Smart Car news brief

[Byteme]

I heard on the news this morning that sales of the Smart Car have dropped significantly since gasoline prices are lower now.  Also that many who had laid down deposits are forfeiting them and walking away. 

I suspect that in about 12 months they will regret that decision.

[ifcar]

I heard on the news this morning that sales of the Smart Car have dropped significantly since gasoline prices are lower now.  Also that many who had laid down deposits are forfeiting them and walking away. 

I suspect that in about 12 months they will regret that decision.

I was talking recently to a Smart salesman who said that most people who had been interested in the car would be using it as a spare, and that fewer people can afford $15,000 spare car now. He didn't think it was about the gas prices.

[Byteme]

I was talking recently to a Smart salesman who said that most people who had been interested in the car would be using it as a spare, and that fewer people can afford $15,000 spare car now. He didn't think it was about the gas prices.

You might be right.  The news spot mentioned gas prices as the reason.  Probably a combination.

[SVT666]

I was talking recently to a Smart salesman who said that most people who had been interested in the car would be using it as a spare, and that fewer people can afford $15,000 spare car now. He didn't think it was about the gas prices.

That's a stupid reason to buy one in the first place.

[Byteme]

That's a stupid reason to buy one in the first place.

Unless you were thinking of a new car anyway and wanting to move into something more economical since gas was high and apparently going higher.

[the Teuton]

Gas prices always go up in summer.  I hope to never have to pay $4.299 a gallon ever again, but I don't doubt we will see that price again in less than 10 years.

[dazzleman]

I suspect the issue is what the salesman said.  For most people, the Smart car would ve a sumpplemental car, not their only car, and they might have rethought their need for a $15,000 supplemental car given the economy.  Lower gas prices are another part of the cost-benefit calculation, but I wouldn't see that as a reason to abandon a deposit.  I'd abandon a deposit if I were queasy about my ability to make the payments from the car.

[the Teuton]

Smarts are all over around here.  I just saw one parked down the street last night.  I don't think that upscale urban areas will hurt the sales numbers quite as badly as mainstream America.

I would like to hope they brought the 70 mpg diesel version here, but they won't.  Sales would take off like a jet if they did, though.

[Madman]

I've been seeing quite a few Smarts around town lately, which is interesting because the nearest dealer is 180 miles away!

The thing to remember is primary advantage to a Smart Car isn't really the fuel economy.  It's the manoeuvreability and the ease of parking in big cities.  A Smart can squeeze into places where other cars simply can't.  For urban dwellers, a Smart actually makes perfect sense.  However, the decision not to bring the diesel version to America reeks of pure stupidity!

Also, these "deposits" were only $99.00.  That's the promotion Smart was running prior to it's US launch and, according to the SmartUSA website, is still running.  Most people wont care about being out $99.00.  Maybe Smart should have asked for bigger deposits?


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[giant_mtb]

That's a stupid reason to buy one in the first place.

+1

They're horribly inefficient for what they are/offer.

[Byteme]

+1

They're horribly inefficient for what they are/offer.

I think their chief attraction has little to do with mileage, effenciency or price and everything to do with driving an "in" car. 

[giant_mtb]

O. 

[ChrisV]

I think their chief attraction has little to do with mileage, effenciency or price and everything to do with driving an "in" car. 

Well, that was kind of the point. Make smaller cars boutique and hip, instead of ever larger SUVs. You spend more for smaller, much like people did with cell phones and computers for quite a while, and make it a trend that also drives down the price, increasing the number of buyers.

[giant_mtb]

Well, I certainly wouldn't buy one.  If I can get equivalent gas mileage in a vehicle that I can actually carry my stuff in, I'm going to buy that instead of that puny, slow, dangerous, souped-up golf cart.

[hotrodalex]

I would be all for a diesel one, especially if it got 70 mpg.

[giant_mtb]

Indeed.

[S204STi]

I suspect the issue is what the salesman said.  For most people, the Smart car would ve a sumpplemental car, not their only car, and they might have rethought their need for a $15,000 supplemental car given the economy.  Lower gas prices are another part of the cost-benefit calculation, but I wouldn't see that as a reason to abandon a deposit.  I'd abandon a deposit if I were queasy about my ability to make the payments from the car.

Well yeah, and even if it's more economical than the car they drive 15k will buy a shitload of gas and probably pay off the vehicle to boot.

In any case, the Smart would probably sell better if it were priced closer to 10k or less.

[Raza]

I would be all for a diesel one, especially if it got 70 mpg.

Richard Hammond got like 80mpg in the Polo BlueMotion.   

[2o6]

Richard Hammond got like 80mpg in the Polo BlueMotion.   

Imperial. US, it's around 67 MPG, but that's still very impressive for a non-hybrid car.

[ChrisV]

Well, I certainly wouldn't buy one.  If I can get equivalent gas mileage in a vehicle that I can actually carry my stuff in, I'm going to buy that instead of that puny, slow, dangerous, souped-up golf cart.

They aren't any more dangerous than any other car, really, and much more safe than a lot of older cars we may already love and drive (ike, say, my old Fiat). One of these would work for probably 80% of the driving I do.

I've been seeing a lot more of them here at work and around town.