Anybody have a Smart Car?

[PatrioticStabilist]

I test drove one and think they are neat.  Does anyone have one for a toad?  My husband says they are useless.  I'm just curious, of course you can't get 3 people in them.  Can you haul them on all 4's, need a tow deal.  I doubt I get one but I think they are so cute.  Yeah I know, no criteria for buying a vehicle. He wanted a little Ford Ranger if we get something, I showed him the prices on older ones and he though they were to much.  Just tossing ideas around, just in case.

 

[seilerbird]

What is a "car"? I don't understand the term ;D

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Smart Car = http://www.smartusa.com/

 

[PancakeBill]

Smart car,  kind of like army intelligence. 

Be aware, a Ford Ranger can only be hauled 4 down if manual or manually engaged 4wd.  Get a Dakota 4wd automatic.  Seems I have seen Smartcars being towed 4 down, but would not swear to it.  Check Remco website, they have it all there.  BTW, from about 1989 the Dakota 4wd automatic can be towed.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

Funny Seilerbird

What is a "car"? I don't understand the term

 

[PancakeBill]

There you go, encouraging him. 

 

[obelix67]

the smartcars I see here are normally 4 up on a smart trailer

 

[JHarpJ]

Consumer Reports magazine rates them as a poor transportation choice.
Jim

 

[carson]

Here is negative opinion: Saw my first Smart Car the other day in our small town.

  I'd rather drive a go-cart than that thing; at least I'll be able to jump off in an impending crash. 

Carson FL

 

[Len and Jo]

They are "cute".  Might be good for SHORT trips around town.  On the other hand the fuel economy appears to be poor when factoring in the size of the car.  Also its cargo capacity is very small, couldn't hold more then $150 of groceries...two bags :

 

[hoddinron]

No, I don't have one.  I also think they're cute.  Too bad they require premium "hi-test" fuel, and only get 33 MPG around town.

My 2000 Honda Civic get's 35 MPG around town, only needs regular gas, can easily seat 4 people, and cost me $5000 two years ago!  I guess it's a "Genius Car." 

A few years ago (before they were imported into the US) I saw one at the Tampa Super RV Show...in the back of a motorhome / toy hauler!!

Micro cars are a-comin' but Americans will only buy them when gas hits $5.00 / gallon.

Ron

 

[carson]

At least when a micro-car hits your monster, the damage will be small.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

We had seen them in Paris a few years back, I thought they were the cutest little things.  They wedged them in their tiny parking spaces over there.  I've read they have a frame around them like a race car, its a BMW product.

I enjoyed driving it, but kind of awkward with 3 of us.  I am just checking out prices just in case.  I have seen Ford Fusions and other cars about 2001 with not a ton of miles pretty cheap. We just don't really need another vehicle.  Hubby said his Ford F-150 would tow nicely.  I'm not towing my Lincoln truck, it will stay home tucked in the garage.

But for now I'm going "towless", we will try it this way for awhile and see how it goes.  If I'm careful shopping for food I should only have to unhook to go to different sights we want to see.  Also if we decide to move on afterward, well we are already to just go.

 

[glfredrick]

I'm not really convinced that the smar cars are all that smart, especially when a Chevy Cobalt outperforms it in almost every category for less money.  The base model (about $12K) doesn't even have air conditioning.  Chevy is offering a $4000 rebate right now.

 

[Tom]

[quote author=carson]... the damage will be small.[/quote]

Only to the damage to the monster. The damage to the micro-car will likely be extensive 

 

[2KViggen]

there are several in my home town & I do not get them. They do look unique but like others stated they are really small & impractical especially considering they only get low 30's in the mpg area.  Should be 50+ easily since it's so small/compact!!

If I was getting something that small it would have to be fun, miata or something like that.......

I do think there is a market for cars that size, they just need to sip fuel.... like throw a VW TDi engine in there, probably get 60-70mpg

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

i think, if I hit one of them with my coach built of steel and 42,000 pounds, it would feel like a bug on the windshield.  I did see one of those whiz past me on the freeway. I was doing 60 and no telling what the smart car was doing.

 

[hoddinron]

We also had one pass us on I-90 heading east a couple of years ago. 


I have seen that there is an all electric "plug-in" model on the way.  That will be the real "smart" part of the car with an equivalent MPG (in electric recharge cost) of 200 MPG. :

Ron

 

[Tom]

If you haven't seen them, check out the photos of forum members Terry and Liliane Nathan's Euro coach with a built-in garage for the Smart Car. They no longer have this coach or the car.

 

[Marc L]

If you haven't seen them, check out the photos of forum members Terry and Liliane Nathan's Euro coach with a built-in garage for the Smart Car. They no longer have this coach or the car.

Technically, it's not a toad if it's parked in a garage inside the RV.  From the photos, looks like you need to get in and out of the car from the rear hatch.