Imagine if the only hire car available is a Smart Fourtwo
Discussion
This is what I was faced with. To make matters worse it was matt green. I felt sick.
How was I going to get my luggage in and do about a thousand miles in the week.
The first surprise was that the luggage got swallowed with room to spare. I get in and the door shuts with a high quality clunk. Not like some budget ecobox but more like the product of a quality manufacturer.
Then there's that nasty engine I remember. Hang on, it sounds very sweet, the nasty gear change. It's pretty good.
This car must be rubbish on motorways, hang on - it isn't.
I'm handing the car back and I can't remember the last time I've felt so positive about a hire car. I still hate the colour though.
When did Smarts get this good?
How was I going to get my luggage in and do about a thousand miles in the week.
The first surprise was that the luggage got swallowed with room to spare. I get in and the door shuts with a high quality clunk. Not like some budget ecobox but more like the product of a quality manufacturer.
Then there's that nasty engine I remember. Hang on, it sounds very sweet, the nasty gear change. It's pretty good.
This car must be rubbish on motorways, hang on - it isn't.
I'm handing the car back and I can't remember the last time I've felt so positive about a hire car. I still hate the colour though.
When did Smarts get this good?
bobda said:
How much do we think Smart have paid for this post to be put on Pistonheads? 
See boss, I told you they'd never buy it. Sussed by the fourth post. Seriously though, you've got to take these comments with the view that I expected it to be really crap. It really isn't. It's still gutless and you have to learn to drive it so the gear change isn't annoying but after a day, I was looking forward to getting back into it.
What I really like is that it feels like a quality car.
Yes, it under steers when pushed but this isn't about that.
I've not been chugging around the streets of London but buzzing around Marbella and the hills of Andalusia.
This is starting to sound even more like a car advert.
If I could afford an extra car, this would be finding a space in my dream car garage.
I hired a SMART in Malaga, for a one way drop off in Madrid 2 days later, can't recall how far it is, but it is "a good old drive'. We were heading for Cordoba, which is a medieval village, little parking small streets etc. The car was lovely, loads of room for two us a a little luggage. Great economy, and comfortable enough (my everyday car is a Jag X350, my wife a C5).
Previous to this I had driven a SMART car from Bedfordshire to Nice, almost non stop ..... apart from when it dropped a Valve, 20 miles from the end of a 1000 mile journey !
Previous to this I had driven a SMART car from Bedfordshire to Nice, almost non stop ..... apart from when it dropped a Valve, 20 miles from the end of a 1000 mile journey !
PumpkinSteve said:
Despite what PH would have you believe, there aren't that many new cars that are genuinely crap.
I agree there are not many but before this experience, I would have included the Smart as the last time I drove one, it was very different to the current version and not nice at all. I get to drive many different hire cars and cars that are still nasty to drive include the Nissan Quashkai or however it is spelt and the Vauxhall Merivo. The last Kia Sorrento I drove was also very unpleasant but I think they've brought a new model out since then. I'm not saying they are bad cars as they are there to fill a demand. I'm just glad I don't have to have on. The Smart on the other hand is making me think of a justification to own it.
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