personal test drive mercedes bedford ohio
yesterday, jan 18, 2008. finally got to test drive the all new 2008 usa version of the smart.
net net, everything was just fine.
i had heard someone complain of wind noise with the convertible, last july at the smart events. i have a convertible on order.
i don't know if the person was mistaken, or the smart engineers re-did the top and made it quiet, but, the only thing i could hear, on the expressway going 60 mph, was the nice swish of wind, gently passing over the top, with the top back, as far as it could go, without going all the way down, to the bottom.
it was good. nice. no problem. i am glad i have the convertible on order. it was sunny yesterday, blue skies in ohio, and 30 degrees F. even with the below freezing temp, the top open and back, with the sun coming in, it was great, and not cold. i left the windows up, so just the top was open.
they say, you need 15 minutes of sunshine, each day, to be healthy... and i understand every cell in ones body, has a vitamin D receptor. ie, every cell in your body, uses vit D.
well, in 15 minutes of sun exposure to your face or hand or arm (don't have to wear a bathing suit), you can get something like almost 20,000 units of vit D. such amounts, are about impossible to get with supplements.
so, the point is, the smart is not only an interesting nice looking car, it can also boost your health, by opening the top, even in winter, and getting your 15 minutes of direct sunlight on your skin, each day, with a short drive.
additional nice things i found, on the smart test drive:
1) yes, the short wheel base gives you a more bump-ty bump ride on the rough deep pot holes than a limousine, when its going over the bumps, ... but, the smart suspension handles the bumps impressively well. with a good low tone of absorption, and strong solid feel. it seems better than at the 2008 july smart event.
2) the sound of the engine, seems a better low throaty nice sound, than at last julys smart event. the engineers must have re-tuned the muffler, and, it sounds like a substantial car, very nice. also, while there is some engine vibration, (put your hand on the windshield wtih the engine on, and you can notice it) likely normal, due to the small size of the engine, and three cylinders, ... it was better, or more smooth, than at last julys event. net net, its good.
3) the transmission, feels more normal, and actually, nice. ... more solid, versus the rougher transmission shifts of last july's smart event. this was a concern last july at the event, and now, basically, its no longer a concern. it feels fine. good actually.
and, its better than ... either a standard typical usa manual, because you can put smarts semi-automatic transmission into drive, and let the car shift gears for you, if you want, something that is impossible for the std manual to do, ... and its better than an automatic, because you can put it in shift mode, and shift either up or down shift, with the stick on the floor, or use the paddle shifters on the steering column, and shift gear yourself.
... hence, the smart transmission, can do both, ... and neither the usa std automatics, nor usa std manuals, can offer the driver both of these features, as/if/when the driver prefers.. like the smart transmission can.
net net, the test drive confirmed, all seems just fine on the new 2008 smart. and in fact, good.
the only decision left, is, does one wish to spend the $30,000 of pretax earnings on a new convertible car, as is the same final tough decision, on any new car.
but given the prices of other convertible cars, the smart convertible appears to be the lowest priced new convertible, of any sold in the usa,
and, the smart gets the best all-gas mpg of any 2008 usa vehicle.
and, the smart seems to be the only completely all new look usa vehicle, as its the first micro car concept in the usa car market.
so, net net, if one has decided to spend the money, and is looking to buy a new car, the usa 2008 smart looks like a contender.
ps, in visiting the local smart showroom, seems like an awful lot of shopper traffic, for a car dealer showroom.
and it seems the most often phrase overhead in the showroom, is, "you have to place a reservation, and the orders are sold out for a while."
seems like a lot of interest in the usa smart, by people wanting to buy a car, presently.
net net, everything was just fine.
i had heard someone complain of wind noise with the convertible, last july at the smart events. i have a convertible on order.
i don't know if the person was mistaken, or the smart engineers re-did the top and made it quiet, but, the only thing i could hear, on the expressway going 60 mph, was the nice swish of wind, gently passing over the top, with the top back, as far as it could go, without going all the way down, to the bottom.
it was good. nice. no problem. i am glad i have the convertible on order. it was sunny yesterday, blue skies in ohio, and 30 degrees F. even with the below freezing temp, the top open and back, with the sun coming in, it was great, and not cold. i left the windows up, so just the top was open.
they say, you need 15 minutes of sunshine, each day, to be healthy... and i understand every cell in ones body, has a vitamin D receptor. ie, every cell in your body, uses vit D.
well, in 15 minutes of sun exposure to your face or hand or arm (don't have to wear a bathing suit), you can get something like almost 20,000 units of vit D. such amounts, are about impossible to get with supplements.
so, the point is, the smart is not only an interesting nice looking car, it can also boost your health, by opening the top, even in winter, and getting your 15 minutes of direct sunlight on your skin, each day, with a short drive.
additional nice things i found, on the smart test drive:
1) yes, the short wheel base gives you a more bump-ty bump ride on the rough deep pot holes than a limousine, when its going over the bumps, ... but, the smart suspension handles the bumps impressively well. with a good low tone of absorption, and strong solid feel. it seems better than at the 2008 july smart event.
2) the sound of the engine, seems a better low throaty nice sound, than at last julys smart event. the engineers must have re-tuned the muffler, and, it sounds like a substantial car, very nice. also, while there is some engine vibration, (put your hand on the windshield wtih the engine on, and you can notice it) likely normal, due to the small size of the engine, and three cylinders, ... it was better, or more smooth, than at last julys event. net net, its good.
3) the transmission, feels more normal, and actually, nice. ... more solid, versus the rougher transmission shifts of last july's smart event. this was a concern last july at the event, and now, basically, its no longer a concern. it feels fine. good actually.
and, its better than ... either a standard typical usa manual, because you can put smarts semi-automatic transmission into drive, and let the car shift gears for you, if you want, something that is impossible for the std manual to do, ... and its better than an automatic, because you can put it in shift mode, and shift either up or down shift, with the stick on the floor, or use the paddle shifters on the steering column, and shift gear yourself.
... hence, the smart transmission, can do both, ... and neither the usa std automatics, nor usa std manuals, can offer the driver both of these features, as/if/when the driver prefers.. like the smart transmission can.
net net, the test drive confirmed, all seems just fine on the new 2008 smart. and in fact, good.
the only decision left, is, does one wish to spend the $30,000 of pretax earnings on a new convertible car, as is the same final tough decision, on any new car.
but given the prices of other convertible cars, the smart convertible appears to be the lowest priced new convertible, of any sold in the usa,
and, the smart gets the best all-gas mpg of any 2008 usa vehicle.
and, the smart seems to be the only completely all new look usa vehicle, as its the first micro car concept in the usa car market.
so, net net, if one has decided to spend the money, and is looking to buy a new car, the usa 2008 smart looks like a contender.
ps, in visiting the local smart showroom, seems like an awful lot of shopper traffic, for a car dealer showroom.
and it seems the most often phrase overhead in the showroom, is, "you have to place a reservation, and the orders are sold out for a while."
seems like a lot of interest in the usa smart, by people wanting to buy a car, presently.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by cash on -
they had this same color pure in bedford mercedes ohio. very nice looking, especially with the sharp wheel covers, and nice gray interior that will look good 20 years from now.
bloomfield michigan opens also:
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/01/18/smart_fortwo_mic...
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Permalink Reply by Aaron on -
I just drove one around this afternoon and I must say I was very impressed. I drove the passion cabriolet convertible but I didn't think to put the top down because it was around 20 F out. But overall it was very nice. I never once felt like I was driving in a small car. Once I pulled back into the dealership up next to another Smart I thought to myself, "wow, what a small car" not realizing that that was the same car that I had just been driving. The only thing I noticed with the driving is in the shifting on automatic. There is a noticeable pause between gear shifts, so it almost feels like you're driving with a manual clutch and stick shift...on automatic. I don't know if this is done on purpose for the feel of it or what but otherwise it was a great ride and I look forward to picking one up.
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