triecken

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Everything posted by triecken

  1. My fuel gauge has the same problem. It's been like that almost since I got the car a year ago, and despite two dealer attempts to fix it (TPM in Victoria) it still acts up. I fill it up, and then it goes up four blobs. After about 10-20 km the fifth blob will show up. Attempted fix #1 was a reset of the electronics. When that didn't work, they replaced the whole sender/float mechanism, including the fuel pump as part of an integrated unit (all under warranty), and it STILL acts strangely. The service rep said they see a number of them like that, though they don't seem to know what is the problem or how to fix it. I suppose the next step would be to replace the dash computer/readout, but I've pretty much learned to live with what's just a quirk of this strange little car.... Despite its oddness on occasion, I do love my Smart.
  2. I installed a set of vortex generators on the back of my Smart last spring. They do make a huge difference in both highway stability and reducing the crud that builds up on wet and rainy days. They also seem to reduce the amount of exhaust crud that builds up on the back engine panel. I got my VGs from Mike Nish at Nish motorsports. (http://www.nishmotorsports.com/merchandise.html) I forget the actual cost but they came in at under $30 and that was when the $ was not as strong as it is today.I recommend them without hesitation.
  3. So I was driving home in a light rain today with the wipers on intermittant, and as they returned to position from the up and out stroke, they tangled up, knitting themselves together in a mess that looked like a game of bent pick-up sticks. I quickly shut them off and continued to drive for a bit. When I turned them a couple of minutes later they untangled themselves. They worked fine for another 10 minutes or so and then did the tangle thing again!Has anyone else had this happen? I checked the alignment when I got home and everything seemed fine, but I don't know what the horizontal distance between the parked wipers is supposed to be. I'd try adjusting them but I am not sure which one to reposition and by how much. Suggestions anyone???Ted Riecken
  4. Thanks for the suggestion Evilution. I've made the adjustments and will try the blade alignment on my way into work this (yet again rainiy) morning. The driver's side was almost at the mark you pointed out, but perhaps being off just a little bit would be enough to cause it to trip over the other blade.Thanks for the great service that you provide to us Canadian Smart owners. I've used your site a number of times for how-tos, ideas and information, including the MP3 cable install, the rear mirror adjust and the one touch window controller. They all worked really well, though I don't like the shortened rear view distance resulting from raising the mirror. The front blind is eliminated, but its replaced by another one in the back. I'm hoping to swap the existing metal peg for a slightly longer one from Smartie Parts when he puts in his next order for mirror adjust kits. I think another cm or two of mirror drop would help with the angle that's shortening the rear view.Ted Riecken
  5. I like the idea of the monthly meetings and the Royal Oak TH sounds like a good spot. As luck would have it though, I'll be in Kelowna for business on Thursday so I'll miss the inaugral meeting.Ted R
  6. I'd certainly drop into an evening meeting at a local coffee spot. Tim Horton's is good, or there's also some other spots with more comfortable chairs, like Serious Coffee or Starbucks. For those coming from the north, there are lots of coffee shops in the Costco area where we met for our fall winery run. In that immediate area, there's a Tim Hortons, a Starbucks, and an A&W and across in the new Market on Millstream Mall, there' s a new Serious Coffee. Further down the road on Millstream, there's the Log House Pub, which hosts classic car get togethers and big motorcycle displays on the weekends, tho a pub puts a drinking and driving spin on the event, which I don't really like.Name the venue and time, and I'll pop in for a tea or a decaf coffee.Ted Riecken
  7. I got a similar seat cover heater right after Christmas on a clearout for $15. It doesn't have a massage function and plugs into the cigarette lighter. My only complaint is that it sometimes gets TOO hot. It does heat part way up my back, and for $15 you can't lose.
  8. My for2 has an intermittent squeek in the steering wheel. It seems to be temperature related and disappears when it warms up, but it is annoying while its there.
  9. From my experience the cab is definately quieter than the glass roof. I have a glass roof and got a cab loaner when mine was in for a service and I was really surprised at the difference. One other thing to consider....because of the roof design, the cab has better sight lines for tall drivers. In the glass roof version the top cross bar of the safety frame is about 2 inches wider (taller) than on the cab, and if you are tall like me, there is a noticeable improvement in the height of the windshield in the cab. If I had it to do all over again I may have gotten the cab (though it was a couple of thousand more expensive and that was a factor). The other thing I may not like about the cab is the lack of a rear window defroster because of its plastic window. I find that on the foggy west coast, an electric defogger is a handy improvement to clear vision. I do love looking up at my clear window and seeing tree tops and clouds.
  10. I've now had two Smart loaners while my car was in for service at TPM. The first time I had my car in for a rattling AC hose under the bottom panel due to a broken clamp ( a common repair it seems) and the second time for my first 8K service. The first loaner I had was much tighter, quieter and powerful feeling than my glass roof Pulse. The loaner was a Cabrio and much quieter with an amazingy different feel to the way it handled as compared to my own car. The second loaner was different again, though it too was a Cabrio. It seemed less quiet than the first one, and handled more like my own stream green pulse, though I actually thought my Smart was a little more responsive than the 2nd loaner.I don't know why the difference between the 3 cars but it was certainly noticeable. Both loaners were low mileage, but they felt remarkably different. After the first one, I was feeling less certain about my own Smart. With the second one, it was a nice fit and feel to get my own Smart back and zoom away home.
  11. I had this same problem, and the folks at TPM in Victoria fixed it right away. The mechanic knew what it was as soon as he started it up, so they must have seen a few of these. I had another problem fixed at the same time, and that was a driver's side door latch that didn't want to catch sometimes. The service rep said they've seen that problem as well, and they swapped out the entire black handle mechanism for a new one. Both fixes were under warranty so I was happy with that.
  12. That's a great idea Cameron. If we could convince the Coop retailers its a Smart thing to do, it could be a win-win for everyone.
  13. I would certainly sign on to a petition or lobby to get one of the local stations to sell biodiesel. I buy my fuel at the local Coop gas station in Langford but would go to any location in the region that would sell BD. I bet there are at least 100 Smart car drivers who would switch to BD if we had the opportunity.Ted Riecken
  14. Hey that's great that we will have a local distributor here in Victoria. I got my nephew to bring me back a litre at Christmas time when he went back to Saskatchewan where they manufacture it. He put it in his pack in checked baggage, wrapped in a plastic bag in case it leaked. (Probably a no-no) Luckily it didn't leak, but it will now be easier to get than asking friends and family to pick it up when going back to Sask.That said, my current litre is going to last a long, long time. With my commute I burn a 20 litre tank of diesel every two weeks or so, so I figure at a 1000 litres per bottle of Milligans, it should last me almost a couple of years. It does have a good effect too, even in those small amounts of 1 ml per L. I've noticed smoother shifts, (but less engine breaking) and reduced exhaust. The engine just seems to run smoother overall as well. Good on ya guys, for serving us as distributor.Ted Riecken.
  15. Two hours and 20 minutes to CR that's amazing. Going to work in the morning from my place in Langford to UVic ( a total of 19 km) can sometimes take an hour at the height of the morning rush hour's "Colwood crawl". It's awful....We move along at about 15 km an hour. My one consolation is that I'm not burning nearly the fuel that the big single rider SUVs are as they inch along the TCH into town.Ted Riecken
  16. Danno,That's the exact reply, word for word that I got from Husky. They must be getting a number of inquiries to have developed a stock response like that. It's too bad they have no plans to do anything soon, except in "the next few years".Ted Riecken
  17. I will definately send a note to the folks at Mohawk asking if they would consider selling a biodiesel blend. Thanks for the tip.Ted Riecken
  18. I've tried to get a cardlock account from Columbia fuels and they told me they would only sell to fleet or high volume sales. When I asked about them setting up a regular retail operation for biodiesel the person I spoke with said it would likely be "a couple of years away".. let's hope we don't have to wait that long for it to arrive in Victoria
  19. Hi Everyone,Janet and I have to cancel for the December 10 gathering at the Six Mile. We have family arriving for a visit on the weekend so we'll have to pass. Looking forward to the next time,....Ted & Janet Riecken
  20. Hi all,Janet and I would be happy to come to a brunch at the Six Mile on the 10th. Ted Riecken
  21. Thanks for a great day everyone, and thanks also for posting all the pictures of the rally. It was nice meeting you all, and we'll look forward to the next outing. The prizes were great, and next time, we'll some along to contribute. Ted & Janet Riecken
  22. Janet and I would definately be interested in joining the Smart Marmot drive to Cowichan. Where and when will the trip begin? Ted Riecken
  23. Thanks Mattdaddy and Mike T for the info. I'll definately try the lower shifting points and practice my driving techniques while I build mileage toward the 1500 km remap. Mike, please do keep me posted on the VI meet up if you're organizing one. There are so many of these cars here, you so them everywhere you go. I bet Victoria holds the per capita record within BC. BTW have either of you experimented with different brands of diesel? I noticed earlier posts where some people said Sonoco was the best, Esso poor, etc... I use Coop gas, and have no idea who makes their diesel. What's been your experience with different fuels? Ted R.
  24. Thanks for the quick reply Iain. I'll keep at it for sure. Do you know if the Softtouch mode significantly reduces economy? What RPM do you usually shift at? Ted R.
  25. I've just started driving my new Stream Green Pulse and found the fuel went incredibly fast, at least compared to the numbers I've seen posted here. The first tank gave me only 5.9 l/100 km in mixed city and highway driving. Second tank saw only 220 km in the first 3 blobs, so I filled up today, and calculated the fuel economy based on the fuel used. I used 12.56 litres to go 220 km, which again, works out to a guzzling 5.89l/100 km. The driving I do is truly mixed, about 50/50 highway and city streets, in and around Victoria BC. I've used the AC at times, then other times not. Same with the SoftTip/SoftTouch, and have been trying to keep my shifts around 2800 as suggested. I'm experimenting driving it in both modes. Now, I know I've only got 450km on the car, and that mileage may increase over time, but I thought it would do much better. Do any of you experienced drivers have any suggestions? Will I see much improved mileage over time? Some people report <4L/100 right at purchase. Should I check with the dealer to see if my car needs a check over? I've read Mike's tips for improved fuel economy, but I wonder if those tips will cut my fuel consumption down to the kind of numbers I see posted here. Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Ted Riecken