When my hubby told me he was thinking about buying a smart car, I was skeptical at first. He was going to drive something that resembles a go-kart around on the highway? In the snow?? That couldn’t be very safe, right?
After doing some research on the benefits of the smart car, we decided to buy one. The transmission had died in my hubby’s old car, and it would’ve been an expensive fix. For the same price we would’ve paid to get the transmission fixed, we were able to pay cash for a used smart car with 65,000 miles on it (compared to my hubby’s old car, which had nearly 200,000 miles).
The main reason we decided to buy a smart car was because it was cheap enough that we could pay cash for it, but we’ve found that owning a smart car has numerous other perks! Here are five benefits of driving a smart car.
Easy to Park
Thanks to their tiny size, smart cars are ridiculously easy to park! We will never have to worry about parallel parking again – the car is so small you could even park it the way this guy did.
Image courtesy of Reddit.
Conversation Starter
My hubby and I are total opposites when it comes to cars. I couldn’t care less about cars, and I still drive the same boring beige “old lady” car that I’ve had since I was 20. My hubby, on the other hand, loves cars and always ends up with a car that turns heads.
Our slow smart car is drastically different from The Pumpkin (my hubby’s previous car which was orange, fast, and supercharged), but like his prior vehicle, the smart car is far from boring. I don’t think he will ever drive a car that isn’t unique!
Awesome Gas Mileage
The Pumpkin was a major gas guzzler, but smart cars famously get excellent gas mileage. Some smart cars get as many as 46.3 miles per gallon in the city and 68.9 miles per gallon on the highway. The hubby will save a ton of money on gas!
Environmentally Friendly
The smart car is better on gas mileage than all other non-hybrid vehicles. In addition to using less gas, the smart car is also constructed using innovative energy-efficient and recyclable materials.
Size
While its small size is a disadvantage in some ways, the size also has a few perks. Because it’s so small, the car warms up quickly in the winter – a huge benefit in Minnesota! The windows are also smaller, which leads to less time being spent scraping ice off of the windows.
2 Reasons NOT to Get a Smart Car
While we’re happy with our decision to get a tiny vehicle, it’s not the best option for everyone. Here are two things to consider before buying a smart car.
Safety
Smart cars actually have surprisingly good safety ratings. Because of their small size, smart cars have special safety features in place – such as a steel frame (comparable to a helmet) and shatterproof “crash boxes”.
Image courtesy of ABC News. This is real and not photo shopped!
Still, smart cars are obviously at a disadvantage in the event of a crash because of their tiny size. It’s up to you to decide whether or not you’re comfortable with that.
Not Family-Friendly
Our smart car is just big enough for my hubby and me (and maybe our pug). There’s no room for anyone else and there’s minimal space for hauling anything. We don’t mind this because we have my car to transport anything if needed, and we don’t plan on starting a family anytime soon.
If you have kids (or even big dogs) or need a car that can haul stuff, a smart car may not be the best option for you.
Would you ever consider buying a smart car?
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The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
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The reason of owning a smart car can be many. Its advantages overweight the negatives. Humans always give more preference to safety. When they think, their personal safety is being compromised in any work, they no more evince interest to do that. Okay… we will discuss the benefits of smart car. Due to its size, one can easily park it anywhere. It emits less smoke and offers better fuel economy. The car is also equipped with few safety features, which are beyond arguments.
I had no idea that smart cars can get as much as 46.3 miles per gallon in the city. My wife and I are looking for a car she can use when driving around when shopping and picking up our children. It would be really nice to have a car that wouldn’t need to be filled up very often. I’ll have to point this out to her and see what she thinks.
I didn’t know that either until my husband decided to get one!
We have two electric smart cars and we love them! They are leases we return next month, so we’ll miss them. :/. We’re considering a gas-powered smart car for the future for the reasons you’ve mentioned–inexpensive and efficient! You’re going to have tons of fun!
Awesome! They’re definitely affordable and efficient!