Hi,

We are the original owners of this 2008 smart fortwo coupe. It is a local Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley vehicle.

The car has not been in any accidents, has just 39,000 kms at time of listing, and has warranty from smart canada until September 2012.

Service wahas been done at Three Point Motors Victoria. The car needs nothing but to be driven!

Key Features:

1.0 litre gasoline engine

Automatic or manual shifting

Air Conditioning

Metallic blue panels

Clock and rev counter

CD Player

Scangauge Fuel Economy Computer from http://www.100mpg.ca

smartieparts cruise control

Wider European genuine smart alloy wheels from Flying Tiger with Vredestein QUATRAC all season tires in 195 50 15 on the rear and 175 55 15 on the front. This improves the handling and cornering. The normal tire size is 175 55 15 on the rear and 155 60 15 on the rear . So an extra 20 mm per corner!

Luggage cover

Floor mats

Double cup holder

Power windows

The factory options and accessories on this vehicle would cost you $5,000 extra over and above the price of a basic new pure coupe.

Offered at $9,950. Will negotiate with buyer offering a reasonable price.

Please e-mail to set-up viewing time or call 604-636-2180

Thanks for looking!

Click on ‘more’ to see additional photos!

(more…)

By Keith Hebert, Fuel Efficiency Analyst

Send Keith an e-mail. To order a Scangauge, visit here.

No doubt most of you are aware of the US program ‘Cash For Clunkers’, where the taxpayers were subsidizing new car purchases by up to $4500. My take on this is that if there was to be any real, lasting benefit for the environment, it was a poorly executed plan. But it seemingly was meant primarily as a short term economic stimulus, and really, the environmental benefits were just a side dish. True, the MPG of the vehicle purchased were better, with some sources online claiming the average MPG improvement was better than 50%.

But for me, it’s even doubtful that the ‘economic stimulus’ will have worked in the end analysis. There was no requirement for the purchased vehicle to be American, or even North American built. Despite this, the popular Toyota Corolla (built in California) was a top choice, but if it were me handing out 3 billon dollars, I would want to know I was getting the best possible value for the money.

In Canada, there was a 2 year program called Eco-Auto Rebate, which was more demanding on the purchaser to buy a very fuel efficient vehicle. Up to $2000 was available, but most qualifying cars and tiny SUVs only qualified for $1000. Also, there was no requirement to turn in a clunker with the federal program. Canadian provinces also had a variety of programs, most notably BC, with a Scrap-it clunker program, and a sales tax rebate, each for up to $2000. This made it possible at one point for the purchaser of a Toyota Prius or smart car to get up to $6000 in total savings.

The idea of rebates though, has to fade away. It’s not sustainable to commit the taxpayer to paying for it all, especially when it just goes onto some mysterious national debt. What’s the real cost at the end of the day? And no one really seems to want to bring this up: If we’re wanting to impact climate change, then it naturally follows that we should see an economic downturn in our traditional sectors of oil, gas and automobiles. Reducing consumption is going to impact the economy. I have no issue being down 10%. 40% was a bit steep all at once, but some reduction is to be expected if we want a sign that we’re making any progress.

Governments really have done little for such a long time, mostly by not requiring improvement in fleet fuel economy averages, that it’s no surprise they roll out quick fix ideas. But, with the USA now mandating improved mpg from the automobile producers, I have some optimism that we’re moving in the right direction. Government needs to support the research and developement of advanced vehicle technologies. And, what’s more, taxing inefficiency should also be considered. BC has the carbon tax, which applies to gasoline and diesel purchases… I think this is a model that North America should consider carefully, and implement properly.

We can’t lay blame solely on the government for a lack of fuel efficient vehicles on our shore, but they deserve a hefty chunk for sure.

Thanks for stopping by.

It was four years ago today that I set out from Victoria, BC on the 100 MPG Challenge. Over the next month, I’m going to share what I’ve learned about fuel economy issues.

By Keith Hebert, Fuel Efficiency Analyst

Send Keith an e-mail. To order a Scangauge, visit here.

It was 4 years ago that I embarked across Canada in a diesel smart car for over 30 days and 10,000 miles on the 100 MPG Challenge. In addition to allowing the City of Abbotsford to utilize my smart car for promoting the One Tonne Challenge via a full wrap with colourful graphics, I also set up this site to promote greater awareness of how automobiles impact climate change.

Since then, the ScanGauge fuel economy computer, and the term ‘hypermiling’ have taken many fuel economy enthusiasts, dare I say professionals, on quite the ride. I’ve even landed one or two jobs as a fuel analyst for large trucking companies, helping shave millions of dollars off the annual fuel bill. My current employer is Van Kam Freightways in Surrey, BC.

Beyond this, we’ve had $150 per barrel oil prices, near collapse of some automotive companies, and a mad race towards electric cars. North America had high hopes for new diesel models, but we’re still waiting. Presidents and almost-Presidents have made their mark on the world too, conveniently or, well, you know…

So really, where does this leave us in 2009 and beyond?

In the coming month, I’m going to share my experiences and thoughts here at 100mpg.ca and onehundredmpg.com.

Thanks for checking in!

Click here if you are interested in a 2005 smart diesel I have for sale!

Thanks for your interest in the diesel smart. It has been sold. We are now going to see how the 2008 gasoline model does for fuel economy on a longer term basis. In mixed city / highway driving, we’re at almost 50 mpg, and the car is not yet at 5,000 kms.

2006 diesel smart car for sale, convertible, blue panels, black tridion, more info below…

$14,500 firm

This car cannot be imported into the United States

This car is equipped with OEM cruise control, which is installed and works great. This is a $500 option, and is hard to come by… you could NOT get it from Mercedes directly. BTW - I can supply a cruise control for 2008 smart cars - contact me if interested.

Sale of this car will include a SCANGAUGE Fuel Economy Computer, to help you achieve better mileage. This car is capable of 100 mpg

Send me an e-mail for more details.

one owner, no accidents, no claims whatsoever
0.8 litre, 3 cylinder, common rail turbo diesel with intercooler
power soft-top, fully convertible
only 43,000 kms
metallic blue panels
black tridion
grey interior
locking under seat storage
CRUISE CONTROL!!!
Scangauge Fuel Economy Computer
luggage cover
6 speed with automatic gear program
floor mats
alloy wheels with near new SNOW tires!!
power windows
keyless entry
cd
clock and tachometer
natural air conditioning only - no A/C - no, you cannot add A/C
under warranty until April 2011/80,000 kms
private sale

Thanks for looking.

If you want a diesel - you should know that there are no more diesels available from the dealers, save for occasional trade-ins.

Did you know that the smart car, according to a German automotive survey, had THE LOWEST quantity of breakdowns per thousand vehicles when compared against 77 other competing models? See here.

Just an update for regular readers. I have purchased a new 2008 smart 451 coupe. Cruise control is installed (and I have them available for sale too…) I’ve also got a Scangauge installed, and my wife will break in the car during the week with her local travels.

Once the car hits 3000 to 5000 km, I’ll be reporting on the fuel economy, and taking it out for some fuel economy runs. You can be sure I’ll get some low numbers, but how low? Already I am noting the possiblity of getting 75+ mpg imperial at lower speeds (40 mph roughly).

I am very impressed with this car. The transmission needs 1 more gear IMO, but it shifts economically in automatic, and seems to be great for city driving.

ScanGuages are still in stock, and I’m really impressed with how well the driving community is taking to them. I estimate that I’ve saved fellow drivers 45,000 litres of fuel per year thus far in total, which is over 100 metric tonnes LESS CO2 being emitted. I’ll provide some back-up for this in due course. (Note: The average Canadian is personally responsible for about 5 tonnes of CO2 per year.)

Update: July 17th

ConsumerAffairs.com in the United States has published a thorough warning against the water4gas scam. The false and misleading information supplied by the water4gas proponents is very quickly going to get known as just what it is…

I really didn’t want to have to deal with this subject so suddenly, but repeated requests for info about ‘running your car on water’ or making ‘HHO’ aka ‘Brown’s Gas’ has prompted it.

The BCSEA e-mail list for discussion on energy topics has seen ‘water4gas’ get a respectable quantity of bytes. And on the way to Global TV on Monday I heard a guy from the Vancouver Gadgeteers on CBC Radio talk about a ‘water-hybrid’. I think the host Stephen Quinn knew something was hokey. The Gadgeteers were hosting two water4gas clinics in Vancouver Monday night.

Not stopping there… a customer of mine who had ordered a Scanguage, and a Service Advisor from a large company a friend works for are just two people in the last 24 hours that I have learned have bought the water4gas books. The Climate Action Dividend isn’t going to much good use it would seem?

So I sifted the internet for a good smackdown.

Here is ‘The proof that HHO is a scam’. It’s long, it might even be boring. But it is detailed. With rebuttals and counter-rebuttals. Lots of links and some scientific explanations. Make sure you read ‘A Reply to the HHO Scammers’ as well.

You could also check out a Discovery Channel ‘Mythbusters Forum’ discussion.

And oddly enough, the main online marketeer of the water4gas ’scam’, Ozzie Freedom, well, he used to promote a website called ‘magnet4cash.com’, which, get this, now refers you to…. water4gas.com!! (And yes, there is a reason I don’t provide ‘clickable links’ to internet detritus, but feel free to check it our for yourself.)

As an aside, I have been suggested to ready a lengthy article on the world of fuel savings devices… all the things that DON’T work. Soon… but in the meantime, remember, you hold the key to better mileage. Please see my ‘Hypermiling for better fuel economy’ article for some basic things you can do to go further on fuel.

I can get 100 mpg because I’ve started with an already fuel efficient vehicle, and then added driving techniques and real-time monitoring with a Scangauge fuel economy computer to the mix.

One last point…

Why are there water4gas ads on my pages from time to time?

I’m going to quote Bruce Simpson aka Aardvark (who wrote the articles on the HHO scam).

Yes, it’s kind of ironic isn’t it? I don’t get to choose which advertisements Google places on these pages but I do get a kick out of knowing that the very people who seek to scam you are helping pay for the pages that expose their fraud.

Don’t buy internet ’scams’. Save your money for slippers - driving with a feather foot could REALLY save you some fuel.

Keith

Contact me by e-mail.

I’ve created a couple of Fuel Savings Calculators to help those of you considering the smart fortwo as a solution to the high cost of fuel.

The Canadian version of the calculator is here. Fuel economy is measured in L/100 km (litres per 100 kilometres), and will compare your current vehicle against both the diesel and the gasoline smart cars.

The American version is here. The fuel economy is measured in mpg (US), and will compare your current vehicle against the 2008 smart with the gasoline engine only.

You will need Microsoft Excel to open these files. (If you don’t have excel, try ‘Open Office’.)

The calculators are really simple to use, and you’ll be able to see the potential savings in just a couple minutes.

Please send any comments or feedback to me.

Been awhile since I’ve posted something new on the site. Stay tuned for some new fuel savings calculators that I’m creating. Friends and co-workers are all talking about the high price of fuel, with some even considering buying a smart car or other fuel efficient vehicle. Our IT guru traded in his Ford Explorer on a Honda Civic Hybrid. I’ve got a couple folks interested in my 2006 diesel… so once that goes, I’ll get a 2008 gasoline smart and figure out how little fuel it can use.

In the meantime… here’s something for all those out there who are tired of high fuel prices… enjoy! (Be sure to click on ‘more’ to see all of the cartoons…)

(more…)

I’ve had so many ideas running through my mind as of late, I’ve actually begun writing them down…

I guess it all started about a month ago. Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ hit the theaters nationwide, and although I wasn’t expecting to learn much from it myself, I eagerly went opening week, and suggested the movie to the folks over at Club smart car. (Meanwhile, someone suggested everyone at church go and see it.)

I got to thinking about the title. ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. What does that really mean? How could I apply that thought?

Within my own Christian worldview, I readily see the parallel. Our self-absorbed over consuming nature is killing us. Physically yes, but also spiritually. We’re teetering on bankruptcy. Our world’s natural ‘deposits’ are being ‘exhausted’, quite literally.

People are starting to refer to climate change as a moral issue, perhaps not realizing just how correct they really are. While on the topic, visit here for an evangelical take on climate change.

On the weekend, I went with a friend to see Who Killed The Electric Car?’. I was expecting a sensational bit of fluff, but was absolutely stunned at how well the documentary was put together. Apparently GM was stunned too. I really got a kick out of reading this bizarre comment by Steven J. Harris, Vice President, Global Communications:

The people who buy full-size SUVs, by and large, do so because they have a need for them - be it a large family to haul around or a boat to tow.

Who is GM kidding? If this is meant to be a serious response, they’d better get a new script writer. If you haven’t seen the movie - please - go see it. You might also want to drop by the EV1 Club.

We got talking later that night about cohousing, and wouldn’t you know it, the very next afternoon, there was an informational meeting for a project in North Delta that is in it’s infancy. I did go. I may very well take part.

I put my smart on eBay a couple days ago. I’m content if it sells, and content if it doesn’t. I’ll make some more decisions based on the outcome of the auction… Tonight on the way home, I actually began toying with the idea of going carless next year, after selling my apartment, and moving closer to work, church, and public transit. This could also lead to investigating the car coop concept, which looks like this.

You might wonder what this is all about? WWJD?. I’m not sure that I can answer that without more thought… however, someone has put forth an idea about what would Jesus drive? And still others suggest we ‘restore eden’.

What else is new this week?

The Canadian government has announced $11 million in funding initiatives related to biofuels production.

Daimler Chrysler Corporation has made various announcements concerning smart as of late, including the smart ev and corporate partnerships related to it’s introduction in the UK.

The Green Car Company in Kirkland, WA has an inventory of gasoline smart cars available for immediate delivery, but as well, you can fill out a petition to bring the diesel smart car to the United States - which is available here. I have received plenty of e-mail asking how my diesel smart could be shipped to the US… sorry folks… I will not do that - because you simply CANNOT register the car for on-road use in the US. You can drive a Hummer though… WAKE UP PEOPLE!!

Speaking of smarts for sale, my friend Kent from Media-In-Motion has THREE smart cars up for sale right now. They have low kms, and a variety of options. One is a very basic pure model, with next to no options, but is priced right.

These are my thoughts on reduction.

Reduce is the first ‘R’.

I’m trying to distill the concepts circling around me into an articulated understanding and vision, and from that, an intentional course of action.

Where your treasure is, there is your heart…

Yes, you may have heard that the Federal Government in Canada have abruptly stopped funding any additional community based campaigns related to the One-Tonne Challenge, but that doesn’t mean it was all for not.

Indeed, there is even an April Bulletin online, and the website is still being updated. (As of mid-April 2006.)

There’s even a whole new batch of animated tips to check out. (Yes, they are a bit fluffy, but what the heck…)

Also, the Personal Vehicles Initiative site is still going strong. There you can find a wealth of information on the emissions and fuel consumption of all new vehicles sold in Canada.

Even though the One-Tonne Challenge will fade away, the message went out, and now it’s time for those who received it to do something. Indeed, the people have the power. Our choices are important.

The graphics on my car are due to be removed soon, but I have a few more appearances to make yet. A group of smart car owners will be going to Bellingham, WA and beyond on April 29th. Twenty cars have signed up thus far for this enthusiast rally. I will also be taking the car to the Fingerling Festival in Port Moody, BC on May 6th.

I am also hoping to organize another cross border event in May with The Green Car Company.

Also - I am set to mail out copies of the ‘Better Air - Better Abbotsford’ publication that was produced at the end of the year long community campaign here at home. The people I visited during the 100 MPG Challenge will receive copies. The 24 page, newspaper size printing includes many of the submissions to the ‘Better Air Contest’ done by students all across Abbotsford, and a recap of the many events we had in the community. If you would like a copy - please contact me by e-mail.

Yes, it is true, I put the car on eBay. Not that I entirely expect it will sell… but I have contemplated replacing it with the convertible model. This may happen yet.

Thanks for checking in. I’ll be back soon with a some more from the autoshow.