Sigh, Some people...

[rp23g7]

Went to the gas station this morning and a SMART pulls up behind me.

Are the people that drive these thing programed to be dorks or what. I ignored him pulling up so close behind me, gas filler is behind the license plate, and he almosts hits me. He gets out and starts the conversation.

"Hey i had a 69 Chevelle, just sold it a year or so ago" Best decision i ever made, used too much gas, got me one of these" pointed at his SMART car.

I say "thats too bad" He looks at me, with a strange look on his face. He says 'Whys that"?

I told him i saw how unsafe one of those cars is, I had one destroy itself on the rear bumper of my Scamp when i had it. Hilarious, even the policeman that came to the accident was amused.

He says the randomness of being in a bad accident is worth it to the fuel he saves, and says to me, maybe you should think about doing that too.

I tell him "Hey i am being enviromentaly friendly, i am recycling". He goes "how"?

"By restoring this car, how many or our resources would be used up if they crushed this, sent it to japan, and spent the time and energy to make a defective Toyota out of it, that they would need to recall, and spend more money on trying to fix it?"

He didnt have a good come back for that, so just replied with a F You.

He was parked behind me at the gas station, with his window open, so when i left, i pumped the gas 2 or three times so i would flood it, cranked it and reved it so it would blow a cloud of "used up resources" his way.

I dont understand why someone would buy one of these things, it baffles me
     

[Brock Samson]

 good reply! I always say i can carry five and their luggage my bike and groceries.
I think the smart can get as many as three bags of groceries in the back and one passenger.

[FLG]

Did you "return the rubber back to the earth" when you left?   

[Brock Samson]

  It's true most folks don't get the recycling argument at all... The new car experience is simply blinding and that I know of no good argument has been made to state that case...
  you might have asked him what motor was in his chevy and what he did with it?..
  that would have shown if he was actually a motor head or just driving his moms' old beater.

[rp23g7]

Did you "return the rubber back to the earth" when you left?   

Unfortunatley not, there is a Lynnwood policeman, that hangs out in the closed Circuit City parking lot right about that time, hes a cool guy, he goes to the gas station after he gets off, we have talked before, dont want to test it, and find out he took the day off and the replacement dude is sitting there instead.

[rp23g7]

  It's true most folks don't get the recycling argument at all... The new car experience is simply blinding and that I know of no good argument has been made to state that case...
  you might have asked him what motor was in his chevy and what he did with it?..
  that would have shown if he was actually a motor head or just driving his moms' old beater.

I was thinking about it, but then i was trying to decide what was the worse option, driving a Chevy or getting rid of it for the SMART car.

[bakerhillpins]

Are the people that drive these thing programed to be dorks or what?

"By restoring this car, how many or our resources would be used up if they crushed this, sent it to japan, and spent the time and energy to make a defective Toyota out of it, that they would need to recall, and spend more money on trying to fix it?"

He didnt have a good come back for that, so just replied with a F You.

Not all of them but it certainly does seem that way doesn't it. I think its more of a WHY they buy it more than who.

Your restoring argument makes a lot of sense but because he didn't think of it first he got his panties in a wad. I always find it interesting that those that haven't thought through their argument always seem to end the conversation the same way he did. 

[skip68]

You should have said this.   
"Getting a smart car is all about keeping more money in your pocket by saving at the pump right ? ? ?      Then tell me this, how much will your smart car be worth in 5 years ?"       You might save 3 times as much at the pump, but my car will go up in value more than you saved on gas.   

[Troy]

The Smart car doesn't get that great of mileage any way does it?

Troy

[moparstuart]

The Smart car doesn't get that great of mileage any way does it?

Troy

thats what i heard that it only get like 30 mpg tops and they claim or you would think for the size it would get like 40 or 50

[rp23g7]

You should have said this.   
"Getting a smart car is all about keeping more money in your pocket by saving at the pump right ? ? ?      Then tell me this, how much will your smart car be worth in 5 years ?"       You might save 3 times as much at the pump, but my car will go up in value more than you saved on gas.   

HAHA, I have had that conversation too, not suprisingly with a Prius owner at the local NAPA store.  "why are you spending so much money to fix up that car"  Because my car with be worth twice as much in another 40 yrs, yours will be in the junkyard in another 10, any other questions?  He was pissed

[Brock Samson]

 the guy i heard bragging about his smart at the cafe last week claimed his got 45 MPG. I bit my tongue...

[rp23g7]

the guy i heard bragging about his smart at the cafe last week claimed his got 45 MPG. I bit my tongue...

Pretty sure they get aboout half that.

[Back N Black]

you should have told him that your charger is a Hybrid, it burns gas and rubber. 

[chargergirl]

Man we are doing great then! Mark's Rampage gets 39-40 per mile...AND it's recycled to boot...AND it's a Mopar! The downside is that he gets pulled over from time to time by the cops that want to know what he's driving. So that ugly, scarey looking to drive, spam can on wheels is not even close the CR2 that was built WAY back when?

[devilgear]

You guys are waay to nice..I would have started the conversation with f*** off and then told him to try and get laid in that thing compared to mine...hahah

[bull]

I think they're rated at 38 mpg tops and if my car is going to make me look like a limp-wristed pansy I had better be getting way more than 38 mpg. Smart cars were not designed for use in the US. They are s&!tbox commuters for short trips in European towns with small streets.

[ITSA426]

I still like the fact that every bit of my 60's vintage muscle cars were made in the USA.  And that even if my car turns to rust, it will return to nature long before that plastic composts. 

[Silver R/T]

those are queer cars. I want to drive over them in my Ram. Some people are ignorant like that guy, so noone would miss him if he got "recycled" inside his "dumbass" car. I would give him pepsi can and tell him to use for his spare parts

[elacruze]

You can buy a lot of gas for the price of a smart car, but I guess that's not their argument.

Smart cars are cool. Well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czdLs7Lu2pg

[rp23g7]

I still like the fact that every bit of my 60's vintage muscle cars were made in the USA.  And that even if my car turns to rust, it will return to nature long before that plastic composts. 

so true

[mikesbbody]

I dont know if you guy's (in the states) watch a show called "Top Gear" (uk show) the guy's are dorks but they do some interesting stuff. They had a hybrid can't remember what it was they ran it around a track at top speed and they had a...think it was a v8 BMW all it had to do was keep up well...the BMW actually did better when it came to fuel economy nuff said.
Plus, with parts being made from all over the world the so called "carbon footprint" on one of those cars is massive doesn't sound "enviromentally friendly" to me.

[elacruze]

Top Gear Rocks. It's available on DirectTV at least.

[Mike DC]

 
Guys like us are choosing our cars to make a certain type of statement.

Hybrid owners are choosing their cars to make a different statement.  



IMHO neither one of us is doing it for anything remotely related to practicality.  


 

[METROID]

Here is the MPG for the Smart:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=smart&model=fortwo coupe

Top Gear Rocks.

Here is my favorite episode clip featuring the best car ever made (Not for General Lee guys to watch): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJRcuoNHl_k

[bull]

If mpg is what you want go buy a TDI Jetta and get 10 mpg better. The Dumb Car is just another "I'm more green than you are" status symbol like the Toyota Pious. It doesn't matter if it's green or not just as long as people think it is.

[Jon Smith]

I thought the idea of a smart car was parking in crowded city centres..nothing to do with fuel consumption...the Japanese make a lot of  equally small cars for that reason...
I imagine the 80s cars get better milage because they're lighter...less safety equipment and all the useless crap that comes as standard on new cars was optional back then

[Cooter]

IMO, the whole problem with these "Green" Douchebags is this statement he used....."You should do that yourself".....Ok guy, you want to go "Green", fine, just get it over with and tell me how nice my antique car is, and how you wished you had one again, and regretted ever selling it cause nobody ever stopped anybody in a "Smart" car to take photo's of your "Economical" car before...They think cause they THINK they are doing something good for the planet, they have some kinda "Right" to preach to others that don't feel the same way...

[rp23g7]

If mpg is what you want go buy a TDI Jetta and get 10 mpg better. The Dumb Car is just another "I'm more green than you are" status symbol like the Toyota Pious. It doesn't matter if it's green or not just as long as people think it is.

Yeah those TDI's get crazy milage, a friend at work has one, he can get 700+ miles on a tank of gas.

[Ghoste]

Cooter, you absolutely nailed it buddy. 

[451-74Charger]

you should have told him that your charger is a Hybrid, it burns gas and rubber. 

Now thats the truth !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rp23g7]

Cooter, you absolutely nailed it buddy. 

Yeah he did, so true

[rp23g7]

I actually went to a Smart car forum to see what they talk about.

Lots of talk about milage, like its a contest, lots of them getting rear ended, and how unstable they are above 50 mph.

The best thing though, the ad at the top of the page for a exahust tip

ADDS 6 hp
Adds 14 ft lbs of torque
dyno tested
Deep Smooth Sound, HAHAHAHH

[Chad L. Magee]

The next time you get bothered by the enviro crowd, use their own ideas against them.  It is fun to watch their wheels spin if they are not paying attention to what is really going on in their own world.  I would have brought up the Tesla roadster (pure electric racer) and how much more environmently friendly that car is overall compared to the Smart.  Then you could go into the performance section to smoke him a bit more if needed.  If the Smart owner replies that he can not afford the Tesla, just say "Guess you can put a price on your love of the earth then." with an evil grin and then walk away....... 

[rp23g7]

The next time you get bothered by the enviro crowd, use their own ideas against them.  It is fun to watch their wheels spin if they are not paying attention to what is really going on in their own world.  I would have brought up the Tesla roadster (pure electric racer) and how much more environmently friendly that car is overall compared to the Smart.  Then you could go into the performance section to smoke him a bit more if needed.  If the Smart owner replies that he can not afford the Tesla, just say "Guess you can put a price on your love of the earth then." with an evil grin and then walk away....... 

HAHA , thats great.  I saw that road test on the Tesla, it was pretty impressive.

[451-74Charger]

Unless you watch Top Gear, where they slated it and made it look like it always ran out of juice.

[moparstuart]

Unless you watch Top Gear, where they slated it and made it look like it always ran out of juice.

i love top gear , the funniest show on TV

[Brock Samson]

yeah,.. i taped and saved up the last few shows and watched them all in a marathon, i do really enjoy it, the interview are pretty lame, but i enjoy the laps. I think the camara work has to be the absolute best I've ever seen on Television.
 did you see the the american musclecars in america show with the chally the vette and the CTS-V?..
I did get a great kick watching that, interesting Chrysler stood them up there on Twin Peaks here in SF, I would guess it was because of the horrible review they gave the Sebring...   called it the worst car in the world...  

[Tilar]

Here is my favorite episode clip featuring the best car ever made (Not for General Lee guys to watch): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJRcuoNHl_k

That one is cool, Especially from 1:07 to 1:34. He'd have made a great salesman.

[rp23g7]

I guess i gotta check that out, everone tells me to watch it, just never have, its all over HULU.  gotta check it out.

[Brock Samson]

 BTW: it's of interest to me that London was filled stem to stern with new Fiat 500s!  alot seemed to be the Arabeth version too... it was in the segment when they were looking for a "hip" car for London.
Anyone notice that?..

[moparstuart]

yeah,.. i taped and saved up the last few shows and watched them all in a marathon, i do really enjoy it, the interview are pretty lame, but i enjoy the laps. I think the camara work has to be the absolute best I've ever seen on Television.
 did you see the the american musclecars in america show with the chally the vette and the CTS-V?..
I did get a great kick watching that, interesting Chrysler stood them up there on Twin Peaks here in SF, I would guess it was because of the horrible review they gave the Sebring...   called it the worst car in the world...  

My wife and I noticed the same thing that they have the best camera guys .  Just amazing

[moparstuart]

well worth your time , it a BBC show so its british , But its like motor week meets monty python is the best way i can describe it .