RJM2096
New member
Anyone ready to put down $99.00 to order Smart Car
http://www.smartusa.com/index.aspx
http://www.smartusa.com/index.aspx
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50 plus MPG
- Thread starter RJM2096
- Start date
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BUBBAZANETTI
Guest
saw one today on the walk home from work today. great idea for those that can get over the whole "my car defines me as a person" concept. if i needed a car, i'd be all for it, my last car (corolla) was too big anyway 
R
RIDERR1150GSADV
Guest
Great little car!! I wish they'd sell the diesel here too. Even with diesel being more expensive than premium gas, (wt... is up with that anyway??
) that 'little' diesel gets 70 MPG+....
A guy in Canada, where they do sell diesels, did 100 MPG going across Canada to prove a point..
If I didn't need my stupid truck, I'd drive a Smart myself.
) that 'little' diesel gets 70 MPG+....A guy in Canada, where they do sell diesels, did 100 MPG going across Canada to prove a point..
If I didn't need my stupid truck, I'd drive a Smart myself.
B
BobMielke
Guest
I actually sat in one in a Vancouver, BC dealership last year. Lots of room for my 300 pound body. In BC the Smart Cars are selling for around $8000. Ya can't match that in the US. I think I'll stick with my bike. It gets 50 mpg and is more fun. With the trunk & sidebags I have plenty of room to do my grocery shopping.
R
REM07adventure
Guest
Smart test drive
Last year in May, I saw a Smart at the local Buick/Saab dealer. I inquired about it and was told that the dealership had bought it to put it out front as an "attention grabber". It obviously worked because there I was. Ok, here's the hows: about a dozen of them were brought in as "grey market" cars, not unlike what was somewhat common in the '80's. These Smarts were brought up to Federal requirements and put up for sale. Are you sitting down? The asking price was $24K!
I drove the car to get an idea of what it would be like and whether to consider one in the future when here officially and obviously at a much reduced cost.
So what's it like to drive? For something so small outside, it's incredibly roomy inside for two adults. There is no back seat: directly behind the seats is the engine bulkhead. The car is grossly under-powered. It will keep up with urban traffic fairly well but there is no real reserve. It can achieve highway speeds but takes a while to achieve 55 to 65 mph to allow a safe entry into traffic. The handling and braking is quite good.
The engine is quite small (700cc three cylinder I believe). There is the afore-mentioned diesel version which we probably won't see, at least at first. I would certainly want to drive the diesel before committing to an order. Is it worth it? I had an '82 VW Rabbit diesel (normally aspirated) which delivered 54mpg consistently that had slightly better performance and would seat four people comfortably. It seems to me that the Smart, regardless of of gas or diesel power, should deliver greater fuel mileage, in the 50's at least given the latest VW Golf/Rabbit/Jetta offerings. If you can get by with 37mpg highway mileage, the Mercedes E 320 diesel is on offer, albeit at greater cost.
BTW, there is some clever chap who put a Hyabusa engine in his Smart... you can see it on You Tube.
Last year in May, I saw a Smart at the local Buick/Saab dealer. I inquired about it and was told that the dealership had bought it to put it out front as an "attention grabber". It obviously worked because there I was. Ok, here's the hows: about a dozen of them were brought in as "grey market" cars, not unlike what was somewhat common in the '80's. These Smarts were brought up to Federal requirements and put up for sale. Are you sitting down? The asking price was $24K!
I drove the car to get an idea of what it would be like and whether to consider one in the future when here officially and obviously at a much reduced cost.
So what's it like to drive? For something so small outside, it's incredibly roomy inside for two adults. There is no back seat: directly behind the seats is the engine bulkhead. The car is grossly under-powered. It will keep up with urban traffic fairly well but there is no real reserve. It can achieve highway speeds but takes a while to achieve 55 to 65 mph to allow a safe entry into traffic. The handling and braking is quite good.
The engine is quite small (700cc three cylinder I believe). There is the afore-mentioned diesel version which we probably won't see, at least at first. I would certainly want to drive the diesel before committing to an order. Is it worth it? I had an '82 VW Rabbit diesel (normally aspirated) which delivered 54mpg consistently that had slightly better performance and would seat four people comfortably. It seems to me that the Smart, regardless of of gas or diesel power, should deliver greater fuel mileage, in the 50's at least given the latest VW Golf/Rabbit/Jetta offerings. If you can get by with 37mpg highway mileage, the Mercedes E 320 diesel is on offer, albeit at greater cost.
BTW, there is some clever chap who put a Hyabusa engine in his Smart... you can see it on You Tube.
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billpierce
Guest
I get 50 mpg with my TDI bug and it seats 4 easy
I don't get it. Seats two, parks almost anywhere, has very little storage space, gets 41 mpg (2008 EPA hwy estimate).
Sounds like my R1150R which seats two, parks anywhere, has a bit less storage space, gets 45 mpg (hwy actual). Oh, yeah, it does 0-60 in around 4s, tops out somewhere north of 120mph, and is a blast in the twisties.
No thanks, I'll take the bike.
Sounds like my R1150R which seats two, parks anywhere, has a bit less storage space, gets 45 mpg (hwy actual). Oh, yeah, it does 0-60 in around 4s, tops out somewhere north of 120mph, and is a blast in the twisties.
No thanks, I'll take the bike.
R
RIDERR1150GSADV
Guest
OfficerImpersonator
Seattle-area Rounder
I love seeing them parked in on-street parking spaces, parked perpendicular to the direction of traffic. You can back two of them into a space in which you'd ordinarily parallel park one "conventional" vehicle.
I'd be interested in the diesel model, since it gets twice the mileage of my motorcycle I won't pay $30,000 for one, though, which is the current street price for a fully "Americanized" SmartCar here in the Seattle area.
I'd be interested in the diesel model, since it gets twice the mileage of my motorcycle
I won't pay $30,000 for one, though, which is the current street price for a fully "Americanized" SmartCar here in the Seattle area.
tourunigo
New member
... I like them but will wait for this model http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h8KdtuBBLM&feature=related -Bob
5
535IS
Guest
Probably not a lot wetter ... he has an RS.Yeah, but you get wet in the rain....
Ha ha ha! So very true with the airhead RS.
Nothing better for weather protection. I do get wet when on the beakster.
P
Peter_Krynicki
Guest
I just got back from 10 days in Paris and these are everywhere, these and several C1's which look even stranger to me. In addition to the gas mileage I think people have them for parking as there is none in Paris. It seems to be OK to back into a space and try to make it a little larger by pushing the car behind a bit. Then do the same for the one in front.
One afternoon we took a nice walk up the Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triomphe, then a little beyond to the Avenue des Grandes Armees. Why? To see the sights? Nah. Two blocks up is where the Ducati of Paris dearler is, and across the street is the BMW of Paris dealership. Both stores are very nice, two-level affairs with a lot of bikes and alot of clothing and helmets to look at. The BMW store also has a nice R27 or some-such single-cylindar job behind glass. I took a buch of photos and will post them sometime this week.
Pjk
One afternoon we took a nice walk up the Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triomphe, then a little beyond to the Avenue des Grandes Armees. Why? To see the sights? Nah. Two blocks up is where the Ducati of Paris dearler is, and across the street is the BMW of Paris dealership. Both stores are very nice, two-level affairs with a lot of bikes and alot of clothing and helmets to look at. The BMW store also has a nice R27 or some-such single-cylindar job behind glass. I took a buch of photos and will post them sometime this week.
Pjk
bullit7801
Can't Grow It?? Mow it!!
Midwest/West Interstates
My wife is very interested in the Smart as a concept. I keep telling her that she would be VERY disappointed with its performance. It is a city car ONLY. Easy to park, pretty good on gas, but you suffer for it. The short wheel base give a choppy ride on the hiway.
Out here in the upper great plains, the interstate speed limit is 75 MPH. The Smart is not desighed for these roads and would be dangerous at 10 MPH below the limit.
My wife has a lead foot in her Volvo 850 Turbo. After a test drive, she would never buy one.
tb
My wife is very interested in the Smart as a concept. I keep telling her that she would be VERY disappointed with its performance. It is a city car ONLY. Easy to park, pretty good on gas, but you suffer for it. The short wheel base give a choppy ride on the hiway.
Out here in the upper great plains, the interstate speed limit is 75 MPH. The Smart is not desighed for these roads and would be dangerous at 10 MPH below the limit.
My wife has a lead foot in her Volvo 850 Turbo. After a test drive, she would never buy one.
tb
WEZUL
Cage Rattler
I want the Hyabusa-powered version just to be able to cut those bitchin' half-sideways donuts.
Bear in mind with the 'Busa mod you lose the passenger seat, which is now occupied . . . . by the engine!
LENRT1200ST
New member
Tell that to the idiot who was running around in one near Blairsville in the North Gorgia mountains, this last weekend! It's the first one I've seen on the roads over here on this side of the big pond!
Len
kbasa
Well-known member
Yeah, but you get wet in the rain....
And fall down in the snow.
You can carry four or five bags of groceries home. You can take your dog to the vet. You can buy potting soil at Home Depot without bringing it home two bags at a time.
I can see the benefit of such a vehicle. 90% of what Tina and I do with a car could be accomplished easily with a Smart.
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