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Confessions of a fuel economy junkie...


smartzuuk

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Confession # 1...

It was getting a little bit boring. The numbers had been hit, the car did what it was expected, but the great fuel economy eventually became dull, like a shiny medal tarnishing over time... So you put the big wheels back on, along with your parachute bike rack, and still get better numbers than most Prius drivers. Yawn.

Confession # 2...

Was it that important to drive the car stock, other than cruise and higher PSI?

Perhaps I should have pulled the passenger seat out, put on a strip of brightly coloured Vortex generators, reorganized the fuel molecules with some patented gizmo that costs $749, covered the rear wheels (like an Insight), ordered up a set of 135 on 3.5" steelies for the front, and a set of 145 on 4" for the rear and run with stupid high 60 PSI, used all kinds of lubricity and cetane additives, acquired an economy remap from RCTS, removed the wipers and antennae, installed a turbo boost, scan guage, and MDC computer, and otherwise hired a 100 lb driver to pulse and glide the thing for 750 miles straight while drafting a borrowed cube-van in a tailwind driven by the cars owner...

Confession # 3...

I might just do most of the above!

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Haha, that's where I am at too....the low 3s are a good memory for me, but now I drive the car like a normal person, not a mobile chicane for other traffic. I still am under 4 L/100 km on wide tires and driving normally, and that is fantastic.

Keith, I thought the car was sold.....?

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mobile chicane! ROFL!

I have been keeping tabs lately since I got the new car......but like the old one...I know what its capable of....and well I would rather just have fun and drive it....and know I am still beating everything else for mileage....

S

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I would like to echo Mike's post. I have been not so mindfull of my driving habits of late and my latest tanks show a difference. We went to Pennsylvania on Saturday to go for a nice fall drive to see the tree's changing through the Allegheny forest with a stop at the Kinzua Bridge that was taken out by an F1 tornado in July of 2003. It is truly amazing as the path the tornado took is easily identifiable through the valley by the shattered and knocked down treesBeautiful day and I drove the car hard with many 140 km/hr stints that still only produced a 3.89 l/100 km result...........

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After that, it may be on loan to someone that would really like to have a (diesel) smart...

REALLY? Wow thanks!!! I always wanted a smart diesel! :clapping:

:cheeky:

I actually sat in one this past weekend. I was surprised, like everyone who sits in a smart for the first time, how much room there is! Plenty if leg room, comfortable and I was also surprise at how quiet they are. I did not get to drive the car but watching them cruising along the highway at NY speeds, I could see the ride is smooth.

I have some pics to post when I get a chance, along with some video.

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Good to see you!

Oh man, I've got to figure out what to get next. I have deals pending on both my smart and X-90. The smart deal is still a lukewarm possibility, but the X-90 sounds really solid - guy coming from Grand Forks for it.

I've thought about geting a Metro with the 1 L in it. Vroom vroom, hope I don't get hit!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

If I stay in town and just do the start/shuffle/stop all day, my FE stays above 4, pretty much no matter how I drive. It's when I get on the highway that the economy shows - very easy to get consistent 3.5s

In the normal course of any fall/winter month, I rarely do any highway driving, so my average is hovering on that damnable 4.1 and just won't come down!

Bil :sun:

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#1 Keith.. i am SO out of the loop. you're selling your smart?? I suggest a convertible, nothing compares!

#2 Mike... HA HA! ..sorry lol...but cry me a river :P "oh no, my average is STILL below 4.0" If i drive MY car the way I really want to.. I get around 5..... so I try to be good most of the time.

#3 Craig... man, i wish I could do that! I drive 140...well 135... and I get 5.0...boo urns!

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I've thought about geting a Metro with the 1 L in it. Vroom vroom, hope I don't get hit!!

Keith - have you seen this page?

I just did a 4750 km trip down to Florida and back, and my average for the whole trip was like 4.3, with really crazy headwinds (50-80 km/h gusts the whole way home! Scary!) and high speed limits (~70 mi/h) a lot of the way.

-Iain

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Yeah, I know Darin - he originally contacted me and invited me over to gassavers.

He's owner a couple suzukiclones - one with only 2500 kms on it purchased in 2005!!! The suzukiclones had a base model with a 993 cc 3 cyl, netting 66 mpg (imperial). These are the econobox of choice, if you want CHEAP.

4.3 is about what I get doing 115. I've seen some of those numbers of late, but tomorrow, I put the skinnies back on and try to drill down the numbers for a week or two.

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Keith - you forgot the pedals and chain to the drive shaft in the quest for ultimate fuel supremacy. :biglaugh: Me? I have been taking the opposite approach - start out with gonzo consumption and improve on it (with out sacrificing the fun factor). Know what? Even with the fun factor (remap and not driving like a grandma) - my consumption is only about .6 or .7 off yours (and still better than some non-remapped cars) - plus I don't have the luxury of the nice flat Fraser Valley - mainly over the hump (Malahat) or city drives. So what am I getting at? MB did a pretty darn good job of making this car usable by normal (?) people under normal driving and still get unbelievable mileage. Of course my wind up key mod helps too.Cheers,Cameron

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