Sadly the Mazda 323f has to go

I'm looking at my options at the moment. The way I use the car has changed recently, I only use it a couple of times a week for going to the shops etc... So I don't need a big car anymore. It need to be good round town, cheap to run and cheap to buy.

I've sat in a Smart Car City-coupe today, I'm taking it for a spin tommorow. It's quite big inside, all I have to do is check if I can fit the model helicopter and the tick sheet is almost complete.

Just one thing left, can I fit the Empeg in??? It looks as if there are 2 Din slots in the Dash already to go, I was wondering if anyone has ever fitted an Empeg to a Smart before, and if so did it go well???

Also does anyone have a Smart? I'd love to know what you think if it.

One last thing...

Do you think it's OK for a 25 year old hetro male to drive around in a Smart???"
Yes, go for it
No, you'll stay single forever if you do
Don't know, never seen a bloke driving one

Cheers

Cris.

I think they look pretty cool. I wouldn't want it for my only car though. Not that I have to worry about it I bet they won't sell them in the USA ever . Can you put the empeg in there or does it have some strange shaped custom head unit ?

Just one thing left, can I fit the Empeg in???

I'm sure you could, but you'd probably have to pedal the Smart Car twice as hard to satisfy the player's power requirements.

I think you can fit any head unit you like with a facia adapter. It looks as if there are 2 DIN slots too, so I can just move my existing setup straight into the Smart. They do a factory upgrade of the speakers for £85, which improves the sounds no end.

It's pretty level on the poll so far, I find most people laugh when I say I'm thinking of getting one. I'm trying to put that at the back of my mind as it makes very good financial sense to buy one for the type of driving I do.

Basically, it's going to cost me £150 a month for 3 years using my car as the deposit, it does 60 to the gallon and only costs £88 to tax. It's the cheapest of my current options. They also hold their value very well, 3 year old ones are going for about £5k at the moment, thats loosing under a grand a year, the Corsa I'm looking at will loose about 2 every year.

I'll let you know how the test drive goes.

Cheers

Cris.

Ha Ha Ha!!! I suppose I would get used to that sort of "humour" if I got one

It looks pretty neat with a head unit in, here is picture of one with the same headunit as I would put in, see the extra DIN slot for the Empeg below



This one has a blue dash, they come in normal dash type colurs now (fhew!). And this is an older LHD model, the headunit looks like it would be half hidden in that picture, but in real life its fine (if a little low).

Cheers

Cris.

The only think I'd say is I wouldn't want to be in one during an accident, but other than that I don't think we'd disown you!

What about those roadsters? They look really cool

The only think I'd say is I wouldn't want to be in one during an accident, but other than that I don't think we'd disown you!

They are actually supposed to be pretty good in an accident, much better than the old Mini, Beetle or small Jap car.

Here in Amsterdam they even the fire department has some smarts, red color, bells and whistles and all. Great for the fire chief to get to the fire quickly in. Oh yes, and the "Smart Taxis".

It won't be the first, but I'm sure it will have good sound!

The roadster is definately cool. Get one of those Chris!

Yea they are cool, but I had one hell of a job getting my big fat arse in and out of the one in the show room!!! They're tiny! And expensive, £15k almost.

The test drive went OK, I think I'm going to get one, black I think. I can even fit the helicopter in the back with room to spare.

They do drive abit funny, the gear box is weird, not a manual or an auto but somewhere in between. It's bumpy and noisy but thats all part of the fun. The upgraded sound system sounds ok, it'll sound even better with an empeg in.

Lots of people are saying I shouldn't get one, but when you look at it closly it is very tempting, nothing else comes close to the value it offers, that is if you don't want to carry much stuff around with you.

Cheers

Cris.

Would you be doing many motorway miles in it? I'd be a little on-edge driving one over saddleworth moor in bad weather.

I was a little on edge with a slight cross wind on the M621 this afternoon, let alone Saddleworth Moor!!! It must be its auto lane chaging circuit it seems to have built in

I do that trip (to see the olds in Shrewsbury) about 4 times a year, now I've got the Karma I can go on the train no probs, used to do allot of motorway driving as my girlfriend used to live 260 miles away, but thats finished so it's mostly nipping to the shops. If fact I'm even wondering if it's even worth putting the empeg in at all, as I never take it on short trips. They do a lockable under seat draw thing, that looks to be empeg size, so maybe it could live in that if I do put it in.

I hate making my mind up, and hate spending money even more!!!!

Cheers

Cris.

Does that mean you'll need a lift to Amersfoort this year?

Maybe

I think I've made my mind up, gunna put the order in. I've done the sums it's £1k cheaper over 3 years than any of my other options and will hold its value better too!

I'll have to see how it goes on the motorway, some reviews says its ok as long as you're not bothered when you get there and its not windy

I've worked out that I probably spend about 5-10% of the time in my car on the motorway, so it doesn't make sense to me to buy a car just for that, and 90% of the time it'll be parked up outside the house because I walk to work now.

Cheers

Cris.

because I walk to work now

Making use of the Karma then? With the empeg I find having to drag a car battery around seriously impedes its portability.

Yea the Karma is going great. It's made me loose half a stone so far

I think this is the second or third week I've been using it (about 1 hour per day) with out a charge

Cheers

Cris.

I'm a little late here, so only a few comments:

empeg install is NO problem, if you put it in the upper slot. I don't know, if the lower one is full DIN-size. Just put an amp under the passenger-seat. The battery is just in front under the passengers feet.

If you buy the Factory speaker upgrade, you'll need a seperate crossover, cause it's normally in the factory head-unit.

You DON'T NEED a tuning-chip to power the empeg, but be prepared for jokes of all kinds...

You can get rid of the side-wind problem by mounting wider wheels.

You'll get used to the gearbox after a couple of days.

You can go on the motorway, if you don't care to be one of the slower cars.

And thanks Mark for linking the photo...

P.S.: most of the girls just love smarts...

P.S.: most of the girls just love smarts...

Now, why do I think that that last remark is the clincher! - Oh, yes, because I know Cris!!!
Look forward to you buzzing round in the Smart car!
Of course, if you're really stuck for a bigger car, or a longer journey, you can hire very cheaply over weekends.

Put the order in this morning, I get it on the 5th It was a purely a financial choice

I took it for a longer spin this time, I got a good solid 70 on the uphill strech of the M621 on the way to Ikea, so I was happy with that.

Didn't like the full auto gear box so I've gone for the standard option, in Black with a few little extras on the inside. I'm looking forward to getting it now!

I figured it's pretty cheap to hire car these days anyway, like boxer said.

Cheers

Cris.

...I got a good solid 70 on the uphill strech of the M621...

Just for clarification, is that in MPH or KPH?

Ikea

What's the point of blasting along at 70 (M.P.H.), only to fight your way through dithering families and a queue like Dunkirk, besides, how much flat pack furniture can you get in a smart?

Ah, but it is not the destination that matters, it is the journey that is important!!!

Ah, but it is not the destination that matters, it is the journey that is important!!!

I think it's thinforth's Lotus 7 thread you're after, I don't think Cris is going to support a case for Smart car rallying, but there's probably some nut somewhere!

Just for clarification, is that in MPH or KPH?

If a Brit gives you a speed, it's generally in MPH.

but there's probably some nut somewhere!

You were right.

You were a cat's cock hair ahead of me. Always google first, before making presumptive statements!

Yea, that was Mph, sorry should have been more clear, I got it up to 78 at one point (uphill!) Not bad for a 700cc with two grat big blokes in it. I'm not sure if it had Hph on the dial, I think it must have and I didn't notice, must be some Euro law about that ???

We didn't stop at Ikea!!! God no (Although they do great meat balls mmm).

There is quite a bit of engine noise, not a surprise as it's about 2 inch from your backside, but its a nice sound no a whine or anything annoying.

Cheers

Cris.

Although they do great meat balls mmm

Not a patch on the ones at Casa Mia in Chapel Allerton!

you want to go faster hand me the spanners http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=61&i=7802

Somebody stuck a Hyabusa (sp?) engine in a stripped out clio. Quite impressive...