Entertainment For Lively Minds
Smart cars — anyone driven one?
Posted by Brookster on 3 February 2012 - 10:43am.
If I get the job I was interviewed for on Monday, I'm realistically going to have to drive to work. However, I won't need a car for much else than driving around the city; therefore, a Smart car would appear ideal, as you can park them anywhere and the diesel model will do something like 80 mpg.
So has anyone driven one? Any good? I need to add that I'm 185cm/6' 1" and most of that is legs.
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Parking
I saw a lot of them in Paris and they have the advantage of being parkable "landscape style" in pretty small spaces.
6" 1? Better get one with a sunroof, bud.
You've had a Nigel Tufnel
Feet-inches moment there.
D'oh!
Put my inch in it there. So to speak.
Arn't Fiat 500's
the must have city car at the moment?
Maybe
But there's a bigger second-hand market for Smart cars. (Munich is full of them.)
MtM's comment about 90° parking is pertinent, given my inept parallel parking sills.
Great fun!
I'm 6"2, and spent a couple of weeks whizzing around the place when we branded a few of them for a product launch. Great fun, absolutely no problem with headroom. Impractical for either golf clubs or vast amounts of small child collateral, but if you're just commuting and the price is right, I'd say go for it.
I've driven one, and
I loved it. Then I realised the sixteen-wheeler behind me was about the thickness of the window away, and I became afraid. Very afraid. I'm told you get used to this (presumably you could paint the rear window black, or with a nice landscape stretching away), but it's un-nerving. You may have "headroom issues", but the cab's very nicely designed. Go for a test drive! Don't look in the mirror!
hmm
It was about three years ago now and I found the brakes frighteningly bad. It was fun but terribly unsafe I would say.
I've got one
on the plus side, it's quirky, and surprisingly roomy inside, and I'm 185cm tall as well. There is a fair bit of luggage room too, you'd be surprised.
On the down side, the fuel consumption is woeful, though admittedly ours is a petrol engine, and it only does very short journeys, but don't be fooled by the official fuel consumption figures. The diesel engine will do better, I understand. The automatic gearbox is also a bit lurchy until you get used to it, and our model hasn't got power steering, which you wouldn't think would matter as it's a small car with a small wheel base, but, my word, you need muscles when manouvering at low speed.
Maybe we could get David Hepworth
to do a test run for the magazine
Nice to see
Mr Lewry has moved my left-aligned image to the more aesthetically pleasing right-hand side. Must be a quiet afternoon in Word Towers.
My pleasure
It was a little unsightly.
Just a thought but
if it is only for short journeys in the city then how about a moped?
Even cheaper for fuel, tax, petrol, insurance, etc. and even easier to park.
If you are old enough (or have had a car licence long enough) you can even ride the smallest ones without any sort of test - or take some of the money you save to do a CBT and bike test.
I'm in the fortunate position of walking to work but if I changed jobs I would be tempted to do that before getting lumbered with a second car.In fact I nearly did before moving house to a place almost next to work a little while back,
If it was my money
and I didn't care about the badge I would go for a small Korean supermini. Good spec, long warranty rather than a SMART. i would also go for a petrol not a diesel as you don't get the economic benefit for the economy unless you do loads of miles. (Unless diesel is a lot cheaper in Germany). As I do care about what I drive I would have a Fiesta or a Fiat Panda. If you really want a SMART here's a link to a review. Don't be put off by the fact its Top Gear the magazine they're usually pretty reliable (I used to subscribe there before I came here)I certainly agree with what they say about my current car.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/smart/fortwo/verdict