Date:         Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:13:24 -0400
Reply-To:     Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Smart Car..Wow..
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <000901c7ca50$1359dfc0$1f19e442@dhanson>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

I just took a test drive on the Smart Four this afternoon. It was
"infinitely OK". Almost every car I've owned, I've known as soon as I
drove it that I wanted that car. I did not get that feeling with the
Smart, I didn't get the feeling that I didn't want one either.
Perhaps it was that the test drive was only 5 minutes long and I
could only get up to 35 mph and 3rd gear, maybe my opinion might
change if I have the chance to drive it on the highway.

About three years ago, I rented one for a weekend while I was in
Stuttgart. It was a blast to drive around town and on secondary
roads. However when I took it on the autobahn and was driving 120 KPH
and was passed by cars going 150+ kph the Smart bounced bobbed and
shook, so its not a car for the highway.

Also, in Germany (as well as most of Europe), the cars are
considerably smaller than they are here, and I'm not sure of the
survivability when Hummer meets Smart...

Prices are around 13k for the base model up to 17K for the cabrio
model. For the $17K, I think I'll wait until the Jetta comes out with
the new diesel next year, or perhaps go for a used Prius.

Ric


At 05:59 PM 7/19/2007, Don Hanson wrote:
>   So, does anyone know the MSRP on those things?  Those are some impressive
>numbers that were posted..74hp, 94mph, 53mpg and 730 kilos?  Sounds just
>like a Harley Davidson, but I bet they are about half the MSRP...Hee hee.
>   You could stick some fringe onto the door handles, get a couple of
>"talker-headsets" gather up about 100 overweight people and have an
>"outing", just like the Harleys do..Lessee, what would you wear when you
>were "being an individual" in a Smart Car?...Lime green gabardine leisure
>suit?  A tank-top with "my other car's a Yugo?"
>   You would have to do some work to make that smart car as loud as a
>Harley..but at over 5' high, it would probably already be plenty awkward
>right out of the showroom..
>   Cool, gonna get me one..Start a club, do some rides!..er, drives?..
>   All in fun, you harley fans..
>   Don Hanson