What am I doing wrong? mpg's

[smartah]

One thing I've noticed is that tire air pressure drops when it gets colder. I don't think that it will make 10mpg difference, but it could make some. Don't forget to check it once in a while.

[forestacademy]

I just took at 3 hr trip last week with a return on Sat.

Trip out with temps in the teens I got in the low 30's

Return trip in close to 40 deg and I got 41 MPG.

Of Course it may have had something to do with the 25mph Headwind on the way out and the equal Tail wind on the way back.

[jediknight36]

Well, it might be the cold air or break in for me, but u drive it easly. Slow acelertion, slow breaks, do what I can to stay below 3K rpms, shift when the arrow says so most of the time,

A little over 700 mi, about 36mpgs.

What am I doing wrong?

[jetfuel]

..jedi..luvuman..but... can it be the load?
and 700 miles is not enough to see true mpg's yet..enjoy..be safe

jetfuel

[jediknight36]

Originally Posted by jetfuel

..jedi..luvuman..but... can it be the load?
and 700 miles is not enough to see true mpg's yet..enjoy..be safe

jetfuel

Probablly not with just me. Don't weigh THAT much! Lol! And an unintential side effect to a new med is more thirsty (mass aqua less soda) and my metabolism is sped up But the wife and I have been taking it to show off quite a bit so that's probably not helping. Still better than the matrix!

[chieftmc]

Don't worry about MPG's until you've got 3 - 5K on it

Just drive it and enjoy it

It's the "smiles" per gallon NOT the "miles" per gallon

[wlmory]

I now have 6k miles on my smart and the last three tanks have been in the low 30's. Prior to that I was averaging 39MPG and even got 46MPG once. I'm in Chicago, where it's been extemely COLD even for her, I don't think we've been above 32 for a month and many days in the single digits. Good to know others are having the same mileage drop in winter and yes, most the gas around here has ethanol, but that didn't seem to make a difference the other 3 seasons.

[JD10367]

We've got around 1500 on our '09 and the mileage has been pretty consistent: 32 all-city, 36 mixed, 40 with more highway, and 42 to 46 all-highway.

When you add in start-stop of city driving, plus the idling in the cold, plus the car needing to get up to operating temp, plus the winter mixes of fuel, I think we're doing decently. IIRC, the car *is* advertised as 32 city, 41 highway.

I don't accelerate quickly. I don't bother with manual mode (which, IMO, for this car will actually make you lose MPGs 'cause in "D" the car shifts quickly whereas in manual mode I'd be more likely to get higher in the gear rev before shifting). I tend to drive a little slower than others in the city. On the highway, the car seems to enjoy going 65 to 75. (Coming back from NJ we did that and got that best-so-far 46 MPGs.)

In the summer, when we're not idling the car and it's closer to operating temp and the fuel mixture is different, I assume the MPGs will rise a bit. On the other hand, I assume the A/C will kill the MPGs to a larger degree. So, in the summer, I wouldn't be surprised if I get 35 city and almost 50 highway without the A/C, but probably 5 MPG less with it.

[jediknight36]

Filled up today: 38.7!