Soon to be 4-2 Passion owner

[fpage77]

Originally Posted by TMACK

Thanks, got a pretty much vanilla Passion, crystal white, black tridion, and running lights (insurance premium break).

What I'm REALLY looking forward to are the many modifications you all are so up to speed on. I have a great learning curve to overcome!

Will forward pictures when I can, and thanks for the interest.

TMACK

Awww no fair you get discount for DRL in VA which they don't let us get in NC. I've left my passion as it was except I had software update to give me DRL.

[Kermit]

Congrats on the new ownership and welcome. LOTS of mods are listed here! You'll spend weeks reading the site and still most likely miss something.

[Padawan]

Originally Posted by TMACK

Thanks, got a pretty much vanilla Passion, crystal white, black tridion, and running lights (insurance premium break).

Hey now, nothing "vanilla" about that combo. It sounds just like All Ball, except he doesn't have the DRL's (not sure if that would qualify for an insurance break in NJ). I did just finish installing fog lamps about a month ago, though. Best of luck with your car.

[gstreetcomic]

Told you they would. Lance is a good guy, I got mine from him although when i got mine it involved three parties. The manger at the time told Wallace about the just orphaned Pure, he told me via e-mail , and then it was Lance who actually sold me the car. It was the most memorable day of my life and that anniversary is coming up next month.
Do me and you a favor, get out there and enjoy the new Smart, and if you see mine in the NOVA area, give a toot i give one back. Welcome to the forum, and stay tuned for upcoming meet and greets. They are a blast.

Originally Posted by TMACK

And, I must say: This is the most fun car I've driven in my 58 years in this time and space. I never thought anything could replace the Wrangler I gave my son in pure driving pleasure. In fact, I plan to get up early and take a nice 100 mile break-in run tomorrow, if I can get to sleep.

And Gabriel and Lance did indeed do a thorough job of introducing the machine to me. Thanks for the reassurance and advice.

TMACK

[TMACK]

OK, just got back from my 200 mile (I couldn't help myself) break-in and have some neophyte observations to make:
1. The horn. What were the engineers of this well-designed car THINKING?? First on the list is to replace that "Little Miss Sunshine" stock horn. A vehicle this size needs all the safety-gaining attention it can muster on our uber-highways; that joke horn doesn't cut it. I'm already plotting a cut-out switch to install to one of the blank slots on the instrument panel to enable sedate tooting in the parking lot and tactical nuclear response on the 75 mph freeway.
2. Cruise control. This class car really can benefit with the MPA or the 451. That's number two on the list. It's bad enough I had to pay extra for an optional "rev counter" on what I consider basically a fly-by-wire machine. It's not like they couldn't put an icon for tach AND mpg on the console display; who really needs to know the ambient temperature?
3. The "rev counter" and analog clock. Why did Smart place those two expensive options in such a manner? A portion of my view is blocked with that position. Number three list is to figure out how to squeeze them closer and lateral.
4. My co-workers are morons. Caring morons, but morons nevertheless. They claimed my purchase is a death trap, that anyone driving such an affront to America's love of excess mass in motion must be crazy and reckless and that the Smart is underpowered and could not get out of its own way, much less some banzai SUV on Shirley Highway (a bad freeway here in NOVA).
They are wrong: I'd never felt safer in a car than I did today. The 68 ft/lb to 1,800 VW is PERFECTLY matched, and that's with 80 lbs of dog food on the passenger side and the A/C set at 65. The car responded adroitly and nimbly. It more than kept up with the masses.
And, now I am loath to admit: I took the Passion to 85 mph on an isolated stretch of Rt. 66 for about 10 seconds, (yes, I know: That was reckless, provocative and juvinile, but I just had to know), and it performed just fine. The engine did not howl, wind-sweep stability actually improved, (I assume because of the increased momemtum), and it drove like I was still at 65 mph.

That was so much fun, I'm taking the wife out tomorrow for a repeat drive. Who wants to mow the lawn anyways.

Tom

[fpage77]

Originally Posted by TMACK

Who wants to mow the lawn anyways.

That sounds like a it could be a cool mod to the smart (smart mower) and you'll always want to mow.

[TMACK]

Number 4 on the list. Ha!

[High Side]

Hmmmmm. Is this the TMack that used to be on the Honda Element page? There was a TMack there as well. Welcome!!!!

[TMACK]

No, mate, not me. But thanks for the welcome.

Also, all, I'll be blunt: I have never participated, in all my life, in online forums. I am really quite naive as to how to do this, so if I make errors of protocol, I apologize in advance and welcome your gentle guidance.

I trust that's what the 'moderator' does, eh?

[The Rigger]

Originally Posted by gbryers

9. The engine-off, radio on feature (and how to get the radio to be off or on when you start your car)

HEY!! Never heard of that one before... Care to elaborate (in a PM or different thread, if necessary, at the moderators' pleasure, of course)?