Saw my first Smart car...

[Chopper]

Well it's official. The Smart car has made its way to central Fla.. While it looks ok in a European (or Asian) urban setting, all I could think was, "You are out of your f*^#%@* mind." Neighborhoods here are all interconnected by 50mph (means everyone does 60 plus) flat straight four lanes. No stops or lights. The main roads are posted 65...78 will get you a ticket. Not the environment for a Smart...or a Prius. TDI's, the new Subaru oilers...Xa's,Yari on and on all get the same or much better mileage....are far more comfortable...and undoubtedly safer. Up close it even looks kind of crappy...like a bad Fiat. Like the folks in their Prius, that blast past me at lights....I shake my head in amazement, and wonder...."Why in the world did you buy THAT?" To me, the Smart looks pretty damn stupid.

[Ldub]

Not your most glowing recommendation ...can't imagine one of those "tin can roller skates" would fare well (more like farewell) in an altercation with anything larger than a bird.
Tangle with an 18-wheeler, notify next of kin.

[Chopper]

Not your most glowing recommendation ...can't imagine one of those "tin can roller skates" would fare well (more like farewell) in an altercation with anything larger than a bird.
Tangle with an 18-wheeler, notify next of kin.

Tangle with an Echo...notify next of kin

[CrnCnn]

I was downtown last night was stopped at a red light next to a Zap car. I dont know who got more heads turning...

[MSHardeman]

There are a couple of "Smart" Cars here in the Aspen Valley, but then again we're all granola crunching, save-the-planet, tree huggers out here. I think we might have more Prii per capita than anywhere else in the world and that little roller skate (read Smart Car) looks out of place. It's a pretty cool idea, but just like Chopper in Florida, everything is spread out around here and connected by highways where the legal speed limit is 70 mph. I can't imagine one of those things being very good at going up and down hair pin turn mountain passes in the winter with 40 ton (OK, that might be a little exageration) snow plows coming the other way.

[Scott Harness]

I wanted a smart car until I saw one in person.TINY death trap. They are just too small for american roads. Maybe if you just stayed on the side streets.I think the reason they look cheap is because the body panels basically snap on. You can make them look alot of different ways with different doors and t-tops,fender panels ect.

[cyronman]

I passed one last week on the freeway on my Ducati and felt safer! Colder, but safer.
It was like passing a meter-maid going 75.

[kodiak]

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Take a look at this. Not to bad.;eekr;

[Scott Harness]

WOW!, did way better than I thought it would. I wonder about side-impact?

[Chopper]

It's crashworthy....just not with me in it.

[rowhard]

Mercedes did a fine job designing the Smart car, and I would have one in a New York second if dealers in this country weren't asking for so much blue sky with them. I drove one in England in 2000 and it was a blast, but it is a city car, pure and simple.

[dietz99vcross]

Well I guess I am on the other side of the fence. I just got my e-mail saying mine will be here in less than two weeks. I figure the mileage improvement the smart car gets over the VX would save me about the same as the monthly payment on the Smart, and I could "save" my VX which already has 120,000 miles. Safety is actually very good for the vehicle. In a sick an twisted way the size helps for side impact as the wheelbase is so small the impacting vehicle will hit at least one of the wheels if not both rather than crush the passenger compartment alone. Now if you where to get t-boned by a Tahoe going 65 it doesn't really matter what size car you where in. As for comfort, I drove one in Detroit a while back and the seating arrangement is very comfortable, I am 6' 4" and it has more room for the driver and passenger than my VX, I took the rear seat out of the VX so it is also a 2 seater. Headroom was way better, besides I ordered the cabriolet. Having said all of that I was really disappointed in the mileage to performance ratio. If it got 50 mpg I could accept the ridiculously slow acceleration. At 40 mpg it needs more. I like that it is different as I like that my VX is different. But alas I have decided to say no to the smart, drive my VX for another 100,000 miles and just hope gas doesn't reach $5 a gallon. The only issue is I was really looking for a convertible to enjoy the sun, maybe I can get a sunroof installed with the money that would have covered the sales tax.

[etlsport]

i think they are kinda cool.. i could never drive one though.. at the philly auto show i saw a kid try to pop the hood... and tear the thing right off its (fabric) mounts without exerting too much force... living so close to the city i see 2-3 a week

[Joe_Black]

There's a handful here in my neck of the woods between Tampa and Orlando, the area Kermit Weeks has dubbed "Orlampa". Definitely a metro car and a few encounters around here with the rush of fruit and rock trucks will add their asphalt-imprint to those of the seasonal blue-hairs.

If the overseas diesels get here as planned starting end of '08 it'll be a whole new ball game, especially with the diesel hybrids like the 70MPG hybrid VW Jetta. I may pay about $.50 a gallon more for fuel than everyone else in the TDI Jetta, but who wouldn't to get 50+ MPG in a nicely appointed mid-size?

[Ldub]

here in my neck of the woods between Tampa and Orlando, the area Kermit Weeks has dubbed "Orlampa"

Call me crazy, but I prefer :"Tamplando"...go ahead, say it a few times...it grows on ya...