driving style: Pretty conservative
Load: Mostly only driver, perhaps 20% with a passenger (200 - 500 lbs with groceries)
Fuel brand and octane: Unknown brand, 93 octane
Clean air blend: Unknown, I don't think so.
Tire pressure:Not checked, fresh from the dealer.

[gtfowler]

How did your second tank turn out? I'm really interested in getting higher mileage.

[carolthompson323]

Hi, everyone,

Well I've reserved the smart (about 2-3 weeks ago) NOTE: I could cheerfully kill myself that I didn't do it when I got my 1st email from smart. I'm on the orphans' list at the Beverly Hills dealer as well (actually I feel like an orphan currently as I hope I have the patience to last...).

I'm seeing different results re: mpg and am hoping some of you can explain the term "hypermiling" and the best way to get the most out of your smart (not that it will change my mind about buying one... but I'm just doing my 'due diligence').

Thanks much.

[SmartCard]

is an extreme way of trying to get the highest mpg's out of you vehicle. It include such unorthodox practices like taking your car out of gear and coasting, to some sort of a pulse method of accelerating above a speed, then coasting, etc. About the only good thing to come out of it in my opinion is that hypermilers generally drive slow.

Your smart (when it arrives) will deliver excellent gas mileage if driven conservatively....you won't need to do anything extreme, .... just sit back and enjoy the ride!

[carolthompson323]

Thanks, Smart Card. I see you have a Cabrio -- I ordered one also but I'm thinking of getting the Passion coupe with moonroof (but only if the moonroof opens)!

[JPaul]

Washington DC, typical city driving, using the least congested itineraries (after 30+ years, one knows where NOT to go) in July, AC on:

$35.73 @ $4.399/gal (premium)
=8.122 gal
294.5 m (for this tank) / 1738 m (total mileage of the car)
av. 36.26 MPG (on this tank)
First "real" mileage after the break-in period. No special care for extremes, trying to hit "green waves" when possible, but had to squeeze in heavy traffic now and then...