How do you see the average gas mileage?

[unclelaverne]

I think people are saying they are getting a certain gas mileage (42 I think I saw) on the highway.  How do you know?  Is there a button on the menu on the speedo?  I can't seem to find it.

And after a day of driving this car, I absolutely LOOOOOVE it.  I was apprehensive, pissed at the experience and frustrated at the whole thing but alas, it is better than I had hoped.  I almost threw in the towel on the car.  

Terrible experience getting the car.  There is some body damage that the dealer is fixing this week.  It was a cluster F yeaterday getting the car delivered.   But even after all that, it is an awesome little car.  

[Alvon Elrod]

I haven't received my PE yet, but what I recall from driving one of the demo's:

You can press the toggle button on the end of the Windshield Wiper stalk to cycle through the different computer functions, one of the functions being instant mpg, and another being average mpg.  I believe you could 'reset' the ave mpg while driving, for the computer to start a new set of figures from that time forward.

Alvon

[marcants1977]

Everyone has to remember that the vehicles internal MPG figure is just an algorithm built to closely mimic the cars actually performance. These algorithms are written at the test track over 1000's of miles of routine driving. The best way to test actual mileage is with the actual miles driven/gallons into tank at fillup and zeroing it out every time.

Guido Sarduchi!

[unclelaverne]

Thanks!  I had that function on my Chevy with the Driver Information Center and really liked it.  I'll have to go play with it to see if I can find it.  I couldn't find it in the menu on the dash.

[CaliberSRT4]

Guido wrote

Everyone has to remember that the vehicles internal MPG figure is just an algorithm built to closely mimic the cars actually performance. These algorithms are written at the test track over 1000's of miles of routine driving. The best way to test actual mileage is with the actual miles driven/gallons into tank at fillup and zeroing it out every time.

Guido Sarduchi!

But that's more work.

[marcants1977]

When you sell fuel additives for a living it is hard to explain to people that there is a reason that scientists and engineers spend hours and millions $$ on fuel consumption studies. If it were that easy everyone would be an expert! Algorithms on the OBC screen is only plus/minus 5-7%.

Guido

[unclelaverne]

Oh, o.k. forget I asked.  I thought it meant something since everyone is always all abuzz about MPG.  I'll just put it in gear and proceed.  No need to concern myself with it I suppose.  

[marcants1977]

It is perfectly fine to use the on-board system! I'm sorry if I came across like a smarty pants.

The 500 gets great gas mileage! I'm just Jealous mine is sitting in a railyard 10 miles away and I have no dealer in Colorado to deliver it to me in timely fashion!

Guido

[Mike S]

Which dealer did you select for delivery?

[marcants1977]

I didn't get to pick I was told who and how it would be no matter if I liked it or not. Would have preferred to use Fiat of Salt Lake City but they told me it wasn't possible. And here I am waiting and the car is just sitting.

I think Autonation has so much pull that even though the dealer here in Westminster won't be open until 2012 that they wanted to spoon feed any Autonation dealers that were open for an easy sale? Only plus with going through Power Nissan in South bay is that Cali has a limit of 55 on doc fees whereas Colorado has no Limit and Autonation charges 499.50

Guido

[Mike S]

I think you can choose delivery wherever you want. Call the ciao fiat number and tell them you want to select another delivering dealer. I just did that this morning.

[marcants1977]

At this point I don't want to mess with it or the car will probably get shipped to Zimbabwe or something! My friend tried to Change his to Salt Lake and Fiat shipped his car to Salt Lake instead of leaving it in Colorado!!!!!!  It is back on its way to Rolla CO as we speak! We should write a book about this when it is all over it would be a good Laugh!

Guido

[Mike S]

Zimbabwe is really not that far.

I'd go for it.

[ciddyguy]

unclelaverne wrote

I think people are saying they are getting a certain gas mileage (42 I think I saw) on the highway.  How do you know?  Is there a button on the menu on the speedo?  I can't seem to find it.

And after a day of driving this car, I absolutely LOOOOOVE it.  I was apprehensive, pissed at the experience and frustrated at the whole thing but alas, it is better than I had hoped.  I almost threw in the towel on the car.  

Terrible experience getting the car.  There is some body damage that the dealer is fixing this week.  It was a cluster F yeaterday getting the car delivered.   But even after all that, it is an awesome little car.

Glad you are another one who loves the car, I loved it on the test drive  a couple of weeks or so back. Want one.

I'd suggest you spend the time w/ the manual and pour over it, this car has A LOT to offer.

Lots of little touches and features you may not be aware of, like the intermittent wipers are speed sensitive, the rear wiper comes on automatically when you hit reverse if you've only got the front ones on, and they turn off and park once back in gear, those kinds of things.

Just got my tax refund (sizable) today in the mail and will be hitting the credit union on Saturday to see what options I have on having it accrue interest so I can save up the down payment amongst other options like a car loan to see if there is even a remote possibility of being able to buy this little car this year, unless a miracle happens first...

 

[Minuszka]

unclelaverne, what is the " There is some body damage that the dealer is fixing this week. " ? Your brand new car had already body damage as you were picking it up? It seems that someone else has posted something similar too. I also found some paint problems when picking up my car yesterday. Is Fiat doing good quality control at the plant? I thought it was just mine.

[unclelaverne]

Mine happened at the dealer they say.  Someone scrubbed a wall with the rear end.  The rear bumper is scraped all the way around from the side panel to the back and down to the plastic.  It's gouged.  The side light on the rear passenger side is broken.  The mirror is gouged with deep scratches.  They owe me a new key fob since it is a little smashed and gouged on the plastic parts.   There are scratches all over the inside.  It's basically a mess.  Someone seriously manhandled it.  

[Minuszka]

That is terrible, I'm so sorry for you. My car had some imperfections and small paint problems, but nothing on that scale. I can't believe they presented the car in that shape for you to pick up...
I hope it'll be perfect soon.