Does it mulch? Is a rear bagger available? Oh wait ..... that's a car? How many clowns fit inside? I saw one a few weeks ago late at night on the highway wearing a dealer plate with the sticker in the window. I considered buying one as a commuter car when I heard about them being imported last year. I just can't. My other vehicles are the FJ, a 64 Pontiac GTO, and my 2002 Mercedes S500. The smart would double my vehicles average mpg but cut my cool points by 50%. Maybe I'll just move closer to work.
We have had them up here for a few years. Driving one can only be likened to a four wheel motorcycle. The transmission is a sequential shift 6 speed without manual clutch....Or you can run it in full auto. In full auto there is a distinct pause between shifts that takes a little getting used too. Up here the three cyl diesel is good for around 65-70mpg in the realworld driving. Amazingly I have heard more than a few say they are actually good in snow although I have never driven one in snow.
Woooohoooooo I made it to forum veteran.......It's like getting a promotion!!!!
__________________ '07 FJ, C package, 5A, Ti
mods so far
Left Foot gas pedal, Silver Star Ultras, FJ Spare Tire Cover, FJ Canvas Storage,more FJ Forum Stickers (Ti), Cruiserland Plate Frames, K&N Drop In, Vent Shades, Extremetrucktoys Level Lift, Garmin 340,aux interior lighting
"A man is what he thinks about all day long" Barney Bentall
The Smart Cars are pretty sweet, they were all over the place when I was in Rome a few years back, but I would be scared sh!tless driving one around Houston, considering the FJ is a mid-sized SUV and there are so many Suburbans and F-1,2,350 types rolling around. I bet you the sell great in LA, NYC, Chicago though.
The dealer gave me a Rav4 when my FJ was in the shop. I felt like a road tittie.
I actually like the car, but it is just too dangerous here.
There are far too many 4wds and SUVs in the valley for me to believe the Smart Car will adequately protect in a normal accident. And kiss your feet good bye in any front end collision. In the video, occupants would fair no better in the regular econo-box vs. the smart car at the speed they crashed (70 mph)...but what I really noticed was that the regular car "gave" alot more therefore absorbing energy and still had a useable footwell that the smart car did not....even though the overall unibody wasn't damaged heavily.
Sean
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Do you need a ladder, so you can get the **** over it?
It is impressive that the unibody stays fairly intact and that the door can open after a crash like that....but like Sean said the footwell is toast. The crumple (energy absorbtion) zones are very small. All that energy has to go somehwere, gues what the softest thing in the Smart Car is.....you.
__________________ Amateurs practice till they get it right, Professionals practice till they can't get it wrong.
Those little rascals finally arrived in the States. They have been over here in Europe forever. They're pretty cool for a commuter car. Awesome gas mileage and believe it or not they hit 80-90 mph. They're annoying as hell on the autobahn though, you always have one trying to hang in the left lane where you have to give them the "Jersey push". I would hate own one in the States though (SUV land) out of fear of an accident. Over here in Europe everyone has sedans and small cars, less risk, only us Americans have SUV's over here. I get stares and non-stop questions about my FJ over here.
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2008 Brick Red Bonestock For Now
Parts hard to get in Italy
i am doubtful of any car that can be placed on a pallet and stored in a warehouse. i can imagine that the smart car would be a que ball when hit by a H2 or F250.
'07 FJ, C package, 5A, Ti
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