Smart Cars

Mercedes have released a Brabus version of the smart car

 

we have 2 of those mercedes here.
6 grands sound low, a new street motorbike cost more than that

 

I watched from a TV news that Mecede Smart Cars will be started selling in the US in 2006. It's good for saving fuel. But my concern is how the smart cars will stand if collide with all these V8 6 Liters SUV.

 

1 comfort
We have been driving Lexus LS400 day to day. We had used ES300 for 2 years. We are frequent "flyers" and we love to drive when we are oversea: US, Europe, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysai.
The best mini car that we drove was Echo. Although we spent a lot of time in Lexus(4000cc or 3000 cc), we never felt uncomfortable(the two front seats) for driving the Echo except when the (1300cc)Echo is hitting the speed at 110 kph(very noisy). But if you can get Echo 1500cc, will get less noise. Echo(1300cc automatic with vvti) is very responsive too, even better than the "sporty" Pueguot 206.(my friend switch from echo to 206 and felt depressed) The driving experience is much better than even some of the "larger" car like Colora, Civic, Focus, Sunny, Demio, Rover... We can't comment on the back seat(me and my wife only). (PS. the Echo Verso is not as good as the hatch back for driving)

2 safty
Echo, I believe, is the best. Back a few years, the Austrailian put around 30-40 small cars for crashing test. Echo gets 91pts, Mer A-class 86, Civic 81. If the "Smart" only has 3 stars(Only remember the best), you better think harder.

3 Awards won
I think Echo got the most amound the mini, worldwide.

4 Price and performance
Nothing to say, if you buy Smart/Mer, please consider Toyota "Prius" at that price. The fuel you save, the comfort you get, the envy eyes you get, the enviroment you protected, the safty you get, the "in-look" you have....

5 Maintanence
Toyota should be outstanding for trouble-free

6 Second hand value
You know more about it

Happy Buying

redkingjoe

 

sorri, i read your post too fast.
however 20k is still very expensive when compared an echo, a proven product.

 

again, i sped post this one.
we i mean here in calgary. Not sure if the 2 are owned by dealers as demo or owned by some greenpeace activists but our newspaper said calgary has 2 of them since summer 2004, and i personally was waiting on red light next to one .

 

We see these Smart cars here all the time, they are everywhere. I remember I went to a 'motor show' which must have been about 4 years ago, they were advertising the Smart Car with its changeable car panels...I thought it was like the fascias on Nokia mobile phones...and so when I had the chance, I tried to pull one off to see how it fitted together...you should have seen the look on the sales guys...:crying: I was told (or rather shouted) that it was not a user serviceable part LATER!! I promptly left after a short apology before the security arrived

 

hehehe, I thought Smart is from Swatch which is almost impossible to open!!

 

They were from swatch and trying to capetalise on their famous changing face watches by taking the same technology into the world of car body pieces and interiors, well until they were bought over by Mercedes (the car part, don't know about the watches)

Some parts come off and some don't, that could be an expensive mistake if you get it wrong especially at mercedes prices

 

I have been a Swatch dealer and collector for around 10 years. I thought I saw the process of "Swatch" giving "birth" to "Smart" when Swatch and Mercedes jointly develop the car. I had high hope at the very beginning....

I think Swatch should have developed the car with Lexus: a cheap luxury car with model number SW100. (just need to do a "face lift" of an Echo, hehe )

 

1 Actually, I think you don't find a second candidate which comes close to Echo.
In Japan domestic market, the total turnover of Toyota is = more than the total turnover of Nissan+Honda+Mazda+Mitshubitshi+Subaru. The japanese picked that for you.

2 The first time I handled a Echo was 15 years ago when my family/relatives in LA had: Sunny, civic, Mazda323, Large Chrisler, toyota tercel(now echo). None of them come clsoe to the driving or sitting experince of the Tercel(now Echo).

3 Before you buy, please pay attention to time that Toyota does a major update of the model. I think Echo is about time...please check

4 I remember I have seen somewhere that BMW is buying Toyota's Engine for putting in their "Coopers Mini"...than you know the quality

red

 

i believe toyota is smarter than daimler-chrsysler. Toyota knows that canadian and US consumers prefer hybrid than tiny cars at the moment, because i do too.

Ford gave up designing their own hybrid engine and use toyota's hybrid engine in their (ford) first hybrid suv.
Meanwhile, dummies ford and diamler-chrsysler bot and own part of ballard power, LOL

 

1 I personally prefer the hybrid engine. it's good for the enviroment in the short and long run. I remember I've seen something like Toyota is trying to make all cars hybrid by the year 2011.

2 Ford is the car that I talked about the most only next to Toyota/Lexus. I always tell people that Ford only makes one model of car: Ford Lemon. But after the introduction of toyota engine, it will be much better.

3 My sister's Chrisler was using "Mitsubishi's engine" and got a lot less problems than her friend who had the same model with "US engine". I have always been very puzzled with US' engine design(MIT, CIT)!!!!

4 20 years ago I talked to a mechanical engineer in car. he told me that i didn't really need to research on car. just buy any car from Toyota.

 

Smart vs Prius

Both Smart and Prius are great in fuel. In terms of numbers, Smart is more fuel efficient than Prius...however, Smart runs on diesel and Prius is a hybrid.

It is difficult to say which one is more eco...I mean...it says that the Smart's body is made of recycling materials.

I'd like to hear what do you say if you have to choose between the two cars.