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Tramp
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 05:43 pm: | 
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So, who here's driven smartcars for any good mileage? |
Johnnylunchbox
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 06:11 pm: |
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Tramp, Sue's VW TDI when driven sanely can better 50 MPG. I'll call that a smartcar. |
Johnnylunchbox
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 06:12 pm: |
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My Isuzu? Well that's what I call a stupidcar. |
Xl1200r
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 06:34 pm: |
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I guess back on topic...
The only Smart Car I've had up-close experience with was at the NAIAS this past year.
I was very disappointed with the feel of the car - EVERYTHING was cheap plastic, parts were falling off it... just felt like a toy. |
Tramp
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 07:02 pm: |
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So, how many miles did you put on that example, again? |
Darthane
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 08:06 pm: |
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Heh...well, technically, the car only decelerated from 50 to 0...then ACCELERATED from 0 to 49. 
Decelerating from 50 to 0 when you step on your brakes is really not a problem. Decelerating from 50 to 0 when you run into a bridge abutment...well...that can be painful. The rate of deceleration is what causes the damage. |
U4euh
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 10:16 pm: |
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My mother-in-law just put a deposit on one yesterday. She wanted me to take the 'Demo' out for a drive to see what I thought about it.
First impression-which I didn't know, it is manufactured by Diamler Corp. Very small but kinda sporty in a weird way. The shifting is very hard to get used to. It is an automatic with auto-shift capabilities, BUT between each shift, you still have to let off the gas momentarily. The car is very nimble in city traffic, you sit very high in the car so visibility is excellent, sans the rear passenger pillion bar, and the convertible top when folded down. This virtually eliminates any use of the rear view mirror. The plastic body work can be inter-changed, uhm, like the XB series, so buying a different colored set of plastics can get you a different look! It is very well built inside, doesn't seem to be 'cheap' like some of the imports that I have sat in,could be the Diamler engineering. Really had a solid feel on the road. The 'Tridon' roll cage really seems logical when you look at the cut away model they have on the showroom floor.
The cons to me are the gas mileage vs the sticker price. 31 in the city/42 on the highway just doesn't impress me. Not when back in the late 80's, early 90's Honda made the HF models getting 50+ MPG. 15 years later the numbers should be better than they are today! At $17,495 for the Cabriolet model that she put a deposit on, I'd look for a used VW TD anyday, and have room for 2 more in the back seat.
Tramp ask how man miles did you put on it. About 40-45 miles, but I was impressed with the vehicle, no doubt, but again the gas mileage should be better than what they are getting. |
Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 11:36 pm: |
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City driving type fuel mileage is where the tiny vehicles will shine. It takes half the energy to accelerate half the mass all else being equal.
On the highway, the little boxy vehicles suffer due to poor aerodynamics, where being short in length is a major detriment. |
Reuel
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 02:35 am: |
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My Plymouth Horizon got 36 MPG with a simple carburetor swap, and it had a 4 banger, and I raced cars I had no business challenging, outaccelerating many more than I should have! That was a 1987 with fuel economy technology that was almost 50 years older than the car.
Discovery had that Future Cars show where it showed a race car doing mid 100s with a 4 banger diesel, getting something like 113 MPG.
I think something shady is going on. Not a conspiracy, just something shady by a whole lot of different organizations.  |
Tramp
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 06:04 am: |
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Some of those Horizons (and Omnis) had the 1.8 VW engine....
Speaking of which, the Scirocco, w/it's attendant aerodynamics, got excellent MPG.
MY Fiat 850 spider got motorcycle-esque MPG...
Until Nader got his mitts on them |
Bombardier
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 06:43 am: |
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Do not know about the US delivered model but the Australian ones actually get better mileage on the highway.
6.1 litres per 100km Urban
4.0 litres per 100km Highway
4.7 litres per 100km Combined |
Corporatemonkey
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 07:41 am: |
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A friend of mine got one of the first 2nd gen models in Seattle. His license plate reads DETHTRP (not joking)
I have put quite a few miles on it. Average fuel consumption has been a disappointing 30-34mpg.
Pros: I dig the polycarbonate clear roof
SUV like seating position
Engine sound (wind the little sucker up, and it sounds like an aircooled 911)
Low cost
Lots of interior room
Cons: Basic plastic interior (I can overlook this for the cheap purchase price)
Transmission, transmission, transmission... (the manumatic has to go... I want a CVT)
Overly eager auto climate control (too aggressive, loud)
Can't go anywhere without stupid people asking about the "electric car"
At first I really liked it, but as I have put miles on it, the novelty has worn off.
For the same money I would buy a little Scion and call it good... |
Tramp
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 07:59 am: |
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I thoroughly enjoyed driving a Smart during the Winter of '06-'07.
GREAT in snow, fun, outstanding fuel economy.
I note that some folks complain about the trans (It's much like the VW semi-auto of the Super Beetles) while bemoaning the MPG.
This is NOT meant to be a performance car.
it is exactly what a car was meant to be:
A Goddam box with a wheel at each corner for getting from A to B, cheaply.
If you want something else to "wind up" to sound like a "911", I'd suggest a 911...
or for the Fuel-efficiency-minded, a 912.
it's a cinch to pull the old 356 upright and pop a nice, built, brand-new 1.8 upright in
it's place |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 08:48 am: |
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Makes you appreciate the modern high performance economy emphasized cars (like the vee dub's with TDI or the Saab Turbos). Getting 24 MPG city, 33 MPG highway sounds a lot worse then the smart car, but you can put 5 people in one, and I have gotten 26 MPG on the Saab pulling a trailer with two bikes through the mountains. The TDI's probably do even better.
The smart cars probably make a lot of sense when you know they will spend most of their life in stop and go city traffic, and in places where it is hard to find a parking space. |
Xl1200r
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 09:10 am: |
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I have put quite a few miles on it. Average fuel consumption has been a disappointing 30-34mpg.
Well hell, I've seen 37mpg in my supercharged Chevy Cobalt SS, and I bet that's a LOT more fun to drive. |
Fester99
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 11:01 am: |
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Here is the smart car you really want.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi_CgGGDglY&feature =related |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 11:13 am: |
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Court,
That boxcar story is the stuff of my nightmares, but truly hilarious when its the other guy in such a predicament. That story may also give a whole new meaning to the old adage that "it's all downhill from here."
"I think I can"? |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 11:31 am: |
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Did your Smart have a small diesel in it, Trojan?
The US version has a gasoline engine in it that is only rated at 34MPG (hence my earlier comment regarding price/size versus efficiency).
Ours was the 600cc turbo petrol engine version, and mileage was always over 40mpg even under the harshest use. During 'normal' operation it was usually around 50mpg+ but could be made even more frugal with some forethought.
I can't imagine why they would rate it at 34mpg, unless they are measuring the Brabus version or the Smart Forfour (4 seat version, which is just a rebadged Mitsubishi anyway) rather than the original Fortwo coupe. |
Darthane
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 12:45 pm: |
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It's a different engine in the US. No turbo, 1L 3 cylinder.
...once again our overly restrictive standards force a superior engine to be shelved when an otherwise excellent vehicle crosses the pond.
I probably would have bought the new Saturn Astra (rebadged Opel) over my Mazda3 if they had left the damned diesel in it, but nooooo... |
Bads1
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 12:59 pm: |
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City driving type fuel mileage is where the tiny vehicles will shine. It takes half the energy to accelerate half the mass all else being equal.
On the highway, the little boxy vehicles suffer due to poor aerodynamics, where being short in length is a major detriment
These day though Blake people are driving farther for work so at 31 miles to the gallon that suck. You say Aerodynamics ?? I have the worst for that and its ugly to boot. I have a Honda Element (Toaster) It'll give me 27 or so HWY. It is all wheel drive to an extent. The way I see it,it's a wash. Many people spend more time out on the freeway these days and if its going to only give me 31 mpg for that much money I may as well have my toaster get 3 or 4 miles less but get way more for my money. |
Tramp
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 04:59 pm: |
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And you can, technically, get a motorcycle into the element (bars flipped down), so it serves dual purpose.
Please don't ask why I know this.... |
Bads1
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 08:20 pm: |
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I know this... seen this. It's ugly but to be honest its probably the most practical and functional car/truck on the planet. |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 08:33 pm: |
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I captured my first images of a Smart car parked perpendicular to the curb (now legal in Gotham) today. . . . by golly it fits and fits nicely. |
Corporatemonkey
| | Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2008 - 08:40 pm: |
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the most practical and functional car/truck on the planet.
I was sad to see mine go
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Court
| | Posted on Friday, August 01, 2008 - 11:14 am: |
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Per someone's request . . .
And a photo of our local club of neighbors who are joining the fuel price protest by switching to more fuel efficient cars. . .
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Greest_lightnin
| | Posted on Saturday, August 02, 2008 - 02:04 am: |
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Court.....You got a can opener big enough to get the minivan next to it out? Look at the shadows..... |
1313
| | Posted on Sunday, August 03, 2008 - 01:51 am: |
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Court,
You don't know how many times I saw Smart's parking like that in Berlin...
On a side note, I saw 2 of dem damn Smart cars in good old (Redneck) Eastern NC today!
1313 |
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