Smart Cars...

nas

nas

nas

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What are the reasons ''not'' to get one?

Im referring to the for two (non brabus) model. Post 2008.

I suggested one to a friend who was fed up of his 1.6 Megane, because he was complaining about feul etc. To which he replied ''are you mad?!:eek:''

Anyone had experience with them? are they really as bad as people make out to be?
 
"terrifying at speed" is the phrase i've heard used several times from people with first hand experience, and speed seemed to refer to anything over 50mph :(
 
they werent designed for cruising either, or being comfortable unless you are a small girl.
 
Well someone i work with once had to drive one along a stretch of dual carriageway whiles it was fairly windy and he said its th scariest thing he's ever had to do in a car. Probably ideal if its never going to leave the 30MPH zones of a big city but pretty useless if you live anywhere with a NSL road
 
I've been in my bosses Brabus doing ~80 on a motorway on a few occasions and it seemed surprisingly stable. The very lethargic gear change would greatly annoy me however.
 
Dont forget the ride with the front and back wheels being so close together and owners say they dont do the milage they advertise and i mean no where even close to what they say.
 
I saw one try to cut up a bus and get hit once. It span off like a bar of soap but the cabin remained intact.

I would not want to be in a crash in one at high speed, I'll put it that way. Smack into practically any other vehicle on the road and you're playing pinball.
 
Uriel said:
I would not want to be in a crash in one at high speed, I'll put it that way. Smack into practically any other vehicle on the road and you're playing pinball.
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The modern ones are actually very safe, just because they're small doesn't mean they don't stand up well to impacts.

Anyway, gearbox aside, they're actually pretty decent. The Mk2 is *way* better than the previous models in every respect.

Driven my mums TURBO!!1!!11 a few times, and its its quick enough for town use, comfortable, easy to drive and performs its primary task - town use - very well. Motorway use is fine too, but side winds can be...interesting ;)

Like a lot of niche cars, you either 'get them' or you don't.
 
A guy in a Smart once tried to engage me in a bout of pugilism after I overtook him on my bike. From that I can surmise that they make you angry too.
 
Matmulder said:
The modern ones are actually very safe, just because they're small doesn't mean they don't stand up well to impacts.
Click to expand...

Simple physics says otherwise, as do what my own eyes have seen. My concern isn't collapse of the passenger cabbin etc- it's where the car goes after a collision. A decent NCAP rating is not going to help if you're near a bridge or embankment etc.

The bigger vehicle just carries on on its merry way while the smart pirouettes uncontrollably towards whatever.

Granted, the circumstances in which this will be a problem are rare - and I'd rather crash in a Smart than a Rover Metro...

Edit:
This shows it fairly well:
 
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^^^ Oh noes :eek: :eek: :eek: :(

Because that happens every day. When was the last time you were in a smash like that?
 
It's not a reason to not get one, any more than it's a reason to not buy a motorbike. Having said that, I've seen it happen in real life and it's a bit offputting. I wouldn't want to be in the smaller car in any serious collision really.

Edit: Have also seen an astra get hit by a bus in similar circumstances. Would much rather have been in the Astra than the Smart. However - both drivers walked away from the collisions.
 
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