That Tucker movie was on the other night. We need a real Tucker to come in and make a car that lasts. Now the Big 3 are down and a person like Tucker could have a chance.
That Tucker movie was on the other night. We need a real Tucker to come in and make a car that lasts. Now the Big 3 are down and a person like Tucker could have a chance.
Most cars made today will go at least 250,000 miles with regular maintenance. How many Tuckers have that many miles on them?
Seriously, modern autos are approaching the reliability of your mother-in-laws bad attitude.
Most cars made today will go at least 250,000 miles with regular maintenance. How many Tuckers have that many miles on them?
Seriously, modern autos are approaching the reliability of your mother-in-laws bad attitude.
It's not the engines having the problems. It's everything else. Lots of electrical problems all over. Sensors going out, etc.
250,000 miles is nothing. I only use Amsoil and that's why I tell everyone about it. You can easily put 700,000 miles on virtually any engine/transmission using that oil.
It's when the ABS stops working and the electric window motors go out and all kinds of other annoying crap. That's why I wanted a Smart. Something simple that I could most likely work on myself.
... Most owners I run into, as well as anyone who has driven or ridden in my car, find that it's perfectly acceptable once they get used to it, and some think it's downright cool.
What exactly are you referring to? I assume you're referring to the auto mode which has the tendency to shift at abnormally low rpm's where there is no power to accelerate and where it borders on lugging the engine particularly in the higher gears, or is it the tendency to keep wanting to upshift when it's more logical to maintain the gear it's in as any normal auto transmission would do, or is it the slow and bobble-headed shifting? Even if you use more throttle to force the shifts to a higher rev point, it's not possible to maintain the same throttle position in urban conditions and the computer then shifts into a higher gear than is suitable anyway. The driver then has to force it to gear down by a quick press of the throttle to the floor but that gear down only lasts for a very short time before the computer insists on gearing up to the same unsuitable higher gear once again, and this nonsense continues on and on.
These things are not something to like. Normal torque converter auto transmissions have done away with this type of behaviour for many, many decades now. There's no reason to have to tolerate it and it certainly is not something to be proud of or to show off to others. I don't tolerate it since I only use the manual mode and that does work well indeed. As has been said multiple times, this is not an automatic transmission and it is a very poor rendition of an automated manual.
There are many other cars of the same cost or less that have good automatic transmissions. If the manufacturer (Smart) insists on wanting to make an auto tranny then they should be using a more suitable transmission. As far as I'm concerned, they need not bother since this is a good manual which is all the more pleasing in traffic without having to continually press a clutch pedal.
I don't know who the "people you run into" might be, but most knowledgable car folk don't speak too kindly about this transmission. Funky it is, but that's not a characteristic that most drivers wouild find to be desirable.
As I say, it doesn't bother me so much because I only use it as a manual. It is puzzling though to hear of so many people thinking there's nothing wrong or who don't use the manual mode for one reason or another - mostly because they've never driven a manual, most likely. This is a manual transmission however.
The good thing about it is that some people drive a manual so poorly that they burn the clutch out long before 20,000 miles. I've seen clutches completely shot at 10,000 miles from people who ride them too much. At least with the Smart fortwo, you shouldn't see this problem since the computer does all the work.
I know if I got my wife to learn how to drive a manual, she would destroy the clutch in no time.
I just checked with the Smart dealer today and the cost of the clutch itself is less than $200 + labor. So it shouldn't be all that expensive of a repair to replace it once the car has over 100,000 miles.
What exactly are you referring to? I assume you're referring to the auto mode which has the tendency to shift at abnormally low rpm's where there is no power to accelerate and where it borders on lugging the engine particularly in the higher gears, or is it the tendency to keep wanting to upshift when it's more logical to maintain the gear it's in as any normal auto transmission would do, or is it the slow and bobble-headed shifting? Even if you use more throttle to force the shifts to a higher rev point, it's not possible to maintain the same throttle position in urban conditions and the computer then shifts into a higher gear than is suitable anyway. The driver then has to force it to gear down by a quick press of the throttle to the floor but that gear down only lasts for a very short time before the computer insists on gearing up to the same unsuitable higher gear once again, and this nonsense continues on and on.
I'm not sure where you drive or how you drive, but I've never had the circumstances you describe. Not to get personal but, if you drive the way you're describing, it sounds like the issue is with your driving, not the Smart. If you wanted a souped-up racecar you should've bought one, because with a Smart, if you drive it the way you describe, you'll be sitting at around 8000 RPM all day and get 20 miles to the gallon (not to mention needing a new engine soon).
I've had a manual transmission for the past 17 years, and I leave my '09 Passion in "Auto". Occasionally, I'll use the paddles to get better acceleration off a red light, or when going uphill from a red light, or when making a turn. And sometimes if it lags in low 5th at 40MPH I'll kick down to 4 for a second. That's about it. Most of the time it's fine, and with the '09 programming the only time I get a little head-bob is when the engine's cold.
What I'm referring to is the fact that I like the transmission, and despite your dissatisfaction with it, many other people do too.
Just because it doesn't act like a traditional auto nor a traditional manual does not mean it's flawed. It is simply different, and everyone is free to either appreciate or dislike that difference.
What I'm referring to is the fact that I like the transmission, and despite your dissatisfaction with it, many other people do too.
Just because it doesn't act like a traditional auto nor a traditional manual does not mean it's flawed. It is simply different, and everyone is free to either appreciate or dislike that difference.
For one, my wife can't drive stick. Secondly, for a typical automatic transmission, I hate having to buy like 14 quarts of transmission fluid and then pay somebody big bucks to use their flushing machine. With this car I have my cake and eat it, too. It may be a manual, but at least it's a manual my wife CAN DRIVE. And thirdly, I LOVE the fact that all I have to do is put a few quarts of 75W90 fluid in it and drive it for 100,000 miles until I have to do it again! That's FAR cheaper than the typical maintenance of a traditional "automatic" car. And if you neglect the fluid on a regular automatic, then many people can be looking at upwards of $1,500 to $,2500 or more to buy a new transmission or rebuild the one they have. Removing a transmission from a Yaris or Honda is absolutely NO FUN. I love this car.
In the long run, this car will save me a fortune on gas, maintenance and everything else. Plus, since it's a very small car, it's less square footage to have to wash and wax.
The car may have it's little quarks, but that's what makes it interesting.
I'm not sure where you drive or how you drive, but I've never had the circumstances you describe. Not to get personal but, if you drive the way you're describing, it sounds like the issue is with your driving, not the Smart. If you wanted a souped-up racecar you should've bought one, because with a Smart, if you drive it the way you describe, you'll be sitting at around 8000 RPM all day and get 20 miles to the gallon (not to mention needing a new engine soon).
I've had a manual transmission for the past 17 years, and I leave my '09 Passion in "Auto". Occasionally, I'll use the paddles to get better acceleration off a red light, or when going uphill from a red light, or when making a turn. And sometimes if it lags in low 5th at 40MPH I'll kick down to 4 for a second. That's about it. Most of the time it's fine, and with the '09 programming the only time I get a little head-bob is when the engine's cold.
I drive sports cars, motorcycles, (competitively) sedans, trucks, and even motorhomes, oh - and also bicycles. My vehicles have been both manual transmissions in bikes cars and trucks as well as auto transmissions. With the sports cars I do drive 'enthusiastically', and that goes for motorcycles as well - but with trucks and auto sedans I drive sedately and that goes for the smart as well even though I use it only in manual mode because the auto mode is too frustrating.
By the way, I've gotten as much as 55 mpg (U.S. measure) with the smart and normal consumption is around 40-45.
Just curious, but why would you want to use the paddles to get "better acceleration off the light"? Using the auto mode you can get exactly the same acceleration. The difference between using it in manual or auto mode has nothing to do with acceleration or revving high. As far as going up hill and turning is concerned, when in auto the computer is programmed to use an absurdly low rev for every gear and so you really do need to gear down under those and other circumstances. This is part of the absurdity I've been referring to. Why put up with that when using the manual mode is so convenient, easy to use, and suitable? You can choose more suitable shift points and keep it in a specific gear when that's required, and also shift far more smoothly. If you need to vacillate between manual and auto mode then why not just leave it in manual mode? It doesn't make sense not to.
It's all about how the transmission is shifting. With the manual mode I can have it shift so smoothly that a passenger does not even realize the transmission was shifted. That is impossible when using the auto mode even though with proper technique the shifting can be smoothed out somewhat.
This is actually a fun car to drive in manual mode but, by the same token, it is a frustrating and annoying car to drive in auto mode. I've always been puzzled as to why there are so many apologists for the auto mode. But, people are different with different experiences, expectations, and skills, and each to his own, I guess.
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