Smart Car

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zoomaster1

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This sums it up for me.
smart car.jpg
 

HoLeChit

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It's not just Smart Cars that don't have spares these days--some rather expensive cars have traded spares for some other usage of the space. They get a can of Fix-a-Flat and a 12V inflator to save space and weight.

Having had a few sidewalls cut by road debris (and a few other flats that a can of goo couldn't fix), I agree that it's unbelievably stupid.
I didn’t have a spare of any sort in my BMW M4 that had a new MSRP of $85k. It did have a fix a flat kit, but there’s no way I would use that. My $4.99 a month roadside assistance is cheaper to use than replacing the rim and TPMS system sensor in the event of a flat. At the end of the day there was no way I wanted to fit a 285 width tire in my trunk. So many average people never touch their spare, and when they do, it’s no longer safe to be driven on the road. Why charge people for an odd sized tire that will almost never be used? I would rather get a fix a flat kit, pay for roadside assistance, and get by without the extra cost. Or in the case of my truck, not pay the extra cash for nonstock sized tire, and then go buy a match to the wheels and tires I have on my truck.
 

HoLeChit

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I am not a big fan of the smart cars because they are not as efficient as they appear to be. There’s plenty of cars that are more reliable, more efficient, and actually have useable cargo room in them. I think that a diesel VW golf would be pretty ideal for a commuter, you get great economy, great aftermarket support, more space, and the ability to fit more than a bag of groceries into it if needed.
 

SoonerP226

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I didn’t have a spare of any sort in my BMW M4 that had a new MSRP of $85k. It did have a fix a flat kit, but there’s no way I would use that. My $4.99 a month roadside assistance is cheaper to use than replacing the rim and TPMS system sensor in the event of a flat. At the end of the day there was no way I wanted to fit a 285 width tire in my trunk. So many average people never touch their spare, and when they do, it’s no longer safe to be driven on the road. Why charge people for an odd sized tire that will almost never be used? I would rather get a fix a flat kit, pay for roadside assistance, and get by without the extra cost. Or in the case of my truck, not pay the extra cash for nonstock sized tire, and then go buy a match to the wheels and tires I have on my truck.
That roadside service thing is great until you're on highway 39 west of Asher and only have cellular service when you're at the top of a hill. At least a donut spare will get you down the road.

...and it'll do it at 80+mph, if you're in Texas (I kid you not, I saw that last week).
 

AKguy1985

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I have sat in a smart car. It felt like a go kart to me. If you want a little car that's good on gas try a Chevy spark or a Toyota yaris. I would stay away from the Mitsubishi mirage, they are a 75 HP three cylinder gutless wonder.
 

Parks 788

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I would not go with a Smart Car. Just seems too "unique" to be able to get good sales and support/service for them. Quick storys. My neighbor who is a died in the wool Ford guy loves his Ford C-Max Hybrid. Seems to get great mileage and no issues with it whatsoever. Next, I had to fly to Seattle last April to pick up our 2nd box dog we got from the breeder in Alaska. Breeder had to take a two day ferry ride as the boxer, if not puppies, are not allowed in the belly of the plane and are not service dogs to ride in passenger areas. I rented a Toyota Sienna Hybrid mini van and was thoroughly impressed with it. I believe it is the same or a bit more powerful setup than the Prius. Has about an 18 gallon tank. I drove it kind of hard and when i filled the tank on the 1400 mile drive home it would show 550 miles to empty. I was very happy with performance and mileage considering it was a mini van.
 

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