200 mile fuel report

[Bill Marshall]

Two more fillups since my last post:

2/26 - 37.2 mpg (236.8 miles)
3/4 - 43.9 mpg (323.8 miles)

Running totals:

Total average mpg = 37.8 mpg (3000 miles)
After break-in period = 39.3 mpg (2000 miles)

Driving conditions are mostly country roads, expressways, & small cities. Although I've experimented, I'm pretty much driving in "D".

[misscatears]

I can't drive a manual. Should I be worried about driving my smart car...?

[Bill Marshall]

Originally Posted by misscatears

I can't drive a manual. Should I be worried about driving my smart car...?

No, not at all. It doesn't require any manual shifting.

[misscatears]

Good... I want to make sure that all the things I think I know about the car are correct...

[Bill Marshall]

Originally Posted by misscatears

Good... I want to make sure that all the things I think I know about the car are correct...

What have you heard about the smart that appeals to you?

[misscatears]

I won't lie. The looks and style of the car appeal to my personality. Past that, a car is a car to me. My current car (until Saturday!) I painted sparkly bright blue and I have a Keith Haring barking dog on the back window.

That being said, I have done my fair share of research in the years since I first saw the cars in Europe, and I have not heard anything in particular about this car that turns me away.

The only questions my car-savvy friends have raised in my mind is whether it is smarter to learn to drive this car manually. I did not learn to drive at all until a couple of years ago, when I was 20, so it isn't something I want to do, but I wouldn't want to hurt the car by using it as an automatic 100% of the time.

[Bill Marshall]

Originally Posted by misscatears

I won't lie. The looks and style of the car appeal to my personality. Past that, a car is a car to me. My current car (until Saturday!) I painted sparkly bright blue and I have a Keith Haring barking dog on the back window.

That being said, I have done my fair share of research in the years since I first saw the cars in Europe, and I have not heard anything in particular about this car that turns me away.

The only questions my car-savvy friends have raised in my mind is whether it is smarter to learn to drive this car manually. I did not learn to drive at all until a couple of years ago, when I was 20, so it isn't something I want to do, but I wouldn't want to hurt the car by using it as an automatic 100% of the time.

I can't think of any reason why a driver would have to learn to drive this car manyally - and frankly I can't see much of an advantage to driving it in anything other than the automated mode.

If you like the looks & style, you should love this car. It's even nicer when you get into it than when you look at it - as long as the seat is comfortable for your butt & back. Everyone's different.

You should ask your smart center about body wraps - customized decals that can be added to your car for styling. Usually it's an after market product that they can refer you to.

[misscatears]

Originally Posted by Bill Marshall

If you like the looks & style, you should love this car. It's even nicer when you get into it than when you look at it - as long as the seat is comfortable for your butt & back. Everyone's different.

You should ask your smart center about body wraps - customized decals that can be added to your car for styling. Usually it's an after market product that they can refer you to.

Great! I test drove one at a different Smart Center than my dealer and enjoyed the ride. I really do want to get a wrap. My friends might make fun of me but it is definitely my style to keep appearances at the top of the list when shopping for something specific. I like for the purchases I make to reflect my personality, that's for sure. And a wrap will definitely help with that. Thanks!

[Jimbo]

First tank from the dealer was about 33 mpg. But the second one was right at 40. This tank I came close to running out and I had to buy 87 octane so I used a bottle of octane booster designed to treat up to 15 gallons. I hope that brought it up to the proper level. Not noticing any drop in power so far, we'll just have to see...

[bjordan]

Here are my results after 2,427 miles:
Low: 25.08 at 372 miles, lots of idling.
High: 41.70 at 1,423 miles, highway.
Average city: 28.90
Overall: 31.65.
Maximum fill up: 9.267 gallons. The fuel gage had indicated 0 gallons for at least 15 miles (frightening).

Also, please consider the following:

From The Wall Street Journal automotive reports:
(1) If your gas station uses a single pump for all grades and the previous customer used regular, you may receive as much as a half-gallon of regular fuel.
(2) If the EPA rating on your car was with with 100% gasoline and you are using the now-mandated 10% ethanol fuel, your mileage may be reduced by as much as 10%.
(3) EPA tests are run without air conditioning or lights.

These from my experience using a scan gage (and confirmed by other research sources):
(1) Use of headlights (DRLs, for example) reduces MPG by up to 3.5%.
(3) Use of air conditioning reduces MPG by approximately 10%.

From Road and Track:
You achieve maximum MPG by reaching cruising speed as quickly as possibly use the following technique: Use full throttle (maximum manifold air pressure and flow) and shift close to 2000 RPM. (High octane fuel would be mandatory.) Although you use more fuel for acceleration, the period involved is short and engine efficiency is high.