Smart car as commuter

Archangelus · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:07

Hi guys,

I'm in the running for a new job, which means I'll be traveling around 60 miles a day round trip. Currently got a C2, which isn't great on fuel (33mpg give or take), so I'm looking for something a bit leaner. As it'll only be me in the car, I've been looking at the 2 seater Smart cars (not the sporty number), either the 84bhp petrol or the diesel, 65 or 85 mpg claimed respectively.

Anyone driven these for a while and have any comments?

Thanks

Dup · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:11

A guy I know has an E92 M3 but he uses a Smart around town and he says they're great for that kind of use, but he wouldn't like to do any distance in one. He had a BMW Mini before that.

For distance milage, I'd be looking at a Skoda Fabia diesel personally. Smarts command a premium and I wouldn't want to drive one on the motorway.

Peerzy · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:14

A friends dad has an M3 and needed a car to just throw mileage onto and he went and got an 04 plate diesel Focus for a few grand. He says it's brilliant, Smart's seem to be amazingly over priced for what you're getting and the same you save in fuel you will have lost buying the thing. I'd sink a bit of money into a small family hatch (Focus, Golf, Astra etc).

LupoLover · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:19

Lupo TDI or SDI is a great car 60+mpg

Richard_16v · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:49

Doing 30k a year (double what your doing) would save you around £2k in fuel for a Smart (85mpg) compared to yours (33mpg)

you have to ask yourself if the saving is worth the price of changing cars?

paradigm · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:53

Richard_16v said:
you have to ask yourself if the saving is worth the price of changing cars?

Or worth putting up with a Smart Car for 30,000 miles a year.

I know it'd drive me nuts.

MeAnBoY · 26 Mar 2009 at 15:55

I can understand people who have something a bit exotic wanting to get a cheap run-around to save on petrol and generally to keep their primary car in better nick. But to do this when you have a Citroen C2? Im not being harsh but that in itself can be classed as a small run-around. 33mpg seems very low too for a car of that size, so i can only assume it's a VTS?

I would consider getting the car serviced so it's in tip-top condition and maybe adjusting your driving style a bit to conserve fuel rather than go buy another car.

Dup · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:00

MeAnBoY said:
I can understand people who have something a bit exotic wanting to get a cheap run-around to save on petrol and generally to keep their primary car in better nick. But to do this when you have a Citroen C2? Im not being harsh but that in itself can be classed as a small run-around. 33mpg seems very low too for a car of that size, so i can only assume it's a VTS?

I would consider getting the car serviced so it's in tip-top condition and maybe adjusting your driving style a bit to conserve fuel rather than go buy another car.

He's considering swapping his current car for a Smart, it's just my response was an opinion of someone who runs one as an inner-city daily.

MeAnBoY · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:02

Dup said:
He's considering swapping his current car for a Smart, it's just my response was an opinion of someone who runs one as an inner-city daily.

Ahh ok my bad then

In that case DONT DO IT!

Janesy B · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:06

WHY is the M3 being mentioned?

60 Miles a day in a Smart car would drive me to suicide, they are cramped, noisy and the suspension is rock hard. Try and find a small diesel alternative.

Dup · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:10

Janesy B said:
WHY is the M3 being mentioned?

60 Miles a day in a Smart car would drive me to suicide, they are cramped, noisy and the suspension is rock hard. Try and find a small diesel alternative.

It's to illustrate that someone who is used to an M3 finds the Smart uncomfortable on a long drive in comparison.

Janesy B · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:17

Someone who finds S&M comfortable will find the SMART car agonising.

Archangelus · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:17

So, concensus is not to bother for that sort of milage then. Fair enough, I'll take a look at alternatives

To Meanboy: It's a 1.4 furio, and it's done 33mpg from new, and it's been regularly serviced. I mentioned it to the dealers, and they couldn't find any sort of problem with it.

Janesy B · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:26

Do you do loads of town driving or is it all A roads and Motorways?

magmax · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:26

I wouldn't buy a smart car to do 60 miles a day in. I take it these are motorway miles. The little smart cars engine will have to work hard on the m'way and you won't get 86mpg out of it. I was thinking of getting one and someone told me that there friend has one and they are not as good at buring fuel as smart say they are. The 80 odd mpg was probably done in a lab and not on a real road.

Like most are saying get a diesel

merlin · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:28

Hi,

I hate Smart cars with a passion.

Thanks for listening.

merlin.

Duke · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:56

You won't get that MPG on the motorway or similar as the sewing machine engine will be revving so high.

Also as they are so small, you will certainly fold up inside if you hit anything at all.

iaind · 26 Mar 2009 at 16:58

How the hell do you only get 33mpg out of a C2? I manage about 45mpg and you could probably park the C2 in the boot of my car

Le_Petit_Lapin · 26 Mar 2009 at 17:17

iaind said:
How the hell do you only get 33mpg out of a C2? I manage about 45mpg and you could probably park the C2 in the boot of my car

You probably have to rev the arse off it to get it going anywhere at any reasonable speed.

Its like that in my Polo, sure you can drive like grandad and get the stated MPG, but I prefer to rev the crap out of it and get a vague sense of going somewhere.

Archangelus · 26 Mar 2009 at 17:18

iaind said:
How the hell do you only get 33mpg out of a C2? I manage about 45mpg and you could probably park the C2 in the boot of my car

God knows, but that's what it does. My wife's C3, same engine, with me driving, on similar roads, similar speeds - 45mpg.