Is anyone impressed by these 'smart' cars?

[mustngr]

Anything currently sold in the third world will outperform this thing.

India has 75 hp diesel Swifts, (w/ABS, airbags, etc.) for example.

I see a lot of buyer's remorse once the new wears off. A step in the right direction (particularly if yer a meter maid).

As stated earlier, this is a car fo someone whose life is spent in a congested city, in which case it's actually OVERPOWERED.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

I don't see the problem with it...OK, if it had a manual instead of an automatic, if it had a diesel, etc. But it doesn't. If they sell enough, AND THEY CAN MAKE A PROFIT ON THEM!, you might see some of these things. If I were looking to buy a new car, I'd look pretty hard at these...99% of the time I am the only person in my car...my wife is only comfortable in the Cadillac.

When the Chevette first came out, my friends and I bagged on it a lot. A dozen years later, I bought one, used, and put another 150k miles on it. Only car I've sold in the last 30 years that still ran. When the Chevy Sprint first came out, my dad tried to talk me into buying one. I didn't think they would last as long as the payments...now I am driving a Geo Metro and realizing that my dad had a good idea after all. How many of the people bagging on the Smart now will be wondering why they didn't buy one 20 years from now?

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

I don't see the problem with it...OK, if it had a manual instead of an automatic, if it had a diesel, etc. But it doesn't. If they sell enough, AND THEY CAN MAKE A PROFIT ON THEM!, you might see some of these things. If I were looking to buy a new car, I'd look pretty hard at these...99% of the time I am the only person in my car...my wife is only comfortable in the Cadillac.

When the Chevette first came out, my friends and I bagged on it a lot. A dozen years later, I bought one, used, and put another 150k miles on it. Only car I've sold in the last 30 years that still ran. When the Chevy Sprint first came out, my dad tried to talk me into buying one. I didn't think they would last as long as the payments...now I am driving a Geo Metro and realizing that my dad had a good idea after all. How many of the people bagging on the Smart now will be wondering why they didn't buy one 20 years from now?

heh, reason why most people bought a chevette was it was cheap and economical.


ehh still, i dont think in 10-20 years we will be all wanting one. it gets the same or less mpg than a 30+ year old chevette and a chevette weighs more and holds more

[Lug_Nut]

Originally Posted by Scott

For some reason in my head I believed that half a car should be half the price.

Would you be willing to accept half-comission on selling each one? Does the dealership pay half taxes on the showroom building? Half an ignition key and two tumbler lock? Half the wheel bearings? Does it need only half the importation paper forms and documents?
There are too many 'fixed' costs to allow pricing on a per-cubic-foot basis. And even at the 'suggested' price Diamler Benz is losing money on each one of the fortwo's. There was talk a year or two ago about dropping that model entirely.
(here's a link to an auto humor site with a twist based on the facts: http://www.sniffpetrol.com/issue072.html ).
The US market might be the last chance for this one.
Oh, the Dollar to Euro rate isn't helping much either.

[stevieteg]

I read up on the smart car a few months ago and I was very disappointed with the FE. I like the idea of having smaller cars on the road, but I wouldn't buy one. If they made some improvements in the mpg department, I would consider it though.

[white90crxhf]

my crx gets around 45 and actually looks good unlike that piece of ____.

Also i can put an 8ft step ladder in my crx, also a christmas tree...i bet that "smart" car can't.

[Mike T]

Testimonials about how one's own pickup or CRX does on the highway against the new EPA official ratings of the smart are humerous, especially on a site like this where people know better than to do that. How many members here are exceeding their cars' (new) EPA ratings?

Especially in the convertible version, the smart is a hoot and is totally unique. As a gas saving tool it's middle of the road, as a fun car to drive, it is the best for smiles per gallon.

Oh yeah and mine (diesel) gets over 60 US MPG, lifetime, without trying at all, on wide wheels and tires.

The diesel should be coming as a 2010 model.

[white90crxhf]

diesel has 11% more energy per gallon. Your 60mpg is equal to my 54. still impressive, but you have to drive that 'thing' they call a car.

[Mike T]

Curious comment from a CRX owner, which is a pretty strange-looking stumpy vehicle itself. The convertible top makes the smart a dream to drive.

[VetteOwner]

yes but the crx, much liek a chevette, is a hatch back. they defy the laws of physics in thre sense that they look tiny YET can fit an amazing ammount of people and crap in them.

i think what whitecrx is tryign to say is that for the same mpg you could have a car thats just as easy to drive, better looking (his opinion, i liek the crx better too tho :P ), and can carry around more stuff making it more versitale for everyday life.