Replies to This Discussion
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the smart has an electric motor, no belts or pumps, i'd be disconnected from the drivin' wheel. (crawlin' from the wreckage (Graham Parker) funny, i know the dave edmunds and nick lowe versions)
i love this editor, i get phantom words i can't remove like "wheel" above
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we're "pure-ists" bro. rock on!
we'll crank our own windows and wheels!
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rick: i also read on another forum that the eps [shuts down] over a certain speed, and i decided to opt out based on that post. thanks so much for your confirming update. i agree - it's an unnecessary frill. and what's so bad about a little rubbery response?
mr bad example: everything old is new again!
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Karen, my "rubbery response" went away when I boosted the tire pressure to the sidewall-indicated max. When that happened, I decided the whole issue of "rubbery response" was a myth and it was all in the tires. I mean, rack-and-pinion is the acknowledged bottom line for optimum sensory input from the road to your fingers, and has been for decades. Why would the response on the Smart be "rubbery"? It didn't make sense.
Now I figure there are two reasons for this misperception. First, a lot of U.S. drivers have only driven steering-box-to-tie-rod type cars. There is a lot more slop inherent in these systems and we usually "fix" the slop with dampeners - a double-action shock on the tie rod. But this only distances us from the road feel. Add power steering to that and we are almost completely disconected from the feel of the road surface.
Americans think this is normal. It is comfort vs handling. When someone who has been dulled by this layer upon layer of insulation from road feel gets behind the wheel of a highly-responsive sports car with rack and pinion, they are suddenly very uncomfortable and tend to overcontrol minute corrections. You can watch these people from the passenger seat as they wiggle the wheel back and forth like a tamborine and say, "Oh my, this car has a rubbery feel!"
The other thing is the Low Rolling Resistance tires. I am just guessing here, but the Smart is probably the lightest car that OEM high-tech LRRs have ever been placed on. Judging solely by my experiments with tire pressure, the car only comes alive when the psi is above the recommended rating. And when I say "alive", I mean it flies off bumps and soars through the air. I'm sure the insurance industry has something to do with the psi rating. As a soaring pilot, however, I find it invigorating, and the Smart is actually more sure-footed upon landing than many other cars, like some BMWs I have flown.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&Vi...
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&Vi...
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so what are your tires' psis?
i reread your blog on shifting/hypermiling - what's the best way to train? i'm thinking i'll have to go back to the cemetery where i taught myself how to drive a manual.
i'll probably google it, but why does your name sound so familiar?
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i'm at 36/40PSI, rick's running 44/44PSI. i basically "feather foot" in auto and at a bit over 30mph, i nudge it into M and then lock it into "5".
trust me 36/40 gets a little rough. i thought of running 44/44, where i live, out ot the question. rick's a smidge crazier than i (hard to imagine!) maybe rick's roads are smoother.
if you have no potholes or expansion joints, try 40PSI. i'm near chicago, potholes abound. i'm ready to swap my tires for old beetle radials (155r-15) and ride those at 30PSI
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mr bad example: wow. 44? that's a bit harsh. i noticed your other post with the psis mentioned, so i wanted to compare them to rick's. thanks much. looks like i need to test drive this baby.
"feather foot"? do i have to google that, too? *-*
rick: please disregard the name question. please. [wholey moley!]
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feather foot, opposite of lead foot. i want to accellerate, but i apply just enough pressure to go faster. not make people behind me honk, but not leave them in the dust. i've been a "hyper-miler" for years. reasonable accelleration, at 30mph, click to M then popto 5. some hyper-milers will be a-holes, never go above 45mph (i used to do that with a '68 pontiac with a 400 V8) with the smart, i've broken 50mpg with standard air pressure at posted speed limits, 55-60mph. rick uses 44PSI all around. my new pressures would be close to his.
i think my "feather foot" is the pre-cursor to the term "hyper-miling".
having been doing it since 1980.
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if you want to reduce effort a bit, inflate the front tires to 36PSI (29PSI is recommended by smart) i've gone to 36PSI in the front and 40PSI in the rear. should also help in "hyper-miling".
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I have none and drove one with and it is easier to park and make tight turns with it.
I guess I mean - I could tell the difference and it works.
There are times I could use it, like after doing 50 laps at the kart track and my arms are shot.
Either way, its OK, but if you do a lot of tight parking, you'd like it.
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Hi all - I live in Oz and am awaiting delivery of 2 turbo 451s with the primo pack etc.
We originally ordered them without power steer - but two days later it was nagging me so I did a lot of research into it.
Numerous US and EU magazines and other reviews state that the power steering model cars are actually faster - because of the way that the stability and traction controls are modified.
In the non power steer cars - the trac and stability control is quicker to step in.
Acceleration is also faster despite the extra kg or so in weight.
I'm now glad that I changed my order quickly enough to include the power steering for them both and at $450AUD each - I am not worried about the dollars.
I must admit - I drove the non power steer car and found it to be fine....and have not as yet driven one with power steer.
Looking forward to it (delivery date is...quote "early to mid to late Spetember) haha.
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lucky for the turbo, in the states, we get jack!
i drove a power steering passion while waiting for my pure to be prepped. just more hardware, a car with 200 kilos per front tire doesn't need power steering.
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