The Smart Car Isn’t Such a Stupid Idea

We’ve all laughed and pointed. “Hee hee, look at those goofs. Hey, nerd! How many hamsters does it take to make that toy run?” But now that the national gas averages have crossed four dollars a gallon and only promising to rise, consumers–which in this case I am referring to myself–are giving the Smart Car a second look. Once the giggles subside, I look at the specs and realize it does a lot better on gas than my SUV.

Here are some specs taken directly from the site:

*Fuel economy estimates were derived in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) vehicle testing procedures for model year 2008 as specified in 40 C.F.R. pts. 86 and 600 (2007). These estimates are intended for comparison between other vehicles within the same class. Individual drivers’ actual mileage will vary depending on how they drive and maintain their vehicles.

How Long To Recoup The Cost of My Manhood?
So if I do get one, how long will it take me to get my money back? Since the I’m not very good at math, I would guess about seven days. My current car gets about 25 MPG and I drive about five hundred miles a week. This Smart “car” gets around 40 MPG. Since it costs $14,500 the equation works out to this:

As this complex equation clearly states, the money I save on gas per week will recoup the cost of the car in exactly 7.2 days. So I’m thinking I will buy three of these Smart Cars and hook them together–I assume they have some type of Lego connector–thus forming a train of Smart Cars. This way I can take my kids with me to the Mall and to the park. Home renovation projects might be an issue. I do not see how I am going to fit 2 X 4s or sheets of drywall in these puppies.

In Conclusion
So either way, it looks like the Smart Car is here to stay. And if you were “smart” consumers, you’d buy half a dozen and be ready for whatever the economy throws at you. And if the economy rebounds, you can always use these cars for lawn ornaments or bird houses.