so how did everyone do with the weather

faith in dc · 01-28-2009, 01:37 PM

I was very pleased yesterday in the snow. The stability feature worked great. I always play around with a new car when it snows, better to see it's faults then than later on 495.

This morning with the ice, I felt the lightness showed. My driveway is an incline, and as soon as I started backing it slide off. My son got us back on and when I started the smartie turned and went down the whole driveway side ways. I just rode it out. What is so funny we have two decorative bushes at the entrance of the drive and Smart went perfectly between them.

What did you all think?

OH also, and I did try searching briefly for this one. These cold mornings, has anyone been having the low tire pressure light come on? I have but it's fine in the evening when it warms.

The Rigger · 01-28-2009, 01:41 PM

2" of fresh powder, here in central Michigan... The cabrio handled it with as close to dignity and aplomb as this silly little car is capable of. I still have fun going around all the SUVs that get stuck on the packed-snow-covered hill in front of my house.

MP3SMART · 01-28-2009, 01:46 PM

Everyone at work wondered how I got here? I laugh. Snow barely covered the ground. People can be really stupid sometimes.

mdfortwoguy · 01-28-2009, 03:16 PM

I drove the VUE yesterday - the smart wasn't too dirty, and the VUE is just a mountain goat in the snow.

Today, I took the smart though - I wasn't worried about the ice, and wanted to see how it could do. I've tried to upset it a few times, but the ESP is really good on this car

I had a seemingly violent application come on in a parking lot at lunch... when it starts working hard to keep the car straight, it means business.

This isn't really snow though... I grew up in Ohio... they get snow

jonnysan · 01-28-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faith in dc

I was very pleased yesterday in the snow. The stability feature worked great. I always play around with a new car when it snows, better to see it's faults then than later on 495.

This morning with the ice, I felt the lightness showed. My driveway is an incline, and as soon as I started backing it slide off. My son got us back on and when I started the smartie turned and went down the whole driveway side ways. I just rode it out. What is so funny we have two decorative bushes at the entrance of the drive and Smart went perfectly between them.

What did you all think?

OH also, and I did try searching briefly for this one. These cold mornings, has anyone been having the low tire pressure light come on? I have but it's fine in the evening when it warms.

Brand new Blizzaks were the tire to have for this morning's commute. I turned onto a main street from another main street doing about 5 MPH and the car just kept going straight (in the turn) even with the snows on. I was able to keep the car on the road but was alittle disappointed until I spoke with others from work about their commute and most who travel this same way had the same problem with "broad-sliding" and they had front wheel drive cars....it was just "greasy" road conditions ....had nothing to do with the smart's traction really. 3 inches of semi-wet snow mushed up by traffic makes it quite greasy going, so to speak.
So anyway.....the smart did ok in it....

gstreetcomic · 01-28-2009, 06:42 PM

I was impressed with the Smart in that ice packed mess. I live at a home where my driveway is a steep incline, and unless you have four wheel drive or FWD you are pretty screwed in a RWD car. Not so in my Smart. I went up that little snow packed incline with ease, and no wheel spin whatsoever. I then decided to take it out again today over the ice packed side streets and it went over them like it was a cleared street. I do tend to drive slow, so i did not see how well that traction control worked, but if i ever need it, i know its there, and yes i did slip a little in the driveway and that EPS light went on for a bit. BTW the Smart stops on a dime even in the messy road.

imcquade · 01-28-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Rigger

2" of fresh powder, here in central Michigan... The cabrio handled it with as close to dignity and aplomb as this silly little car is capable of. I still have fun going around all the SUVs that get stuck on the packed-snow-covered hill in front of my house.

If SUVs are getting stuck on a hill with snow and the smart can get up it then it isn't the suv it is the idiot driving it....

I drove through snow today that would have drown my smart... it would have been far to high for it to even dream of getting through.....

The Wrangler however.... with it's 33" Tires and 5 inch lift had zero issues

Cheers

dink74 · 01-29-2009, 06:03 AM

Went great drove home in it on Tuesday night from PA. Had the stability kick in twice maybe the rest of the time it just chugged along. Tuesday morning in the ice was very similar to everything I have ever driven in the ice, sucked which is why 100 ft from where I started I turned around and went back to bed.

Dink

smartHHO · 01-29-2009, 06:29 AM

Did Fine here. Cleared just enough room in the garage for LITTLE RED, and glad I did. The whole house was a block of ice all day. Hehe.

faith in dc · 01-29-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dink74

Went great drove home in it on Tuesday night from PA. Had the stability kick in twice maybe the rest of the time it just chugged along. Tuesday morning in the ice was very similar to everything I have ever driven in the ice, sucked which is why 100 ft from where I started I turned around and went back to bed.

Dink

LOL That thought did cross my mind too. But I figured, heck I got out of the driveway I may as well go on.

Thanks glad to see others comments. That stability feature is wonderful. I've had 4WD before, and FWD, and was a bit uncertain with Smart but glad we had this test.

I wish I had a garage, but it's so small it's nothing like I use to go through in my Taurus. I'd probably still be trying to get the ice off.