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Vernon Birdman on the road

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by vernon birdman, Aug 22, 2013.

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  1. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    Location:
    Vernon BC Canada
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Final stats
    Total trip:
    8,139 kilometers or 5,057 miles
    4.7 liters per 100 kilometers or 50 mpg
    Total drive time 112 hours
    8% Eco
    Thanks to everyone for their advice, good wishes and likes
    Total Prii C spotted: 6
    Next year: the Moon
     
    #41 vernon birdman, Sep 30, 2013
    Rob.au and ftl like this.
  2. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    Model:
    Four
    Ps: she goes in for a well deserved oil change and a complete detailing tomorrow morning
     
    #42 vernon birdman, Oct 1, 2013
  3. ewaboy

    ewaboy Active Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    Two
    Wow! Thanks posting your road trip and the photos. Inspiration for us to take a road trip sometime. But we would have to fly up and rent as the C still can't drive across water.

    By the way - what vehicle is that behind your "Super C"? Sorry - never mind - just saw it's a Smart car. How do you like the Smart car?
     
    #43 ewaboy, Oct 2, 2013
  4. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    It is indeed a Smart Car. It is our 2nd car and usually used by my wife. It is a 2006 diesel model that was actually purchased new in mid-2007. I understand that this was the last model year available in diesel in North America. It is a bit quirky to drive but a a marvel at the pumps. My last calculation put it at 76.3 mpg. The newer gas engine models don't come close to that. It is a great 2nd car but I personally feel that it is a bit overpriced. On the other hand, the Mercedes guarantee is very good as compared to others at 4 years bumper to bumper. I prefer my C.
     
    #44 vernon birdman, Oct 3, 2013
  5. ewaboy

    ewaboy Active Member

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    Diesel Smart Car??? I had no idea such a beastie existed. Thank you for the info - 76.3 MPG is amazing.
     
    #45 ewaboy, Oct 3, 2013
  6. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    I understand that once they started selling it in the USA they could not get it to pass the environment regulations and had to go the gas route. I understand that they still make and sell the diesel model outside of North America. Too bad. The Diesel engine is about 30% more efficient and has much more torque.
     
    #46 vernon birdman, Oct 3, 2013
  7. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    i-Tech
    Just checked the story here and found that they say "All smart cars sold in Australia are petrol engines. "

    I doubt it was any attempt to meet standards, but rather I suspect Diesel probably just would not sell well into their target market here. My sister - who does not drive, but is learning once again - keeps saying she wants one, but I bet if I mentioned diesel she'd just say "ewwww, I don't want that".

    I'm actually surprised how poor their listed fuel economy is here. Or am I too used to my own? :LOL:
     
    #47 Rob.au, Oct 3, 2013
  8. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    The smart car in general isn't a very efficient car. It's not bad, don't get me wrong, but it's not great like our C's either.
     
    #48 ztanos, Oct 3, 2013
    minkus likes this.
  9. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Not efficient by what measure?

    For MPG, sure, it won't match a Prius. But for urban land use, it consumes a much smaller parking footprint. When visiting Rome earlier this year, I saw hundreds of parking spaces, very compact by our standards, holding TWO Smart cars per space.
     
    #49 fuzzy1, Oct 3, 2013
  10. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    Absolutely MPGs... 34 city and 38 hwy is not great. It's good in the city, but the hwy gets beat by tons of vehicles. It's a gimmick car. Don't get me wrong, I love the gimmick, interchangeable panels and tiny tiny size. But other than that, there really isn't anything special about the standard Smart. Diesel is where it's at on this tiny dude.
     
    #50 ztanos, Oct 3, 2013
    minkus likes this.
  11. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    As a Smart Car owner, I would agree with the comments. Mine is a diesel so it is way up there on the mpg but I did have the opportunity to drive a 2010 gas model for a few days while mine was in the shop. I live in a mountainous region and I found not only that it was less efficient but it also was gutless as compared to my diesel model. I bought ours as a second car For my wife and I purchased second hand in 2009 with very low mileage. I would never buy a new one. In Canada, it is about the same price as my C tech plus package. 'Nough said about the Smart for 2. We are getting off topic.
     
    #51 vernon birdman, Oct 3, 2013
    minkus and ztanos like this.
  12. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    4.7liter per 100 km.
    is this trip mostly interstate..
    did you drive slower for better feul eco of did you do speed limit and over?
    for long distance constance speed i expected better from the c.
     
    #52 Flying White Dutchman, Jan 3, 2014
  13. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    Are you talking to me? I drive normal.
     
    #53 ztanos, Jan 3, 2014
  14. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    ok ? whats normal
    eco driving is normal for me ;-)
     
    #54 Flying White Dutchman, Jan 3, 2014
  15. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    No Eco for me. I drove it like a normal car...
     
    #55 ztanos, Jan 3, 2014
  16. ztanos

    ztanos All-around Geek!

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    My old commute was 80 miles a day, half interstate at speeds of 60 on the highway. I'd average 62 on my morning commute using the back roads and I'd average 61 on my evening commutes using hwy. I drove with the flow, goldilocks style. My new commute, I'm struggling to get 50, but that's because it's been cold here lately.
     
    #56 ztanos, Jan 3, 2014
    Flying White Dutchman likes this.
  17. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    It was mostly interstate highway driving through the western USA. Speeds ranged from 50 to 75 mph as per the different limits. There was very little city driving. Only 8% Eco.
     
    #57 vernon birdman, Jan 4, 2014
  18. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    We have decided to take a similar vacation trip this September. We are expecting to drive from Vernon B C to Seattle on the first leg then continue down the coast to California. We are currently researching points of interests, distances, driving time and accommodations along the way and then on our northern turn back home. We plan to once again take about 30 days or so to make the trip. Anyone have any suggestions on points of interests to visit?
     
    #58 vernon birdman, Mar 3, 2014
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  19. ewaboy

    ewaboy Active Member

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    Envy the ability to drive up and down the West Coast for your vacation.

    Here I can only drive in a circle and it might take about three hours at most before I'm back at my starting point depending on how often I stop.:D
     
    #59 ewaboy, Mar 3, 2014
    vernon birdman, Rob.au and ftl like this.
  20. vernon birdman

    vernon birdman Active Member

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    Ah yes but, what a drive. We have several friends who have vacationed in your neck of the woods and they love it. My next door neighbor is flying out there in a week. We live in resort area (both summer and winter) but it's nothing like Hawaii.
     
    #60 vernon birdman, Mar 4, 2014
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