It occurred to me that GM, with 15 days left to come up with an acceptable
survival plan to qualify for more bailout funds from the government, may
simply be playing high stakes poker with the government by leaking info that
they plan to export Chinese built cars to the US. In other words, "give us
more money, President Obama, and we'll drop the Chinese export/import plan."

Further convinces me to never, ever, buy a GM product. Let 'em go belly-up
for good.

Meanwhile, our neighbor is taking delivery next week of his new, "Smart
Car". He recently totaled his last car and Mrs.E. lent him the use of her
little VW Beetle until he got a replacement. I am sure I'll be able to try
out the Smart Car and I'll post my impressions of it.

Eisboch

On Thu, 14 May 2009 05:13:47 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


It occurred to me that GM, with 15 days left to come up with an acceptable
survival plan to qualify for more bailout funds from the government, may
simply be playing high stakes poker with the government by leaking info that
they plan to export Chinese built cars to the US. In other words, "give us
more money, President Obama, and we'll drop the Chinese export/import plan."

Further convinces me to never, ever, buy a GM product. Let 'em go belly-up
for good.

Meanwhile, our neighbor is taking delivery next week of his new, "Smart
Car". He recently totaled his last car and Mrs.E. lent him the use of her
little VW Beetle until he got a replacement. I am sure I'll be able to try
out the Smart Car and I'll post my impressions of it.

Hopefully he'll rethink that and let some other sucker buy it.

While they do well in crash tests, the real truth is that they are so
rigid that in head-on crashes, you are going to get tossed around like
a rag doll. In side crashes, there is a very real danger of severe
head injury as the head goes through the window an into the grill of
whatever hits you - assuming it's a larger SUV or pickup - hell, even
my F-150 is high enough to cause this type of injury.

George Abel next road over owned one - got hit head on by a F-350
dually at about 30 mph at the curve down by Linemaster on Rt 171.
Threw the Smart Car across the road on it's side into a tree, it
rolled over back onto Rt 171 and was hit by a Volvo station wagon at
an angle which rolled it once more. The car chassis held together just
fine - George, no so much. Mucho broken bones, he's still wearing a
neck brace and, get this, road rash on his face from sliding sideways
on the pavement.

No thanks - you can keep your Smart Cars because in my book they are
pretty dumb.

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...

No thanks - you can keep your Smart Cars because in my book they are
pretty dumb.


I had a little interest a couple of years ago, only because they were
different. But, from what I understand they really don't get super mpg
numbers that you would expect from such a small vehicle unless you get the
diesel version.

Besides, I don't think I could fit in one. I agree. I'll stick to my
F-250. I've had this one now for 8 months and it just turned over to 4000
miles. It should last me for a while.

Eisboch

On Thu, 14 May 2009 06:33:23 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
.. .

No thanks - you can keep your Smart Cars because in my book they are
pretty dumb.


I had a little interest a couple of years ago, only because they were
different. But, from what I understand they really don't get super mpg
numbers that you would expect from such a small vehicle unless you get the
diesel version.

Besides, I don't think I could fit in one. I agree. I'll stick to my
F-250. I've had this one now for 8 months and it just turned over to 4000
miles. It should last me for a while.

Mark Haines of CNBC fame was all Smart Car this and Smart Car that -
he bought two sight unseen. He's like you and me - large framed (I
think that's a good way to describe it).

As he tells the story, he did't even get out of the driveway of the
dealership - turned right around and gave it back and retrieved his
Lexus. :)

Eisboch wrote:

It occurred to me that GM, with 15 days left to come up with an
acceptable survival plan to qualify for more bailout funds from the
government, may simply be playing high stakes poker with the government
by leaking info that they plan to export Chinese built cars to the US.
In other words, "give us more money, President Obama, and we'll drop the
Chinese export/import plan."

Further convinces me to never, ever, buy a GM product. Let 'em go
belly-up for good.

Meanwhile, our neighbor is taking delivery next week of his new, "Smart
Car". He recently totaled his last car and Mrs.E. lent him the use of
her little VW Beetle until he got a replacement. I am sure I'll be
able to try out the Smart Car and I'll post my impressions of it.

Eisboch




Your neighbor totalled his last car and now he wants one of those little
boxes? My guess is they don't do so well in crash tests. Evolution in
action, as it were.

"HK" wrote in message
m...


Your neighbor totalled his last car and now he wants one of those little
boxes? My guess is they don't do so well in crash tests. Evolution in
action, as it were.


Actually, the Smart Car has tested surprisingly well in crash tests.
I wouldn't want to try this, but it does better than some full sized, SUVs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHpUO-S0i8

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:

"HK" wrote in message
m...


Your neighbor totalled his last car and now he wants one of those
little boxes? My guess is they don't do so well in crash tests.
Evolution in action, as it were.


Actually, the Smart Car has tested surprisingly well in crash tests.
I wouldn't want to try this, but it does better than some full sized, SUVs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHpUO-S0i8

Eisboch


I've seen that video before. The "dummy" inside certainly did not walk
away. Actually I was thinking of side impacts...a whack from a
full-sized SUV and it looks to me as if the "Smart" car would go into
low-earth orbit, and the driver would be "nearer his god to thee," if
you believe that sort of stuff.

Remember the bug-eyed Sprite and the Triumph Spitfire? Cute, rolling
death traps.

"HK" wrote in message
m...
Eisboch wrote:

"HK" wrote in message
m...


Your neighbor totalled his last car and now he wants one of those little
boxes? My guess is they don't do so well in crash tests. Evolution in
action, as it were.


Actually, the Smart Car has tested surprisingly well in crash tests.
I wouldn't want to try this, but it does better than some full sized,
SUVs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHpUO-S0i8

Eisboch


I've seen that video before. The "dummy" inside certainly did not walk
away. Actually I was thinking of side impacts...a whack from a full-sized
SUV and it looks to me as if the "Smart" car would go into low-earth
orbit, and the driver would be "nearer his god to thee," if you believe
that sort of stuff.


Again, it does surprisingly well in side impacts. It is small, but well
designed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz-s1...eature=related

Eisboch

HK wrote:

I've seen that video before. The "dummy" inside certainly did not walk
away.

Are you the dummy that wrote the quoted sentence?

On Thu, 14 May 2009 07:11:00 -0400, jim7856 wrote:

HK wrote:

I've seen that video before. The "dummy" inside certainly did not walk
away.

Are you the dummy that wrote the quoted sentence?

Buttsniffer.