# "Smart" cars

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-cars/626130>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 24, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-cars/626130 "2012-06-24T05:58:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-cars/626130/41 "2012-06-27T17:48:32Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> A spot is a spot. The Smart is about the same width as many subcompacts, so you have no better luck squeezing into a spot where there’s some huge SUV taking up more than a space. Sure they are shorter, but that doesn’t help when lot spaces are measured by width and street spaces are marked out. Legally, even if two Smart cars would fit lengthwise into a street spot, they would get ticketed anyway.

If you’re going places that have marked delineated parking spots, then a Smart car isn’t going to be any help. But there are lots of places where marked spots, either in a lot or on streets, are uncommon, and unmarked street parking is the norm. Particularly in dense urban areas.

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**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-cars/626130/42 "2012-06-27T20:21:10Z")

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My parents have one and LOVE it. They’re retired and live in a small, sunny community, so they do things like daily grocery store runs, drive their little dog to the park and make little tourist runs up and down the coast.

I found the transmission to be brutal and it’s way overpriced. It is functional as a little runaround, but there’s far better choices such as the Fiesta, Fit and Yaris that get similar mileage, have more space and are cheaper.

As stated, street parking is a breeze in it, but that’s about the only thing it does better than its competition and that’s not nearly enough.

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**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smart-cars/626130/43 "2012-06-27T20:50:45Z")

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Don’t hate on Scions too much.

My xB I got in 2008 just rolled over 100,000 miles last week with only a single problem that was taken care of under warranty and was no big deal. The dealership was fair and transparent on pricing, I love the room I have in it (I’m 6’4") and I can fit a whole bunch of cargo when needed and still get above 30 mpg on trips, 28 minimum around the city. I have been highly satisfied with my car, so much so that I bought my wife an xD when we needed another car.

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