Trade your gas guzzler for a high MPG car?
- Thread starter Okiewan
- Start date
Downgade your gas guzzler? The idiot box says Vespa scooter sales are going through the roof!
Keep your trucks and get a smartcar...those little things are awesome
about 50MPH
Top speed 90MPH(governed)
seats two with LOTS of room
ONLY about 14K -+
Plastic body is changeable (different color)
Reminds me of a bike....and within 2 years they hope to have a family Smartcar out
about 50MPH
Top speed 90MPH(governed)
seats two with LOTS of room
ONLY about 14K -+
Plastic body is changeable (different color)
Reminds me of a bike....and within 2 years they hope to have a family Smartcar out
robwbright
Member
- Apr 8, 2005
- 2,283
- 0
I've been using a 1997 Honda Accord with hitch and trailer to transport my bike for the last 3 years. Getting high 20s-low 30s MPG while pulling the trailer.
Until this year I always felt kind of strange at the track without a 4 wheel drive diesel pulling a 20 foot box trailer. People were staring at me. ;)
Who's laughing now. . . ?
Until this year I always felt kind of strange at the track without a 4 wheel drive diesel pulling a 20 foot box trailer. People were staring at me. ;)
Who's laughing now. . . ?
digifox said:
Yeah, they are great if you want a death trap. Those cars have all the disadvantages of a motorcycle and none of the advantages. Plus they really dont get that good of gas mileage for as lame as they are.
The volkswagon jetta tdi gets better mileage then the smart car and it is a whole heck of a lot safer and more practical.
- Aug 2, 2000
- 13,504
- 19
I balked at the safety aspect myself, but I heard, and now just read, they are "safe":
I still wouldn't own it, no matter how confident I am in my manhood.smart car website said:
BadgerMan
Mi. Trail Riders
- Jan 1, 2001
- 2,479
- 10
There was some video going around of a high speed crash test of one of those things…..it was pretty impressive. They appeared to be as safe as many of the other smaller car alternatives.
However, I would never get over feeling like Mr. Bean while driving one of those things. No thanks, I’ll stick with my little ricer.
However, I would never get over feeling like Mr. Bean while driving one of those things. No thanks, I’ll stick with my little ricer.
The smart car is build like the cage of a top-fuel dragster...meaning that the chassis is a aluminum pod..the "body" is the whole chassis...no sub-frames or chassis that it gets bolted to...
Its one of those cars that when you hit someone your worried about them..not yourself
The only "lethal impact" for them is a Solid brick wall.
That just going to turn you in to Person-patties though..
Its one of those cars that when you hit someone your worried about them..not yourself
The only "lethal impact" for them is a Solid brick wall.
That just going to turn you in to Person-patties though..
- Dec 26, 1999
- 19,765
- 1
The VW TDi is impressive... when they are available again if you want new.
The Smart car too is a pretty neat piece of work and I see more and more of them on the road. I wouldn't buy one right now just because of the price / demand but might consider it several years from now.
I was driving a 2006 F150 Supercrew FX4 with 5.4 and putting $100-$125 a week in it. I did the math and decided on a used Miata because it would get great MPG's and be a heck of a lot of fun. Boy was I right! I run the wee out of it and have seen nothing less that 30MPG in combined driving. I picked up a really nice fully documents '97 for $5000, threw on some nice Falken tires and only have to worry about my gums getting sun burned from grinning like an idiot.
The Smart car too is a pretty neat piece of work and I see more and more of them on the road. I wouldn't buy one right now just because of the price / demand but might consider it several years from now.
I was driving a 2006 F150 Supercrew FX4 with 5.4 and putting $100-$125 a week in it. I did the math and decided on a used Miata because it would get great MPG's and be a heck of a lot of fun. Boy was I right! I run the wee out of it and have seen nothing less that 30MPG in combined driving. I picked up a really nice fully documents '97 for $5000, threw on some nice Falken tires and only have to worry about my gums getting sun burned from grinning like an idiot.
BadgerMan
Mi. Trail Riders
- Jan 1, 2001
- 2,479
- 10
DWreck said:
Yeah, I could not justify it based on the gas savings alone but the Celica is a ball to drive. If I leave it home and ride my bike (KTM) to work, my wife swipes it and drives the heck out of it. I will most likely drive it for three or four years and then "sell" it to my teenage daughter.
This is gonna sound really strange but....I CAN FILL THE DARN THING UP WITH GAS FOR $40.00!! WooooHoooo! :whoa:
digifox said:
Sounds like someone really needs to take a refresher course in physics.
Head on a smart car vs anything lager then a midsized car the smart car will lose.
Smart car vs a full size truck the smart car will lose very badly. I would venture to guess that any head on over 20mph with a smart vs truck would be fatal to the smart car occupants.
For some time I was driving a Toyota minivan (22 to 25 mpg), my wife drove our V-10 Excursion (which we really had as a tow vehicle for the toy hauler) 15 mpg if you were lucky, 7.5 mpg towing the toyhauler (11,000 lbs fully loaded with bikes etc.). This winter bought a Mercury Milan that gets about 33 mpg summer, 30 mpg winter, parked the Excursion so it is ONLY used for towing duty (which it has seen very little of), the wife now drives the van. The gas savings are fully paying for (and then some I think), the Milan .
Oh, on the Milan, when I bought it, I was glad to note we bought an "American made car". Then I found out it was made in Mexico! Regardless, loving the car. It is a dog (4 cylinder), but the 5 speed makes it fun. Sad thing is, it can take over $65 of gas. Better than the Excursion though - $185 to fill that sucker!
Oh, on the Milan, when I bought it, I was glad to note we bought an "American made car". Then I found out it was made in Mexico! Regardless, loving the car. It is a dog (4 cylinder), but the 5 speed makes it fun. Sad thing is, it can take over $65 of gas. Better than the Excursion though - $185 to fill that sucker!
- Dec 26, 1999
- 19,765
- 1
Sounds like someone might need to open their mind a little and do some research. Smart is engineered by Mercedes Benz who happens to know a little bit about vehicle engineering and even physics. Of course those sneaky Germans might just of figured out a way to change the laws of physics or maybe they just engineered a better mouse trap to deal with the existing laws of physics. My speculation is the later.mkelly04 said:
People need to get over the idea of "bigger is safer". That might have been true in the days of giant chrome bumpers, metal dash boards and steering columns that speared you through the chest but it's not the case these days. Energy disapation and force redirection can make up for a whole bunch of mass. Throw in other saftery features and I'd much rather be in a smaller and more well designed saftey cell than an old tech Impala.
oldguy
Always Broken
- Dec 26, 1999
- 9,411
- 0
People laugh at me when I drive my 1985 Pontiac Fiero everyday but the 40+ MPG and intitial cost of $1000 4 years ago keeps me happy. When I bought it there were 28,000 miles on the odometer- I now have 71,000 (and have spent about $1000 on repairs over 4 years) so I guess my breakeven is looming pretty close. If by chance I don't take the Fiero I am probably on my MC which gets 45MPG.
The F250 Super duty gets to rest at home all snug in the garage until it gets called into duty to haul the bikes to practice or haul the toyhauler to a race. It really has a pretty pampered life now.
The F250 Super duty gets to rest at home all snug in the garage until it gets called into duty to haul the bikes to practice or haul the toyhauler to a race. It really has a pretty pampered life now.
Scrap metal prices are higher than that.Cabot said:
Look,
I know that the smart car has a safety cage and all that other crap, but you really cant get around the laws of physics. I have no doubt that the smart car is safe FOR ITS CLASS OF CAR. The problem is when it gets into an accident with another car that is significantly larger then it.
In newer cars crash energy is dissipated using crumple zones. When you have a rigid safety cage that doesnt crumple the energy is passed onto the passenger. This is the reason auto engineers developed crumple zones. Even nascar have a crumple zone in front of the safety cage to dissipate energy.
Just for fun, lets see what the president of the IIHS says about the smart car :)
‘Among the smallest cars, the Smart engineers did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a small package,’ he said. Even so, while small cars are safer than ever, ‘the risk of death is higher in crashes of smaller, lighter models. All things being equal, bigger and heavier is better.’
Odd that a guy who crashes cars for a living would know more then the smart marketing people ;)
I know that the smart car has a safety cage and all that other crap, but you really cant get around the laws of physics. I have no doubt that the smart car is safe FOR ITS CLASS OF CAR. The problem is when it gets into an accident with another car that is significantly larger then it.
In newer cars crash energy is dissipated using crumple zones. When you have a rigid safety cage that doesnt crumple the energy is passed onto the passenger. This is the reason auto engineers developed crumple zones. Even nascar have a crumple zone in front of the safety cage to dissipate energy.
Just for fun, lets see what the president of the IIHS says about the smart car :)
‘Among the smallest cars, the Smart engineers did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a small package,’ he said. Even so, while small cars are safer than ever, ‘the risk of death is higher in crashes of smaller, lighter models. All things being equal, bigger and heavier is better.’
Odd that a guy who crashes cars for a living would know more then the smart marketing people ;)
Good come back!
Solid State
Member
- Mar 9, 2001
- 492
- 0
During the change over period when people trade in their gas inefficient cars for smaller, lighter "greener" vehicles I'm certain you'll see a large increase in auto injuries and fatalities (not to mention associated law suits) with so many trucks and SUVs on the road.
Right now there are way more truck class vehicles on the road than those little gas efficient death traps. If you don't believe it, ask an accident investigator at your local Police Dept. or just count the number of trucks, busses, SUVs, mini-vans and crossovers versus mini-cars at the nearest intersection. You might be surprized.
Is your family's life worth saving money at the pump - especially if you have a new driver in the family? They WILL get into an accident.
Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Wait till the odds even out before down-sizing is my advice. Most cars last ten years or so especially if someone dropped a bundle on a monster SUV and rimmed it up.
Years ago when my father was a policeman, I remember him telling me that a small foreign car was in an accident with an American car. The woman driver was pinned behind the wheel with her legs crushed to the hips. She begged him to shoot her in the head. The other car had bumper damage. I'll never forget that story.
Right now there are way more truck class vehicles on the road than those little gas efficient death traps. If you don't believe it, ask an accident investigator at your local Police Dept. or just count the number of trucks, busses, SUVs, mini-vans and crossovers versus mini-cars at the nearest intersection. You might be surprized.
Is your family's life worth saving money at the pump - especially if you have a new driver in the family? They WILL get into an accident.
Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Wait till the odds even out before down-sizing is my advice. Most cars last ten years or so especially if someone dropped a bundle on a monster SUV and rimmed it up.
Years ago when my father was a policeman, I remember him telling me that a small foreign car was in an accident with an American car. The woman driver was pinned behind the wheel with her legs crushed to the hips. She begged him to shoot her in the head. The other car had bumper damage. I'll never forget that story.
So, if all the greenies run out and buy smart cars, and all the crude guys get big suv's. The greenies will be systematically eliminated by default.
