If You Have To Ask...
can you afford one?
I actually saw this car in Henderson Center, Eureka, the other day. I was right: It was one of those Smart Cars. I'm surprised I haven't seen it more often as I believe the owner has an office just a few blocks away from where I saw it.
The one thing that bugs me about little cars like that is I'd be scared to death of getting hit by just about anything in one of them. Heck, seems like even having a motor scooter run into you would ruin the car and maybe even kill you.
Anyone know how much one of those things cost?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 8:36 AM
18 comments
18 Comments:
There are some helpful links at the bottom of the article, but one thing mycarissmart.com doesn't mention is the price. There are probably a limited number of them. At the bottom of the FAQ it says:
HOW DO I GET A SMART CAR?
Call us and place a deposit of $5000. We’ll discuss your options and anything else and you’ll be on the way to getting your new Smart. Call us at (415) 738-7752.
I imagine there's a few reasons for that.
For one, if they are relatively expensive, the price would dissuade people from looking into them further. So, maybe by not listing the price they're hoping they can get people to at least contact them and allow them to give them the sales pitch.
It also seems like only a few shops in California do the refitting work. I wonder if they all charge different prices for the cars out the door making it a bit awkward to list an average price?
For a good reliable, inexpensive car that gets great mileage, and can carry passengers, Honda Civic. Ultra low emissions, tried and true. Nothing fancy, not an expensive hybrid, just the good old Civic.
I wonder when the world will be ready for my Nerf Cars. Variable density super strong recycled carbon-plastic or carbon-wood fiber plastics foam that is soft on the outside but hardens around the electric, fuel cell, steam, stirling, or cold-fusion engines, and also around the passenger compartments. Nobody gets hurts in accidents.
For the hills, 6 wheel-drive Nerf tires go anywhere--don't need roads and won't hurt any critters or small plants run over by them.
If I remember right, there cost in Canada is about 17K, but they don't have to have all the add-ons like they do here in California. While the engine may be diesel, it isn't made to last 100K miles plus. This is a city car made to run about 4000-6000 miles a year.
We examined a couple of these last June in St. Barths and St. Maartin. What they lack in elegance is balanced in practicality on winding, narrow Caribbean roads. I would, however be loathe to drive one at the touted 90mph on I-5.
My Honda CRX got 55 MPG on trips, 37 around town, I really miss that car.
For more info regarding smart cars, go www.smartusa.com, which is offering a $99 reservation program and say the the cost of a smart car is expected to start at under $15,000 (not including taxes). www.greenautoshop.com is the site for the company making the alterations to the cars to meet California's standards, which is also interesting. This ensures they come equiped with 4 airbags, for those who are worried about saftey issues. (By the by, if everyone drove smaller cars, we'd all be safer). At 40 - 60 mi/gallon this car rivals the hybrids. Also, parking sideways eliminates the need for parallel parking, which most people aren't as good at as they should be... When I buy my next car, and I have the money, a smart car will definitely be a possibility. But for now, my trusty Toyota will do.
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Nick, you and Fred may have something in common after all...
10:52 wrote, "This ensures they come equiped with 4 airbags, for those who are worried about saftey issues.".
Airbags be damned! People still get killed in cars equipped with airbags. In a car that small, you'd probably get squished, airbags or no airbags.
I'd love to have someone tell me how a trip from here to SF is going to feel in a car with such a small wheelbase.
Since when does your ass leave Humboldt County, let alone go to San Francisco?
Every time the Grateful Dead plays in SF!
Fred, You know in the 60's the Old Fogeys were saying the same things that you are about the VW bugs and Toyotas that were coming on the market. So you're right up to the times, but 40 years late, like always.
Maybe the Government will invent a time machine so that dinosaurs like you can go back to the "good old days" whenever they were. But sorry, you'll never get your youth back, no matter what car you drive.
At least the VW Bugs have headroom, and could seat four people.
You're right about the headroom but the back seat was slow torture. Remember the elephant joke craze?
How do you get four elephants in a VW bug?
Two in front and two in back !!
Too much money for too little of car.
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