Life with Smart...3 months, 12000 miles later

My 82 Rabbit L with CIS injection (gas) did damn near 40 with me driving it like I stole it everywhere I went. Pathetic that 30 years of technology nets a car with the same or worse MPG.

The secretary at work has one and a friend and I had this discussion the other day.

"If I hit that thing with my truck (a 2500 4x4 x-cab long box diesel Ram) at full tilt, will it explode like Humungus's vehicle in the end of The Roadwarrior or would it bounce from side to side of the road like a pinball going "ding ding ding"

His vote was explode, my vote was ding.

In reply to JThw8:

Thank you for your prompt feedback. My main caveat with this car is the short warranty but since I won't be buying for likely another 1 to 2 years, I'll wait to see how it fares in Consumer Reports relaibility surveys. What data they have shows 1st year reliability is excellent but I'd want to see how it holds up in the long-term. I'm very taken with its shape and find a lot of what you say encouraging but I'm not a gearhead either and don't want to get stuck with a cheap car that needs expensive maintenance and repairs. It may be best also to see if Smart can hang on in the U.S. I'm astonished you drive so much on the highway at such a high speed for this car; that's not me. Like you, I'd insist on getting it at MSRP or less, otherwise I'd walk away. I'd also get a Pure with minimal options, otherwise I'd be in the realm of more substantial subcompacts. I really appreciate your feedback, JThw8.

I can't stop thinking that if you loaded your Smart car into the back of the F350 it would it would look like a four-wheeler in the back of a chevy S-10.

JeffHastings wrote: I'd also get a Pure with minimal options, otherwise I'd be in the realm of more substantial subcompacts. I really appreciate your feedback, JThw8.

Please dont confuse size with substance. One of the things I like most about this car is it doesnt have the feel of a small car or an econobox. It is a very substantial car, just not a very large one.

Nothing wrong with the Pure though, although Ive come to appreciate the extra options in my car. But whatever you do dont skip out on the A/C, these little buggers are like greenhouses and they really need the A/C in the summer.

JThw8 wrote: Or you can fab up a carrier for the rear using the 2 rear tow bolt areas, alot of people are making different carriers to mount to the bolt holes.

I had thought of that... are there any forums, or web retailers, where I can similar rear racks? The ability to carry a bike or two would be another pre-req (though that would obviously be on the outside, while the clubs I prefer to keep locked up).

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the civic. Everyone talks about the old VX or the CRX or something, but my wife's normal 4 speed automatic '05 LX sedan gets 40mpg on the highway, and it's a real normal sized car, not some miniature penalty box.

I think the smart is pretty cool as a city car where dealing with size is an issue. I think people miss the point when they get into fuel economy with them.

still kicking around the new comuter car idea, Maybe a del Sol? Or other tiny Honda from the past.

or what is that other car????

Minita ... minata... or somthin'

CrackMonkey wrote:

JThw8 wrote: Or you can fab up a carrier for the rear using the 2 rear tow bolt areas, alot of people are making different carriers to mount to the bolt holes.

I had thought of that... are there any forums, or web retailers, where I can similar rear racks? The ability to carry a bike or two would be another pre-req (though that would obviously be on the outside, while the clubs I prefer to keep locked up).

There is a retailer that sells a set of the special thread pitch bolts to fit those tiedowns if you want to fab your own, otherwise smart themselves sell an accessory carrier and many other companies are coming out with their own styles little by little. If you do a search over on the smart car of america forums you should see some good ideas.

In reply to JThw8: Oh yes, A/C is a MUST and I'd get the base radio/CD and the alarm and maybe also heated seats. I don't need power steering in a car this light. Still, I'm up to about $14K before an extended warranty which I'd ask about from the dealer, then add 7% NJ sales tax. It might top out at $15K which is about as much as I'd pay for a car this size. I'd like the panoramic roof but it's N/A on the Pure. The long-term viability of Smart in the U.S. is a BIG question mark so I'll have to see how Smart fares in the next 12 - 24 months before I'm ready to replace my '06 Mazda Tribute. I expect high gas prices to return when the economy picks up because the new Obama administration and the Democratic Congress isn't predisposed to expanding U.S. oil production which would help ease oil prices when the global economy improves. I'd look at other cars too but gas mileage will really be important because I got squeezed last summer with my AWD Tribute which gets only about 22 MPG when paying up to $3.92 per gallon.

In reply to JeffHastings:

I didnt know you were in NJ Jeff. Im down in south jersey, Mullica Hill. If you ever want to come take a drive in a "broken in" car to see how the trans feels just let me know.

The heated seats have been very nice in the cold weather lately. The base radio (or even the radio 10) is not much to speak of. The cars are prewired even without a radio so you can buy one without and go to one of the smart forums and usually find someone practically giving away a base radio after their upgrade. Just a thought.

The panorama roof is a cute option but 90% of the time I have the sunshade pulled shut anyway so its not a huge loss if you dont have it.

Honda Civic VXs in the early 90s got 50mpg with V-tec engines got 50 mpg even with my lead foot. Performance was comparable to a standard Civic You couldn't give them away off the dealership floor.

In reply to JThw8:

Thanks for the invite. We'll see, if and when I get serious about buying one of these. I fully expect $150./barrel oil to come back within 2-3 years so I'll keep it in mind while I use up my '06 Mazda Tribute in the interim. One of Smart's regional centers is in Cherry Hill; don't know far it is from you but it's a long way for me. I'd try to find out what more local dealers carry them and what support they offer. The 2-year warranty is a concern but good reliablity surveys in Consumer Reports would mitigate that. Anyway, thanks again for the offer; I'll keep it in mind. Later!

JeffHastings wrote: In reply to JThw8: Thanks for the invite. We'll see, if and when I get serious about buying one of these. I fully expect $150./barrel oil to come back within 2-3 years so I'll keep it in mind while I use up my '06 Mazda Tribute in the interim. One of Smart's regional centers is in Cherry Hill; don't know far it is from you but it's a long way for me. I'd try to find out what more local dealers carry them and what support they offer. The 2-year warranty is a concern but good reliablity surveys in Consumer Reports would mitigate that. Anyway, thanks again for the offer; I'll keep it in mind. Later!

Cherry Hill is where I go for service but I bought the car at the dealer in Edison (near my office) There is another dealer even further north in NJ but I dont remember the exact location. Those are the only 3 at this time in NJ.

Glad you like yours, but, IMO the Smart is a miserable little thing. Drove one long enough to know that it wasn't for me. Terrible, choppy ride, and equally poor performance. The only reason I could ever see owning one would be if I needed a tiny car to park in a tiny space. Perhaps if the MPG was in the range of 60+ it would be worth the other trade offs, but the mileage is not that great considering the MANY trade-offs. To me its a gimmick and any number of what I'd consider 'real" cars would be preferable(Civic, Focus, Mini, etc.)

I could be way off kilter here, but I think a part of the reason new cars tend to get equal or worse mileage than older models (in addition to the weight and aero issues mentioned) is due to emissions regs. I was under the impression that engines can run leaner than they usually do, but emissions actually get worse as the AF ratio gets farther from stoichiometric. Perhaps in years gone by, the engines were allowed to run leaner on fuel, because emissions regs were not as strict? Just throwin it out there. In Canada we had the diesel Smarts. They are pretty cool. I'd prefer one to the gassers.

In Canada we had the diesel Smarts

You should hear 'em straight piped with the boost cranked

In reply to JThw8:

I saw a convertible at the Norman Gale dealership in Cedar Knolls. It was pricey, though: $22K AFTER being reduced. Too much, though it was loaded.

In reply to forzav12:

Per JThw8, he gets mid 40's mileage, similar to a Prius Hybrid; I suspect mileage improves from the EPA 33 city/41 highway rating after the ForTwo is broken in. Your point about the tradeoff's is well taken but I don't ask for a lot. If insurance isn't exhorbitant I'd consider it for the MPGs without dealing with Hybrid costs. As long as my commute isn't mainly on the open highway, I could likely get by with one of these.

Curious how many miles you got on it now and how's the ownership going?