Also - I would wager a bet that the transmission computer does not "learn" and adapt to an individual's driving style. Have you read that somewhere?
Most newer transmissions, in particular autos/computer controlled clutches with drive by wire seem to have computers that 'adapt' and alter the shift points and response based on driver input over time - and thought I did read that at some point but I'd have to search. Can only say that from our experience it does seem like the transmission responsiveness has changed since we bought it, I hated 'D' initially for its quick upshifting, but that seems to have improved some after some time of our more performance oriented vs mpg sensitive manual shifting. Honestly I'd have to recheck that and seek any documentation to prove it though. Perhaps that is my prior experience and learning curve showing ;)
In any case it most definitely calls for driver adaptability and does not function optimally when that mechanism is not well oiled
I think that the AW C/D and R&T have not been too harsh, but I think they'd want more hp and 0-60 and more front grip (less understeer). That also would lower the fuel economy. Plus, in a real way, the fortwo is a city commuter car. If you use it for something else, you have a fish out of water (to some degree or another) story.
I will be interested to see how many are actually sold outside of urban areas, or are sold from extraurban areas back to urban areas.
the car dosn't fit the way we have been doing business for a long time. For me the car works best on two lanes that go winding along 45-60 mph are a blast. It does exactly what I want it to do and covers 99% of my transportaion needs. Who cares what the experts say.
karl
i live is a tiny hole in the wall, there are man roads that are not traveled, i go through holes and such... i have to travel 5 miles to get to civilization and my car is doing fine just like Karl indicated... i love it and couldnt care less about what the 'other know alls' think about it.
the car dosn't fit the way we have been doing business for a long time. For me the car works best on two lanes that go winding along 45-60 mph are a blast. It does exactly what I want it to do and covers 99% of my transportaion needs. Who cares what the experts say.
karl
_I_ care what the experts say. I enjoy reading reviews of new or renewed cars in car mags. I want the writer to give me a thorough tour of the car, including its good and bad points, and give me a sense of its personality, the latter requiring a certian measure of subjectivity and bias. The subjectivity varies from writer to writer, which is why I prefer to read some car mags over others. I know it is highly unlikely I will ever drive most of the cars reviewed let alone own them, but I enjoy getting a good sense of what it would feel like to do so. If the writers extolled only the virtues of every car and not the flaws it get boring pretty fast ( and be humorless in many instances) and the manufacturers, who read every word, will be clueless about their mistakes.
I have found most of the articles about smart in the major mags to be reasonably balanced and fairly reflective of my experience as an owner. It is a car designed with a very specific urban purpose in mind that leads to a certain quirkiness which, in the US market, appear to be flaws (the notorious manumatic tranny for example). The reviewers are addressing a US audience and it is expected these quirks will be highlighted. I would be interested in reading some European reviews-I'd bet the reviewers' perspectives are quite different.
_I_ care what the experts say. I enjoy reading reviews of new or renewed cars in car mags. I want the writer to give me a thorough tour of the car, including its good and bad points, and give me a sense of its personality, the latter requiring a certian measure of subjectivity and bias. The subjectivity varies from writer to writer, which is why I prefer to read some car mags over others. I know it is highly unlikely I will ever drive most of the cars reviewed let alone own them, but I enjoy getting a good sense of what it would feel like to do so. If the writers extolled only the virtues of every car and not the flaws it get boring pretty fast ( and be humorless in many instances) and the manufacturers, who read every word, will be clueless about their mistakes.
I have found most of the articles about smart in the major mags to be reasonably balanced and fairly reflective of my experience as an owner. It is a car designed with a very specific urban purpose in mind that leads to a certain quirkiness which, in the US market, appear to be flaws (the notorious manumatic tranny for example). The reviewers are addressing a US audience and it is expected these quirks will be highlighted. I would be interested in reading some European reviews-I'd bet the reviewers' perspectives are quite different.
you have been driving your car for a few weeks now did the experts take on your car give you any insight... my reaction to the trans initially was this sucks, now I love it. i didn't need a marketing department to tell me what I wanted. I read a number of automotive periodicals every month, enjoy most of it find that the conclusions about some thing differ, no problem.
The transmission works just fine for me now. Then I haven't been Doing any of the Nigel Shiftright Crap that Mr. Shembri keeps recomending. To heck with the experts enjoy the car.
karl
I bought the C&D mag with the review yesterday and I thought it was about as fair as I could hope for.
A lot of the things that bug me weren't even mentioned and other criticisms were only found if you dug deep - ie: the understeer was shown as excessive on the specs page but not in the text.
(wish I had the 10 gal. gas tank on mine).
Their smart fuel mileage sucked but it also did on the comparison test where they only got 21 to 29 on cars they considered "fuel sippers".
I had the impression he liked the car and understood it's role.
you have been driving your car for a few weeks now did the experts take on your car give you any insight... my reaction to the trans initially was this sucks, now I love it. i didn't need a marketing department to tell me what I wanted. I read a number of automotive periodicals every month, enjoy most of it find that the conclusions about some thing differ, no problem.
The transmission works just fine for me now. Then I haven't been Doing any of the Nigel Shiftright Crap that Mr. Shembri keeps recomending. To heck with the experts enjoy the car.
karl
I bought my car before most of the reviews came out, so yes, their opinion had no bearing on my owning this car. In fact, only once did a review ever sway me one way or another on a car purchase. That was a sidebar article in Automobile that was titled "SRT8, the Chrysler 300 for Lunatics". I knew at that very moment I had to get one of those and waited a year from pre-ordering the next day to delivery. Like the smart, I also knew the moment it was introduced in the US I had to have a MINI Cooper S.
No marketing literature affected my view of smart since there is none from smart to speak of other than their wimpy website. Experts haven't told me anything I didn't already know from ownership experience and yes, YMMV. But if I didn't own the car, I think the good articles would have given me a pretty good idea of what to expect.
I bought the smart because it was an affordable opportunity to be in on the bleeding edge in automotive fashion and design and to experience a completely different kind of driving experience. My personal jury is still out.
I bought my car before most of the reviews came out, so yes, their opinion had no bearing on my owning this car. In fact, only once did a review ever sway me one way or another on a car purchase. That was a sidebar article in Automobile that was titled "SRT8, the Chrysler 300 for Lunatics". I knew at that very moment I had to get one of those and waited a year from pre-ordering the next day to delivery. Like the smart, I also knew the moment it was introduced in the US I had to have a MINI Cooper S.
No marketing literature affected my view of smart since there is none from smart to speak of other than their wimpy website. Experts haven't told me anything I didn't already know from ownership experience and yes, YMMV. But if I didn't own the car, I think the good articles would have given me a pretty good idea of what to expect.
I bought the smart because it was an affordable opportunity to be in on the bleeding edge in automotive fashion and design and to experience a completely different kind of driving experience. My personal jury is still out.
An article years ago in Car and Driver had Pat Bedard wondering if there where enough urban Fashonistas to keep the brand going. LOL My usual is to buy old broken stuff and make it work for me.
There are people that see the smart as the death of the American dream can't say I share that view. Hope you have fun with your car mine keeps getting better for me
karl
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