Is a Smart Car "Smart"??? (car insurance, fuel, octane) - Mercedes-Benz and Smart -Car forums - City-Data Forum

Greatday · 05-22-2008, 04:12 PM

With a base price of around $11,500 and EPA gas mileage of 33 city 41 highway (but, it requires 91 Octane Fuel), is anyone thinking about buying one of these cars?

I have a real concern about the weight / size. Just yesterday, we were having some severe wind gusts and a lady in a Smart Car was literally blown off the road.

golfgod · 05-22-2008, 04:29 PM

Other than for parking I don't think it's worth it. MB has been losing BILLIONS on this unit for the last 10 years. Maybe GM will buy the company, they can always be counted on to throw money down a rat hole.

There are better deals/bang for the buck, with proven companies who have extensive dealer locations and a long history of proven quality.

Being blown off the road doesn't mean much, lots of 18 wheeler dumped over in norther CO today, may have just been a function of not knowing how to drive in the wind.

I don't think I'd want to drive a smart on the highway, but around town, so-so.

golfgod

Bummer · 05-22-2008, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greatday

With a base price of around $11,500 and EPA gas mileage of 33 city 41 highway (but, it requires 91 Octane Fuel), is anyone thinking about buying one of these cars?

I have a real concern about the weight / size. Just yesterday, we were having some severe wind gusts and a lady in a Smart Car was literally blown off the road.

Sorry, Greatday . . . my very limited experience with The Smart Car tells me DEFINITELY NOT SMART.

Possibly ok for running quick errands around town but that is obtainable with an electric golf cart for much less money and no gasoline required at all. Taking a Smart Car on the Freeway is probably only one notch safer than a MoPed.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH.

IbeDavid · 05-22-2008, 04:52 PM

I think the SmartCar can only gain in popularity if gasoline goes up alot in price. I wonder what insurance is like on the SmartCar ? Do Insurance Companies see the small size as a higher risk ???

Greatday · 05-22-2008, 04:52 PM

I must say, I was really surprised when I saw the 91 Octane requirement as well -

Kinda does not help reduce overall costs ($$$'s)

tinman01 · 05-22-2008, 05:12 PM

I think the term might be marketing scam. Rember way back in the late 1970's the electric cars? Many bought into that scam. Tiny little cars max speed 35mph or so. Unreliable but they were the rage.
These smart cars are a good idea but very poor delivery

bhcompy · 05-22-2008, 05:15 PM

they were originally designed for european markets, which are much more urban and with smaller roads and less parking. Not great for most places in the US, but decent if you're 100% enclosed in an urban area

momof2dfw · 05-22-2008, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bummer

Sorry, Greatday . . . my very limited experience with The Smart Car tells me DEFINITELY NOT SMART.

Possibly ok for running quick errands around town but that is obtainable with an electric golf cart for much less money and no gasoline required at all. Taking a Smart Car on the Freeway is probably only one notch safer than a MoPed.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH.

Some idiot got killed the other night here when he got on the highway driving a "motorized bicycle". Real smart........

I feel for the person driving the car that hit him.

I'd NOT put my kids in one of those. I also would not get in one as I DO want to be around as my kids grow up. Maybe fine in small resort areas that one only travels on small "town" roads much like a golf cart. For normal everyday driving in a big city - NO WAY!

I can see where one of these would get blown off the road in high winds. YIKES!! Yes, 18-wheelers get blown over as well in very high winds and it has nothing to do w/ one "knowing how to drive in the wind". When they are lightweight (an empty trailer is pretty "light") and going over an overpass or an elevated highway or out in the open plains w/ high winds they are VERY suspectible to blowing over. There is nothing to learn to prevent this other than just not driving in very high winds. Then again they can still get blown over sitting still in high winds.

I'd say no to the Smart Car. That 91 Octane is the MOST expensive fuel there is. OUCH!! They have raised the prices on the premium fuel moreso than they have regular unleaded.

silverfox · 05-22-2008, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IbeDavid

I think the SmartCar can only gain in popularity if gasoline goes up alot in price. I wonder what insurance is like on the SmartCar ? Do Insurance Companies see the small size as a higher risk ???

Forget buying Car Insurance if you own one.
Buy Life and accident Insurance instead.

This is definately not a Smart Choice if you place any value on your life and well being.
If a Big Truck makes contact he probably won't even know he hit something..
Consider yourself Road Kill.

It's not just survival of the fittest anymore....It's also survival of the smartest.

Lets see now.....I wonder if my peekaneese could whip my neighbors Pit bull?

Silverfox

cobolt · 05-22-2008, 05:57 PM

Funny you ask this as I ran into a Canadian this past weekend who has a smart car. Up there they only run on diesel. He said the thing got 71 mpg but I don't know that I believe that. They are certainly simple and small, but I don't see that the mileage (30 let's say) is much better than say a Toyota Corolla, which certainly would withstand impact much better than the smart car. They are, apparently, very big in Canada. He (the Canadian was also a big floored that we down here "are still using natural gas") uhm...whatever that means. It's not like they're all pumped up on electric or solar cars up there.