uncomfortable seats?

[Westfield 11]

Originally Posted by a2jack

Most cars today are designed to oversteer. With the Smart we have ESC. A2Jack

I thought most cars understeered nowdays, it is not that easy to find a car that will hang out the rear end and "back into" a corner. (sportscars excepted) It is particularly hard to find a FWD car that does not understeer and since most cars these days are front drivers..... Anyway the carmakers don't want to build a car that surprises the driver by doing something unexpected. (can you say class action lawsuit and contingency lawyer, children?) I know the smart is RWD, but after the A-series and the infamous moose incident MB overreacted and engineered all the performance out of the handling.

Understeer means you will leave the road nose first, oversteer means you will exit the tarmac trunk first unless you spin 360 degrees. ;)

[a2jack]

Originally Posted by Westfield 11

I thought most cars understeered nowdays, it is not that easy to find a car that will hang out the rear end and "back into" a corner. (sportscars excepted) It is particularly hard to find a FWD car that does not understeer and since most cars these days are front drivers..... Anyway the carmakers don't want to build a car that surprises the driver by doing something unexpected. (can you say class action lawsuit and contingency lawyer, children?) I know the smart is RWD, but after the A-series and the infamous moose incident MB overreacted and engineered all the performance out of the handling.

Understeer means you will leave the road nose first, oversteer means you will exit the tarmac trunk first unless you spin 360 degrees. ;)

You are right, of course, I knew what I was thinking, but it some how got switched on the way to the keyboard.

The understeer, oversteer terms have always had mixed meaning for me.

I was taught that oversteer meant you had too much turn cranked in as you hit the apex of a curve and could unwind and ease the G load. Where understeer meant that you hit the apex with NOT Enough turn cranked in and had to tighten up even further.

A rear engine car has a lot of weight out on the arm in back. It's sure to follow it around in a spin. ( Rolled up a bunch of
fence on the old Hollywood freeway in my Bug one day.)

No dispute here but would really enjoy discussing it further.

Regards A2Jack.

[MP3SMART]

I don't think its the seats. It the jarring pot holes that make me want to scream. Smartie doesn't like them at all. Last time I checked, the badge doesn't say Lexus. Don't know why we expect one.

[LorbeerTLC]

I find the seats seem to be fine. It's the rock-hard suspension that is a bit rough getting use to. Any pot holes or freeway expansion joints that do not line up (especially crossing bridges), must be like what WWII Bomber pilots had have felt when flak was exploding all around them (ok, maybe not... but you get my point). That's my #1 complaint.
That said, I realize it's the nature of the beast. I guess you need extremely firm suspension so the car doesn't rock like a "bobble-head" when braking/accelerating or leaning on its door handles. I know the wheelbase is short- but Renault has done wonders with their R-5 in the late 1970's, and at that time, it was the smallest production car imported to the U.S. I would gladly trade a little lean for a smoother ride. I have had 1967 VW Beetle/’67 VW Squareback, ’66 Plymouth Valiant, ’77 Renault R-5 (Le Car), ’82 VW Rabbit Convertible, ’91 Geo Metro… so I’m not comparing it to a real large car like a Buick or even a Lexus. Even my ’95 Honda del Sol VTEC DHOC has a smoother ride. To be quite honest… I think this is the hardest riding (suspension wise), car I’ve ever driven.
BTW: Checked the air pressure in my tires too and they're within specs.

-Tom L.

[mvukovich]

I feel more comfortable riding in my Smart car then I do in my sister-in-laws corvet.

[widdle car]

If you start eating a little more fatty, high caloric foods, you may be able to fix the problem yourself.....

[meaux61]

Funny about the seats. My husband hated the idea of me getting a smart. For three weeks he refused to ride in it. Then I had to take him to pick up his car at the mechanics. He loved the seat. He has a bad back. He loved them so much, that he ordered similar ones for his 52 pickup.

Meaux

[dennyrex]

>I know the wheelbase is short- but Renault has
>done wonders with their R-5 in the late 1970's,
>and at that time, it was the smallest production
>car imported to the U.S.

The Renault R5 wheelbase was 22", or nearly 1/3 longer. The R5's famously smooth ride was further helped along by the torsion bar suspension.

[teapots]

Originally Posted by Westfield 11

I guess my butt must not have enough padding since I begin to hurt after about 1 hour in the seat. After that it's misery. One of the few things I HATE about my cabrio. But since it is a city car and I rarely sit in it for more than a few minutes it's not a big deal. I am not looking forward to driving it 500 miles to my other home in Tucson next week, well, actually I am, but I expect a sore butt when I arrive.

We haven't heard from you lately...are glad that you are still coming to Tucson. Most of us are still waiting for our cars. It will be nice, hopefully, to spot yours going around the area...with/without the hurt butt.

Teapots
(patiently waiting)

[ckigar]

I took a neighbor for a ride.. he used used to build car seats on the line of a LARGE American Manufacturer. He thought the seats were excellent quality. As good as (ahem) the 'car of the year' which he builds. Personally, I find them comfortable, but I haven't subjected my butt to over an hour or so non-stop.

BTW, mine are the 'comfort package' heated leather.