ITSYBTSY Smart Car

[Uncle Larry]

Our friends went to Rome last year and said they saw a boatload of Smart cars there...perfect vehicles where parking is at a premium...IIRC the European versions could be had with a diesel...and I believe there is a Smart car racing series over there too.

As far as collisions with semi's....gimme a break, cut me some slack Jiyumm...I seriously doubt any of our so called macho/macha 4x4's with all of the fixin's would fare very well against a fully loaded 40 ton semi...some how a 6,000 lb truck vs an 80,000 lb vehicle doesn't sound like you're gonna walk away from a close encounter

I drive a '98 Dodge 1 ton dually diesel 4x4 with 4.10's and I can pretty much pull the cojones off of King Kong with it, but I know better than to pull in front of a speeding semi...JMVHO & YMMV

 

[venomballistics]

Our friends went to Rome last year and said they saw a boatload of Smart cars there...perfect vehicles where parking is at a premium...IIRC the European versions could be had with a diesel...and I believe there is a Smart car racing series over there too.

As far as collisions with semi's....gimme a break, cut me some slack Jiyumm...I seriously doubt any of our so called macho/macha 4x4's with all of the fixin's would fare very well against a fully loaded 40 ton semi...some how a 6,000 lb truck vs an 80,000 lb vehicle doesn't sound like you're gonna walk away from a close encounter

I drive a '98 Dodge 1 ton dually diesel 4x4 with 4.10's and I can pretty much pull the cojones off of King Kong with it, but I know better than to pull in front of a speeding semi...JMVHO & YMMV

Yes ... its just a simple math problem.
4X4's formula ... 80,000 goes into 6000 only once and there aint spit left over.
Smart car formula .... 80,000 goes into 1600 pounds only once and there isnt even forensic evidence to process

 

[Uncle Larry]

Yes ... its just a simple math problem.
4X4's formula ... 80,000 goes into 6000 only once and there aint spit left over.
Smart car formula .... 80,000 goes into 1600 pounds only once and there isnt even forensic evidence to process

Yep, and the results are still the same...dirtnap city

OTOH, 80,000 lbs of semi vs. 120 tons of locomotive and railcars...train wins...it's just a simple matter of physics/time space thing and a BA train

 

[Hermann]

I live in Germany and the SMART vehicles are everywhere. I know firsthand because I sometimes drive one - they are great moving around downtown - easy parking, fuel economy is great but not as ggood as one might think. They are OK going 70mph between villages, but on the Autobahn they are a pain to drive - uncomfy, loud and simply underpowered - not to forget the risk of being involved in an accident with a larger vehicle - I mean you will be crushed it this little plasic box.
I once hit a fox crossing the road and the rear(!) window fel out - of course the Smart was totaled by hitting a 20 pound fox at 50 mph! - Go figure..!

 

[NFrameFred]

I live in Germany and the SMART vehicles are everywhere. I know firsthand because I sometimes drive one - they are great moving around downtown - easy parking, fuel economy is great but not as ggood as one might think. They are OK going 70mph between villages, but on the Autobahn they are a pain to drive - uncomfy, loud and simply underpowered - not to forget the risk of being involved in an accident with a larger vehicle - I mean you will be crushed it this little plasic box.
I once hit a fox crossing the road and the rear(!) window fel out - of course the Smart was totaled by hitting a 20 pound fox at 50 mph! - Go figure..!

Maybe this will cool the jets of anyone here who was trying to convince us or themselves about how safe these things are . . . .

 

[Crazy K38]

maybe it's just me and my 'young mind' but I would rather drive a 69 Charger and get raped at the gas pump knowing there isn't many things I can't outrun or survive being hit by, than drive this ugly little ball of plastic with the equivelant of a wind up toy motor

 

[Folterung]

Maybe this will cool the jets of anyone here who was trying to convince us or themselves about how safe these things are . . . .

Of course, I base all my opinions and beliefs on what random people on the internet have to say. Thanks!

 

[NFrameFred]

Of course, I base all my opinions and beliefs on what random people on the internet have to say. Thanks!

I would think the opinion of someone who drives one would be at least as valuable as the opinion of someone trying to sell one, but to each his own . . . .

 

[smith revolver cop]

This pretty much says it all...

That's why I drive a Town Car... with an old Tahoe as my extra hauling-junk-around backup vehicle!

 

[smith revolver cop]

"As far as collisions with semi's....gimme a break, cut me some slack Jiyumm...I seriously doubt any of our so called macho/macha 4x4's with all of the fixin's would fare very well against a fully loaded 40 ton semi...some how a 6,000 lb truck vs an 80,000 lb vehicle doesn't sound like you're gonna walk away from a close encounter"

Actually, I've been there and done that... spent over a week in the hospital, and missed three months of work, but they did have to tow the semi away- when it climbed into the front seat with me, I knocked the tire off the rim! As long as I have the option, I'll be putting as much automobile between me and whatever is going to hit me. When they discontinue the Town Car, I'll just have to start buying used ones, until that supply dries up. Then, maybe I'll just but a semi tractor and drive it... the gubment doesn't seem to be talking about down-sizing them or making them get 39 mpg!

 

[nisamo]

Suzuki had a 3 cyl mini car back in the 80s. Seems like GM sold it and it was a decent runner. Honda civics used to get 40+ back in the early 80s and then the greenies came along and fixed things.

 

[venomballistics]

Suzuki had a 3 cyl mini car back in the 80s. Seems like GM sold it and it was a decent runner. Honda civics used to get 40+ back in the early 80s and then the greenies came along and fixed things.

GM sold it as the GEO Metro.
as I stated before .. these engines do not withstand the US driving environment

 

[elcruisr]

Has anybody noticed the lengthy warranty you get for your money? 2 years or 24000 miles. Tells me something...

 

[K.38]

I've seen a couple of these things around ours parts too. Don't know how they will handle the mountains and hills. I'm guessing going up the passes the bicycles will be passing them. They could be good town cars if the gas milage was high which it doesn't seem to be.

Thanks anyway I will stick with our Tacoma and Jeep for trips out of town and our old beater Chevy Prizm (Toyota Corolla) for a town car. When the Prizm was in its prime we could get 40+ MPG of it on the highway.

 

[Jerry N.]

In Detroit land, you do 75 minimum in the left lane on the e-way. Usually closer to 80. One of these things was keeping right up with traffic and all I could think is how insane it was for this car to be anywhere but the far right lane if on the express way at all. I can't imagine these cars being good for anything other than inter-city commuting.

 

[TAC]

The wheel base is too short, and will cause instability on the highway. When you do flip it, you'll probably roll for a quarter mile!

 

[bettis1]

This pretty much says it all...

I'll see your Smartcar and raise you two 18-wheelers.

I've got a feeling all of the stuff leaking out of that "efficient" vehicle isn't just battery acid.

Get the bag.

Bob

 

[JcMack]

Yaris/Aveo: Aren't they the same car and Korean? Small cars are O.K. as long as eveybody is driving one. I had a Chevy Cobalt for about a year and it got about 33-38 mpg on a reg basis. The car was a tin can piece of junk. It was about the smallest car I feel safe in on the highway. In the winter that car would get stuck in 6" of snow. What about snow? To maintain stability most of these mini/micro cars have very little ground clearance. I had a '72 TR6 that I didn't feel very comfortable on the highway with.