I've done it! 52 mpg!!!

[unicycle]

Originally Posted by jefferios

UPDATE, I did my next fill up.

I used a different pump this time, to make sure it wasn't an early click, and I got my MPG calculated to be 39.96 so roughly 40. I suppose the 52mpg did result from a possible early click on the pump, but I refuse to accept. I'm keeping my chin up and say I'm part of the 50+ mpg club.

My driving between fill-ups was more city driving as well, not as much to-from work. More so shopping/town hopping. But overall average between fill-ups is ~ 46mpg. Numbers don't lie.

Yeah, a few extra PSI aren't going to add 6 mpg, and nothing else you did would give you more mileage. I've started one of these threads, too, only to realize later that I'd calculated incorrectly (as you have) based on insufficient data. The best (only?) really reliable way to assess mileage is over several tanks, where you record the gas in and the miles out. I've done this since I bought my car, and I've noticed a few things:
1. I'm averaging about 42 mpg.
2. My mileage appears to be improving as I learn better hyper-miler techniques. My recent tanks (other than one where I was rushing back home over 300 miles) have been about 45 mpg.
3. ScanGauges are great, but since you have to tweak the info based on how much gas you put in, they can be off by several percent. My settings on my SG for the current tank make it appear that I'm getting about 50 mpg, but I know it's not quite that high.
4. Using the bars to assess mileage is pretty impossible. My first bar disappeared at 98 miles for this current tank (and I never top off), but then the next bar disappeared at 126 miles. At this point, it looks like I'm on tap for a 400+ mile tank, but we'll just have to see.

I should mention with regard to this last point that I've really begun to hog gas. I'm switching into neutral to coast hills, and I drive 90% highway (most of the other miles are country roads). I draft trucks when possible and average about 57 mph (I can drive slowly bc the roads are fairly empty during my commute). I've even taken to driving on the side of the lane rather than in it (just next to the white lines), a hyper-miling technique that saves gas by avoiding ruts.

[prm1177]

The small tank of the Smart means the mileage calculation can be sensitive to early shut-off. Depending on the amount of a fillup, 1/4 gallon variance can vary mileage between 3 and 10%. I'm currently averaging 46-48 MPG (dropped to 45 last week with a lot of AC use), but I have hit 52 on occasion. After 7400 miles, I'm comfortable telling people I average between 46 & 48 MPG with occasional runs over 50.

[doenut]

First fillup, 40.62 miles per gallon!!! 93 grade gas. about 50/50 highway city.

[mnext02]

Originally Posted by jefferios

UPDATE, I did my next fill up.

I used a different pump this time, to make sure it wasn't an early click, and I got my MPG calculated to be 39.96 so roughly 40. I suppose the 52mpg did result from a possible early click on the pump, but I refuse to accept. I'm keeping my chin up and say I'm part of the 50+ mpg club.

My driving between fill-ups was more city driving as well, not as much to-from work. More so shopping/town hopping. But overall average between fill-ups is ~ 46mpg. Numbers don't lie.

that sounds more realistic. I have put about 10 tanks in my car and have got 40 mpg everytime, except the last tank - which I only got 37 mpg. The ac was on most of the time on that tank. Sorry I dont believe anyone gets 46 mpg or higher.

[HGB]

I've never even gotten 40 mpg.....

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by HGB

I've never even gotten 40 mpg.....

You are probobly doing it right, What the scanguage reads for a milisecond or what you get on a single tankful is probobly just so much noise. look at what you get when you average the whole thing together means far more to you. How much will it cost to run for the year comes from that... Do it three times in a row and you have somthing...
karl
what gas car is getting better real world "gas"milage than a smart?

[Nonnymus]

A fellow once told me that the best mileage comes when you pretend that there's an egg between your foot and the throttle. Gentle, slow movements seem to help.

[JPaul]

Even better: one hard boiled egg on the gas, one raw egg on the brakes.

And what do you get?

[randyzimmer]

Originally Posted by RICHARD GILLEN

...I'm waiting for one of you genius to come up with the key breakthrough with this car some little thing that will turn it into a 50 to 60 MPG car like in Europe...

Does switching to a 5-quart Imperial gallon count as genius?

[Luckysmart]

I've got 46mpg (mostly highway) with ginger pressure on the gas with low RPM at all time. Needless to say, I was