Smart Car... .

[KimberlySky]

HA HAMy owner just came in and said Hey Kimmmie I wanta show you something... SO I walked outside and he had just bought a Smart Car & parked next to the Sky!

He got the yellow with the convert top.

The Sky LOOKS HUGE next to the smart car BUT the inside of the Smart Car is BIGGER than our Skys!

[LANDSCAPE]

I really don't see anything "smart" about that car.



Sure it uses gas by the thimble, but I can afford my gas and I'm a firm believer that if we would just lift all of the restrictions we have put on our own country producing energy we could let the OPEC members drink their oil.

When I look at that car from a safety standpoint it appears to me that the only front end crumple zone is where your ribs attach to your sternum, and I don't find that too appealling.

If I decide I want to drive my toaster oven I will modify it and post pics.

[TravisJames]

I actually went to the SmartCar dealership to check these out. IMHO, they look stooooooopid. As you said, the Sky looks like a stretch limo next to this thing. I really don't know how this thing is going to hold up in an accident. The forward crumple zone is your legs, the rear crumple zone is your seat back. Looks more like a SmartCoffin to me. The automatic shifter looked funny too. It goes; Park, Neutral, Drive. That's it, just three settings. Sticker price was around 15K. Considering a Honda Civic sedan starts at 15K, I don't know who would buy this pile.

[KimberlySky]

Originally Posted by LANDSCAPE

I really don't see anything "smart" about that car.



Sure it uses gas by the thimble, but I can afford my gas and I'm a firm

RANT AWAY THAT IS JUST IT! THIS GUY is a Multi-Millionaire and he & the other guys at the club all got together last year and said oh it would be so fun/cute to order them. He didn't get the dang car to save on gas or to help the environment he got it because that is what "they all did" that have their HUGE gas guzzling Escalades. It really makes me sad because there are people out there that could really use the cheaper car and save money on buying it along with saving money on the gas but these people gobbled them up just to say they have one in their garage!!!!!!!!

[lesderk]

I first got to see a Smart while in Holland 3 years ago. I was really taken with them then and researched when I got home and followed their arrival to the U.S. I thought then and more so now with our current energy problems that they had a good place here in the U. S. I was so impressed that you could put 2 Smart cars into one standard parking space. It was nice to see that they got the price closer to 10,000 by the time they arrived here instead of the proposed 15,000 at first. That gives U.S. buyers a bit more incentive to buy. If in all our large cities these cars could be used on the freeways, one could double the carry capacity of the road----a real good thing with all the over stuffed city freeways these days. I do think they missed the mark on one thing however. For the size of the car, and with todays current power plant technology, the mileage should have been significantly higher.

[KimberlySky]

They are fun to drive I have rented a few over the years overseas on Vacay's.

[Texas Red Line]

Originally Posted by LANDSCAPE

I really don't see anything "smart" about that car.


When I look at that car from a safety standpoint it appears to me that the only front end crumple zone is where your ribs attach to your sternum, and I don't find that too appealling.

Check this out

The Associated Press: Smart fortwo micro car receives top crash scores

[KimberlySky]

He's off tooling around town right now, but when he brings it back some day I'll get a picture of it next to Sinister.

[TravisJames]

Originally Posted by Texas Red Line

Check this out

The Associated Press: Smart fortwo micro car receives top crash scores

From said article:

"The tests, released Wednesday, show how well vehicles stack up against others of similar size and weight. The institute noted that the front-end test scores can't be compared across weight classes, meaning a small car that earns a good rating isn't considered safer than a large car that did not earn the highest rating."

"The institute's frontal crash test simulates a 40 mile per hour crash with a similar vehicle."

"Smart received the top score of five stars in side testing but the driver door unlatched during the test and opened. While it did not affect the vehicle's test score, government regulators said the incident required them to note a safety concern for the vehicle which will appear on window stickers at dealerships."

It looks like the front end collision test involved the SmartCar crashing into a car of similar weight and size. Not a probable real world scenario. If a SmartCar was to get in an accident, I think it's reasonable to assume the other car is going to be much larger. Therefore, the question still remains, how is this little box going to hold up when a gas guzzling SUV plows into the front of it.

I will point out that it does appear as if they did side impact tests with a larger size vehicle (article only says SUV). Although the car received a 5 star side impact rating, I really don't know how. It clearly says that the driver side door unlatched during impact and that the driver could be ejected from the vehicle. Why this doesn't lower the side impact rating is beyond me.

[ParrotHeadNation]

guy at the gym has one, their so dangerous looking, i wouldn't even wanna be in a fenderbender with one, it also seems like one of those cars you drive if you have low testosterone such as a Prius or a Fit or a Yaris, nof offense if anyone has them

[OPEL-GT]

The smart is a tough car. Canadian crash test against a large mercedes can be found here. The results are quite suprising

http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/mbccusto...vent_clips.cfm

Enjoy your new ride. Knowing its a safe vehicle

[marlboromike]

the smart car is built around a racing car's frame...so when u talk about safety, it is.

[lostcause]

Not impressed. For an Urkel car that has only 70hp and looks like it would do a somersault if you brake too hard, it should get MUCH more than 33/41 mpg. When they manage to get 70mpg out of it (which is what it should be able to get considering the 1980 honda civic got over 50mpg almost 30 years ago), then maybe it'll be worth looking at.

[Rick Tinley Park]

Anyone ever drive a motor cycle?? The Smart Car is a tank in comparison. Besides no one is talking about driivng on a super highway -- just around town.

[lostcause]

Originally Posted by Rick Tinley Park

Anyone ever drive a motor cycle?? The Smart Car is a tank in comparison. Besides no one is talking about driivng on a super highway -- just around town.

It doesn't matter where you drive it. It still gets relatively crappy mileage, has no horsepower, looks ridiculous, has no storage space considering it's not supposed to be a sportscar or roadster, etc..etc...

And comparing it to a motorcycle? Maybe to a scooter but pretty much any motorcycle has more than enough power.

This is basically a 15K - 20K$$$ scooter with crappier gas mileage.

[lostcause]

now THIS I could have fun with!!

Smart cars have been modified by Brabus of Germany, also to house motors from powerful Japanese sport motorcycles, such as the Suzuki Hayabusa 1352 cc inline four-cylinder (Smartuki being a notable example). These cars are known as "Diablos" ("Devils" in English). The most powerful models can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in less than 3.5 seconds.

[reedred]

Originally Posted by lostcause

now THIS I could have fun with!!

Smart cars have been modified by Brabus of Germany, also to house motors from powerful Japanese sport motorcycles, such as the Suzuki Hayabusa 1352 cc inline four-cylinder (Smartuki being a notable example). These cars are known as "Diablos" ("Devils" in English). The most powerful models can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in less than 3.5 seconds.

I was really disappointed when I test drove one- I was hoping for a lot more of a go-kart feel. An engine swap might well give me exactly what I was looking for. Hmmm...

[MidniteBlues]

Here ya go, youngest daughter emailed me this pic, this will handle accidents..

[dipolley]

Here is a link to the Smart Roadster


LSD Smart Roadster : Latest LSD 2007 2006 2005 Motoring Car News | LSD Smart Roadster Car Specs Wallpapers

[dipolley]

Originally Posted by LANDSCAPE

When I look at that car from a safety standpoint it appears to me that the only front end crumple zone is where your ribs attach to your sternum, and I don't find that too appealling.

Then you will love this

Smart car VS semi truck head on
Head on Fatal Crash: VW CroosFox Car Versus Truck