Smart Car advice please

IslandTractor · Oct 10, 2013

daugen said:
Hmmm, maybe a Camry hybrid is the answer! Drag that along behind the motorhome with the brakes on a bit, get some good charging going, and generate enough electricity to pay for the motorhome fuel. Un huh.

Cheaper to just put a wind charger on the RV roof. Primus Wind Power Air 40 12 Volt DC Turbine.

Jim Shooz · Oct 10, 2013

Have you looked at any of the small Asian cars ?? There is the Nissan Micra which runs about 12.5 feet and 2116 pounds and Hyundai have the i10 (haven't got the specs for that). There are probably a lot more from Japan. If you can get a Manual you can put it on an A frame and tow it behind. Only have to disconnect the speedo cable from the gearbox and when you drive, drive by the rev counter. That way you're not shuffling around 3 items, the motorhome the car and the trailer.

like2wheel · Oct 11, 2013

Global Electric Motorcars

daugen · Oct 11, 2013

IslandTractor said:
Cheaper to just put a wind charger on the RV roof. Primus Wind Power Air 40 12 Volt DC Turbine.

Now Ed, I want you to be in the passenger seat when we try to take the rv under a 14 foot interstate bridge at 60mph.
Make sure you have the audio on your camera rolling, it ought to be fun for the people behind us too as they try to dodge the debris! great idea though...

daugen · Oct 11, 2013

mostly good ideas here, ahem..., my spec is eleven feet and 2000 pounds. thanks guys.

Honestly I think I'm going to try to fit in the Smart tomorrow, when I hope to go check one out, never saw one up close, and I'm really wondering if claustrophobia will set in. I've spent most of my life in the insurance business, am really risk averse, and yes, I'm sure the Smart car is very safe, thank you Mercedes, if I run into another micro car.
But I don't think I'd want to tangle with my 7000 pound Suburban. I think one would drive it like a motorcycle, very carefully..... I have no desire to end up as road pizza.

jinman · Oct 11, 2013

daugen said:
mostly good ideas here, ahem..., my spec is eleven feet and 2000 pounds. thanks guys.

Drew, you are. . . ahem. . . stubbornly sticking to your spec without talking about how wide that Smart Car is. I believe it is just over 5' wide. Even if you get it as close as you can to the side in your little trailer. You are gonna find yourself trapped. Please think about how you are gonna get out of the car if your trailer's sideboards don't fold down. In the picture below, they sure look fixed to me. Your door will jam up tight against the side board and you'll not be able to get out. Utility trailers are seriously unsuitable for car haulers. For golf carts and UTVs, they are fine, but any vehicle with side opening doors is not gonna be satisfactory.

dodge man · Oct 11, 2013

Yeah, your trying your hardest to get the round peg in the square hole. With a big enough hammer you can make it happen, but will you be happy?

daugen · Oct 11, 2013

Six foot two width in the trailer, and it is solid, seriously solid welded steel.

ok, ok, I guess if I don't winch the car/whatever in there, I'm stuck in there for the duration.
Not exactly a great idea.
now if it was a BMW Isetta with a front opening door...but what deathtraps they were.

well, I'm being led to water and i guess I should partake of the good advice.

Bird · Oct 11, 2013

now if it was a BMW Isetta with a front opening door...but what deathtraps they were.

I never saw any statistics on accidents, injuries, or fatalities in the Isetta, but I got a one year old Isetta for a weekend in the Fall of 1958 and it was a fun toy. But after having it from Friday evening until Monday morning, I decided to not buy it.:laughing: And I suspect most people have no idea what an Isetta was.:laughing: