Drove a Smart ForTwo yesterday

[daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tracysbeans @ Jun 16 2007, 03:35 PM) [snapback]463140[/snapback]</div>

No she drives WAY to much to use an electric car. Otherwise she would want that NEV Escalade!
[/b]

More than 45 miles a day??? Whew!

[tracysbeans]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 16 2007, 08:41 PM) [snapback]463211[/snapback]</div>

More than 45 miles a day??? Whew!
[/b]

Yes she does!

[NoMoShocks]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Jun 16 2007, 08:50 AM) [snapback]462986[/snapback]</div>

The Smart Car makes a lots of sense for people that live in urban areas and have to park on the street. I do agree that it should get better mileage for the size.

Modern diesels are light years ahead of the Semis, old M-B's and VW rabbits that you're comparing them too.

I see no reason for someone to buy a Prius if they primarily drive by themselves, it is just too big of a car. It's a nice family car but is HUGE for single occupant commuter.
[/b]

Actually, I have never been bothered by semis, because they have pipes to direct their exhuast way up in the air until it has a chance to dicipate some. And I cannot remember ever being bugged by a deisel Rabbit. A friend of mine and I took one on a ski trip when I was in college.

The ones that bug me are the full sized pickup trucks that have their exhaust down low so that when I pull up behind them at stop lights, it is directed right into my car. Also, the drivers of these trucks tend to pull right up to the door of a building and idle their trucks for long periods of time so that you have to walk through their exhaust to get in and out of the building. I have been told by some that there is no reason to leave a modern deisel running. I had been told back in the seventies that they had problems re-starting when warmed up. I guess the owners just leave them running now to send a message, look at me, I have a deisel. Doesn't is smell nice?

[SW03ES]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tracysbeans @ Jun 15 2007, 08:38 PM) [snapback]462722[/snapback]</div>

So what are they going to sell for here in the US? I'm looking for a cheaper car for my daughter.
[/b]

No offense, but I would NEVER buy a Smart for my kids. I'd be extremely concerned about safety.

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SW03ES @ Jun 17 2007, 02:19 PM) [snapback]463565[/snapback]</div>

No offense, but I would NEVER buy a Smart for my kids. I'd be extremely concerned about safety.
[/b]

They are pretty safe though. You will die (from the g-forces) before the car crushes/collapses. Fifth Gear did a 70mph head-on crash experiment to a piece of concrete. Search Youtube for the video

[JSH]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NoMoShocks @ Jun 17 2007, 04:37 AM) [snapback]463369[/snapback]</div>

Actually, I have never been bothered by semis, because they have pipes to direct their exhuast way up in the air until it has a chance to dicipate some. And I cannot remember ever being bugged by a deisel Rabbit. A friend of mine and I took one on a ski trip when I was in college.

The ones that bug me are the full sized pickup trucks that have their exhaust down low so that when I pull up behind them at stop lights, it is directed right into my car. Also, the drivers of these trucks tend to pull right up to the door of a building and idle their trucks for long periods of time so that you have to walk through their exhaust to get in and out of the building. I have been told by some that there is no reason to leave a modern deisel running. I had been told back in the seventies that they had problems re-starting when warmed up. I guess the owners just leave them running now to send a message, look at me, I have a deisel. Doesn't is smell nice?
[/b]

There is no reason to leave a modern diesel running. My Jetta will start reliably when it is minus 10 F so either no one told them or they are still doing what they have always been doing. Same reason that people still change their oil every 3000 miles instead of by the service schedule. It bothers me though. The other day a guy in a F350 was fueling up and left his truck running for the whole time that he pumped and went in to pay. Why? Isn't he afraid someone might steal his $50K truck he left running?

[rudiger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Jun 16 2007, 11:50 AM) [snapback]462986[/snapback]</div>

The Smart Car makes a lots of sense for people that live in urban areas and have to park on the street.[/b]

For a roughly equivalent amount, I still think I'd rather go for a Yaris 3-door in that environment.

However, were the ForTwo able to undercut the price of the Yaris by a grand or two, the choice might not be quite so clear.

[daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Jun 19 2007, 07:13 AM) [snapback]464628[/snapback]</div>

... The other day a guy in a F350 was fueling up and left his truck running for the whole time that he pumped and went in to pay. Why? Isn't he afraid someone might steal his $50K truck he left running?
[/b]

Maybe he was hoping someone would. Then he'd be rid of the stinking thing. He could collect on the insurance and buy a Prius and have cash left over.

[priusenvy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jun 17 2007, 03:13 PM) [snapback]463590[/snapback]</div>

They are pretty safe though. You will die (from the g-forces) before the car crushes/collapses. Fifth Gear did a 70mph head-on crash experiment to a piece of concrete. Search Youtube for the video
[/b]

Not much crushable structure there. Less crushable structure == higher peak deceleration in a crash.

[scoot]

I also drove the Smart as part of the road show. My impressions of the car were a little different from those of the original poster. Here's what I thought:

1. Seating was extremely comfortable, particularly on driver's side. I'm 6' 4". There is more leg room for the driver than for the passenger.

2. The transmission is just different from what we are used to. It's a manual transmission that is controlled with an automatic mechnism that operates a clutch (yes, a real clutch) and does the shifting for you. So you can have it in automatic mode and it will shift somewhat abruptly, but less so if you lift your foot off the gas at anticipated shift times. I did not use it in manual shift mode but have heard that it works nicely like that. Given what the transmission is, I see no advantage of a conventional manual transmission over this transmission.

3. The cars shown were not US - configured models because they aren't ready. In general, it seemed very much like Smart is not quite ready to sell the cars. I don't think I would want one of the first ones off the line -- probably lots of little glitches to work out.

4. And now, the killer. Gas mileage. While not stated yet, they are saying "it will average 40 MPG using the new EPA rating methods". That's not much better than a Civic. It's a fair bit worse than a Prius or Civic Hybrid, both of which are much more car (and more money). This is a car that should be getting 60 MPG. If it only gets 40 then they have really missed the boat somewhere.

My partner and I have two cars and a pickup. A 2007 Prius, a 2002 MB Hatchback that will be sold within the next year, and a pickup that will be sold when we stop moving between two houses. I'm looking to replace the MB. My first choice would be a Smart (except for my MPG objection) because I don't need a larger car given that we have the Prius. My second choice would be a Civic coupe, but what I would really like is a Civic hatchback.

The suggestion of a Mini as an alternative to a Smart isn't really a fair comparison. Apples and oranges. Minis are comparitively expensive, NOT green (look at their emissions), and BMW cost/reliability of ownership. Granted, Smart is a wildcard in ownership costs.

The plan at this point is to sell the MB when I get the touch up paint done and drive the pickup until I find a suitable replacement car. By then, hopefully sell the pickup.

Oh one other Smart plus was that it claims to be highly recyclable and very green in production, not just in driving. That's a factor too.