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Hatchbacks Smart Car Smart Fortwo
491 messages, Last post on Oct 07, 2009 at 6:46 AM
You are in the Smart Car Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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I've always said that there should be one person cars as I am usually the only one in my car, and notice that many others are too on their way to and fro.So, I've been waiting for the Smart to get here. I didn't get the power steering and its just fine without it. I took it to the mountains for the weekend, it was a little sluggish uphill, but didn't bother me at all, I was able to drive the same way I always do on this route. It was a very comfortable ride. At first the no cruise control bothered me, then I found a comfortable angle for my foot to stay on the accelerator and it was fine. The weather was mild so I'm not sure I can vouch for it not getting blown around, but I didn't notice anything so far with that. There was plenty of cargo room for my friends and my stuff in the back. I live in the city and street park at home and work. My quality of life is so much better now that I don't have to wait for spots right in front of my home anymore (I can always count on someone to leave a big enough gap for me to get into, which used to aggravate me because it was usually someone taking up two spaces) I wanted the shortest possible car I could find. This is the perfect car for me. |
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Replying to: johnxyz (Nov 11, 2008 9:02 am) |
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For everyone's information, this "car" is still ranked dead last for safety in the latest informedforlife.org car safety rankings of 2009 cars with a score of 162. It is in the "worst 10%" for 2009. You may think this is a great gadget but if the informedforlife.org's data is correct, and I have no reason to believe it is not, don't run into anything or be run into or you may find yourself re-thinking your position . . . . http://www.informedforlife.org/demos/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/1MasterSCOREr.pdf |
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Replying to: priggly (Nov 21, 2008 1:11 am) For everyones information informedforlife.org uses very questionable methods for determining safety ratings as was discussed here before. See post # 345 and 348. Tell me priggly how in the world can informed for life use two sources that say car 'A' is safer than car 'B' and come up with car 'B' is safer than car 'A'? |
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Replying to: priggly (Nov 21, 2008 1:11 am) There is no alternative yet if a truly small car is what you want. There is no alternative yet if you don't constantly want to be driving around a back seat and a lot of sheet metal you never use. There is no alternative if the economical car you prefer to drive is one that sticks out, gets reactions and makes you smile when you look at it. It's amazing to me that people come here to bash the smart or try to save the poor fools that consider buying.it. What is that?? If you are not a smart buyer or admirer, you won't ever get why anyone would be smitten with it. Anyone who compares a Versa or an Aveo to a smart is certainly not speaking to the smart buyer. Nothing wrong with a Versa, but where does it this end? Shouldn't the Versa buyer consider a midsize for greater safety? Shouldn't the midsize buyer consider a fullsize? Shouldn't the fullsize sedan buyer get an SUV instead? Maybe we should all drive the same size vehicles, and Harleys and other cycles be banned? Maybe vehicles with less than 6 airbags should be crushed now? The smart fills a niche. It is not a niche you want to be in. Fine. Even if all your safety claims are true, that is not going to dissuade people for whom the smart appeals any more than safety claims are going to get Harley riders off their hogs. |
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Everyone gets passionate about the cars they like, but how many times are we going to hear, "This is the FUTURE"? A good product is going to fulfill the needs and wants of the consumer. The smart simply doesn't fulfill the needs of a large portion of the car buying public. Yes, I could use the smart for a lot of my day to day transportation, but certainly not all of it, so I have to make a choice as I can't afford to buy multiple vehicles to perform different jobs. Maybe it would help to hear what a smart fan thinks the niche of the smart is. Because right now the only smarts I've seen on the road fit the pattern that I've seen over and over with many vehicles... It's new, it's different, and *I* have the latest fad vehicle.
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Replying to: pf_flyer (Nov 21, 2008 6:36 am) An example of good friends of mine... They are building a green sustainable house jumping through regulation hoops in order to get grants to cover a portion of the costs. They live in a small town and drive a smart not only for the mileage, but because it uses fewer resources to build a whole car. They have just ordered a second one. They are the kind of people who couldn't care less what others think of what they drive. Another friend, a developer, drives his (probably his fourth or fifth vehicle) has it for fun drives between job sites. I don't know what the smart niche is either. I don't think there is any homogenous group that goes after it. Rather, it is a niche vehicle because of its very specialized nature. The actual reasons people choose a very low volume vehicle (relatively speaking) will be about as varied as the number of buyers. Sure, there are people who will buy it because it is cute. As well as other reasons. |
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Replying to: priggly (Nov 21, 2008 1:11 am)
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Replying to: joshuag (Nov 21, 2008 11:14 am) |
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Replying to: pf_flyer (Nov 21, 2008 6:36 am) The reality of it is is the Smart does indeed fulfill the needs of a large portion of the car buying public, especially those with multiple cars in the household. Tell me how many two (or more) car families have one car that doesn't really need a back seat? When our kids were little there was no reason that either me or the wife couldn't have been driving a car like the Smart. Sure we needed a car with more room and a back seat but we didn't need two of them. Next time you commute to work look around and see how many cars only have one occupant. Please do not confuse what people think they need with what the actually need. |
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