the top floor parking had better be a lot cheaper than the ground level...

[danny_galaga]

                                             

[JCL]

That's a toy car vending machine, not a parking garage!

EDIT:
I was kidding, but then I googled it: http://www.autointell.com/nao_companies/daimlerchrysler/smart/smart.htm

It really is a toy car vending machine. Better be packing some Susan Bs or Sasquatchageweas though, I don't think they're that cheap.

[pointdablame]

with gas prices where they are, those Smarts look awful nice

[patrickl]

LOL, I have a Smart center near me too, but that one is regular sized.



The cheapest Smart is close to 10000 euro ($12400 US), but our car taxes are huge (45%) so for a US buyer that would be more like 7000 euro ($8500 US)

Volkswagen had a Lupo that was really fuel efficient. It used 3 liter per 100 kilometers (a Smart needs 5 per 100 km)

I'd go for a Toyota Aygo before this Smart.

[danny_galaga]

I'd go for a Toyota Aygo before this Smart.

but then you dont have the SWATCH cred...

[toolaa]

BAD IDEA...

Sooner or later one of those cars gets jammed in the little rotating coil that dispenses them.  Then some fool with a pickup truck and 200' of rope will undoubtedly try to shake the whole tower to get is car to vend.

[missioncontrol]

what happens if the color car you want is behind some other color car. Are you just going to have to wait there until someone buys that car???

[ScoopKW]

You see a lot of those Smarts in Italy. They're made by Mercedes. I saw a crash video where a Smart and a full-sized Mercedes collided head-on at 90 kmh -- the Smart was in better shape than the Mercedes.

They get 40 miles to the gallon, go 70 mph, and you can parallel park with 6 feet of room.

I'll take one.

ScoopKW

[quarterback]

They get 40 miles to the gallon, go 70 mph, and you can parallel park with 6 feet of room.

I think they do better than 40mpg.  I thought it was closer to 70mpg.  Heck, I get 38mpg in my Scion.

The good news is that Smart Cars are going to finally come to the US.  The bad news is, they're not here yet and, apparantly, they're going to be larger "US Sized" versions     

I did some reading up on them a few months ago when somebody here mentioned that they were available in Canada.   Prior to that, I had no idea that they were anywhere near the US.  There was one auctioned on eBay around the same time.  I'll see if I can find the auction listing.   A private company in California made it US street legal.  Actually, I think it was the 2nd one they'd auctioned off.   I stopped watching it after it passed $30,000 and bought my Scion instead.

But yeah, I'd love to buy a freakin' Smart Car.

[patrickl]

They get 40 miles to the gallon, go 70 mph, and you can parallel park with 6 feet of room.

Like I said they use 5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. That's close to 50 miles to the gallon.

My wife had one for a day as a loaner and you can (almost) fit it in a parking spot sideways.

It looks really scary for getting hit from behind though. There is basically no "car" behind the front seats.

I wouldn't want one. There are cheaper and better cars that get similar or better mileage. That's why they don't sell over here. Guess that's why they try the US. They need to sell more to stop losing money on them.

[Stingray]

I love those cars, I'd already own one if they were available in the US.

-S

[danny_galaga]

They get 40 miles to the gallon, go 70 mph, and you can parallel park with 6 feet of room.

I think they do better than 40mpg.

[RayB]

Sorry guys, I'm all for cool and unique design and all (I drooled over the new Beetle when it came out), but when you see one of these SMART cars on the streets/freeway, you'll quickly change your mind about wanting one. They look stupid. Guys driving them look stupid.

Yeah, I know, it's not about how you look, it's about saving on fuel, etc, but I know most of America is more concerned about "looking tough" (hence the increase in big old SUVs, Hummers, pick-ups, etc), so I doubt these will do well.

[GameOver]

I love those cars, I'd already own one if they were available in the US.

-S

Ditto - these are sweet.  I like the red w/black accent.  How much is shipping? 

[ChadTower]

A friend of mine had to review one for a magazine - he drove around in Boston with it for a week.  He said it was like driving a toy in a demolition derby.  Every time a regular car came towards it they would duck.

[quarterback]

They get 40 miles to the gallon, go 70 mph, and you can parallel park with 6 feet of room.

I think they do better than 40mpg.

[patrickl]

Also, the roadster version looks hot to me.

[GameOver]

Also, the roadster version looks hot to me.

[Stingray]

Well, they are both small, and in this case they're also both blue.

-S

[patrickl]

A mini is one of the coolest cars ever. It's so cool you don't even care that you might get killed if you hit something. A smart is more something for girls. For instance, one of their main selling points is that you can change the plastic paneling to accessorize your car 

Also, a mini has a back seat. Actually that's where I sat when I drove one The guy had taken the driver seat out because it didn't go back far enough...

[danny_galaga]

A mini is one of the coolest cars ever. It's so cool you don't even care that you might get killed if you hit something. A smart is more something for girls. For instance, one of their main selling points is that you can change the plastic paneling to accessorize your car

[Stingray]

Actually there are only a couple of bolts that hld in the front seats in a Mini and they're very easy to take out. I had a very large friend who I gave a lift once. I took the passenger side front seat out an put it in the driver's side rear seat so he could sit in the back and stretch out his legs.

-S

[ChadTower]

There are only a couple of bolts that hold in any bucket seat.  When I took the seats out of my Civic there were four bolts holding in each front seat.  By all accounts a Civic is a regular car.

[Stingray]

By a couple of bolts, I mean two bots, and they are both at the front within easy reach. You don't even have to reach under the seat.

-S

[RayB]

I assume you're talking about the original Mini. The one made by Matchbox.
 

[Stingray]

The one made by Austin/ Morris, yes.

-S

[ChadTower]

Austin/Morris, Mattel, same thing.

[SirPoonga]

Shop smart, shop s-mart.

[patrickl]

LOL, I saw a Smart taxi today. It was the 4 seater model, but still. Imagine standing with your luggage going to the airport and a Smart drives up to pick you up 

BTW the guy I was referring to (driving from the backseat) was well over 2 meters long. Seeing him get into his tiny red mini was like seeing a giraffe enter a mini.

[ChadTower]

BTW the guy I was referring to (driving from the backseat) was well over 2 meters long.

Hot damn that guy needs to be in porn.  He'd be a star.

[patrickl]

BTW the guy I was referring to (driving from the backseat) was well over 2 meters long.

Hot damn that guy needs to be in porn.