Have you seen those super small cars driving around?

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CCS

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I read up on them. They get 40 miles to the gallon, and cost $14,000. I think Honda Civics cost $16,000, and get 32 miles to the gallon. So why get the tiny car with no room inside, which is a death trap if you are hit by anyone?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20762104/

You know this is what Obama wants everyone to be driving. I doubt he'll be driving one though.


I went to the Fiat car website. They don't even say what the gas mileage of their cars are. Probably because it is worse than Honda.
 
ali777

ali777

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Smarts have been in the market for years. They are made by Mercedes, so there is a reputable company behind them, and that explains the price tag as well. As far as I know, the first generation of Smart cars had a poor safety record, but they have improved.

On the issue of economy, I wouldn't buy a Smart. There are lots of 1.3 and 1.4lt engines in Europe that are as good as Smart engine, if not better. They consume about 4lt per 100km, that should be 60+ miles per US gallon.

Check out WV Polo and their TDI engine range, Fiat 1.3 multijet engine, Peugeo-Citroen HDI engines, etc... The new Toyota IQ might be a hit as well, it's a car that got my attention.
 
patagonia

patagonia

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I drove a Smart around for a few days, you get allot of stares driving around the city.... :)

but yeah, around big trucks in fast traffic you get a little nervous about getting squashed... I think that for a typical old European city with small streets (Paris,London etc) they should be great..

ali, yeah the VW TDI`s are top notch...
 
cuebald

cuebald

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Been in Britain for years
but the 1.4TDI's have better MPG

the only advantage Smart cars have now is you can park them FACING the kerb = easy to find a parking space.
If I want a small vehicle to nip around a city on I'd buy a 125cc motorbike. Fortunately I live and work outside of a City :)
 
DoctorHouse

DoctorHouse

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These cars are perfect for all the short guys complaining in the other thread.
 
ali777

ali777

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DoctorHouse said:
These cars are perfect for all the short guys complaining in the other thread.
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Haha.... I'm not short :shakehead: ...

I don't drive at the moment, but I'm seriously considering getting one of the cars I've mentioned. VW Polo, Toyota IQ, Fiat 500 are bloody expensive for what they are, even Smarts are expensive. So, my next car is very likely to be a French car or Ford, they have pretty much identical engines anyway... I'm thinking anything that is affordable and has a 1.4HDI engine :dunno:. My research shows me those cars, includeing the running costs, are the most affordable cars around at the moment.

I was watching Mythbusters the other day, and I've noticed that VW is running an infomercial during the program, they must have paid a few bucks to the producers. Basically, VW are trying to convience you guys in the US that those small diesel cars aren't as bad as you think they are.
 
HughJass

HughJass

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bigsmart.jpg
 
Harie

Harie

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IMO they are sh*t buckets. Woopdedoo! They get 40mpg. :jackit: A VW Bug got 40mpg back in the 1960's and they had a back seat too. A VW Jetta TDI gets almost 50mpg on the highway and you won't die if you get hit by a kid on a bicycle.

If you want to go all tree-hugger MPG crazy, for the $$, buy a used Civic hybrid, Honda Insight, Toyota Prius or Jetta TDI and call it a day.

Even better yet, keep the vehicle you currently own, but learn to drive like a hypermiler. My truck usually got 16mpg mostly highway driving - but when I changed my driving habits, I started averaging between 19 and 20mpg.
 
chore boy

chore boy

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I wouldn't be caught dead riding around in a Smart car or any of those super-tiny models (Prius, etc.)... at 6'4", I'd look like a total homo in them. IMO, an Accord or Civic gets good enough MPG and I can't see myself owning anything smaller.
 
C

ClayShaw

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CCS said:
I read up on them. They get 40 miles to the gallon, and cost $14,000. I think Honda Civics cost $16,000, and get 32 miles to the gallon. So why get the tiny car with no room inside, which is a death trap if you are hit by anyone?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20762104/

You know this is what Obama wants everyone to be driving. I doubt he'll be driving one though.


I went to the Fiat car website. They don't even say what the gas mileage of their cars are. Probably because it is worse than Honda.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the smart cars? The really tiny ones? I wouldn't drive those on the interstate. I think they're meant for city driving, that way if you do get hit, you're not going 70 mph.

CCS,
Your threads are awesome.
You should seriously consider a comedy website. You could make money. I'm not f*****g with you. The way you express yourself is funny as hell. There's a market out there for your brand of humor. I'm not laughing at you at all. You've got your own voice that would work really well in comedy.
 
C

ClayShaw

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Cassin said:
If you want to conserve gas, plan trips for errands and slow the hell down.
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This is pretty good advice. Especially the slow the hell down part.
Using public transit, if possible is a great idea. Use the buses/trains to get to work and use the car on the weekends. I pay about $70 a month for all of my travel to and from work. It can be a pain sometimes, but it beats sitting in traffic and its a lot cheaper.
 
ali777

ali777

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Cassin said:
If you want to conserve gas, plan trips for errands and slow the hell down.
Click to expand...

Alternatively, walk or use pedal power :whistle:

ClayShaw said:
I pay about $70 a month for all of my travel to and from work.
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I pay about $0 a month :woot:. A daily return ticket to work is about $3. I haven't been using my office much, even if I do go to the office, I just walk. 40 mins of power walking the first thing in the morning is the best exercise :punk:
 
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