Saw my first Smart today, well actually tonight. It was black & really filthy. From the back it didn't look that small. Then I pulled up beside it at a red light & I could tell in my peripheral vision that they were staring at me. I didn't want to stare back at them since they were staring so I didn't get much of a looksie at the side of it

 

The dealership where I bought my mini had a smart car dealership (Mercedes Benz) next door. When we passed by I saw them I thought they were quite ugly at least in my opinion. There is nothing like a MINI

 

i agree but it will be a great commute car with current gas prices..i put my $99 down and wait about 1 year for it..

 

is this what you saw: http://youtube.com/watch?v=oPQIizRp9ck&feature=related

 

I saw a Blue Smart Car two days ago. It appears to be about half as long as a Mini Cooper. Maybe smaller. I could be wrong, because I was not exactly close to it on the road.

CRasH180

 

I was behind the Smart for a bit & I was kind of surprised at the speed he was able to leave a redlight at. From all I have heard I expected his acceleration would have been much slower

 

The dealership where we bought my MINI at right next door to them is the Smart Car. I officially picked up my MINI one month ago today and he has 1,400 miles on him. When we picked him up he only had 6 miles on the odometer.

 

MINIs are actual CARS,

SMARTs are golf carts with plastic everything, body, roof and doors. Windows too probably!

What is funny is watching how the SMART driver looks at me driving the MINI. You can see he is having second thoughts about buying his golf cart and I heard the mpg isn't that great. On their website they have to figure them based on 2007 EPA rates to make them look better. Probably the USA EPA screws them up real good. I have seen the accident videos too, they're safe basically because the whole vehicle explodes like a plastic toy. One thing they might be good for is to tow behind your RV, probably would never even tell it's there, but don't try to back up with it on!

 

yhea.. but i thot there another one...

i test drive one but seem ok for short ride ...not for long distance

 

I got an email from Smart & the 2008 Smart cars are growing by over 7". Kinda defeats the point huh & I was shocked to see they need premium gas. I never knew that before.

 

Very interesting!!! It'll be good to get more info on this when available.

 

Well, they are Mercedes. I'm pretty sure.

There is one I see everyday running around up here. A dealership in Nashville sells them.

 

I discovered it when I clicked on the link in the email they sent. Here's they quote & the reference the MINI Cooper too...

The 2008 ForTwo is 7.7 inches longer than last years models and still 3 feet shorter than the Mini cooper.


click here to go there

 

i kinda of like them. i think i might put down the $99 reservation fee..

 

Thanks for that!! I wonder if, in real driving, the Smart exceeds the reported 34/40 mpg number....I exceed that by about 5 mpg on my Cooper!!

 

Before finding 'Cornelius', I actually test drove one in Indy. At the time I was driving a Silverado Extended cab pickup and needed to downsize. Well the Smart car was definitely a downsize. I really didn't have a problem with size - it was the transmission. If you let it shift itself, pretty rough. If you do it yourself, still pretty rough. Comuter on city streets - maybe but on the highway - not a chance!

At least IMHO

 

I was really looking to get a smart when I first heard of them. I could park the MINI & not rack up miles on it except for the weekend. My daily commute is only 9 miles & I normally stay off the Interstate but... then I hear the thing only get 40 MPG (estimated so MPG is probably even lower in actuality). That ended my thoughts on ever getting a smart car. That is really pathetic for such a small, 3 cylinder car. Now if I could ever get my hands on a non-US version that gets over 70-MPG I would be all over it

 

I know a company local to me that deals with MINI's and smarts. The Smarts often get 55mpg, and sometimes higher. I drove one, and it was pretty good, except I had to remember how to drive an auto.

I was tempted to get one for the daily commute, until I decided to go with an old Diesel that can be run partially on cooking oil.

 

Is that a US version of the smart getting 55MPG?

 

I wasnt aware that the US was having an engine any different from the 3-pot 700cc turbo engine we have here.

I know someone with a smart roadster, that has that same engine, who does a lot of motorway driving and his MPG is usually over 65MPG. The roadster is such a great looking car, if it didnt hold its value so well I would buy one myself.

 

Yes, apparently it's a Mitsubishi engine. My friend who has one here says he's averaging around 40 mpg, but maybe now that it's broken in it's doing better. I'll have to ask.

 

Thats a shame. The engines over here arent without their problems, but then again, if they go wrong you can but a recon engine for $1500 and it only takes a few hours to swap it over.

 

I don't mean to resurrect this thread, but I believe that he must be talking 55 British Imperial Gallons per mile... which is often a high number than our silly version of the gallon.

Why can't the US conform to the REST OF THE PLANET!?

 

I drove one... not bad but still like the mini...

 

I have seen a few Smarts over here in the last several months. I even considered getting one (for about 45 minutes).

I see tons of them when I am in Europe.

The mpg is 41 on the highway, which is OK but I would rather have a back seat.

I think they were primarily designed to be easy to park. In Germany you are allowed to pull them nose-up to the curb instead of paralell parking. Try that in anything else and you will get a love note from the Polizei!

They also make a four-door and a roadster, which is really cool.

The roadster is almost as cool as a MINI and comes in a convertible version.