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westernviews · 02-28-2008, 04:08 AM

One way to take a smart car along with you. Saw it yesterday in South Texas.

wbrownrr · 02-28-2008, 09:28 AM

Great idea! Think I'll just throw one in the bed of my 1/2 ton for scooting around the campground.

Westfalia · 02-28-2008, 10:14 AM

I wonder how you get that off of there?

sander17 · 02-28-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westfalia

I wonder how you get that off of there?

Didn't your ever watch Speed Racer?
You just press the right button on the steering wheel and it jumps off!

bredlo · 05-15-2008, 10:36 AM

Believe it or not, those were just rated A+ by the highway safety commission, or crash test testers, or whatever that gov't group is.

Pretty cool, and gets better gas mileage than most hybrids!

FordTruck · 05-15-2008, 11:21 AM

I heard the same IIHS report. The caveat that the reported offered was that in a crash with a larger vehicle (ie: SUV, Pick-en-up truck) physics works and the Smart Car loses.

**Stefrobrts** · 05-15-2008, 11:23 AM

I think even a miata would qualify as 'a larger vehicle' to that little thing!

HiHoAgRV · 05-15-2008, 11:40 AM

I saw the exact same rig a couple of weeks back on I-20 in Mississippi. I didn't have a camera, thus no proof and I was sure NOBODY would believe me!

clancy_boy · 05-15-2008, 02:35 PM

Smart Cars have been in Europe for 5+ years or more. Accident safety ratings and stats have shown that they are safe. My family in Naples, Italy have one and think it's great. I would buy one here but there is a waiting list a mile long.

Physics aside, and there is no way of beating the laws of physics - these cars are safer than say a MGB, or a Yugo but I would think you would still lose with a F250 in a headon with a 18-wheeler - physics you know

.

bredlo · 05-15-2008, 02:41 PM

Actually we saw dozens of Smart cars 2000, during our honeymoon in Italy.

Should've brought a couple home with us in the carry-on luggage, I suppose.

Foiled Again · 05-15-2008, 03:53 PM

I checked with the local Smart Car dealership, and there's a one year waiting list for them.

They are kinda cute in an original VW Beetle sort of way, and very roomy for TWO. Or one person and two sacks of groceries.

Um. No. Don't think so. 41 MPG rating. Base model has no AC no radio. Here in VA air conditioning is not an OPTION.

Paula

Chuck · 05-15-2008, 04:07 PM

yeah, I don't get how these are all that "smart"...unless they're, like, wicked cheap, or something. seems that something that small oughtta be able to get better than 41mpg. Heck, I got only 3 less than that in our old Mazda protoge, without trying. (i.e. "driving conservatively"). It seated 5 adults comfortably, and you could put a weeks worth of groceries for those people in the trunk at the same time. AND it had a/c and a radio!

Westfalia · 05-15-2008, 04:13 PM

No offense, but I'm not sure most American's get it. Vehicles like the SMART are intended to be urban and inter city vehicles, not long distance commuter cars. Their extremely small size makes them perfect for tight parking spaces and low speed maneuvering (and collisions) and not much else.

Foiled Again · 05-15-2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck

yeah, I don't get how these are all that "smart"...unless they're, like, wicked cheap, or something. seems that something that small oughtta be able to get better than 41mpg. Heck, I got only 3 less than that in our old Mazda protoge, without trying. (i.e. "driving conservatively"). It seated 5 adults comfortably, and you could put a weeks worth of groceries for those people in the trunk at the same time. AND it had a/c and a radio!

Exactly what I thought. Wicked cheap? Well $10-$12K for a base to low end model, $15K nicely tricked out. Sort of Airstream cool... you get it or you don't. I think it's the next new status symbol, for economy cars. Supposedly you can take them on the Autoban in Germany.

Paula

ZoominC6 · 05-15-2008, 04:46 PM

The one year waiting list is pretty much correct from what we can tell. We've had our $99 refundable deposit down since last fall and were told that we could expect ours in Jan '09. We recently received notice asking us to confirm our options and letting us know that our car would be available at a dealership in Winston-Salem, NC but no delivery date as yet. We're looking forward to using this little unit around town but not on the major highways. We figure if we don't like it we can unload it in a hurry due to the long waiting list. We saw our first one near here just last week and it still had the paper dealer plates. We also took note on a email video that the thing has passed the highest crash test rate against a full sized Mercedes sedan. Hmmm. Not to certain I'd want to be the test dummy however. We're looking forward to the next step in the order process. Measuring the Smart Car and our Corvette we find they will park bumper to bumper in our garage. Smart!

HAPPY TRAILS

clancy_boy · 05-15-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westfalia

No offense, but I'm not sure most American's get it. Vehicles like the SMART are intended to be urban and inter city vehicles, not long distance commuter cars. Their extremely small size makes them perfect for tight parking spaces and low speed maneuvering (and collisions) and not much else.

You are so correct - these were designed to perpendicular park to the curb so that you can get 2 cars in a standard size parallel car slot. In Rome they have really had an impact on the shortage of parking where these cars get special days in the city over other cars on traffic reduction days.

On the highway or interstate - I would go with something larger - in the city I would really think I would give this car a good look.

I wonder if one was equipped with a Hensley could I tow a 27 CCD.....

richinny · 05-15-2008, 05:34 PM

i had a few thoughts (i know, it's shocking).

is mr. bean going to get one?

i remember a 1978 dodge colt getting 50 mpg on the highway.

we should be able to do a lot better by now!

ROBERT CROSS · 05-15-2008, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck

yeah, I don't get how these are all that "smart"...unless they're, like, wicked cheap, or something. seems that something that small oughtta be able to get better than 41mpg. Heck, I got only 3 less than that in our old Mazda protoge, without trying. (i.e. "driving conservatively"). It seated 5 adults comfortably, and you could put a weeks worth of groceries for those people in the trunk at the same time. AND it had a/c and a radio!

And I hear they need Hi-test also, 41mpg plus premium, Make sense?

Mexray · 05-15-2008, 07:30 PM

About crash testing...There's an interesting video on the web from Briton showing a Smart Car controlled by remote control hitting an angled concrete barrier at about 65 MPH....surprisingly, the car's RH door still opened...and the dummy behind he wheel was in one piece...but as the commentators pointed out - the car survived in good shape, but the driver would not survive the 65-0 speed change...our bodies are not built to take that kind of punishment!

Yes the car might survive a bad crash, but it's occupants probably won't in a high speed type event! It's not a slur on the Smart Car, but of any high speed crash in general.

We stopped by the Smart Car dealer in Sacto a couple of weeks after they opened...we had to really twist their arms to get them to open one up so we could look inside. They had about 8 sold units, and were keeping two for demo's on their lot. Their excuse for not letting us look at them was that there was a big waiting list, so why should we waste our time letting us look! Incredible! They didn't use those exact words, but that was their attitude! Talk about Snobs!

Some smart MoHo Mfg will probably make a model with a small garage for the Smart Car and include it with the rig! A perfect match, indeed!

lewster · 05-15-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mexray

About crash testing...There's an interesting video on the web from Briton showing a Smart Car controlled by remote control hitting an angled concrete barrier at about 65 MPH....surprisingly, the car's RH door still opened...and the dummy behind he wheel was in one piece...but as the commentators pointed out - the car survived in good shape, but the driver would not survive the 65-0 speed change...our bodies are not built to take that kind of punishment!

Yes the car might survive a bad crash, but it's occupants probably won't in a high speed type event! It's not a slur on the Smart Car, but of any high speed crash in general.

We stopped by the Smart Car dealer in Sacto a couple of weeks after they opened...we had to really twist their arms to get them to open one up so we could look inside. They had about 8 sold units, and were keeping two for demo's on their lot. Their excuse for not letting us look at them was that there was a big waiting list, so why should we waste our time letting us look! Incredible! They didn't use those exact words, but that was their attitude! Talk about Snobs!

Some smart MoHo Mfg will probably make a model with a small garage for the Smart Car and include it with the rig! A perfect match, indeed!

Already done!

IIRC, it's a Travel Supreme 450M with a rear garage where the diesel usually goes. It's built on a Freightliner mid-engine chassis and the 'garage' will acommodate a Mini Cooper, 2 motorcycles, a trike, or definitely a Smart.

Only problem with this scenario is that the manufacturer.....Travel Supreme, closed it's doors about a month ago.I've heard rumors that they are in the process of being bought by Jayco, but we'll see.