Smart Car
A Cheap Smart Car is a Smart Purchase
Smart cars are fast becoming more popular over the last 12 months. Originally considered a novelty, the smart car is on the rise as a modern fuel efficient and cheap motoring alternative.
Cheap smart cars are now an excellent way to avoid the high cost of motoring.
You may already be familiar with smart cars. A tiny four wheeled vehicle no more than about half the length of a normal car. The smart car has a distinctive shape and look and you may well have seen them in the street.
If not you'll recognize a smart car when you do see it. The most distinctive feature of the car, apart from the fact that the smart car is extremely short, is the steep windshield sloping down to the front of the car, with the front bumper, if you could call it that, right in front of the front wheels.
The original intention of the smart car was to be of use as a vehicle that avoided the parking headaches of larger cars by reason of the fact that it was so short it could park in parking spots so small that not much other than a motorcycle could park there. Not only that but it was also so small that it could park nose or tail in to the kerb without the other end of the car poking out into the traffic and causing a traffic hazard.
It was intended that two smart cars could park in a space which would normally be taken by one regular car, or even 3 smart cars could park in the space occupied by a large vehicle.
The smart car was the result of a joint venture between Daimler Benz the car manufacturer and Swatch the Swiss watch manufacturer. The smart cars were manufactured in a purpose built factory in France which as established in 1994 and so have been around for some time. It is said that almost 1 million smart cars have been sold in over 25 countries.
In early 2008 smart cars became available in the US, and people started to realize that a cheap smart car was a smart motoring purchase.
Smart cars are cheap compared to average vehicles, and have many advantages over many vehicles as well. And of course they also have disadvantages. They take only 2 people, and are extremely small so it isn't practical to spend a day shopping and expect to put your new television in the back of the car.
That being said there are some good reasons to buy a cheap smart car, particularly for city dwellers. As said they are cheap to buy and cheap to operate. They have a gasoline motor but because of the small size and weight of the car don't eat as much fuel as just about any other car. They are easy to park and easy to house even in the smallest garage. They have achieved surprisingly good results in safety crash tests.
For the canny buyer there are good reasons to buy a cheap smart car. There are small numbers of used smart cars on the market and a second hand smart car is a good way to maximize your savings from a purchase of a smart car. There are a number of places where you can pick up a bargain on a used smart car online if you know where to look.
So if the price of gas is becoming an issue for you and you'd like to keep driving but at a much reduced cost then consider a cheap smart car. It's a smart purchase and may well keep you on the road when others can no longer afford gas.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
smart car?
i live in texas and have found that there are dealerships in mexico (distance: 1hr 30min flight, 10hr drive) that sell smart cars (the car sophie drives in the da vinci code, for those of you who don't know)! i could wait til they sell them in the u.s. but i've seen the prices in canada, which i think will be the same prices here or more, and it is a lot cheaper in mexico. i could get the convertible in mexico for the price of the cheapest model in canada!
so my question is: if i buy it in mexico, will i have complications to be able to drive it here. what would i have to do if so?-
ANSWER:
If you purchase a car in a foreign country it must meet National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety criteria and import list. See:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/ELIG012703.html
It must also comply with Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. The only companies that can convert a car to meet US laws are all located in the USA. First they must secure a Bond for 150 percent of the value of the vehicle. Should the vehicle not be able to meet import rules and laws, it gets crushed and you loose the bond and the vehicle. Average cost is around 00-000 depending on the car to be imported.Here is a one stop list of information:
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QUESTION:
Smart car?
Do u think that havin a smart car would be cheaper in terms or the petrol u use for a normal car and the electricity u use for a smart car? Thank u for answering!-
ANSWER:
The new electric model would save you money, I believe. Electricity is pretty cheap. However, they have very limited ranges...only 71 miles, and it takes 8 hours to charge them. This means it will be great for commutes, but you would need a normal diesel or petrol car for long trips (or you could take the train, or a plane, etc...) It would appear that the electric version of the smart car is exempt from a lot of taxes, too.
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QUESTION:
Smart Car?
Would the smart car (Convertible) make for a good first car for a teenager (16)? Is it safe? Also... is it a manual or automatic? Is it slow? Thanks,-
ANSWER:
I dont know about that, being good for a 16 year old. I hear they are quite safe believe it or not. They are really, really small though. Normally teens want to haul around their friends around but you cant do that with a Smart. The Smart convertible is a cute looking car, but not very masculine in my opinion.
I think it can have both along with a CVT transmission. And yes its slow.
If I were you I would go with like a Nissan Verse. Its bigger. more powerful, more useful, a fully loaded Verse is still cheaper then the Smart and Most interestingly it gets only one or two mile less per gallon then the Smart car. So unless you just really want a Smart, I would go for something like the Nissan Verse or a Honda Fit.
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QUESTION:
SMART Car??
Does any one know if a smart car is powered on the front or back wheels or is a 4by 4??-
ANSWER:
I think, it's powered by the back wheels
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QUESTION:
What are the differences between a Smart Car and an older vehicule?
Our family is considering buying a Smart Car, but we were debating if it was really worth it. Are Smart Cars any better than older car models?
Much appreciated!-
ANSWER:
Microcars are a must for:
- families of two with little or no luggage and
- those who park in very tight spaces.
Otherwise go for a normal, (sub)compact car - way cheaper to buy and maintain. Otherwise, they are a nice piece of advanced engineering.
Before deciding, take a look at the Toyota's recent microcar entry (marketed as iQ in Europe).
hth
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