Smart Cars

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
They are cute but not very practical. No back seat, just sort of a platform. Would not do for me when I have large hampers of food to load and carry when delivering meals-on-wheels. I also hear that they aren't that safe. Any opinions?
 

I thought I would like to have one. I rarely go more than 20 miles in a weeks time. I would need just enough space for groceries. I admit I haven't researched it at all. The hubby drives when we go long distances. I think they are very pricey, aren't they?
 

My opinion -
Firstly the object of driving is to drive alive. So drive defensively. You've got to be situationally aware - "WTF does that driver think they're doing!??"
Secondly in a dispute between tens of tons of a semi and a ton-and-a-half car, which one do you really think is going to win.
Finally a Two-Four Smart car can get great milage and fit into small parking places.
So long as it fits your "self" whose opinion really makes a difference.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
 
I have thought about it but I'm not sure how they would be in the snow.

The other issue is that I live in an apartment and I would have no way to charge it at home. I wonder how much it costs to install and maintain the charging equipment in your own garage.

I'll wait for the self driving models, then I'm in!!!

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I've seen a couple of them on the streets in the past year, and thought to myself that I would be afraid to get on a major highway with one of those.
And what about insurance coverage?... It must be fairly high, because if you are involved in an accident, chances are that you are on the losing end.... unless the other vehicle is a bike.
 
A friend of mine who lives in Los Angeles had one for a while, but got rid of it because she didn't feel it would hold up over time with all the freeway driving she was doing. She bought a Toyota Prius instead. A couple of days ago I saw a guy in a motor home towing a Smart Car on a small trailer. That made some sense to me, a lightweight little "grocery getter" or for short trips while the RV is hooked up in the campground, that would help conserve gas in the MH over towing a heavier vehicle.
 
I think they're cute as a button, whenever I see one it makes me smile. But, I wouldn't want to own one too small to drive on the highways. When I was young I had a used VW Bug for awhile, and I didn't like the feel of driving that car at night on quiet dark roads or on the highway. Easy to park thought around town, so that was a plus.
 
The Fortwo Smart Car is made by a division of Daimler (Mercedes Benz). It gets so-so mileage on PREMIUM fuel, for a small light car. The new Hyundai Ioniq gets 51 mpg on regular and holds 4 people comfortably plus their luggage, compared to the Smart Car's 38 mpg. Handling is mediocre, ride is stiff and interior is noisy. Seats are widely held to be usable for no more than an hour before causing extreme discomfort.

It is cheap and very short, making it an ideal city car. However, considering most of the streets in our cities are in rotten shape, be prepared for a teeth-rattling suspension (longer wheelbases absorb uneven pavements better). It also accelerates like a half-dead mule, making it dicey on freeway entrances like the one nearest our home, where the slow lane is going 70 mph around a downhill blind curve!

Storage is very good but the liftover in the back is unusually high*. It is specifically intended to be only an urban-use car: fits small narrow parking spaces, maneuverable with a 22' turning radius.

Cost is between $15-20K, depending on trim level.

* If you have back issues, be careful about this. Lifting heavy objects in and out can be a problem.
 
Bonnie said:
I've seen a couple of them on the streets in the past year, and thought to myself that I would be afraid to get on a major highway with one of those.
And what about insurance coverage?... It must be fairly high, because if you are involved in an accident, chances are that you are on the losing end.... unless the other vehicle is a bike.
Click to expand...
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