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Hatchbacks Smart Car Smart Fortwo
491 messages, Last post on Oct 07, 2009 at 6:46 AM
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Feb 29, 2008 3:52 pm) Doesn't anyone have one yet that can give legitimate feedback? I just got the call that my reserved car will be in this month. Ironically the same day I got the call was the first time I saw one on the road here that wasn't a ZAP version! |
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Replying to: stanwict (Mar 05, 2008 5:57 pm) I suggest you abandon your Smart plans. Wait a year for more in-depth ownership reviews. Is the vehicle practical to live with? Is it worth the real-world economy that is only 15-20 percent better than a Yaris or base Scion? Better yet, wait for some real-world crash results.
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Replying to: stanwict (Mar 05, 2008 5:57 pm) Scott |
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Replying to: stanwict (Mar 05, 2008 5:57 pm) As for the Smart I did take one on a pretty decent test drive, It handled well was pretty peppy (more so than I thought). Transmission in automatic mode wasn't so great but all problems vanished in manual mode. It was a fun car to drive nimble and more responsive that I would have thought. But while it rode well over smooth roads it did let you know when you hit a pot hole.
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Is the price of the SMART negotiable or is their sales model like Saturn where everyone pays the same MSRP? It's obvious that because the brand is new here in the US and demand may be greater than supply initially that it might be difficult to negotiate the purchase price. I haven't heard anything about their retail sales model... After all, even a Prius can be had at invoice now and they had a rebate on them this past summer. Has anyone who keeps comparing the SMART to a Yaris actually seriously looked at one or purchased it over a SMART? I tried a Yaris and I would take my previous 1995 Tercel over it any day. For just slightly more than a G you’re into a Corolla that is more car than the Yaris and nearly the same fuel economy. Unfortunately both are nasty looking. I’m more apt to buy a used low mileage car like a Civic than a Yaris or Fit.
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Mar 06, 2008 4:58 am) Good points on the smart. No long term data yet. But I suspect it will be pretty bullet-proof. |
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Replying to: stanwict (Mar 06, 2008 6:02 am) Right now I would say no because the sales forecast is for 20K units and they currently have 30K reservations. |
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Replying to: walterquint (Mar 06, 2008 4:25 am) |
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I test drove a Passion Coupe at Knauz Smart in Lake Bluff IL. The two demo Smarts were parked amongst new Chrysler 300s from the adjacent Chrysler dealership. The showroom reminded me a bit of Scion dealers, small with the few models on display. The handed me a key and let me take the car out on my own. Here are my impressions. The inside is airy and feels large, as described in the pro reviews. There are two gauges for the clock and rev counter in the Passion trim that sit on top in the middle of the dash, and don't look integrated, seems like an afterthought. Otherwise the cabin plastics and seat cloth seemed pleasant enough in a Hyundai sort of way. The radio / CD player was truly dreadful, only 2 speakers and the sound was popping and distorted even at lower volumes. But a trip to Best Buy can fix that. The ignition key is between the seats, Saab style. Firing up the car, I took off and tried some hard cornering. The car feels SUV tippy in hard cornering, which was a surprise, I thought the small size would translate into flatter cornering. The automated manual transmission was truly strange, there is a short delay between shifts, but its not that distracting, and I soon stopped noticing the shift delay. Acceleration was um, leisurely but also acceptable for a cheap car. Now with all that negativity out of the way, a few nice things. The optional clear carbonite roof was pleasant, full view overhead. The back clamshell seemed sturdy enough. The interior controls were intuitive and were you would expect them to be. The problem here is value. I could get a Hyundai Accent for alot less, with 4 seats, nearly the same mileage, a better warranty, and transmission choices...
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Replying to: chicagogiton (Mar 18, 2008 7:32 pm) As for comparing it with an Accent, that's apples and oranges. With an Accent, you cannot get things like automatic air conditioning, stability control, panoramic roof, auto shifting manual transmission, steering wheel paddle shifters (which by the way speed up the shifts), electronic brake force distribution, traction control heated seats, etc. Plus, even the Accent 2 door is over four feet longer than the smart, several hundred lbs heavier, and consequently gets less mpg. The Accent is a good car for what it is. But it is not a tiny urban runabout that is as easy to park as the smart, and it does not have a high level of equipment. The other factor, which could either be a plus or a minus depending on what you are looking for, is that no one sees an Accent, whereas the smart is fun to look at for both the owner and the traffic around it. Another thing about value, beyond the expensive stuff smart includes or provides optionally: the Accent's resale value will drop like a stone, whereas the smart will retain more value over time. Little cars with panache and relatively low overall sales (like the Mini Cooper) do tend to command more on resale. |
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