Diesel Smart For Two; the better car

[Cool ForTwo]

Jeez, sounds like we're all on different pages. I don't race my car, my diesel did fine on the Autobahns so I'm sure a diesel wouldnt have any problem on the interstates here. As a truck driver I got to tell ya, that one about the chemicals from diesels.. We're not living in the 1970's anymore. Think ULSD, particulate filtration, CRHP injection etc.. The diesels are really on par with gasoline now and burn a whole lot less fuel = Saving energy resources + less money spent. They make more sense. Considering 50% of are sold in the EU are diesel and 75% in France. They don't have the problems there your talking about. Also the bio diesel thats coming out now. My god.. its clean, clean, clean. Last up the guy in that article points out that Smart really should use PSA diesels. I know those peugot diesels in Europe are serious fast. If thats whats wanted, then maybe Smart should get them. Anyway, got to hit the road. Mike.

[Cool ForTwo]

Jeez, sounds like we're all on different pages. I don't race my car, my diesel did fine on the Autobahns so I'm sure a diesel wouldnt have any problem on the interstates here. As a truck driver I got to tell ya, that one about the chemicals from diesels.. We're not living in the 1970's anymore. Think ULSD, particulate filtration, CRHP injection etc.. The diesels are really on par with gasoline now and burn a whole lot less fuel = Saving energy resources + less money spent. They make more sense. Considering 50% of are sold in the EU are diesel and 75% in France. They don't have the problems there your talking about. Also the bio diesel thats coming out now. My god.. its clean, clean, clean. Last up the guy in that article points out that Smart really should use PSA diesels. I know those peugot diesels in Europe are serious fast. If thats whats wanted, then maybe Smart should get them. Anyway, got to hit the road. Mike.

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by mdfortwoguy

Everything I have read also states that the diesel and the 5 speed 451 transmission are not well suited to each other, either.

Too much tourqe?
karl

[Old smart]

Probably has something to do with the torque band of the diesel - higher, but narrower. It may have done better with the close-ratio 6-speed.

[daleharrison]

Hey Cool For Two**What a brillant idea**the idea about retrofiting with a diesel.. How about this one?? A retrofit with an electric???**I understand they are building the motors down in Mooresville NC.

[angel]

Originally Posted by Cool ForTwo

I was wondering, has anyone else bothered to ask about getting the diesel version? I really loved mine when I was in Germany. I asked but got a brush off at the dealership, as if I was crazy, but they do get better mileage. A lot better really. And they interact better with the transmission. I really miss mine and wish they were sold here. Is it possible to buy the engine seperate and retrofit? Can I post this link now?
http://www.epinions.com/content_419075034756
That article may have been critical of the gas version, but Id say he's absolutely right about bugging Smart to death about the diesel version. Mike

In a word? "NO."

Why?
About 3 years ago I helped the man person pack up his belongings in his apartment in Milwaukee to move it all here to our house in TX. The vehicle we rented was a diesel. *UGH*

The problem came when we needed to refill at times. Not all gas stations had diesel. At truck stops the diesel pumps didn't have hoses that fit the vehicle we had. It was PITA!

Diesel might be fine if you know you're always going to be in an area where diesel is readily available. Otherwise I'd rather not fool with it. That's one of the big reasons we never got a diesel operated truck.

[dcrooks]

Originally Posted by angel

In a word? "NO."

Why?
About 3 years ago I helped the man person pack up his belongings in his apartment in Milwaukee to move it all here to our house in TX. The vehicle we rented was a diesel. *UGH*

The problem came when we needed to refill at times. Not all gas stations had diesel. At truck stops the diesel pumps didn't have hoses that fit the vehicle we had. It was PITA!

Diesel might be fine if you know you're always going to be in an area where diesel is readily available. Otherwise I'd rather not fool with it. That's one of the big reasons we never got a diesel operated truck.

I have heard it is 50% of gas stations have diesel fuel. Plus, now the cost has gone up so much compared to gasoline the savings is being lost. The engines cost more and now the fuel does as well.

[angel]

Originally Posted by dcrooks

I have heard it is 50% of gas stations have diesel fuel. Plus, now the cost has gone up so much compared to gasoline the savings is being lost. The engines cost more and now the fuel does as well.

It may indeed be 50%. Most gas stations in the DFW metroplex have gasoline and diesel. The problem comes when out in the middle of BFE where most stations have gasoline and not diesel. If we were just in the greater DFW area all the time then diesel would be readily available. I know we would at times stop at 3 or 4 stations before finding one we could actually refill at. One time we were forced to go through where the big trucks refill and jam the end into there and do the best we could even though it didn't really fit.

[Cool ForTwo]

Is canada getting a different car than the EU? My Smart diesel there was even smoother than my 600. The 600 always wanted to jump when shifting. The diesel had more of a push between gears and it would lug around in traffic a lot better. Less shifting involved all the time too. I was reading that review again this morning and another point that was made, is why the heck smart didnt use a CVT?

[2009Aveo5]

Originally Posted by LinuxGuy

Here's one reason "smart" quite smartly did not offer the diesel engine in the US.

The 40-hp", 0.8-liter turbocharged diesel engine delivers abundant noise and the slowest acceleration of any vehicle we've tested. The ForTwo took 23 seconds to accelerate from 0-60 mph, almost twice the time of other small cars. (In fact, we almost ran out of track trying to get it up to 60 mph.)"

Consumer reports reference
http://tinyurl.com/yxdypg

The 50hp diesel does 0-60 in about 19.3 seconds.

Oh wow, okay, nevermind. There is no way I would buy a diesel Smart even if it got 500mpg...choose life! The gasoline Smart getting 12-13seconds for 0-60 with it floored, this is the slowest car in America as it is and I hate it when people get onto the Interstate without driving the speed of traffic. If I were in a 18-wheeler I'd mow you down too for the sake of supporting evolution.

Seriously Smart...give us a Turbo option. I want fun over mpg. Or give us a turbo diesel...just give us some power...it shouldn't be that hard to power a car that weighs 1800 pounds +/-lbs.