Smart Car to US...Finally!

[Taosman]

What's the big deal if people want to think they are "green"?
I don't have a problem with Prius drivers or people that want to take mass transit to work.
Save your self some money when you can. Help the environment for your children and their children. Just use common sense in making decisions.
Don't spend $20,000 just to save on gas. That doesn't make much sense.

 

[utgrad73]

The first Honda Civic wasn't anything special. It got better as the years wore on and technology improved. Today the Civic exhausts cleaner than the air it takes in (in some locations). The Smart Car has the same image to overcome. I don't like the size of the Smart Car, no one liked the Civic with its motorcycle engine back in the 70's. It's no different than the VW Bug (the peoples car) when it hit the streets 40 plus years ago. Today they have a market and have found their niche in our fuel thirsty economy. Why wouldn't small cars also emerge again today. I love hot rods, classics, sports cars, and muscle cars. I have two of them, but you accept the crappy fuel economy because they're cool and collectible. My budget and my wallet is ready for a fuel efficient car. Maybe not a Smart Car but something that will allow me to drive the same distances without taking out a loan every month to buy gas.

 

[Taosman]

Small car demand will be crazy this summer. If you have a car in mind, better jump on it! My sister just bought a Honda Fit. Excellent little car.
Puts 120 miles a day in it to work and back.

 

[Best Buckeye]

The best gas mileage is standard equipment on this.

Wait a minute . Where's the hood scoop and the pinstriping? Dang elitists.

 

[utgrad73]

Best Affordable Small Cars - Best Cars & Trucks - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

I think I found a way to spend my rebate check. The gas guzzler is going down, Honda here we come.

 

[buckiprof]

Best Affordable Small Cars - Best Cars & Trucks - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

I think I found a way to spend my rebate check. The gas guzzler is going down, Honda here we come.

I have a 2006 Honda Civic and I get much better mileage than what was advertised for it. Mine is a 5-speed manual, and I easily get 33-34 mpg city (which is 90% of my miles). On the highway, with cruise set at around 72, I push 38-39 mpg. Both figures are higher than what was advertised for the vehicle.

BTW, my prior car was a 1992 Civic that also got better mileage than what was advertised.

 

[utgrad73]

I have a 2006 Honda Civic and I get much better mileage than what was advertised for it. Mine is a 5-speed manual, and I easily get 33-34 mpg city (which is 90% of my miles). On the highway, with cruise set at around 72, I push 38-39 mpg. Both figures are higher than what was advertised for the vehicle.

BTW, my prior car was a 1992 Civic that also got better mileage than what was advertised.

The CRX Honda 5 speed (1.8L 4 cylinder) from that era would do much better than advertised also. My friend had one that he drove on business trips. He changed the oil in the transmission and engine to a good synthetic grade and went 1000 miles on a trip. His mileage (going thru PA) was close to 70 mpg roundtrip. Since we were engineering contractors for Honda, they wanted to buy it from him to dissect to figure out why his mileage was so good. My theory is based on oil use.

Synthetics do a better job lubricating the rotating parts. They are better on bearings surfaces during cold startups and aren't prone to getting fuel diluted like petroleum based oils can. Once the oil is fuel diluted, it breaks down and becomes a poorer lubricant (i.e engine wear and lost volumetric efficiency) . You can also go 15,000 miles without a change. I change mine at 7500 and use Amsoil and run my engines well above 100,000 mi (that's a 327 Chevy V8). Synthetics are "green" and since petroleum products are the subject of many discussions here, it's SMART to use them.

Other tricks for fuel savings are:

1. Keep the tires at the proper pressure summer to winter. Filling them with nitrogen will keep them at recommended pressure (N2 doesn't expand or contract with temperature changes).

2. Alignment - keep the wheels pointing straight.

3. Spark plugs - switch to the platinum type tipped plugs, Splitfires etc. They ignite the mixture better and improve starts

4. Driving style - drive like you have an egg under gas pedal. This is a lesson I need to teach my 17 year old.

5. Wash and wax the exterior. Drag plays a large part in how well the body slips through the air. A C6 Corvette gets 30 MPG at cruising speeds with a hi perf V8.

My book will be selling at Barnes and Noble this summer (as soon as I write it)

 

[FKAGobucks877]

Call me whatever you want (I'm sure BK or someone will anyways), but I just can't make myself buy a small car. I don't want one. I can afford to put gas in my Yukon Denali (although it pisses me off), and I'll just keep on going getting 16 MPG in the city. At least on the highway I get 24.

 

[iambrutus]

Call me whatever you want (I'm sure BK or someone will anyways), but I just can't make myself buy a small car. I don't want one. I can afford to put gas in my Yukon Denali (although it pisses me off), and I'll just keep on going getting 16 MPG in the city. At least on the highway I get 24.

thats why the wife drives a 2007 Trailblazer SS

i drive my stupid dodge stratus 120+ miles daily M-F so on the weekends i'm not going to cram back down in another small car - i drive her trailblazer all weekend - who cares that it gets 15 MPG city

 

[utgrad73]

Muck is basically right. The biggest selling point is novelity. But, it is a safe car.
<DIV class=entry id=entry-49877798>Smart fortwo Crash-Test Results Show You Don?t Have to Die to Save Gas

By Doug Newcomb May 14, 2008 | 7:59:23 PM The Smart fortwo gets great gas mileage, fits into the tiniest parking spaces and earns style points by looking like nothing else on the road. But you can?t help but wonder how the 8-foot, 8-inch micro car will hold up on the mean streets and how occupants will fare if nailed by a Hummer.
Smart fortwo Crash-Test Results Show You Don’t Have to Die to Save Gas | Autopia from Wired.com

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz-s1sIoLhU&feature=bz302]YouTube - Crash Test: 2008 Smart Car ForTwo[/ame]

 

[martinss01]

am i the only one who thinks the smart's gas mileage is a tad pathetic? its essentially a go cart with a windshield. a 71hp probably equivalent torque if not less that gets 33/41mpg with similar cargo capability to a vett? for me to feel even the slightest tingle this thing would need to get well into the 80 mpg range.

wonderous, we finally built a car that can hold a grand total of 1.3 americans + half a week of groceries... go technology go.

not to mention euro diesels are getting upwards of 75mpg at this point.

you wanna impress me? build me an f150 with a 2.6L - 3.8L v6 turbo diesel that gets 33/41 mpg and pushes 200 - 250hp and 400tq.

if i wanted a completely impractical vehicle that got 33/41mpg id buy this:

 

[iambrutus]

the really sad thing is that in 1979 you could get a car that got nearly 40 mpg and now we haven't gone much further than that - we as a world have just given up

 

[mooktarr]

I would like a smart car with a GM 400cu. engine. please.

 

[martinss01]

the really sad thing is that in 1979 you could get a car that got nearly 40 mpg and now we haven't gone much further than that - we as a world have just given up

actualy, the really sad thing is that isn't a true statement at all. as a society (ie earth), we have a decent number of vehicles that get in the 40mpg range. several that get over 60mpg and atleast one that i am aware of that reportedly gets upwards of 75mpg and outperforms the civic hybrid to boot (it also causes less polution according to popular mechanics). the catch is, none of these vehicles are marketed in the US and probably never will be. not by US carmakers, not by japanese, not by euro.

the problem isn't that the technology doesn't exist. its that the car makers don't think we want it. look at diesel, according to the US auto market (US, jap, and euro car makers) there is 1 kind of diesel engine. its a 6-7L turbo that gets 4mpg. thats it. there is no other form of diesel. anything smaller would be obsurd and have no purpose.

 

[FKAGobucks877]

the problem isn't that the technology doesn't exist. its that the car makers don't think we want it.

The problem isn't that the car makers don't think we want it, the problem is that the oil industry has its hands in everything, and they don't want us to want it. Nor do they want any type of "progress" made that takes away from the use of gas (therefore the use of oil, and therefore their profit). The technology is there without question. But alternative fuel sources aren't seriously being investigated...it wouldn't be a problem to power a vehicle using electricity or a million other things...but until they are forced to do it, car manufacturers won't do it, because it costs money to change things, and until the government can segregate itself from the oil conglomerates, it won't happen.