Well...where is the iQ?

[bronsin]

Well? :iono:

[BluYrs]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/21/report-scion-iq-delayed-again-this-time-due-to-quake-related-p/

[bronsin]

Yeah a few months ago the MB dealer had a few dozen Smarts scattered around the place from like 2008. They knockd a few thou off them. But they werent selling. Anyone know how they are doing now?

[why?]

Smarts are doing terribly. You could prolly get a ridiculously good deal if you wanted one.

[bronsin]

But...arent fule efficient cars in general in high demand? I would think theat boded well for the Smart.

Which has had quite a comedown...

And I would expect the iQ will do poorly ultimately also.

Unless there is $5 a gallon gas...

[SKurj]

Saw one last week on the 401

[why?]

But...arent fule efficient cars in general in high demand? I would think theat boded well for the Smart.

Which has had quite a comedown...

And I would expect the iQ will do poorly ultimately also.

Unless there is $5 a gallon gas...

gas mileage isn't everything. The Smart is so tiny it is basically a commuter car and nothing else. There is barely room for groceries. There are small cars, and then there is the Smart, which I am almost positive is the smallest car on the US market, by far.

[BluYrs]

Yup- cars like the Smart mostly make sense as a second car and in a way, it can be considered a fad. So when people stared rationalising and figuring out what they really need, they discovered they need something small enough to be fuel efficient but which at the same time would accommodate four adults in relative comfort. Enter the Yaris.

[bronsin]

But...its well known that people mostly drive thier cars to work...alone. I have to have faith in humanity and believe the human race will come to its senses and buy SMALL cars instead of BIG cars now that gas is so high. True the Smart has almost no capacity to haul stuff. But for going to work its fine. Surely people are going to come to that realization.




I hope you know sarcasm when you hear it.:bonk:

[rick996]

But...its well known that people mostly drive thier cars to work...alone. I have to have faith in humanity and believe the human race will come to its senses and buy SMALL cars instead of BIG cars now that gas is so high. True the Smart has almost no capacity to haul stuff. But for going to work its fine. Surely people are going to come to that realization.

I hope you know sarcasm when you hear it.:bonk:

The size isn't the only issue. The automatically shifted manual transmission is a problem.

In his review of the Smart ForTwo, Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays says about the automated manual transmission, “What that means is that you drive the ForTwo like you would a regular automatic, but the transmission lurches through gear changes with the awkwardness of a 15-year-old learning stick on his brother's Corolla.”

When I went to look at one years ago the salesman didn't volunteer a test ride. That told me something right there. :eek: All the other cars I was looking at the salesperson always asked if I'd like to take it for a spin.

People may come to that realization some day but it's going to take a lot of :bonk::bonk::bonk::bonk::bonk:

[detroiter]

not to forget that the Smart requires premium fuel....kind of defeats the purpose?

[cali yaris]

you drive the ForTwo like you would a regular automatic, but the transmission lurches through gear changes with the awkwardness of a 15-year-old learning stick on his brother's Corolla.

I have driven one, and this is exactly what it felt like. It was the #1 thing I didn't like about the car. Awesome little commuter otherwise.

[craigq]

I had one for about 8 months, the shifting is much better when you do it yourself. If you can time manual shifting so that it's smooth, you can shift the fortwo smoothly. It's definitely not a "consumer" transmission, rather an "enthusiast" transmission.

[kurisu]

reminds me of stormtrooper..
http://amazingdata.com/mediadata22/Image/odd_fun_weird_interesting_stormtrooper-helmet_200907231652311323.jpg

[Jason@SportsCar]

Well? :iono:

Forget the iQ... Wait a year and buy the A$ton Martin version. :laugh:

http://site.astonmartin.com/eng/thecars/cygnet

http://www.motorward.com/wp-content/images/2009/12/aston-martin-cygnet-1.jpg

[MadMax]

Where are all the iQs? Europe! :thumbsup:

[swidd]

Bicycle to work! If I become President, which will never happen because I couldn't produce a birth certificate lol, I would ban all use of cars for short (<10 miles) to-from-work travel. Also, grocery runs can be made on a bicycle, it makes you buy less junk.

[rick996]

Bicycle to work! If I become President, which will never happen because I couldn't produce a birth certificate lol, I would ban all use of cars for short (<10 miles) to-from-work travel. Also, grocery runs can be made on a bicycle, it makes you buy less junk.

I'm glad you're not president. :smile: 10 miles may be short for you but not for some of us....and there are hills! :eyebulge:

[carnageehw]

not to forget that the Smart requires premium fuel....kind of defeats the purpose?

Yup.

[swidd]

I'm glad you're not president. :smile: 10 miles may be short for you but not for some of us....and there are hills! :eyebulge:

In Connecticut? Highest point is only 2380 ft above sea level. :smoking:

Remember you can also go down those hills, and it is fun. Except when riding in traffic. There is actually one way to get honked at and yelled at more than when driving a Yaris.... today one guy yelled "you dumbass, get off the road", two cars honked to compel me to get out of the lane, I narrowly avoided hitting a person's door as they opened it (thanks to riding in the middle of the lane), and I was inches away from hitting a woman that rolled through a stop sign. Funny part is I read the PA guide to bicycling (http://www.drivesafepa.org/) yesterday, and applied the officially endorsed techniques for "taking control of the situations" and "controlling the lane", and it resulted in more unsatisfied motorists.

[R2D2]

In Connecticut? Highest point is only 2380 ft above sea level. :smoking:

Remember you can also go down those hills, and it is fun. Except when riding in traffic. There is actually one way to get honked at and yelled at more than when driving a Yaris.... today one guy yelled "you dumbass, get off the road", two cars honked to compel me to get out of the lane, I narrowly avoided hitting a person's door as they opened it (thanks to riding in the middle of the lane), and I was inches away from hitting a woman that rolled through a stop sign. Funny part is I read the PA guide to bicycling (http://www.drivesafepa.org/) yesterday, and applied the officially endorsed techniques for "taking control of the situations" and "controlling the lane", and it resulted in more unsatisfied motorists.

Sounds famiiar! Ah, the joys of riding to work-everyday, a new adventure!

[R2D2]

I've been around a lot of the fuel tracking sites and most people with smart cars aren't getting much greater mileage than I get with my Yaris Auto. And I can fit A LOT more stuff and people in the Yaris.

I do like the idea of the Smart though and agree they would make a good commuter. I see quite a few around actually.

My wife said they were every where over in Italy when she was there.

[MadMax]

Bicycle to work! If I become President, which will never happen because I couldn't produce a birth certificate lol, I would ban all use of cars for short (<10 miles) to-from-work travel. Also, grocery runs can be made on a bicycle, it makes you buy less junk.

Obviously you've never experienced a southcentral Texas summer!

If you think biking 10 miles in triple-digit heat and hot, dusty winds is something folks are going to do; you're disillusion.

I did commute to work in Belgium on a full-suspension mountain bike nearly year-round, it was 7.5 miles each way and my ride home often included extended detours up to about double or triple the mileage. I enjoyed it but there were many more options for bicycling safely there that just don't exist in this country...

Cheers! M2

[rick996]

While looking up how big the hills were in my area I ran into a great tool to show the elevation data for a trip. :thumbup: I will post it in a new thread.

OK, I posted in the Fuel Economy Forum here: http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=584958#post584958

[bronsin]

I have driven a Smart and had no trouble with the transmission. I shifted it manually so as to get the best mileage. It was fine.

Didnt try to leave it to its own devices...