SMART cars in the US

I think that a little vacation up in the Great WHite North is in order. May still have waiting list but at elast you can see what they are like.

It is EMBARASSING when one of these little doodlebugs blows past your Volvo s40, and you're doing 120 KPH (65 MPH)

It fits two adults and briefcases (or picnic basket) comforatably. Really an inner-city or urban transport but I've seen a lot with corporate logos (courier and blueprint).

Check here:

the "Roadster" here: __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos'90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate"

The Smart is some time now over here in The Netherlands, the Smart four by four is made over here. I heard some bad things about the lifespan of the engine. It's value after a few years is also low. Think twice.

Funny handling when all the electronics kick in, same money buys a proper car

[snip]

They had some engine problems indeed, but as far as I know that was solved a couple of years ago already. The value after a few years is low but that is partly because they are fairly cheap to buy. In other words, depreciation is not really bad.

Marc (also from The Netherlands. Not a Smart owner/employee/shareholder by the way)

In 1987 I was motorcycling on the Autobahn, two-up (with pillion passenger) and camping grar on a BMW R75/6. We were doing about

75-80mph (120kph) in the #2 lane. In my mirror I saw a car overtaking us in the #1 lane. It was a VW rabbit GTI. As it went by I instinctively turned my head away and squinted a bit. it was probably going about 100mph (140kph) and it mst have been near redline becasue the motor sounded like it was about to puke pushrods and pistons all over the roadway.

Whay was I only doing 80mph? The bike had bad rings and that's about as fast as it would go without fouling the plugs.

__ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvos '90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate "Shelby" & "Kate"

When my daughter went to France about 5 years ago she reported there were SMART cars everywhere - parked, being towed, anything but driven.

Mike

I think they cost about as much as a "family" 6 cyl here in Australia. Like scooters which have virtually replaced mopeds, imported for about $400AUS & sell for $2000AUS... "if yer want economy it'll cost yer, mate".

I agree that, considering their size, they are not the cheapest of all cars. But overhere they are in no way to be compared to large saloons. But then again, large cars (or rather: all cars) are relatively expensive in Holland. Even better, apart from Denmark we're the most expensive country in Europe regarding cars.

What the hell? I though we Finns have that questionable honor to be on top of the most expensive country regarding cars ;) Taxes on cars are basically a punishment for owing a private vehicle :o)

Well, in Finland it may be a punishment for owning a vehicle, overhere it is just another way for our government to make big money :-( Car manufacturers even reduce the net price (without all taxes) of cars because otherwise (with all taxes) they would be too expensive and they would not sell any.

That "punishment" line was meant to be a sarcastic joke :) The truth is that drivers in Finland feel that way anyway.

The cheapest tax-free cars in Europe can be purchased in either Denmark or Finland. Believe me, I had to double check, since we have bought two new Volvo's through Finnish Diplomatic Sales over the last years...

torpainter, no speeding tickets yet.

The OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) target dangerous and high-speed drivers ahead of people who are "going with the flow", loike me

At the point where I got passed, the posted limit was 90KPH (54 MPH) but is a straight four-lane dividded highway well away from urban areas.

I've had a few cars howl past me doing at least 40-50 KPH (25-30 MPH) over what the flow of traffic is doing and weaving in and out without turn signals. Those are the guys that Sgt. Cam Wooley includes in his holiday-weekend reports, as well as the cars that are dangerously unsafe (holes in floorboards, things loose in the back of pickups, eating with both hands while steering with knees....)

I dunno, I've never paid more than $4000 for a car and I've certainly paid much less. There'll always be people who buy new cars regardless of their cost, so there'll always be a plentiful supply of good used cars.

[snip]

I know, I tend to react in a sarcastic way as well when it concerns taxes :-)

Then at least the people in Finland and in The Netherlands share some feelings :-)

[snip]

Here in the UK I've seen many broken down on the motorway.

I've also had the misfortune to drive one and it may just be that one (and my hate of them) but the automatic gear changes are diabloical - it tries changing gear then it seems as though it has to count to what gear it's in, the little man looks on the piece of paper...

Then again anything I can't use with enough space to move house withing a few trips (or a car where I can't turn the back into a temporary bed for the night. :) ) I'm not happy about. As well as being biased. :)

Well, yes, they are fuel efficient. However, I think that the car is a total compromise. If you can live with a motorcycle every day, then this car is for you.

Otherwise a Toyota Echo hatchback (not available in the US either), or the new Toyota Yaris (will be available in the US soon), would be a MUCH better alternative. The Yaris is a ULEV II compliant vehicle, makes the environmentalists happy (almost as good as a Prius). It is also MUCH more powerful.

The smart 0-60 is about 20 seconds, the Yaris?? well, at least the Echo Hatchback did it in less than 9 (somewhere around 8.5). Which is GREAT!! The Yaris has 2 less hp than the Echo, but the same engine (tuned to be ULEV II compliant).

I have a 760, and I love it. It is not fuel efficient, it does put out more smog than I would wish (compared to a small car, which is all I really need).... but it is a great driving car. I am so impressed with the durability. 290K kms and still going strong.

I WAS planning on buying a new car, but this thing just won't die. My choice was the Echo Hatch or the new Yaris. They are really good cars, bare bones basic, but both have cup holders (and my 760 doesn't!!, which is ok).

Cheers

That is my situation, too! We use the 760 for its hauling capacity and I commute with it, but if I were to choose a car now it wouldn't fit my needs well. I've been saying "when the turbo goes out, the car isn't worth it to me"... but I've been saying that for 5 years now. At 23xK miles it still has the original turbo and always gets me where I want to go (unless it gets stuck in slushy snow). Die, curse you, so I can get a shiny new car!

Mike