People who ask me about MPGs

[pabille]

Reading oldbike's post got me thinking about all the people who would ask me about or comment on or compare their mileage to my Smart's gas mileage.

Recently, I began replying to those people like this. "The factory says it gets 40 something on the highway but I really don't keep a close track of my mileage. I own this car because it's fun. I know that it gets better gas mileage than the Explorer it replaced and I know I'm using less of that precious fossil fuel but I drive it because it's really fun."

By writing to this forum, I know I'm preaching to the choir but I don't recall ever paying so little for a new car that costs so little at the pump that is so much fun to drive.

[DFWehman]

Hard to dispute, the smart gets about the most smiles per gallon!

[SunDiego]

I just laugh in my mind when people tell me "That's it? I get that in my Toyota Matrix!", or any other car.

[Dave Van]

I agree...more fun than anything else!

[nprsmart]

Originally Posted by SunDiego

I just laugh in my mind when people tell me "That's it? I get that in my Toyota Matrix!", or any other car.

There is a whole thread here about how the smart is raising the average fuel economy of the entire country based on the reported mpg achieved by folks with other cars and trucks.

[anthony94114]

I usually say something similar too " the epa says it gets between 31-41. It's not about the mileage in San Francisco (the hills kill mpg to about 22m/gallon) but I got it because it handles like a skateboard and I get VIP parking everywhere I go". Jealousy washes across their faces. Where parking tickets can run $60, sneaking by getting 'off' parking spots is a rich luxury.

[cbj54]

that's a bummer so far only 2 tank fulls and last 36mpg

[rwjrn]

I don't get the factory estimated mpg. I've never gotten the estimated mpg in any car I own. I don't often drive 60mph. So if you're getting 38-39mpg in your car while driving like me, good on ya. I can park mine anywhere and you liked my car so much you stopped me to talk about it. Anyone ever stop you to talk about your car?

[pdboilermaker]

We have been getting about 43-53 mpg in mixed driving with a tilt to the highway side. Using some very moderate hypermiling techniques such as 1. no a/c when possible
2. driving 55 (cant wait to install cruise control)
3. neutral coasting about 0.5 miles from 55 to stop signs
4. no jackrabbit starts
5. taking routes with least number of stops or slowdowns
6. airpressure at max on tires
7. driving in auto, yes, I know but we do better in auto

[SunDiego]

Originally Posted by nprsmart

There is a whole thread here about how the smart is raising the average fuel economy of the entire country based on the reported mpg achieved by folks with other cars and trucks.

Yeah, really! It's really funny...