Propes,
Very good job and a wonderful start. I also changed your first sentence in the following FAQ and added a few more FAQs. Hope you don't mind. Thanks, Regina
Is it an electric car?
No, it is a purely gasoline-power automobile and premium gas (91 Octane or higher) is recommended. Electric models are being tested, as well as cars that automatically shut down when you stop (and power up upon pressing the gas pedal). Diesel models are for sale, but due to EPA regulations, they cannot be sold in the US.
Passengers:
The seats accommodate most body sizes so don't be surprised to see a 500 lb person or 6'7" person behind the wheel. However, car seats and children under the height of XX" should not be transported for safety reason.
Spare Tire:
Although there is no spare tire, smart has come up with an unique and safe way to fill a flat tire. Just ..... (I don't know the wording but someone here probably does).
Panels:
Tired of the same old color, well smart is a very fashionable vehicle of the future. All the panels are removeable and can be swapped out for a new set for under $900.
car seats and children under the height of XX" should not be transported for safety reason.
Not sure where this came from but this is from smart's FAQ...
Is the smart safe for children?
The smart fortwo features highly efficient restraint systems that meet Mercedes-Benz's passive safety standards. Infant or children restraint systems (booster, infant or child seat) can be affixed properly to the passenger seat by means of the safety belt. A ratchet mechanism locates the tightly pulled safety belt and holds the infant/child restraint system in position. Please note that laws relating to the use and installation of infant or children restraint systems vary by jurisdiction. You will need to review the laws applicable to you prior to installing and using infant or children restraint systems in your smart fortwo.
An electronically controlled system will detect the weight of the occupant on the passenger seat or the installation of a child restraint system. The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) determines the appropriate mode of the dual stage full size front airbag deployment. For very young passengers for whom an airbag deployment could mean a serious risk, the front and side airbags will be deactivated. A control lamp in the center of the roof panel will show this clearly. Always check the control lamp to make sure the airbags are deactivated for very young passengers.
We might initially direct the newbie to the smart USA FAQ (http://www.smartusa.com/smart-car-faq.aspx) for the basics, then continue here with questions and answers not addressed there, so there will be no duplicated or conflicted information.
Snakefarm, thanks for correcting me. Everything I have read on this subject says "no small kids in a fortwo" but if smartUSA says it's ok...then I guess it is. Would I put a child in mine?..."No, not never" but that's just me.
We might initially direct the newbie to the smart USA FAQ (http://www.smartusa.com/smart-car-faq.aspx) for the basics, then continue here with questions and answers not addressed there, so there will be no duplicated or conflicted information.
Honestly, I don't think it's that good of a FAQ, and with two references to the site as the official source for smarts, I think it's OK.
BTW - I think the best way to do this is for all of us to pick-and-choose what we want for our own hand-outs. That way I won't nag about size. Keep it up!
Honestly, I don't think it's that good of a FAQ, and with two references to the site as the official source for smarts, I think it's OK.
BTW - I think the best way to do this is for all of us to pick-and-choose what we want for our own hand-outs. That way I won't nag about size. Keep it up!
I think we would be disingenuous if we tried to skirt the fact that there is indeed an official U.S. distributor website. A newbie will ultimately have to go to it and through it to get anywhere as far as a purchase goes. We should position ourselves as an independant (read: "You can say what you like.") enthusiasts group, in consonance with the smart USA site.
I'm not sure if you have said that you think that the smart USA FAQ is OK or not.
Anyway, is the SCOA FAQ to be web based, or personal hand-outs? Or print-outs of a web based FAQ? Personally, if I were inclined to hand out anything it would be a business card noting directions to smart USA, my area dealer, and SCOA.
Snakefarm, thanks for correcting me. Everything I have read on this subject says "no small kids in a fortwo" but if smartUSA says it's ok...then I guess it is. Would I put a child in mine?..."No, not never" but that's just me.
Doe's "not never" mean "sometimes" or "not ever"?
I'm not surprised you've read a lot of malarkey about smart safety. There is a lot of it out there. I think all the negative press about child safety issues is generated by the same geniuses who yammer on about all of the imaginary smart-vs-SUV crashes. I'd put my kids in a smart rollover before I'd put them in a Ford Bronco rollover. In the smart, I could only risk one-at-a-time. But why don't we get back to happier thoughts?
If SCOA DOES eventually publish an official site FAQ, I hope we can filter out such unverified nonsense.
My kids (and my husband and myself) were side swiped by a semi and rolled over in an SUV. Toyota 4 runner....ok...well first we went down the higway upside down for a couple of hundred feet....It was more of a flip than a roll.......weird hanging upside down and seeing sparks flying on the concrete just above your head....
Anyway. We all came out incredibly fine....I had a tiny scratch...my daughter who was driving had whiplash. The thing is...we dont understand how my husband survived. His portion of the truck...the front passenger...was crushed down to the hood level...he must have luckily been forced to lie sideways when it landed. Also, the sunroof was shattered.
I wonder what would happen if it was a smart...given of course that only two of us would be in there. Would the shell keep that corner from crushing?
I think we would be disingenuous if we tried to skirt the fact that there is indeed an official U.S. distributor website. A newbie will ultimately have to go to it and through it to get anywhere as far as a purchase goes. We should position ourselves as an independant (read: "You can say what you like.") enthusiasts group, in consonance with the smart USA site.
I'm not sure if you have said that you think that the smart USA FAQ is OK or not.
Anyway, is the SCOA FAQ to be web based, or personal hand-outs? Or print-outs of a web based FAQ? Personally, if I were inclined to hand out anything it would be a business card noting directions to smart USA, my area dealer, and SCOA.
Not doing that - I referenced the official site in "how do you buy" and also in an additional listing (that's just on the PDF).
As for web-based or not - I'll leave that for everyone else to figure out. I decided I wanted to put something together to hand out - but there's nothing wrong with cards, either.
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