smart cars help other vehicles get better MPG

[jro6803]

Just like other smart owners, I frequently get inundated with questions when parking or returning to my car. They typically came in two flavors: 1) individuals who were genuinely interested in learning more about the car and 2) those that thought it is too small, not safe enough, etc. I have learned to not mention MPG unless specifically asked.

Recently I have run into a string of "my MPG is better than yours" questioners. They first ask what kind of mileage I get "in that thing." When I tell them that the official numbers are 33/city and 41/highway they inevitably come back with "that's all." My xxx gets better than that. The most recent was yesterday when a lady boasted to the gathered people that her 2006 Honda Civic (non-hybrid) gets 45 MPG on the highway. It just so happens that my 2 daughters have 2006 Honda Civics just like hers. I asked how she managed to get such good mileage when the official numbers for her car are in the mid-30's. Her response was that she was a lightfoot. No amount of additional prodding could get this lady to reveal additional secrets.

Wondering if this kind of thing has happened to you or is it just my string of bad luck?

[VinceLA]

Originally Posted by jro6803

Wondering if this kind of thing has happened to you or is it just my string of bad luck?

Yep pretty much you can categorize the askers into two categories like you said.

I have folks who compared the MPG to their Geo Metro and Honda CRX. Not just the MPG talk but also how-many-passengers-can-fit-in talk. At that moment, it's really pointless to explain to them why smart works for a certain lifestyle.

[JPaul]

Rest: you're not alone! If you browse around, you may find several posts/threads with funny, strange and sometimes hilarious questions... Welcome to the club.
Some of us carry a one page fact sheet (available at your dealer, the smart insider, or self-made) to avoid being stuck while in a hurry. We learned the hard way!
Enjoy exposure.

[SuperGeek]

Originally Posted by jro6803

... her 2006 Honda Civic (non-hybrid) gets 45 MPG on the highway. ... Her response was that she was a lightfoot. ...

Great for her. Take a non hybrid 4 cylinder engine up to 45MPG, and you're seriously lightfoot (and I guarantee, making people behind you mad). Do the same to a smart, and I honestly believe you can get 50+MPG... I once got 52MPG for a few miles, at 58MPH on level ground.

By the time you get up to numbers that high, it doesn't matter who gets more MPGs... you're BOTH beating the 23MPG "best in class" SUV by double. Even passenger cars brag about having up to 35MPG as "best in class." Seems there's a class for everyone. And if someone wants to argue that theirs is better... fine. The smart shouldn't be only about MPGs... there are in fact other cars that get better MPGs. A hybrid, or an old Geo Metro, or some others can get 45-50MPG. For that matter, most diesels get more MPGs if you forget about the difference in fuel cost.

Whoever's happy with their car should continue to be happy with their car. I don't want a Honda Civic. She doesn't want a smart, so if she came up to me with those comments, I'd just smile and nod until she walked away.

[Woody14619]

You think thats bad? I'm getting low 40s, which is great, since I'm in mainly mixed city driving most times. The guy I sold my old car to (which I *know* only gets 25 city, 35 highway at it's best, I owned to for 8 years) is claiming to be getting 36 mixed...

I think part of it is that people want to think they're getting better mileage. He's yet to keep a log of fills and mileage like I've asked to prove it, but still insists he's getting mid to high 30s.

[SuperGeek]

Actually, it's not that hard to believe ... after owning my smart for 2.5 months, I drove my SUV the same way I drive my smart... and my built-in MPG meter which used to show 10MPG on the route to/from work now shows 12MPG. I improved 20% by simply being a relative lightfoot. A V8 that can haul 11,000 pounds is a major temptation to just punch it. Resisting that temptation can yield big improvement. That 20% of my $300/mo gas bill means I can save $60/mo. If I drove like a true hypermiler I might get up to 14MPG, until someone came up and pushed me out of their way.

Same technique on the highway got me from 18MPG to 21MPG... plus one really annoyed wife.

[Dave Van]

YEP!! as soon as I got my Smart ALL other cars in my area suddenly got GREAT MPG! When I first got my Smart and was asked the mpg question I'd reply 'about 45', which at the time is was, and EVERY time I'd get 'My so-and-so' gets that'....So I am doing my part to save gas by driving a Smart AND causing all other cars in the region get MUCH better MPG!!!

[MsJoanne]

It's so good being a girl sometimes... I envision batting my killer brown eyes and saying, "gosh, I dunno (bat bat bat), around 50. Isn't it the cutest?"

[krsmart]

I just received the okay for my personalized license plate here in California. It will read 1000mpg. I look forward to the looks either of envy or total disbelief. Either way, it will be fun and a conversation point.

[BobDiaz]

A while back I saw a scooter with a sign on the back that read, "75 MPG, Sorry about your SUV MPG!"

By the way scooters can get 75 MPG and better, so the sign was true.

Now as to the woman who said she got such great MPG, maybe it's a case of wishful thinking. Unless she has the pad of paper with miles and gallons, she's not likely measuring it and just guessing.


Bob Diaz