I haven't been around here much lately, so maybe this has already been talked to death, but I can't find a thread thru a "search".
A friend bought a Smart a couple weeks ago and dropped by to show it off. I immediatly started chuckling It's so cute! He let me take for a spin, and within half a block, I was giggling like a school girl Whata hoot to drive! I think my little Subie could actually outrun the thing.
So, how do these things hold up? Seems like everyone I see on Epray has less than 10k miles on it. Makes me think people get tired of them real fast. My drive to work is only 18 miles each way, and nice flat straight hiway all the way. One of these would cost near to nothing in gas. But the nearest dealer is an hour and a half away. So wouldn't want to be taking it in all the time.

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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

They are cool, just too small for me. i fit in the Mini Cooper better.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I had 99 bucks down on one from the announcement they were going to be coming, but when I drove I decided it was not for me. The automatic clutch and automatic shifting drove me nuts.

But really a nice car for the money. I hear they are chick magnets too.

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Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

I think a refrigerator magnet my be more accurate.

To small for me, I don't like going smaller than an E class.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My car and neighbor's new Smart car. The rear bumpers are lined up even. Who is driving the the smart car?

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I am still trying to get a test drive.

Counting the time you save while parking, in the Smart, you'll often get from place to place faster than you would in other vehicles.

I have heard that its "auto" tranny ruins it. It needs a stick and a diesel. That would be cool!

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

They are throwaway piles of cr@p. The American version is porked out, heavy, slow, lacks many features of the euro version, uses a non-turbo Mitsubishi engine, no diesel option, only 8cu ft. of sotrage space, horrible auto-stick, 90mph top speed, very poor economy for it's size (33/41mpg), $3,000+ overpriced and is (IMHO) a woman/gay-guy car.

Think about it, 33/41mpg in a vehicle that small is terrible. It should be getting 55+mpg. The 2007 Toyota Corolla gets 32/40mpg, the 2007 Honda Civic with a 1.3L gets 49/51mpg and the 2007 VW Golf TDI gets 37/44mpg.

The only good point of the ForTwo was it's turbocharged Mercedes engine. With that out of the picture, the US version is a complete piece of junk.

No intelligent person should willingly pay more than $8,000 for one of those rolling turds.

That is way bad economy for a car that size. The smaller Honda Civics do about that well. I read that Ford has a European diesel car that gets 65 mpg!

Supposedly they're going to start making them here.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

There seems to be a lot of misinformation circulating about the Smart's fuel economy.
Friends back in Germany own and drive those since years already and reporting average mpg of around 60/gal, also very few technical problems.

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That is some of the misinformation.

33/41mpg is the official EPA rating for the American version. The Smart ForTwo sold in Europe is not the same car as the ForTwo sold in the USA.

Now, that's my idea of a $hitbox. I'd never get on the highway in one of them.
1800+ lbs plus 500 lb load capacity with a 60 ci motor? Fast enough to get you into trouble. Fast enought to get you out of it? Accelleration and drive quality poor imo. I'll stick to my Harley. 80 ci with power, torque and plenty of agility in tight spots.

Word on EPA milege. Apparently, they have revised the rules. Uner old rules, the fourtwo gets 40+

http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2008-smart-fortwo-1.htm

I agree. Why would you buy such a tiny car if it didn't get great gas mileage? In europe, where you get 1000 year old towns with tiny streets, it makes sense. Or parking can be difficult. I was in Rome and parking was crazy. Cars parked everywhere, no giant walmart parking lots.

We can get the diesel here in Canada. That makes sense. The dealer told me they were going to import the four door version. I would have bought one but they didn't import them.