Is anyone impressed by these 'smart' cars?

[boxchain]

I like the idea of a Smart, but would I buy one? No. I think if I worked downtown instead of reverse commuting I would. I'd save more in parking than in gas though And I'd still keep a 'real car' for times when I would need the space/comfort/speed abilities.

I saw them all over Europe when I was there a few years ago, and they make more sense there, where you don't have a bunch of ignorant zombies talking on cellphones and yelling at their kids while driving their behemoth SUVs poorly, or drunk belligerent yahoos in jacked up dually pickups. The safety features are impressive, but I think it would take about a month before someone crunched into you and said 'how was I supposed to see you driving that little thing?' It's bad enough driving a Civic...

I'd like to see a hypermiler get ahold of one and see what kind of mileage could be coaxed out of it.

And, I'd get the Sport

[BumblingB]

EXACTLY!! YOU'VE sat in one!!!

Now....how many of the haters have sat/driven/rode in one? I'm sure there may be a onesy or twosy but most probably are say they are junk without having any real reason to back it up besides the 2008 EPA mileage ratings and the opinion (not fact) that they are ugly.

Try one first and then come back and say why you don't like it. When I drove the 451 for all of a few miles it was "buzzy", but really thats about it - the exhaust sound but it does grow on you. It whoops any one of my diesel cars in acceleration. As far as acceleration I'd compare it to my old Metro, not quite as quick as the Insight though. Those are the only two 3cyl cars I've owned that I can give an honest comparison to.

As stated below, it is supposed to be a low emission vehicle - my personal gut feeling is if that old 225 had the same extra emissions standards it wouldn't be pumping out those stellar 197X EPA 55mph no A/C closed course non-realistic MPG numbers.

Originally Posted by CaliberMan71

I have sat in them they are kind of roomy. They are a near zero emision car as well. Besides I was considering a motor cycle, but I can drive the SMART year round.

[BumblingB]

I used to hear the SAME EXACT thing when I was driving my Metro and Insight (geez now I'm sounding like a broken record talking about those two). Not a day didn't go by when somebody would do the "what if you got hit by a tractor trailer". I drove them for a few years and lived....... I'm not scared of small cars even though there are some SUV non-driving goofs out there that would slam into me the moment they run out of battery from talking on their cell too long.

I still think once people get their engines broke in, pump up the tires a few extra pounds and maybe a few other things, 50mpg is a more realistic mileage for an amateur hypermiler. Hardcore hypermilers....the sky is the limit.

Originally Posted by boxchain

.......... but I think it would take about a month before someone crunched into you and said 'how was I supposed to see you driving that little thing?' It's bad enough driving a Civic...

I'd like to see a hypermiler get ahold of one and see what kind of mileage could be coaxed out of it.

And, I'd get the Sport

[yellowtail3]

I'm disappointed in the MPG numbers for the fortwo. I don't think it offers the utility of a mid-90s Escort Wagon, and it gets about the same mpg.

no thanks, I'll keep the ol' wagon.... .

[boxchain]

Originally Posted by Wazabi Owner

I drove them for a few years and lived....... I'm not scared of small cars even though there are some SUV non-driving goofs out there that would slam into me the moment they run out of battery from talking on their cell too long.

I'm not scared of dying in a Smart (Mercedes safety systems!), I'm worried about someone ruining my shiny new car because it was below their horizon.

Originally Posted by Wazabi Owner

I still think once people get their engines broke in, pump up the tires a few extra pounds and maybe a few other things, 50mpg is a more realistic mileage for an amateur hypermiler. Hardcore hypermilers....the sky is the limit.

Agreed. If only it had a real manual..isn't it a sequential autoshift?

[Mike T]

SMG, but single clutch, so it shifts slowly, not like a BMW M3 or Maserati CambioCorsa.

The shifter makes it look as though it's an automatic, but it is not (which is obvious when driving it). Having said that, they have taken some pains to give the impression that it's an auto for the North American market, starting with the PRNDL shifter. The "P" position does have a gearbox detent to prevent roll-away, and (more worryingly) the car will creep forward with the car in drive and the brake pedal released (meaning it's kissing at the clutch lining). I like the European market shifter and its lack of "creep" function better.

The car sits as high as a "cute-ute" SUV like a RAV4, so not being seen is unlikely, unless Bubba is blind.

I would buy the 98 HP Brabus version in a second, so here's hoping they bring it over in 2009 or so. I would keep the 60+ MPG smart cdi that I have now too.

[white90crxhf]

my 18 year old car pollutes less, gets better mileage, can carry more, and looks 100times better.

i can't imagine the smart car doing any better when rear ended. I'd bet it would do worse, look how close you are to the back of the car.

[JanGeo]

Yeah you have to looks at the advantages that you NEED before you buy one. If you don't need a very small car then don't get it.

[Mike T]

Originally Posted by white90crxhf

my 18 year old car pollutes less, gets better mileage, can carry more, and looks 100times better.

i can't imagine the smart car doing any better when rear ended. I'd bet it would do worse, look how close you are to the back of the car.

Pollutes less? Prove it.

Looks better? I don't agree.

Gets better mileage? So how far have you driven one, to arrive at that conclusion?

Carries more? Probably, but why not buy a dually P/U if that's a major criterion.

Transport Canada has been testing new cars for rear end impacts (on a voluntary basis) for a decade or so, as until this year there was no impact standard by regulation.

Of all the cars they tested between 1997 and 2007, ONLY the smart fortwo (first generation version that I have) passed the test. ONLY the smart.

You can be an armchair engineer if you like, but if you don't know what specific measures Mercedes-Benz took in designing the car, its restraint systems, its crash management systems and the special steel-shelled seats that are in it, you will only look foolish when predicting that a rusty old Honda would do better

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by samandw

Utterly unimpressive.

Especially when a 1976 Plymouth Feather Duster got 24/36 with an ancient design I-6 and all the aerodynamics of a barn door.

http://www.valiant.org/duster.html

hahahah i dunno why i laughed at the barn door comment