Smart car + bike: most fun from a single parking space?

[PKLD]

So I'm getting rid of my (well mine and my ex's) TT which I would love to keep but there really is no need to keep finance going on something I use a couple days a month. Change of job and living means I'm in a city centre with no parking at my flat.

Keeping costs to a minimum - running costs in particular, I'm seriously considering a Smart!

Does anyone know if multi-storey carparks give deals for smart cars/bikes? Does anyone on here have a Smart? Thinking about 2008ish for2?

Cb600 hornet bike for speed (and 50mpg) smart car for dryness and carrying stuff (and 55mpg)

Sound like a plan or have I lost it?!

[chunkol]

Sounds bloody good to me. Wet and dry travel. Sorted.

[davepoth]

I'd have a classic mini instead of a Smart, just personal preference though. There would still be room for a bike.

[NiceCupOfTea]

My mum used to have one and it was good for buzzing around in. A friend of mine has run several over the last 10 years or so and works all over the country with it, having done more than 100k miles in them.

[EDLT]

I think you'll still need two parking spaces, you'd get away with it if you rented a garage though.

[PKLD]

I'm off to test drive a smart or a couple this afternoon. Should be interesting.... Might have to go on a diet to get the power to weight figure up a bit!

The supposed 85mpg of the diesel is tempting but the 17sec to 60mph isn't!

[thinfourth2]

Caterham & a hat

[thewildblue]

Check out Toyota IQ's more room than a smart and more comfy, you can get 3 adults in easily enough(4 at a push if the driver has short legs), plus they are still tiny and free to tax. Ive averaged 55mpg over 14k miles so far...high of 73mpg and and low of 42mpg. You will easily fit a bike in a parking space with one.

[Vytalis]

thewildblue said:

Check out Toyota IQ's more room than a smart and more comfy, you can get 3 adults in easily enough(4 at a push if the driver has short legs), plus they are still tiny and free to tax. Ive averaged 55mpg over 14k miles so far...high of 73mpg and and low of 42mpg. You will easily fit a bike in a parking space with one.

OT: What are they like on the motorway?

[Vytalis]

OP: BMW 1200gs, Ducati 848, ktm 530exc, mv brutale, a fridge of beer and a real doll...

[ZesPak]

thewildblue said:

Check out Toyota IQ's more room than a smart and more comfy, you can get 3 adults in easily enough(4 at a push if the driver has short legs), plus they are still tiny and free to tax. Ive averaged 55mpg over 14k miles so far...high of 73mpg and and low of 42mpg. You will easily fit a bike in a parking space with one.

Very expensive compared to a smart, aren't they?

OP, I'd look into the size of the parking spaces.
For example, a big car like an E-Class is at 5m these days, if they can fit into the parking spot, and you take 90cm for a wide bike (almost fits a Pan), you can still fit any car around 4m, which includes a lot more than just a smart. Think Yaris, Mazda 2, Fiesta, MX5 .

Added length of a CBF + MX5 is at about 4.7m, which is the same as an Alfa 159.

Edit: Of course, that's assuming that you can get a bike in a parking space width-wise. With bikes little over 2m long it'll be a tight in most parking spaces.

Edited by ZesPak on Monday 19th September 09:30

[GreatGranny]

Get the bike and just hire a car when you need one. Living and working in London surely you only need a car when you travel outside of the city for relatively long journeys.

[PKLD]

Just for more info - I'm based in Glasgow and will be doing the odd 30-50 mile days. I already have my bike a mint '98 hornet that I will eventually trade up to a ducati streetfighter or mv brutale.

The bike parked at an angle easily fits width wise in a standard space.

Forgot about the IQ will have a look later

[Ozzie Osmond]

Someone round my way parks a new Fiat 500 and a bike in a single parking space.

Anything's better than a Smart IMO unless you never leave town. Even then I would avoid.

[TDutchy]

My cousins used to park his SL280 & Smart car in one bay, no bother. Looked quite funny tbh.

[thewildblue]

Vytalis said:

OT: What are they like on the motorway?

They do 70... ;-)

Not really a problem, if its windy then it will drop to high 40s trying to maintain 80-85ish. You have to spin them up a little as its rather high geared, but 3rd can be used to nearly a ton if required, 4th and 5th then just generate "noise"

[Naga]

Generally the Smart is a bit of a laugh (well let's face it, it's hardly serious). However, under no ciscumstances attempt to drive one over the Forth bridge when the wind is gusting 45mph+ You will definitely lose significant weight from your bottom..............

[PKLD]

Took a 71hp petrol smart out and was quite surprised. Handled ok, and gearbox is only bad if you leave it in auto as it hunts around and holds on to the gear too long.

Saw the IQ but too much money for what I'm looking at. The wee Aygo is the same figures as the Smart and cheaper to purchase second hand.

Thing is the smart IMO is cooler RWD ;-) and won't feel like I'm driving a normal slow car.

Hmmmm

[EDLT]

The Aygo is a better car imo, a Smart is not much more practical than a bike.

I still think you should check that you are actually allowed to park two vehicles in the same space before going any further.

[PKLD]

Soooo.... My mk2 TT is sinking like titanic it seems. The car I'm trying to get rid of is now only worth £11k as trade-in.

This puts me about a £1k under my settlement figure and therefore is a bit of a hurdle for me to get to a more cost saving car

Only a garage is going to take it in if I'm buying a car off them in return - the private market has just stopped for cars like the TT.

So should I take a big hit settling the current finance to get into a cheaper to finance and much much cheaper to run car or take the pain of running the TT for another year? bks