Saw my first Smart Car Today!

[Drunkskunk]

well, they sure are neat looking golfcarts. I like them.
I see 3 of them fairly regularly. 2 here in town, a red and a black, and one on the highway during my commute, a blue one. I see that one maybe 2 days a week.

the thing that gets me is that i'm in a 6000 pound, 8 passanger, 350 horsepower 4X4 getting 18mpg during my commute, while they are in a shoebox, with enough room for a driver, a laptop bag, and maybe a cup of coffee, if they aren't to large, and inspite of the tiny size, light weight, and small engine, they are only able to double my milage, at 36. Thats best milage, and I doubt he gets that on the commute.

I also pass a family in a beat up maroon geo metro some mornings. I drove one of those for a while as a rental. the automatics were slugs with relitivly bad milage for the size, but the sticks (this one is, I can see down in the car from the 4X4) could get 54mpg. If I had to chose, I'd pick that beat up metro

 

[vanilla ice]

You and my wallet both.

 

[andys]

People are going crazy right now. How else can you explain them lining up to pay more than $6000 over sticker for a Smart car. I have seen people asking $20,000 for them in used condition on Craig's list. I'd be one thing if they were electric powered and had a 75MPH speed and 150 mile range

I have come to believe a lot of people are not very good at math. People will sell a late model car that gets 24 MPG at a big loss, and are willing to spend $20,000 on a $13,000 Smart (half)car to get 12 more mpg. Even if you drove 20,000 miles a year, your 24MPG car would use 833 gallons@4.25 gal=3540 The Smart car would use 555 gallons, or 277 less. You'd save about $1177. It would take over 17 years to make up the purchase price, not including the loss on the car you sold.

Of course, some people want to use less gas to give less money to the oil companies, or do their share at conservation. That I can understand, math or not.

 

[MarxNutz]

Yeah, the math doesn't bode well for the Smart car, and I've been considering the Geo Metro for a possible future conversion project, as well as those Japanese-made mini trucks. In the economic sense, I consider how much savings I would enjoy as a result of whatever vehicle I chose. If a new electric car can pay for itself in savings at the gas pump, then it would be worth the expenditure. I have to spend x number of dollars every week on gas, and to eliminate that cost completely would be great. But, the vehicle I buy (or build) must give me a certain range of performance and cost. Too bad the Phoenix Motorworks SUT is out of my price range, because it meets my needs in terms of performance. Ahhhh, someday, though...

 

[MarxNutz]

Okay, it had to happen eventually... Check out this Youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA7oADAI9lo&NR=1

 

[TPA]

I agree that cars sold for American use have too many impact standard for them to be fuel efficient....however diesel still holds much promise with the technology developing around them. Diesel is much more efficient.

A car to get more excited about is this one:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4219904.html

Volkswagen Polo.....diesel 60-70 mpg. A lot more promising.....and a little roomier.

 

[TylerDurden]

Polo:

[youtube]ad4fagTyaM4[/youtube]

 

[docnjoj]

Talk about a commercial in bad taste!
otherDoc

 

[MarxNutz]

I am impressed! And not just with the ad... lol... I told the wife about the Polo, and she is convinced she is going to buy one when they come to the States. She's always like the VW brand anyways. Even if it got 50 mpg, it's a helluva better than the so-called smart car. I think they really need to get the electric version over here before I would consider actually buying one.

 

[ngocthach1130]

I've alway loved Audi and VW. It's shameful but i've own a twin turbo Audi A6 2.7T. It's the sweetest ride ever. I'm also waiting for the VW Passat CC.

 

[MarxNutz]

Okay, it's officially a trend in these parts! I saw some woman driving a white with black trim smart fortwo car today. So that's two so far. I just wish I could see some NEVs or el choppers or something purely electric! I know there's an electric VW pickup around, but haven't spotted it yet.

 

[TylerDurden]

I've alway loved Audi and VW.

88 Audi A90 350Kmi and counting
82 Diesel Vanagon 225Kmi and counting
82 Diesel Dasher 225Kmi and counting
81 Diesel PU 178Kmi and counting

Considering the resources needed to build a car, the long-life VolksAudis help save the planet; though they are not EVs.

 

[MarxNutz]

Okay, we're having a smartcar invasion! Since my last visit, I've seen up to a dozen more and a couple of people have reported seeing them too! It's like a rash of UFO sightings! I just wish we could get the electric version!