# I bought a Smart car! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 12, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753 "2004-10-12T01:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/1 "2004-10-12T01:33:11Z")
So Saturday I have some time before leaving to go up north for the long weekend, and I went over to the Smart dealership on Eglinton Avenue East in Toronto. The dealership is a separately-branded part of a building that also houses a Mercedes/Maybach dealership. There are several fortwos, Smart’s petite two-seater, in the parking area, one by the door, and four inside. I go in, ignoring the Mercedes part of the building. The place is busy. There are only three people on staff, one cunducting demos while the others take questions. I look at the cars and listen to the explanations being given other customers. A man who is considering the fortwo as a commuter car to come into the city from the northern suburbs. It seems that, if you place an order for most models now, you will take delivery in February. :eek:. However, certain cars are available. I make a selection and go to the desk to handle the payment. Some time later I leave… with a silver-and-black fortwo, with the glass roof and a blue interior. It’s all of ten centimetres long, a 1:33 scale model with a wind-up spring motor. It’s on top of my monitor now. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kerrigan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/49beb7/32.png) [@Kerrigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kerrigan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/2 "2004-10-12T06:07:08Z")
_laughs_ Congratulations on your new purchase… may you have many happy years together. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/3 "2004-10-12T06:17:28Z")
😃 Wouldn’t happen to be compensating for something now, would you? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/4 "2004-10-12T06:20:03Z")
I am seriously thinking about taking a trip up to Toronto this winter to visit my brother and look in on the Smart car at that dealership-- I’ve been intrigued with the vehicle since Andy Rooney did his 60 Minutes report. Post again and let us know how she handles. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/5 "2004-10-12T08:11:40Z")
They look like fun little cars; I’d get one if it wasn’t for two things: -I need more seats and luggage space -They are rendered less safe by the size of other vehicles on the road. Apart from that, I thnk they’re great - I used to own a Citroen 2CV and there’s something liberating about driving a small, rather low-powered, quirky car. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/6 "2004-10-12T08:24:01Z")
You mean one of [these little guys?](http://galleries.wheels24.co.za/cars/Mercedes/Smart/03.asp) Neat cars, I’ve started seeing a lot of them on the streets recently. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/7 "2004-10-12T08:50:20Z")
That’s the one, **Sublight**. **Keapon Laffin** , an “I ain’t compensatin’!” banner across the top of the windshield would be great. 🙂 **Askia** , come on up to Toronto sometime. I’d be glad to be tour guide for a day. As for the handling in the one I bought, it’s pretty basic and straight-ahead. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/8 "2004-10-12T12:08:53Z")
I love the Smart cars. Even the itty bittier ones, which are not to be found anywheres here in the Detroit area. …wah. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/9 "2004-10-12T12:21:22Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > They look like fun little cars; I’d get one if it wasn’t for two things: > -I need more seats and luggage space > -They are rendered less safe by the size of other vehicles on the road. well, isnt’ the point that they’re not for luggage and passengers. They’re for doing errands around town and commuting. I saw a shit load in France. They looked great for getting around the city, say grocery shopping or video store, movies, restaurant, etc. Not something I’d want to take out on the interstate. They certainly are rendered less safe by other vehicles, but so are a lot of vehicles. It’s a small consideration though. Most people go their entire lives without getting T-Boned at an intersection. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/10 "2004-10-12T14:19:30Z")
When I was in London in 2000, they seemed to be very common for pizza delivery. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/11 "2004-10-12T16:23:18Z")
Is that the merc dealer just east of Laird on Eglinton? > [@Mangetout](#): > > -They are rendered less safe by the size of other vehicles on the road. I dunno. Since they’re rather tall (as tall as a normal car I believe) the crash zones should match up to most other cars and vans. Also, because they’re so light, they fair well in an accident due to less energy having to be dissapated. [http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/040908.htm](http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/040908.htm) This cite shows crash results for the Smart Car. It does very well against a vehicle twice it’s weight. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/12 "2004-10-12T16:29:19Z")
> [@Badmana](#): > > Is that the merc dealer just east of Laird on Eglinton? Yes, near the top of the hill leading down to the West Don River and Leslie Street. [total hijack]I never thing as Mercedes as “Merc”–to me that means Mercury Marine, but maybe that’s because my aunt worked there for years before it closed in Peterborough… ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/13 "2004-10-12T20:02:43Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > When I was in London in 2000, they seemed to be very common for pizza delivery. They’re everywhere. Nowadays there’s Smart Roadsters (sleeker, sportier convertibles) around too. I’ve seen Smartcars parked perpendicular to the traffic in London–i.e. in a normal parallel parking spot, but facing the curb. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/14 "2004-10-12T20:19:00Z")
And I almost forgot to mention… a week ago Saturday, I saw two fortwos behind glass in a shop window display outside the Manulife Centre at Bloor and Bay. Each car was supported by _four Wedgwood china teacups_, one under each wheel. They got _my_ attention. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/15 "2004-10-12T22:29:51Z")
I love Smart cars! What kind of mileage do the little buggers get? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-bought-a-smart-car/268753/16 "2004-10-13T00:34:43Z")
3.5L/100 km. (That’s the diesel version though.) It has a 22-litre tank and can go over 500 km on a fill. Which costs around twenty bucks. 🙂 [sub]67.5 miles/US gallon (3.5 L/100 km = 0.035 L/km. 1/(0.035 L/km) = 28.57 km/L. 28.57 km/L x 1/1.609 mi/km x 3.8 L/US gal = 67.5 mi/US gal. (The old Canadian gallon was not the same as the US gallon.))[/sub]