[tweakmonkey]

He randomly buys a lot of cars and sells them, but this was a weird one. He put in a $100 deposit and filled out an order over a year ago, but never heard back. We all joked about the phantom Smart car, then one day he got a call saying "your Smart car has arrived!"... so we picked it up.

The thing is pretty crazy. It has an automated manual, which is like a sequential manual transmission that shifts itself. IE it has flippers and feels like a car with a clutch, but can shift itself (and it lets go of the gas between gears, even in auto... it's strange).

It's pretty fun to ride in, but I haven't driven it yet. You sit pretty high up, have great visibility, and parking's obviously not an issue. The car is relatively quick for what it is (about the same as other economy cars) and it gets 33/41 MPG advertised. It was pretty cheap - I think around $14,500-$15,000 before the tax/title stuff.

The thing about it is that it's bright ass yellow (looks great in person) and attracts tons of attention. The night he picked it up, there were at least 20 different girls staring as we drove by, smiling and fixated on the car. But it grabs stares from everyone... I've been in some pretty high end cars and they didn't attract nearly the attention of this. People were nearly crashing their cars, some took pics even. I should carry a camcorder next time we go somewhere in it so you can see what I mean.



Next to a relatively small Saab 9-3:








Edit just for an idea of its size:
Smart is 8.8 feet long
BMW 328 is 14.8 feet long
BMW 760 is 16.5 feet long
Hyundai Accent is 13.9 feet long
Honda Insight is 12.9 feet long
Mini Cooper (1960s) is 10 feet long
Mini Cooper (2000s) is 11.9 feet long
Toyota Sequoia is 18 feet long
Chevy Suburban is 18.2 feet long

[Daveyiv2k1]

I see those damn things all over the place here. For some reason they just make me angry to see. They are too small.

[OcTaNe91]

dude that would be an awsome "toy" car, you could weave in and out of traffic so easily because you have nothing to clip people with. how does the inside look?

[Jackalope]

not to bash your friends decision, but I get about the same gas mileage as that in my Fit. It cost about the same, but I have a backseat, and tons of cargo room.

but hey if he likes it, more power to him, at least it's interesting.

[MaesterB]

I too despise those cars. You see them all around city and have no idea why anyone in their right mind would buy one. Other than the fact that they are cheap on gas.

[tweakmonkey]

Originally Posted by Jackalope

not to bash your friends decision, but I get about the same gas mileage as that in my Fit. It cost about the same, but I have a backseat, and tons of cargo room.

but hey if he likes it, more power to him, at least it's interesting.

I think the main reason he bought it was because it was small and quirky which makes it fun to drive, especially nice in a city like this where you have to park in tight places. You can park this thing anywhere...

He's got another car so the 2-seater thing doesn't really matter to him, isn't married, has no kids/pets etc.. but it's a really different car than the Fit -- the seating configuration is just one difference. It's rear-engine, an automated manual, etc. The Honda does have a bit more power (I think 109 vs 70) but it weighs much more (2500 vs 1800vor something).

The EPA's estimates put the Fit at 27/34, the Smart at 33/41. The Fit also costs quite a bit more with these options (auto, alloy wheels, keyless entry/alarm, projector headlights).

Not bashing anyone's decisions - just pointing out that it's a really different car than a Fit.

[tweakmonkey]

Originally Posted by MaesterB

I too despise those cars. You see them all around city and have no idea why anyone in their right mind would buy one. Other than the fact that they are cheap on gas.

Gas is $4.59/gallon for 87 octane here! That's a pretty good reason in my book. But they're also TINY. We must be quite different... because I don't understand the appeal of big cars but small cars make a lot of sense to me. The smaller the better. Bring back the original Mini!!!

Originally Posted by Daveyiv2k1

I see those damn things all over the place here. For some reason they just make me angry to see. They are too small.

Angry?

[tweakmonkey]

Originally Posted by OcTaNe91

dude that would be an awsome "toy" car, you could weave in and out of traffic so easily because you have nothing to clip people with. how does the inside look?

Yeah it is kind of a toy. I think you could put 4 of these in my small 2 car garage if you parked them close enough together. I didn't unlock the car so I couldn't snap pictures of the interior, but check Google images or Ebay for some interior shots.

[MSP]

I really wanted to like the Smart Car, but I second Jackalope. For a car that small it should WAY better gas mileage. The "It" factor makes them interesting for now, but I'm not going to get hot and bothered until the gas mileage goes up or there is a diesel.

[tweakmonkey]

The diesels (in other countries) get great gas mileage (I think like 80!). It's all because the stupid EPA's nonsense laws... so diesel cars that get double the mileage aren't legal and they have to put some shit ass Mitsubishi motor in there.

The electric ones should be out in a couple years... but my roommate may end up doing a motor swap anyway. He's the mechanic at the shop here and can probably do anything he wants, but he talked about putting the GSXR Suzuki motor into it. Yeah the mileage might be the same (or even worse) but it'd have triple the current power. He ordered an exhaust for it and will probably install it tonight, plus he's got other stuff down the road including tuning and maybe a turbo. We'll see what the actual mileage is like. I read some people got 50 MPG from it as it stands though.

[SoulAssassin]

Originally Posted by MSP

I really wanted to like the Smart Car, but I second Jackalope. For a car that small it should WAY better gas mileage. The "It" factor makes them interesting for now, but I'm not going to get hot and bothered until the gas mileage goes up or there is a diesel.

Yeah I thought those were much better. The '05 civic I just got gets 42mpg for the past three tanks (mainly highway) but it's got great room for being so small.

[tweakmonkey]

People are gouging the hell out of the pricing on these on Craigslist on Ebay. You can get the basic Smart for about $11,500 MSRP without the fancy transmission, but you'd have to wait a year to pick it up since they are all sold. The basic ones are still going for like $16k+ on those sites.

[MSP]

When they release an electric or the 80mpg diesel sign me up. There's a station by my house that sells bio-diesel, so I've recently been lusting over those VW TDI cars. My buddy has a TDI New Beetle and the fucker gets 50mpg...

[tweakmonkey]

It's sad there aren't more diesels available in the USA. And no diesel hybrids! 50 MPG is good... the same as a Prius. Too bad diesel costs a shitload more here (25% extra).

[MSP]

Supposedly VW is bringing a bunch of diesels to the US, and I've heard rumors of a diesel hybrid (although I forget who the manufacturer is). Hell, even Honda is having diesel talk. It's just a stepping stone to electric, hydrogen, and fuel cells, but it beats the shit out of what we're doing now.

EDIT: It was VW.

Revealed: Volkswagen's 69.9-MPG Diesel Hybrid | Autopia from Wired.com

[OcTaNe91]

Originally Posted by MSP

Supposedly VW is bringing a bunch of diesels to the US, and I've heard rumors of a diesel hybrid (although I forget who the manufacturer is).

there is also the BMW X5 Diesel hybrid...concept unfortunately. not the poor mans car but its a step in the right direction

BMW X5 Vision Diesel Hybrid Concept - Auto Shows/Concept Debuts/2008 Geneva Auto Show - Auto Shows/Auto Shows/News/Car and Driver - Car And Driver

In the torque department, the X5 Vision is ahead of the 260-hp X5 3.0si, which makes 225 pound-feet at 2750 rpm. The turbo-diesel four delivers 295 pound-feet at 2000 rpm. The electric motor produces another 155 pound-feet. You can’t add them up, as the electric motor reaches its torque peak at a different rpm than the diesel. But this hybrid should definitely launch with zeal.

[sharky]

it's HUGE. Too big!!! Doesn't even fit inside the bangbus

[offroadin]

Yeah the diesel ones sold here get 80MPG. Buddy has one. Good on fuel, that about it though. 2 ppl and maybe a backpack, that's it.

[OcTaNe91]

i forgot to ask this earlier but did they stick with their original design of being able to remove the side panels (in this case the yellow thing's) so you can change the color of your car in the mater of a few minutes?

[Torx]

people are so wrapped up in typical american oversized GARBAGE.
everyone needs to realize this is the future, smaller is better and people need to get over it.

i want that and would proudly drive that anywhere.