Thinking about getting a Smart Car
- Thread starter syn
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I drive a lot so want to cut down on gas. I also want an easier time parallel parking ... sigh.
Syn
Syn
Ok. And I am a girl and think the car is cute. Especially with the roof removed.
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Syn
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Sheik said:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/ca...ageIndex=1&resultIndex=2&searchTerm=smart car
I highlighted this from the blog...The risk of small cars
While the ForTwo performed well overall in the tests by these two organizations, the risk of death is high in crashes of smaller, lighter vehicles. "For vehicles 1-3 years old during 2006," reports IIHS, "minicars experienced 106 driver deaths per million registered vehicles compared with 69 driver deaths in large cars."
That is why I drive a full size truck. My life is more important than fuel economy.
Today I was at the mall and I parked my truck behind a four door Honda Fit.
I was thinking the exact same thing as I was standing back looking at my truck and that Honda Fit and how little substance was behind the rear seat of the Fit. Two feet? If that.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/1st_Honda_Fit.jpg/800px-1st_Honda_Fit.jpg
I was thinking the exact same thing as I was standing back looking at my truck and that Honda Fit and how little substance was behind the rear seat of the Fit. Two feet? If that.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/1st_Honda_Fit.jpg/800px-1st_Honda_Fit.jpg
mac said:
I rather like the smart car - but I'm more interested in how a car behaves from an engineering point-of-view (does it do what it is supposed to efficiently and effectively) than if its a "babe magnet" which smart cars just aren't
But I have to agree they are pricey (I wonder what they work out to per pound). If they were priced they way they look like they should be priced - down around the $10k-$12k mark - there would probably be packs of them on the streets of Toronto.
High price.
Practically no cargo space, except for maybe a few groceries.
The almost total lack of cargo space is what disturbs me.
I would hate to rent a U-Haul every time the urge hits me to go to Ikea.
I could probably get used to it, but unless the car is significantly cheaper than other cars, I'll pass for now.
Practically no cargo space, except for maybe a few groceries.
The almost total lack of cargo space is what disturbs me.
I would hate to rent a U-Haul every time the urge hits me to go to Ikea.
I could probably get used to it, but unless the car is significantly cheaper than other cars, I'll pass for now.
I have one.....its a great car, winter driving is good too. Great on gas, someithingi like 5.2 to 6 l per 100 k
On the highway its another story. Way to slow to merge into traffice, espically if you are more used to a bigger engine with more passing power.
Top speed without worry is about 120 ish. Does not feel safe going any faster. Which is about another 10k anyway. Fun - Yes... Expensive, maybe, I bought it used from a friend for 10k. He wasn't too keen about being seen in one. And to tell you the truth neither am I. So its been parked for a few months now. I drive it now and then but only if my other cars are being service or if I am going to an event downtown, like the car show or something like that.
On the highway its another story. Way to slow to merge into traffice, espically if you are more used to a bigger engine with more passing power.
Top speed without worry is about 120 ish. Does not feel safe going any faster. Which is about another 10k anyway. Fun - Yes... Expensive, maybe, I bought it used from a friend for 10k. He wasn't too keen about being seen in one. And to tell you the truth neither am I. So its been parked for a few months now. I drive it now and then but only if my other cars are being service or if I am going to an event downtown, like the car show or something like that.
oh my gawd...
...you guys are a bunch of fear mongers. Did you look at the statistic? 106 deaths per MILLION vs 69 deaths per MILLION. This makes the difference between a small car and a large car about 30 deaths per MILLION! This is a negligible statistic.
One can truthfully say that full size big trucks/vans/SUV are statistically 30% safer, but look at the incidence of death, it is a fraction of a million...not significant at all.
Think about it, the chances of getting an STD during the high risk activity practised by the board members here is much much higher, but no one squawks about that.
I am astounded that the attitude about big cars being safer than little cars is so pervasive, I thought that intelligent people would know better.
As far as a great small car goes, the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris hatchback are much better vehicles and consume just a little but more gas than the Smart Car statistically, but in real world savings, you would hardly notice.
On the other hand, if it is a style decision, then buy what you want. You do not need to justify your decision here.
...you guys are a bunch of fear mongers. Did you look at the statistic? 106 deaths per MILLION vs 69 deaths per MILLION. This makes the difference between a small car and a large car about 30 deaths per MILLION! This is a negligible statistic.
One can truthfully say that full size big trucks/vans/SUV are statistically 30% safer, but look at the incidence of death, it is a fraction of a million...not significant at all.
Think about it, the chances of getting an STD during the high risk activity practised by the board members here is much much higher, but no one squawks about that.
I am astounded that the attitude about big cars being safer than little cars is so pervasive, I thought that intelligent people would know better.
As far as a great small car goes, the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris hatchback are much better vehicles and consume just a little but more gas than the Smart Car statistically, but in real world savings, you would hardly notice.
On the other hand, if it is a style decision, then buy what you want. You do not need to justify your decision here.
Wouldn't a motorcycle be even more dangerous then?Sheik said:
I'd steer away from a Smart because it isn't as fuel efficient as a Yaris, Fit or Jetta but as far as safety they are fine.
Large cars and trucks are unsafe to those who get hit by them, shouldn't that be a consideration?
I had a buddy in England who had one....very economical on gas, relatively cheap to insure....he bought it for about GBP8,000 and sold it 3 years and 40,000 miles later for GBP6,000...not many cars will hold their value like that.
As long as you use it for what it is designed for you will have no problems...it is a city car, not a highway car....
As for safety, they are built to conform to German road safety standards - which are just about the most strict in the world...
How about crashing a Smart into a concrete wall at 70MPH? well....watch and see.... http://youtube.com/watch?v=wXnW_Me-w5w
BTW, the only car I saw that came close to holding its value like that I am still kicking myself for not buying......I could have picked up a brand new Mini in 2001 for about GBP12,000 and sold it 3 years and 30,000 miles later for GBP12,500.....bugger.... What did I do??... I went and bought a Subaru Impreza WRX for the same money (Not new...)....one hell of a car, and I had a lot of (relatively illegal) fun in it...but when I sold it I really could have done with GBP12k instead of 6..... Ah well...they say hindsight is 20/20
As long as you use it for what it is designed for you will have no problems...it is a city car, not a highway car....
As for safety, they are built to conform to German road safety standards - which are just about the most strict in the world...
How about crashing a Smart into a concrete wall at 70MPH? well....watch and see.... http://youtube.com/watch?v=wXnW_Me-w5w
BTW, the only car I saw that came close to holding its value like that I am still kicking myself for not buying......I could have picked up a brand new Mini in 2001 for about GBP12,000 and sold it 3 years and 30,000 miles later for GBP12,500.....bugger.... What did I do??... I went and bought a Subaru Impreza WRX for the same money (Not new...)....one hell of a car, and I had a lot of (relatively illegal) fun in it...but when I sold it I really could have done with GBP12k instead of 6..... Ah well...they say hindsight is 20/20
Actually there was an article a while ago that proved that a Hummer is more environmentally friendly than a Prius when you consider everything that goes into production of the car plus operating costs cradle to grave.
The "smart cars" are just plain stupid. I call them "stupid cars".
The "smart cars" are just plain stupid. I call them "stupid cars".
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