Who likes SMART cars?

Eppie · 08-10-2003 10:56am #1

D'ya like SMART cars?
I didn't, until I recently went to Rome, and the things are everywhere. So they started to grow on me, through association with the Italians, who made them look so stylish.
Would they look thick on Irish roads?

the website's deadly too.

Seth Brundle · 08-10-2003 11:08am

I don't like the 'sedan' version (very picky about my cars) but I saw the coupe yesterday in dublin and I must say I love it.
www.thesmart.co.uk

rymus · 08-10-2003 11:09am

saw one only yesterday in Douglas. Best thing about them is that theyre damn easy to overtake

Also saw a humvee.. but thats another story altogether

kayos · 08-10-2003 11:15am

Originally posted by rymus
saw one only yesterday in Douglas. Best thing about them is that theyre damn easy to overtake

Hmmm you haven't seen the specs on the Barbus coupe (or was it roadster) so

... but then again with only 10 in the world and a price tag of over 300K sterling I dont think you will ever have to worry about seeing one on Irish roads

TUTS · 08-10-2003 11:55am

I was over in Hamburg a while back, the place is flooded with em( & Beemers). They look grand when there is loads of them around. (dont look so out of place) They're very strong aswell....saw a Smart v's Golf. Golf was left in bits the Smart only had a small bit of damage to the front. Good for the city, large towns but i dont know if id do a tour of Ireland in one...:p

Eppie · 08-10-2003 11:59am

What general impression do you think they give - of the driver, I mean?

Sleipnir · 08-10-2003 12:02pm

Originally posted by Eppie
What general impression do you think they give - of the driver, I mean?

Bit of a greeny do-gooder!
Handy little things around town I'd say but being 6' 5" it wouldn't really be an option for me.

MadsL · 08-10-2003 1:54pm

Getting mine on Saturday!

Cheap insurance, cheap to run, Cheapish road tax, Cheap to fix...

...and it's a Merc!!

What's not to like!

Eppie · 08-10-2003 2:00pm

jeal-ous.

Borzoi · 08-10-2003 5:18pm

Test driving on Saturday, I'll let you know.

MadsL, where did you get yours?

MadsL · 08-10-2003 9:58pm

Belfast - as the Dublin dealerships 'couldn't' do a deal on price. The Smarts seem to be overpriced by about 1000 euro compared to the North.

Ba$tard · 09-10-2003 7:59am

They are a great idea!

Was in Rome last week, the place was littered with them!

They even had SMART car only parking in one street. Was class.
The idea of modifying them with different panels is a great idea.
Nippy little beggers too.

J.

ToxicPaddy · 09-10-2003 11:38am

Saw the coupe the other day in Dublin, was in Black and silver.. absolutely fab looking car to be honest and probably dirt cheap to insure and maintain..

However, all in its still a car and no matter how big or small it is, it will still be stuck in traffic like every other car on the road, give me one of those ugly noisey little mopeds that sound like a chainsaw on a toaster anyday if it saves time getting through this traffic nightmare thats Dublin..

Tox

eth0_ · 09-10-2003 11:43am

Seen a lot more of them in Belfast...but most of them were promotional cars

I don't like the look of them, they aren't fast enough, they're too small and I just wouldn't feel safe in one.

BUT the coupe is different

ME WANTIE!

Seth Brundle · 09-10-2003 12:31pm

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Saw the coupe the other day in Dublin, was in Black and silver.. absolutely fab looking car to be honest and probably dirt cheap to insure and maintain..
Tox

I read a letter somewhere recently (Irish Times?) saying how someone went to get an insurance quote on one and was told that they are considered, by the money grabbing cartels, to be 'performance cars' and therefore come with a hefty insurance weight.
Fu**ers!

rymus · 09-10-2003 12:51pm

whats the insurance like on that beast? I'd be kinda half interested in possibly thinking of maybe getting one in the not too distant future if I wasnt going to end up paying about 4 grand insurance on one.

deecom · 09-10-2003 7:18pm

Have heard great things about them, like the new roadster, and according to a bloke in Mary Macs on Sunday, there great to drive, he was in the process of ordering one. Mind you from Belfast, same as MadsL.
I want one quite badly!

byte · 09-10-2003 8:58pm

Originally posted by MadsL
Getting mine on Saturday!

Cheap insurance, cheap to run, Cheapish road tax, Cheap to fix...

...and it's a Merc!!

I never realised until now that Mercedes Benz is owned by Daimler-Chrysler! Learn something new everyday! :horned:

MadsL · 09-10-2003 11:27pm

Not just me says it's a merc...
Mercedes Car Group is Mercedes, Maybach and Smart

Wouldn't have minded this special editionmodel

eth0_ · 09-10-2003 11:44pm

Originally posted by kbannon
...they are considered, by the money grabbing cartels, to be 'performance cars' and therefore come with a hefty insurance weight.
Fu**ers!

How the **** are they 'performance cars'? All the smart cars, even the sporty coupe, are under 1 litre!

I had been considering getting that sporty one til I saw the price...£13000!

Seth Brundle · 09-10-2003 11:50pm

Originally posted by eth0_
How the **** are they 'performance cars'? All the smart cars, even the sporty coupe, are under 1 litre!

I didn't say they were performance cars - I said that our insurance industry considers them to be. Without wanting to start a new discussion on insurance companies (we all know what they are like), why do they refuse to follow the ratings used by the industry in the UK?

MadsL · 10-10-2003 12:14am

They are 'performance' cars 0-60 in 10 secs from a 698cc engine is a hell of a performance - and that's before you remap it!

ToxicPaddy · 10-10-2003 11:54am

Originally posted by kbannon
....why do they refuse to follow the ratings used by the industry in the UK?

Because they are money grabbing scum...

simple as that..

The reason they class it as a performance car is because its a coupe.. if it had a 50cc engine but was a coupe they would class it as a performance car and probably be charging the same as a BMW or Merc Coupe..

typical f*ckwits.. :rolleyes:

Gmodified · 10-10-2003 12:05pm

The same rule applies to Honda Beat and Suzuki cappuccino.
In regards to Smart it's a lot's money for this kind of car.

You should get it free when you buy a real Merc.

Seth Brundle · 10-10-2003 12:09pm

Originally posted by Gmodified
You should get it free when you buy a real Merc.

You could store it in the Merc's boot

Gmodified · 10-10-2003 12:15pm

it's like having shopping trolley with body kit and alloys. Silver finish comes as standard

Where you put the coin???:D

the evil belly · 10-10-2003 3:56pm

Originally posted by rymus
Also saw a humvee.. but thats another story altogether

if it was a big black one then it lives in ballincollig. as for smart cars i'd go for the roadster myself

MadsL · 10-10-2003 11:59pm

Gmodified, maybe you just don't like the fact that I can change the body panels any time I want instead of the....

I would be looking for 250 to just spray wing and bumper

....kind of money you would be charging. Welcome to the future.

MadsL · 11-10-2003 1:08am

Interestingly Quinn-direct *refused* to quote me on the
city-coupe (not the roadster coupe now) on the basis that "we don't"...I asked what that meant and why they were refusing and they told me "no convertibles, soft-tops, T-bars, kit cars, etc" When i pointed out that it was none of the above, but a standard production car, with an NCAP rating of 3* and a 698cc engine and asked why again. Then they said "well we just don't like them." I fell around laughing and said "good luck with your business" - I'll ring Merc and tell them the good news, they'll be delighted.

...I hear next year Quinn-direct they are going to stop quoting on Red cars, as yous are far too aggressive...

Shower of morons.

NeRb666 · 11-10-2003 2:04am

They're pretty cool looking, but they're over-priced and they'll probably be gay icons in a couple of years.

MadsL · 11-10-2003 9:23pm

they'll probably be gay icons in a couple of years.

...phew.. Gay Icons i can live with, uncool is a different story!:p

Who likes SMART cars?

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