The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => Totally Off-Topic Discussions, Rants, Tire & Oil Threads, Etc. => Topic started by: Bob_Roller on June 11, 2012, 12:52:09 PM
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Received an advertisement in the mail Saturday, to test drive a Smart For Two and then receive a prepaid $50US Visa debit card .
Just got back from the test drive and quite honestly, I have less of a negative opinion about the vehicle, than before driving it .
Biggest complaint, would be the transmission, after driving manual transmissions since I got my drivers license in 1973, I would have to say it is a horrible excuse of an automatic transmission .
My personal opinion is, that a 5 or 6 speed manual transmission would make it a more 'desirable' vehicle . ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
But, for 20 minutes of my time, I'll take $50US for the 'abuse' I had to endure .
Also, out the door price of a mid level vehicle, is around $17,000US .
I think I'd get a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla instead for that amount of money, but that's just me . ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I could see where these would be very attractive for people with short-to-middle distance commutes in the more built up cities. I have noticed a growing number of these on the highways in New Hampshire, too. I suppose if I didn't ride a motorcycle, but wanted a second vehicle for low cost commuting in the non-winter months, I'd certainly give them a look.
They are still 1/2 the cost of a Toyota Prius or Chevrolet Volt, so they are more financially economical as well.
So what are you going to use your newfound wealth on purchasing, to keep our economy sputtering along? :D
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Well, $50US will pay my grocery bill for a week, at least, or pay for my fuel bill for the month !!!!
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Bob already has a 41 mpg Honda CRX, so the Smart cars (and pretty much every new car on the market right now) don't seem all that smart.
Hopefully nobody on a motorcycle forum will feel obliged to mention comparative safety.
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That's the issue I have with purchasing a new vehicle .
I've gone into dealerships over the last two years, when cars weren't selling that well, looking for that 'smoking' deal that you couldn't pass up .
When the salesmen brings up fuel economy, I tell them I have a 20ish year old car that gets 25-40% better fuel mileage than anything comparable (non-hybrid) on the market today .
Let alone a fun vehicle to drive .
They're usual comment is to keep the CRX, until you can't get parts for it anymore !!!!!!
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I had the opportunity to drive a Smart in Germany several years ago, and Bob is right on the money. The transmission is simply awful, and for such a small and underpowered vehicle, it doesn't get particularly outstanding mileage. This, coming from someone who owned one of those teeny tiny Honda 600 cars years ago.
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This, coming from someone who owned one of those teeny tiny Honda 600 cars years ago.
I remember those little guys setting in the Honda dealership amongst the motorbikes, "back in the day"