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Author Topic: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test  (Read 6047 times)

Offline Autos_Editor

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CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« on: March 21, 2006, 01:15:05 am »
Test Drive:
2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
2006 Smart Fortwo PassionThe Smart only carries two people, but that's one more than most commuter cars do, observes Michael Clark, who takes a Fortwo onto the winter-slick roads of Winnipeg. You'll want winter tires, but Smart's stability control, anti-lock brakes and optional heated seats work just fine.    More...
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Offline Bullet Blue

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2006, 09:56:42 am »
My friend has a Smart Fortwo and it is absolutely HORRIBLE in the snow. He even has snow tires on, and it is still really bad. I would never want to drive one in the snow. It would be way too frustrating.
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Offline Loudpedal

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2006, 01:34:44 pm »
Winter test?   Besides a picture in the snow, it was not really a test that told me much about the vehicle dynamics in the snow. 
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Offline safristi

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2006, 01:40:35 pm »
The PASSION level includes the "Soft_TOUCH" feature....Hmmm It take a TWO ta TANGO it seems...... :rofl2:
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Offline AVToller

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2006, 02:45:07 pm »
There was a winter comparison test not too long ago that basically said the Smart was just short of pathetic in the snow.  ??? ::)
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Offline Howswedeitis

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2006, 03:18:41 pm »
Frankly speaking, you'd have to have "rocks" in your head to buy one of these things
in the first place. Granted if you do only city driving the Smart makes sense but who
only does city driving? For the price and what you actually get the Smart is not
much more than a novelty riding on the cache of it's association with Mercedes
Benz. The arrogance of Mercedes to market such a poor excuse for car at such
a high price makes me wonder what a laugh the board of directors in Stuttgart
must be having.

I recall seeing one of these on a highway in the middle
of January it must have been -20c and the poor guy driving the thing could
hardly see out...the side windows were frosted and you could see the
heating system hardly kept up with keeping the windshield clear.
If I wanted a car like that I could easily buy myself a 1979 VW Beetle
and buy an ice scraper to keep my windshield clear!
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Offline Bullet Blue

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2006, 09:30:43 pm »
Quote from: Howswedeitis on March 21, 2006, 03:18:41 pm
Frankly speaking, you'd have to have "rocks" in your head to buy one of these things
in the first place.

While I tend to agree, it seems that Smart is doing adequately in sales:

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060321/REG/60321001/1003
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Offline Arthur Dent

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2006, 06:33:38 pm »
I wouldn't mind one if they were drastically cheaper and had less features.
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Offline Giant Dwarf

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2006, 12:12:55 pm »
Quote from: arthurdent on March 22, 2006, 06:33:38 pm
I wouldn't mind one if they were drastically cheaper and had less features.

Yeah, I would think that as a genuine entry level hyper-economy CITY car, it would make sense.  Price it maxed out at about $15-16k and it'd be neat.  But for the money they are getting for these things in the Cdn market, I tend to agree with the rocks in the head statement.

One of the women my wife car-pools with actually gets agitated whenever she sees them.  It's almost a conditioned response now (sort of like when I see a soccer mom in the suburbs driving a Hummer while talking on the cell phone).  It's turned into a codeword now everytime either of us sees one while driving, we point and simply announce "Mad!"  :)  So, at least the SMarts provide us with entertainment anyway.
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Offline wing

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2006, 01:35:10 pm »
Ever hear of "Punch buggy" ?  It's a game you play in the car when you see a VW Bug.....  First person to spot it yells "Punch Buggy" and puches the person next to them, great fun.  Well it got a little out of hand now with the new Bugs and you see them so often it's not much of a game (kind of like punch civic) that can get painfull. 

So, I've changed it to "Smart", rare sightings include a punch :rofl2:
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Offline UmroAyyar

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2006, 02:03:34 pm »
Quote from: Giant Dwarf on March 23, 2006, 12:12:55 pm
Yeah, I would think that as a genuine entry level hyper-economy CITY car, it would make sense.  Price it maxed out at about $15-16k and it'd be neat.  But for the money they are getting for these things in the Cdn market, I tend to agree with the rocks in the head statement.

One of the women my wife car-pools with actually gets agitated whenever she sees them.  It's almost a conditioned response now (sort of like when I see a soccer mom in the suburbs driving a Hummer while talking on the cell phone).  It's turned into a codeword now everytime either of us sees one while driving, we point and simply announce "Mad!"  :)  So, at least the SMarts provide us with entertainment anyway.

We point and say 'Toy Car'.  ;D
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Offline Seafoam

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2006, 06:57:09 pm »
I saw an episode of Drivers Seat last weekend . Ted and Tony  mentioned  there will be Smart for Four which may be a bit more practical.

Andrew
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Offline Prius

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #12 on: March 27, 2006, 02:39:14 pm »
well DCX just announced they're killing off the smart forfour.
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Offline Bullet Blue

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2006, 03:58:43 pm »
Quote from: Prius on March 27, 2006, 02:39:14 pm
well DCX just announced they're killing off the smart forfour.

Do you have a link for that Prius, just out of curiosity.
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Offline AVToller

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2006, 07:07:05 pm »
Quote from: Prius on March 27, 2006, 02:39:14 pm
well DCX just announced they're killing off the smart forfour.

Honestly, that doesn't surprise me much given the financial history of Smart as a whole. Was there any indication as to why the decision was made?  ???
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Offline 84im

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2006, 09:07:23 pm »
Ted and Tony are still doing their Siskel & Ebert(now Roeper) schtick?  What channel...I miss those two.
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Offline Snowman

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #16 on: March 28, 2006, 05:11:49 am »
Quote from: 84im on March 27, 2006, 09:07:23 pm
Ted and Tony are still doing their Siskel & Ebert(now Roeper) schtick?  What channel...I miss those two.

Two bums up!
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Offline Prius

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #17 on: March 30, 2006, 02:28:08 am »
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Offline Bullet Blue

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #18 on: March 30, 2006, 10:36:28 am »
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Offline Prius

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Re: CD Article: 2006 Smart Fourtwo winter test
« Reply #19 on: March 30, 2006, 02:43:12 pm »
np
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