The Smart Car is coming

[pdk]

Originally Posted by -mr. bill

No it's not. Your old '93 Nissan Sentra got, in adjusted MPG EPA2008, 25/35. Look it up on fueleconomy.gov.

The benchmark has been changed.

You completely missed my point. I was saying that *I* got 35 in my old, crappy, beat-up, not-well-maintained, then-13-year-old car that I didn't try to hypermile, regardless of what the EPA said. I imagine that the combined estimate is 37 or 38, which is what I'd likely get in a Smart if I used my Sentra driving habits (maybe 40). 2 to 5 MPG is just not that much to me.

Even just going by the EPA numbers, 6 to 8 MPG more in a much smaller car that's being hailed as amazingly efficient is, in my mind, pathetic. Show me 50 or 60 and then I'll be truly impressed.

[xcel]

Hi Pdk:

___I do not think anyone here is hailing it as amazingly efficient but for the masses, it is more efficient than any other vehicle available other then a Prius-II or HCH-II. Would I purchase a SMART Fortwo with its manumatic tranny over a Yaris with a stick? Not a chance but it certainly does attract attention no matter where it goes and it is a lot more fun to drive then either a Yaris or Fit.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[desdemona]

I think there is a niche market for this. I wouldn't count out parking. In some cities, parking is awful. Actually some of the parking ideas appeal to me as well. Park in some not quite licit parking place that has shade in the summer (or just will nicely let you face out, when nothing else is available). I could actually get in my barely one car garage without any trouble (and my barely one car driveway).

Another possible niche is people with RVs. You could park your RV and actually drive around in the Smart. It can be flat towed.

Another niche, single people. (I might say without dogs-- but there are lots of cat lovers :-)). I actually wonder if I could even have one. IF I get another dog, not sure there is any space in the back. :-)

Another niche, might be people who would like a really sharp little car that gets good gas mileage. Maybe it could be a heck of a lot better (I'd like to see it go solar!) But for just a little money, you get a car that turns heads and gets pretty nice gas mileage by non-hypermiler standards. (I'm sure a few hypermiler moves would help a lot.)

I think I have decided against it for the space reasons (in summer I have to do a good bit of hauling as well. I have my eye on a hatch.) But the parking issues are really significant-- and even for me they would help. But it is an appealing little car at a nice price tag. I'd be surprised if there aren't quite a few CleanMPG folks with a Smart.



--des

[Robert Lastick]

Originally Posted by -mr. bill

Estimated 33/41 (EPA 2008).

Let's see. What cars sold in the US that beat that. Toyota Prius. Honda Civic Hybrid.

So this is really really bad because?

(I wish people would quit pining about the dirty diesels that are *NOT* sold in this country. This place is called CleanMPG isn't it? Clean diesels are coming soon.)

-mr. bill

Hi Mr. Bill;

This is really really bad because at the rate gasoline prices are escalating many Americans driving a 33/41 MPG vehicle will still find themselves financially very hard pressed. Today many are loosing their homes due to a cost of living increase never before experienced in this country.

High tech diesels in Europe, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, are much cleaner than diesels used to be, and regularly achieve gas mileage in the 50 - 60 MPG range. I also hear they turn 0 - 60 in a little over 8.2 sec.

Being an old velocity addict from way back, I find myself "pining" for one of them suckers!!

Have a nice weekend!

Bob.

[Robert Lastick]

Originally Posted by pdk

You completely missed my point. I was saying that *I* got 35 in my old, crappy, beat-up, not-well-maintained, then-13-year-old car that I didn't try to hypermile, regardless of what the EPA said. I imagine that the combined estimate is 37 or 38, which is what I'd likely get in a Smart if I used my Sentra driving habits (maybe 40). 2 to 5 MPG is just not that much to me.

Even just going by the EPA numbers, 6 to 8 MPG more in a much smaller car that's being hailed as amazingly efficient is, in my mind, pathetic. Show me 50 or 60 and then I'll be truly impressed.

I agree, PDK! And Wayne is right, it's a nice little car that will get you HCH II MPG driving around the city, but for the mill and drive train there, it is defenitely not energy efficient.

Bob.

P.S. GOOD POINT, Des. The Smart might defenitely make a good towed vehicle, say behind an RV.

Have a nice weekend.

[vtec-e]

Originally Posted by Robert Lastick

High tech diesels in Europe, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, are much cleaner than diesels used to be, and regularly achieve gas mileage in the 50 - 60 MPG range. I also hear they turn 0 - 60 in a little over 8.2 sec.

Hi Bob,
I'm taking delivery of a diesel kia cee'd SW in the next few days. Does 4.3l/100k and emits 129g/km of CO2. Its 0-60 time however, is 11.5 sec.
I suppose i could get it chipped to improve that but then i wouldn't be hypermiling it!

ollie

[Harold]

Ollie, your mean!!! H

[WriConsult]

I agree with desdemona's point about parking. Smaller cars have a distinct advantage within the city limits of Portland. The Smart has no advantage downtown, since the on-street parking spots are delineated with paint stripes and even an F-250 Crew Cab will fit. But everywhere else within the city, on-street parking is wide open and you can park in any space your car will fit into. Even a Golf or Civic will fit into a lot of spots that my Subaru will not.

In most parts of town this doesn't ultimately make a huge difference -- except in NW Portland, where fitting into a space that others can't could save you 4-6 blocks of walking. I would expect to see a number of Smart cars purchased this year by people who live in that part of town. I've already seen a few of the "grey market" Smarts on the road after a local dealer started importing them last year.

[desdemona]

We don't have much of a downtown, and I have parallel parked about twice since I moved here (nice because my parallel parking sucks big time). Still there are oh so many times when if my Corolla was just a hair smaller, I could have tucked under some tree in 90 degrees heat. Or I could have found a parking space a few blocks closer :-) to something.
Or I could have faced out (I think non-hypermilers like to do this, because I see a lot of people trying to do this), if it were just a little easier. Some parking lots are like those little crash car lots-- a Smart would be awfully appealing in such instances.

Maybe you all are better parkers than I am. But if I can fit my dog into this (with the idea that there was someone sitting in the seat...) But a clean diesel Smart or hybrid Smart, and maybe the dog stays at home! I wonder if it will have appeal with baby boomers or retiree who have maybe lost a little hand eye coordination (or never have gotten it), but want a cool looking/driving car.

Yes, I think it will sell here. I see *lots* of minis these days. I do wish both were much better FE cars than they are. I really think that Honda and Toyota (with the Fit and Yaris) did a better job of getting FE out of their car with more space and still at a relatively low price. I do think for the sort of driving that a LOT of people do that is nothing but the kind running around here and there-- grocery store, bank, work (under 5 miles, no highway), etc. This would get pretty good mpg.

BTW, I haven't seen any Smarts yet. But we are pretty far from the Canada border!

BTW, per se to nothing, who didn't love the scenes of the Smart in "The Da Vinci Code". LOL! the movie was generally lousy but the Smart car scenes were wonderful.



--des

[WriConsult]

Just saw a Smart driving up the next street yesterday, and park in front of a house 2 blocks away from me. Looks like we have one in the neighborhood now.