I Just Want One
I haven’t owed car in almost 10 years, which is about as long as I’ve lived in D.C. To be honest, I haven’t needed one much. I can take public transportation just about anywhere I want to go, and cabs are easy to get most of the time. However, since we’re probably moving to the burbs somewhere down the line (better schools) and there’s the possibility of doing second adoption down the line, the reality is that sooner or later I’m going to have to get a car.
Fine. I don’t have a problem with that. What I have a problem with is that in the last 10 years I’ve kind of taken a bit of pride in not having a car, as I figure I’m not contributing as much to pollution and our dependence on foreign oil because there’s one less car on the road. But as automobile ownership probably looms in my horizon, I find I want to have my cake and eat it too. That is, I’ll own a car if I must, but at the same time I still want to feel like I’m contributing to the solutions (see above) or at least not contributing to the problems of the day. As a result, when it comes to cars I tend to gravitate towards cars that would make an SUV (and its driver) burst out laughing.
Case in point, the Smart Car that DaimlerChrysler is introducing to the U.S. and that was profiled in the Washington Post just recently.
The Smart, built by DaimlerChrysler AG’s Mercedes Car Group, is a two-seat micro-car popular in the crowded cities of Europe that’s making its way to the United States. It’s the extreme edge of a wave of little cars inspired by the success of BMW AG’s Mini Cooper, with Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and others poised to bring super-small products to the United States from overseas markets.
… The Smart, with prices that start at 8,000 euros (about $11,000 at yesterday’s rates), would be the ultimate test of that market under DaimlerChrysler’s plan to bring it here in late 2006. It’s the Tom Cruise of the automotive world, a teeny-tiny star with eye-catching looks. How small is the smart? At eight feet long, it could lie on the sofa while you jog to the store. It’s four feet shorter than a Mini Cooper. Many motorcycles have bigger engines.
The size is marketed as ideal for navigating city streets. The Smart can park in half a regular space, can meet U.S. safety standards with some minor modifications and gets about 60 miles per gallon of gas.
I mean, what’s not to love about this car, right? It’s small (which I prefer), easy to drive in the city, and even easier to park. I started coveting it when I first saw it on television. (I think it was the episode of Absolutely Fabulous when Edina was given one to drive for one of her promotions.) Then the Mini Cooper showed up on these shored, and I began to salivate over them. (I’ve since heard complaints about their gas mileage.)
If you think I’m already crazy, a few years back—before the Smart car—I had an intense longing to own an electric car called “the Sparrow.”
The Sparrow is a single-passenger, three-wheeled electric vehicle that—
- Is a zero emission vehicle (ZEV), economical to operate (about 1-3¢ per mile), affordable and fun to drive
- Classified as a motorcycle by the US Department of Transportation is commute lane legal
- Has a top speed of 70 mph and a range of 40 to 60 miles per charge
- Plugs into an ordinary 110-volt electrical outlet and fully recharges in 6 hours (in 3 hours with a 220-volt)
Again, what’s not to love? And it looks even cooler than the Smart car. At least I think so. Of course, the Sparrow isn’t technically a car, because it’s a three wheeler. It’s more like an enclosed motorcycle. Oh, and it’s a single seater. The company that made the Sparrow—Corbin Motors—went bankrupt, but I think that another company bought the rights to the Sparrow and is still manufacturing it.
Alas, it’s probably not to be. Given the reality of our family, a tiny little two-seater or one-seater probalby isn’t going to cut it for a second family car. At least not anytime in the near future. At best, I might end up with a hybrid car like the Prius or some other make of hybrid.
But I’s still rather have a Smart car or a Sparrow. Oh well.
January 4th, 2005 at 5:31 pm
We LOVED Smart Cars when we lived in Europe. They were small enough to park PERPENDICULARLY in most places.
I think they would make great second family cars. You have a small mini-van or wagon (hybrid would be best!) for the main car (for trips with kids, etc) and then the little smart car for jaunts to the market or errands. perfect.
at least that is our plan
January 4th, 2005 at 6:09 pm
When my sister & bro-in-law had a baby they wound up with a station wagon before too long. It’s very practical, as I discovered on my last visit when we headed out for a day trip. There’s just a lot of stuff with a baby.
It’s a nice station wagon and they have a leopard-print baby seat for extra cool points.
January 4th, 2005 at 6:22 pm
I swore I would never, ever give in to the minivan urgings of my wife.
Never say never. As the ‘healthy’ baby we adopted grew into a 22 pound child whose neuromuscular disorder did not permit her to clamber into the backseat of the Civic…I learned that some things are more embarrassing than driving a van with chest-height seating. One of those things is going to a chiropractor and being told that you are not, in fact, too young to have slipped a disc.
While I’m delighted to report that our kiddo has progressed enormoursly and is now able to walk, run and even climb into her own booster seat in the van, the fact is that we would never have made it through the four years of loading and unloading in the Civic.
I was also too cool for a car in my earlier days. Don’t worry, you’ll love the remote control doors that let out the hot air before you load your little one in summertime.
January 5th, 2005 at 3:11 am
From what i’ve read, Smart is going to be offering a small 4 seater 4 door in the US market. Can’t get USA.smart.com to open, so I can’t validate that, but I do remember reading it. That’d be enough if Rick has a bigger car for longer trips. FWIW, Dan and I are considering one.
January 5th, 2005 at 8:13 am
I do like the Smart but dispite the hype I don’t see it here (in the USA) any time soon and when it does come here there’ll be a long waiting list for the first two or three years and dealers with be asking for (and getting) a big bump in price over list. In addition if something breaks it will be hell trying to get parts or service. Parts will all be used to try to meet demand for new ones and sevice dept’s won’t be fully trained. Over the years I’ve seen this happen time and time again. Unless you have another car to depend on avoid buying a new model when it first comes out. Better to wait a couple years.
Best to start with the Toyota Prius. By the time you’re ready to buy there should be plenty available with parts and service readily available.
You can always get a Smart later.