What are the top 10 question people ask you about your smart?

[nick2ny]

Is that a hybrid?
Who makes that?
How do you fit inside? (I'm 6'4")

But the one that always makes me laugh is "Is that the $2500 car?"

I've gotten it 10x at least**even once from a tollbooth worker.

[rgaus]

To provide help for our customers, we designed a pair of medallions to answer most questions. This is the text we have on the new Medallions for the 2008 smart cars. The old ones varied a little bit, but mostly the same. Our old customers mounted them on the tridion framing about 12" from the roofline for easy read. As you can see, we answer most all questions other than the actual gas mileage (which varies in reality). Very helpful in answering the questions for you when you are in a store or gas station. Historical data on one medallion, spec data on the other, with engraved VIN# and specific release number within each dealership area (if they wish to provide), as well as the name of the dealership if requested and allowed. Here's the text for each 3" medallion. Wording had to accomodate the circular nature of the medallion, so best wording wasn't always possible. Best we could do.

(These words surround the outside of each of the two medallions)
SHORTEST CAR IN THE WORLD AT 8.8 FEET
THE ORIGINAL 2008 AMERICAN SMART CAR

SMART CAR. INTRODUCED IN SPAIN IN 1998. DESIGNED BY SWATCH. MADE BY MERCEDES. SOLD IN MORE THAN 36 COUNTRIES. FEWER THAN ONE MILLION WILL EXIST WORLDWIDE IN 2008. SMART CARS INTRODUCED TO U.S. IN LIMITED QUANTITY BY MERCEDES IN 2008. SMART CAR IS CURRENTLY THE SHORTEST COMMERCIAL AUTO IN THE WORLD. IT HAS STARRED IN MOVIES AND HAS A CULT FOLLOWING AROUND THE WORLD. SO UNIQUE, IT IS ONE OF ONLY 6 CARS SHOWN IN THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART-NYC

(Second medallion)

THIS CAR IS A “SMART CAR” MADE BY MERCEDES-BENZ. SMART “FORTWO” HAS A GAS POWERED 3-CYL, 1.0 LTR, 71 HP ENGINE. IT HAS A TOP SPEED OF 90 MPH. TRANSMISSION IS A 5-SPEED CLUTCHLESS MANUAL STYLE THAT SWITCHES TO AUTOMATIC WITH SIMPLE SLIDE OF SHIFTER. TRIDION ROLLBAR STYLE FRAMING & FRONT/SIDE AIRBAGS CREATE MERCEDES-DESIGN SAFETY. THE 2008, 1ST YEAR SMART CAR IS ONE OF A SELECT NUMBER.

[WCOCHRAN]

I am getting the same questions too. I think everyone is passing along these questions from state to state. I think the guys in the restroom, was the craziest place I have heard a discussion about the car so far. I like the question about hitting another car. I love to see the expressions of people's faces when I tell them that State Farm gave me a ten percent discount because of the safety of the car.

[smartcenterEdisonNJ]

1.) Is that the Steve Urkel car?
2.) Who makes that?
3.) Is it a hybrid?
4.) Is it electric?
5.) Is it safe?
6.) Are you kidding me?
7.) How fast can it go?
8.) Where can I get one?
9.) Boxers or briefs?
10.) Can I drive it?

[WCOCHRAN]

If I charged everyone one dollar for a ride and a nickel for everyone that has stopped and asked me questions about the car, I could have it paid for in full in less than a week!

[skyzdlimit59]

Originally Posted by Wizco

Because it can be. ;)

Everyone else has nailed avery question I've gotten. Takes 2 minutes to pump gas, and 15 more to get into the car and on the road.

That is part of the charm. We will be making friends everywhere we go.

[WCOCHRAN]

One piece of personal advice. I am going to suggest this to Smart, when they print the next owner's manuals. Go to restroom, before leaving home! This will save you a lot of trouble when you park your car.

[rgaus]

I've suggested to smartUSA an eventual advertising campaign (if they ever do advertising) that promotes smart drivers as the most polite drivers in the country. Why? You really feel like you know everybody and they know you. You want to treat them right! Besides, if you cut them off, it's not like you are driving a car that fades into the crowd. They'll remember you either way, might as well have it be a polite memory!

Ron Gaus, asmartcar.com

[RLove]

You have to wonder about the intelligence of the people that surround you when they ask some of these questions. With as many segments on the news as there has been about the Smart, it's amazing how many are clueless.

But, I ran into the same thing with the MINI. I just told people that it was nuclear, and would run forever.

[Connelly]

I've had pretty much all the same questions, including a few "here's your sign" ones:

After just explaining, at the gas station, that it's not electric or hybrid:
Q. "Why are you putting gas into it, isn't it electric?"
A. "I'm pumping watts, not gas. Gas is the other pump."

Q. "Do you know what kind of car this is?"
A. "No, I just drive it."

Q. "Do people ask you a lot of questions about it?"
A. "Yes" (This was 10 minutes into the conversation with the same person.)

Q. "Is this that Indian car?"
A. "The Tata Nano? No, it's a smart."
Q. "The Indian car?"
A. "No, that's the Nano. This is a smart car'"
Q. "Isn't the Indian car smart?"
A. "Who's on first?"

Q. "Do you fit into it?" (I'm 6 foot/285 lbs.)
A. "No, it followed me here"

From driver of blinged Escalade:
Q. "Your car looks like it shrunk. Did you leave it out in the rain?"
A. "No" "(I just smiled. He was bigger than me and looked like he may have been armed.)

From driver of work truck, after he had pulled out a tape measure and measured my car:
Q. "Do you know how long this car is?"
A. "No, but I think you're going to tell me."

Definitely allow extra time for every errand, smile at the cell phone pictures, wave when waved to, nod when given a thumbs up, smile even more when you catch people staring at you and they look embarrassed, watch out for people who speed by in the other lane then hit the brakes for another look, keep an eye out for drivers drifting into you lane as they try to get a good look, and feel really good about being one of the first in your area to have one.