You Grow Girl™

Posted: 06-12-06 8:43

I have to buy a car.

I know that statement is probably a discussion all on its own (I think it already exists somewhere), but the overtime hours I have to work just don't lend themselves well to 3.5-4 hours/day on transit (I have to use 3 different systems, with 4 transfers) or to car pooling. So I have to bite the bullet and buy a car.

Tonight, I'm going to test drive a smart fortwo.

I'd like to know if anyone out there owns one, or knows someone who owns one, and what they think of them.

Is this car worth the price tag?? If it cost $15,000, I'd already have one. But it will be at least $20,000. I know they're safe, but are they reliable? Do they tend to break down?

The diesel is very important to me. I already drive a (borrowed) VW Golf TDI, and my SO also has one. I'm firmly on the diesel bandwagon!

The size is also not an issue. This would be our second car, used primarily for my own commuting purposes, as well for doing errands around the city. For anything that we need more space for (or when we have kids - the passenger air bag can't be shut off in the smart) we have the Golf.

So... any opinions?

Any other commuting cars (with good fuel mileage) that anyone recommends?

Thanks,

~ Mel ~

Posted: 06-12-06 10:41

i can't help you. .. but i want those available here in the US

even those minis aren't really smaller than a Honda Civic (at least here, i don't know about models outside the US)

The powers that be must think all Americans really want to be supersized. grrr.

Posted: 06-12-06 10:51

I read online yesterday (http://100mpg.ca, Nov 10, 2006 post) that pricing is being laid out to bring the fortwo to the US for spring 2008. If what I read is right, they're going to be CHEEEEEEEAP. $11k-$13k US (compared at $16,700+ Canadian right now) for the base models.

I wish I could wait a year and import one.

Hmmm... maybe I should do that?

~ Mel ~

P.S. My dad and sister test-drove a Mini last year (before they bought the Golf TDI I'm driving right now), and they said it's totally whimpy, and not very comfortable. It's all about the "cute" appeal, I think.

Posted: 06-12-06 11:25

i think you're right they (minis) are supposed to be all about the cute factor, and the waiting list status they had when they first came out.
I am also very much in love with these
and the Volkswagon 1 Litre

though still not much help on your search for a car. Sad

i don't know how much longer my 367,000 mile 85 volvo wagon is going to hold out, but I sure hope it makes it to 2008!

Posted: 06-12-06 11:55

Wow! Those cars are awesome! I don't have much to say on this topic, I don't know anything about cars.
I have only been through two cars... my VW Jetta, that I loved! and my Toyota Matrix which is super great.
But I just wanted to comment on the coolness of the cars ya'll are talking about. Wink

Posted: 06-12-06 12:14

SHHHHHH!

Don't say that too loud!

My dad will think I want to spend all kinds of money just because the smart fortwo is the cutest little thing I've ever seen! And that's only about 25% of the reason!! Laughing

Yes, I'm still young enough that my daddy's opinion of what I spend my money on matters to me... he thinks I should get a mid-90s Corrola.

sk8: I hadn't seen those cars before! They're both super cute. I hope your Volvo makes it too!

~ Mel ~

Posted: 06-12-06 12:50

Haha, well I understand about Dad's opinion. I am the same way, and I live at least 2,000 miles away!!
Well, if it comes down to it, Toyota's are not bad cars. Just remember that you can probably buy a new one (Toyota, that is), for just about the same price as a used one (I made that mistake, but I didn't have time to research, I needed a car the next day). And of course, VW's are awesome too!

Posted: 06-12-06 13:07

Texas is a little far from Seattle, and these are pretty pricey, but the Green Car Company is selling smart fortwos in the US! I think they're gas though.

OH, you should totally check out their site!! The Zap cars (electric) are fantastic!

~ Mel ~

Posted: 06-12-06 13:22

holy cow, i love those little zaps.

Posted: 06-12-06 13:39

I bought my smart fortwo last May, and I love the little thing. There's nothing like filling up the gas tank for about $12. And the service appointments are scheduled further apart than many vehicles, so you save money there, too. I have had no problems with it at all.

I've taken mine camping, and on several 4-5 hour trips, loaded up with everything I'd need or want. Despite how small it is you can still pack all kinds of stuff in it if you need to.

I bought it because I wanted a more fuel-efficient, lower-emissions car, and it's exactly that. It is definitely not a race-car. Don't expect to beat everyone through the intersection when the light turns green.

I could go on and on about it ... I'm a bit obsessed. Very Happy

Posted: 06-12-06 14:33

hubba hubba!

i wonder if i should get on a waiting list now!!! Very Happy

Posted: 06-12-06 15:20

Thanks for the input, treepixie!
About how much are your oil changes and other service appointments (PM me if you don't want to share out loud)? Have you put much mileage on it? How's it been in this snow we've had the last few days? Please do go on and on about it! I want to learn...

Very Happy

I posted here wanting to get BAD reviews of the smart. I wanted to list something on the "cons" side other than "expensive"!!
The only "bad" reviews I've heard/read are from people who say "it's too small", which isn't an issue for me because I want to use it the way it was intended to be used.

I know I'm breaking the "be patient!" rule of the forums, but doesn't someone have something bad to say about this car?!?

Smile

~ Mel ~

P.S. Please don't say "waiting list"!! That's a bad word to me right now... I need to get posession sometime during/after Christmas!

Ancient Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 1023 Location: Illinois

hmmm its a cute lil thing...

but I love my chevy impala and wouldn't give it up for nothing (well a millon...then i could go buy an 07 Wink

)

Posted: 06-12-06 15:45

I saw them ALL OVER Germany when I was there- they seemed really popular.

It took me a little while to get used to their look, but I'd say go for it- if the Germans like 'em, they can't be half bad cars.

Posted: 06-12-06 21:41

Melamalie wrote:

I posted here wanting to get BAD reviews of the smart. I wanted to list something on the "cons" side other than "expensive"!!
The only "bad" reviews I've heard/read are from people who say "it's too small", which isn't an issue for me because I want to use it the way it was intended to be used.

I know I'm breaking the "be patient!" rule of the forums, but doesn't someone have something bad to say about this car?!?

Okay, okay, they are absolutely horrible. Happy? Very Happy

Posted: 07-12-06 0:02

Okay... i'm going to do this, but don't hate me...you asked for it, right?

Yeah, pricey, but it's ballpark-ish for a small commuter car. 4.1L/Km is about 57 MPG (for the other non-metric readers). That's okay... but nothing to really scream about. If you think about buying that 5 or 6 year old toyota or honda that gets 30ish mpg... how long will you have to own the fortwo and how many miles will you have to drive to make up for the expense of a new car? I'm well past penciling it out... but basically, i'm asking how much gas would $10,000 buy... and multiply that by about 27. That should give you how many miles you'll need to drive, just to break even. Or something like that.

There are a bazillion ways new cars can get you in the pocket book... do they only take a certain, special kind/size of windshield wiper, or a specific kind of tire you can only buy at full mark-up from the dealer? Can you do your own service, or, like most german products do you HAVE to take it to an "authorized dealership" etc etc. Beware the little costs that niche buyers have to deal with. Having the only one on the block can get pricey.

Also, is that cuteness really worth the expense of taking a new car and making it a used car. It's so much cheaper to buy used... or even barely used.

Being so new, there doesn't seem to be much reliability info out there on the 'net... but new cars and their engines are typically full of bugs that have to be worked out in the first couple of model years. It being a german car... built in france... I don't know if that rule is ameliorated or exacerbated.

OTOH, IMHO... they're super cute!

Posted: 07-12-06 0:05

also figure increased insurance premiums, vehicle taxes (registration), and THAT TERRIBLE FEELING when some (BLEEP BLEEP) makes the first door-ding on your brand new baby as it innocently sits in the parking lot.

Posted: 07-12-06 1:33

i would give my first born to have that Volkswagon 1 Litre.
whoah ma'an!

Posted: 07-12-06 1:35

i would give my first born to have that Volkswagon 1 Litre.
whoah ma'an!

Posted: 07-12-06 9:32

CoverMe:
I absolutely agree on almost all of that, especially the part about the insurance! I just found out last night how much the insurance will cost (through only one provider; I haven't shopped around yet), and I'm absolutely blown away. Although it wouldn't be so bad if I had my FULL licence (gosh darn graduated licensing...).

We did a quick back-of-the envelope calculation and figured that the savings in fuel costs off-sets the decrease in insurance to get a VW Rabbit (another car I want to test drive, but not necessarily buy). Anyway, insurance sucks, especially since I've been driving 9 years with no tickets, but I don't get any credit for that. Poo.

The dealership has a few of the very first set of leased cars coming in, so I could get a pre-owned model for cheaper, which may also translate to cheaper insurance.

The smart fortwo has been in Europe since about '98 or '99, so there is a bit of history to prove that it's a good car.

I also learned last night that when the new gas version is released in the US, there won't be any diesel available. The dealer said they suspect it would come back eventually, but that's only a guess. They have to re-tool the whole plant for the gas engine, and they're going to up the horsepower a bit too. Bye bye 100MPG!!

BTW, I am in LOOOOOOOOVE with the car. Test-drove a passion last night. If it cost $5000 less and the insurance wasn't $300/month, I'd have one sitting in the parking lot here at work this morning.

~ Mel ~