WOOO HOOO!!! Just filled up for the 1st time...

[ShaneXman]

Well, I just got back from picking up some tools to do a panel swap with a fellow member, and on the way back my reserve indicator came on...so I decided to fill up. Here's the info...

These miles are mostly commuting miles for work (35.5 miles each way), consisting of 9.3 miles (26.2%) city...and 26.2 miles (73.8%) highway/toll road with some serious ups and downs (hills). On the freeway...I varied my speeds greatly considering she is still being broken in, which had me up near 80 mph on certain occasions, and as low as 50 mph on other occasions. I toggled between Auto and Manual mode, but would often switch to manual mode to enable me to vary the revs for break in purposes. When driving in the city, I would put it in Auto since it was stop and go anyways. I was somewhat mixed with regards to the A/C, but I would say I had it on roughly 50% of the time...and the other 50% I would just put down the windows and enjoy the beautiful Southern California weather!

When I filled up, my trip was at 322.7 miles. My reserve indicator displayed that I had .7 Gal left in reserve.

I filled up at Chevron with 91 Octane, pumping on the low setting and NOT topping off. I will do this every time, so I can get an accurate gauge of fuel mileage.

Anyways, the car took 7.820 Gallons @ $4.459 = $34.87


If I am doing the math correctly, that would be 322.7 miles / 7.820 Gallons = 41.266 MPG!!!!!

<**************- ShaneXman

[SubSlr88]

And did you give a big smile to all the big SUV owners filling their tanks for $70 or $80?

I would - I'd have a grin from ear-to-ear and chuckle the whole time~!

[SuperGeek]

Just as a point of technicality, the smart's official tank size is 8.7 gallons. Your math is right, but what's interesting is your car saying you had 0.7 gallons left and the gas pump saying you had 0.9 gallons left. So either the pump cut off early, or the reserve indicator wasn't 100% accurate or somewhere in between.

Regardless, that confirms two points:

1) 40+ mpg combined city/highway driving on your first tank is not bad at all. It'll probably get better, especially as you learn new driving patterns.

2) Even on a new car the reserve indicator shouldn't be relied on to the dime... when you're in your last gallon, get to a station asap. If you run out thinking you've got 0.1 gallon left, it could be bad.*


* I made that mistake in Denver a few years back... cold winter day, I ran out of gas a half mile from a gas station, just after the warning light came on. I got out, propped the hood to signal "broken down" and started walking. A driver saw me walking without a jacket, became concerned for my welfare, and promptly slammed into the pickup that had stopped to go around my disabled car. The guy she hit was kind enough to drive me to get gas. I never drive on < 1/4 tank anymore.

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by SuperGeek

Just as a point of technicality, the smart's official tank size is 8.7 gallons. Your math is right, but what's interesting is your car saying you had 0.7 gallons left and the gas pump saying you had 0.9 gallons left. So either the pump cut off early, or the reserve indicator wasn't 100% accurate or somewhere in between. .

noticed the same thing yesterday on my first fill up. Clicked off at 7.73 gals, and the reserve said I had 0.8 left for a ~ 8.5 total

[maxtraxduffy]

The Sales Person In CaRY Told When It Gets To .0 You Have About 1/2 Gal Still Thoe Im Not Going To Test This!WHEN MINE HITS .4 I CAN PUT 8.2 GAL IN HER.

[smartyPantz]

Today my reserve indicator said I had .9 left, pump read 8.1 gal when it clicked off...

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by maxtraxduffy

The Sales Person In CaRY Told When It Gets To .0 You Have About 1/2 Gal Still Thoe Im Not Going To Test This!WHEN MINE HITS -.4 I CAN PUT 8.2 GAL IN HER.

I hope thats not minus .4!!!

[unicycle]

Sorry to coopt this discussion, but I just started a new thread about an issue that this one brought up: reserve fuel indicator accuracy. http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/for...html#post83412 I filled up yesterday, getting 8.508 gallons at the time WITHOUT overfilling the tank. And the reserve showed that I still had .7 gal. That doesn't add up, so to speak, since we're only supposed to have about 8.7 gallons.

[Dunerunner]

ShandXman - It's sooo cool to pump 7. whatever gal and you (at least in this state where an attendant pumps your gas) sit and wait as the attendant thinks you have a 20 gal tank and forgets you. I've started telling them the tank is half full. 41.3 MPG on the first fill is great!!!

[ShaneXman]

Another great tank of gas, but I have quite the inconsistency with regards to miles driven, reserve amount, and gallons pumped.

All driving criteria stays the same as mentioned in the initial post.

When I filled up this time, my trip was at 322.9 miles (damn close to the 322.7 miles I hit before ** coincidence). My reserve indicator displayed that I had .7 Gal left in reserve AGAIN.

I filled up at 76 (instead of Chevron) with 91 Octane, pumping on the low setting and NOT topping off (just as before).

Anyways, the car took 8.369 Gallons @ $4.459 = $37.32


This time around, that would be 322.9 miles / 8.369 Gallons = 38.583 MPG!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, that is still extremely good...but I am baffled as to why my reserve read the same...my miles driven was the same...but my tank took roughly half a gallon more fuel this time.

Additionally, the 8.369 Gallons I filled up, plus my .7 Gallons of reserve = 9.069 Gallons total! This doesn't quite add up since our fuel tanks capacity is only 8.7 Gallons INCLUDING the reserve. Any thoughts!?!?