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New owner in Chicago

5.2K views 20 replies 12 participants last post by  Tweak  
#1 ·
As Cypress Hill once said: "How can you know where I'm at if you haven't been where I been, understand where I'm coming from?" So I'll let the pics do the talking...

In 2000, I bought this on eBay:
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It was t-boned at a red light, and I switched to sports cars (1983 911, 944, and 928S):
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Decided I wanted something a bit newer and more practical (2003 Z4 and 325i):
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Then BMW, who swore they'd never make a Z4 coupe or M version came out with...

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Hey, I needed something for the commute! (stock image, but like mine)

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But I missed having a convertible, so the Smart went for...
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Then I realized how rarely I drive with the top down and got:
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which I sold to get:
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Leaving me with the Z4 M Coupe and Fiat 500 Sport.
 
#19 ·
It does beat the Smart, but not hands down. I own a Smart and now also a Fiat. I love BOTH of them. The Smart gets much better gas mileage. On a trip from Salt Lake City to Wendover, in the Smart, I got 70.8 MPG. The best I have gotten in the Fiat has been 36.2 MPG, city and interstate. I usually get about 35 to 40 MPG around town in the Smart. When the winter goes away, we will be taking the same trip to Wendover in the Fiat to see how the MPG compares with the Smart.
 
#3 ·
Seriously, stop hating on the Smart. Drive one when you can't find a parking space worth your life, and see how much you hate on it then. Oh, and when you have to fill up too.

Anyway, great choice with the 500, it's a lot of fun. Let's see, I've had my variety of cars too:

1. 2001 Kia Rio
2. 1994 Volkswagon Golf
3. 1993 Geo Metro
4. 2002 Hyundai Accent GS
5. 2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus edition
6. 2012 Fiat 500 Sport

Well, that is not a lot actually. But I'm only 22, well, maybe for my age it's a little more than usual.
 
#9 ·
Seriously, stop hating on the Smart.

My mother owned one, not hating, stating observed facts, part of this though is that it was an 09 model and the newer models are far nicer. Seeing as her car had no options really since not much was offered in 09 and the major issue of the car not accelerating when pressing the throttle. Other things made my dislike it somewhat but I also liked it in some ways as well.
 
#5 ·
I have trended towards flipping in the last couple of years, changing up with not a lot of cash outlay, mostly because I haven't found that perfect commuter. The Z4 M Coupe is definitely a keeper, so the long-term 2nd car is what I'm looking for. We'll see how the Fiat fares.

My initial impression is that it could use lowering and slightly wider tires to improve stability in turns, but I think it rides very well for its short wheelbase, and wouldn't want to mess with that. Most people that haven't tried one think it needs more power, but it's got pretty good pick-up for a city runabout, imo.

Thanks for the welcomes...
 
#8 ·
Sox or Cubs? :rolleyes:
I'm originally from Kentucky, so I've never really followed baseball (though some folks there follow the Cincinnati Reds). In 25 years here I've yet to catch a baseball game, despite living about 2 blocks from Wrigley Field (which is why I need easy to park cars - baseball season is brutal).
 
#21 ·
I'll agree there are some aspects for the Smart rather than our 500s but overall with the Smart in which I dealt the only thing I can say I like the Smart more on is the better MPGs and it being smaller is "neat", beyond that I cannot recall anything about it (at the moment at least) I prefer over what the 500 offers. Like anything different cars and different people, things will always differ from one to the next.