Driving a Pint Size Car

I first saw a Smart Car in Paris. We were visiting my daughter who was studying abroad in the Fall of 2004. My wife took a photo of me standing behind the uber compact with my arms stretching from bumper to bumper. The design and size were like nothing I had seen in an automobile; it was very Euro.

In the summer of 2012 I bought one--a 2003 Smart Car City Coupe Passion, predecessor to the more recent Smart For Two. Of course I took it for a test drive first, to make sure it wasn’t underpowered or beset with too many quirks. Unlike American cars, it does not have a tilt steering wheel, a spare tire, cruise control, or even a cup holder, unless you fold down the passenger seat back. I carry an emergency flat repair kit in lieu of a spare tire, which takes much less space and weight.

What it does offer is style in a very small package--1752 pounds, with a driver and a full tank of fuel. This transport pod is just over 8 feet long, five feet high, and less than 5 feet wide. This little “dot,” as may wife calls it, can zip us up Lakeview Hill at 65 miles per hour. The side view of this half pint car, which has no “hood,” is very much like a baby shoe, one of our friends observed. It’s equipped with a 50 horsepower, 3 cylinder, turbo charged, 698 cc displacement Mercedes engine tucked into the space where you’d expect to find the spare tire.

The first thought to enter the minds of many who see me drive up in the Smart Car is “This guy must be nuts to get on the highway in that little insect.” To be sure, crash worthiness must be a consideration in choosing what to drive; the laws of physics will determine the outcome in a crash. Occupants in smaller cars will suffer greater injury than occupants of larger vehicles.

But haven’t we carried this fear too far in rationalizing ever larger vehicles? The very size of the Smart Car makes for greater maneuverability to avoid crashes. If we drove primarily to protect ourselves from other vehicles, wouldn’t our highways begin to look like we are mobilizing for the next great war? So there is my counter-rationalizing.

What I value most in cars is fuel efficiency, life cycle costs, and yes, the WOW factor. I consistently drive over 40 miles on a gallon of premium gasoline. The little demon wants 95 octane, but 91 is the richest fuel I can find. And I paid less than $8,000 when the odometer reading was under 25,000 miles.

What I often forget while driving my little go cart is that people are watching. It is common to get waves, thumbs up or just big gaping smiles and stares from other drivers or pedestrians. It seems especially to be noticed by middle-and-high-school-age kids. When I’m on the road, I’m actually on stage. There is a celebrity factor one must be prepared for if you are thinking of buying one of these pods. When I see another person driving a Smart Car, I usually toot my horn and wave. So maybe this is just an ego trip.

Because I use the transport pod for business, I get lots of questions when I pull up to prepare an estimate for tree care. “Is it electric?”(no); “What’s it like to drive that little speck?” (fun), “Do you feel safe?” (yes) “Can two people fit in that thing?”(with ease); “Can it make it up a hill?” (at full speed); “How fast does it go?” (85 mph). Indeed, it might have been these consistent questions that prompted me to write about the 2003 Smart Car City Coupe Passion. A few clients have accepted my offer to take them for a ride or even let them drive.

I have taken three friends in the Smart Car that are about 6 feet 3 inches tall. Two with longer legs fit comfortably in the driver or passenger seat. The friend with a relatively longer torso has to slouch a bit to keep his head from touching the roof. I am six feet even and have never felt confined while driving, or as a passenger. In May I drove it to Ashland, Oregon to rendezvous with my daughter and friends for the fabulous stage shows there at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It was pure delight driving over the Sierras in the shadows of Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta.

In October 2012, we entered the Smart Car in the Nevada Day Parade with our Healthy Trees logo and with our Shiba Inu dog, “Bogart.” Our dump truck was attached to the rear of the Smart Car by a tow bar. The illusion that the transport pod was pulling didn’t beguile many, but some found amusement in the artifice. I think the dog actually got the most attention.

Our Smart Car was made in France by Daimler Benz. It was modified in the U.S. by ZAP. It may be these “after market” modifications that have presented some complications diagnosing and repairing what is causing warning lights to illuminate. In my case, the Electronic Stability Program and Automatic Braking System indicators have remained illuminated since I bought the car.

A Smart Car dealer in Sacramento determined that the steering angle sensor was activating both lights and concluded that the entire steering wheel assembly had to be replaced. I’ve been on a quest for a simpler (read less expensive), more elegant repair. Meanwhile, there are no other signs of braking or steering deficiencies. Indeed, the steering is tight and the braking responsive.

On the whole, my experience with the diminutive and novel go cart has been gratifying. As I’ve told many friends, I actually enjoy all the attention I get while driving it. I think its design portends the future and suggests an eco-awareness that is ignored by most car makers. My little bug is silver (of course) and bears the insignia of Healthy Trees. I will try to be alert to your wave, wink or friendly toot if you spot me on the road.

Tom Henderson is the founder of Healthy Trees, a team of arborists providing tree care in the Carson City environs. He may be contacted at healthytrees@att.net, www.healthytreesonline.com, or 224-3827.