Much More Than a smart Purchase

With tough times like we have seen over the past few years it also teaches us a lesson as well. We remember to be a little more conscious about our purchase decisions and look at the bigger picture of things. When shopping for a car more often we look at what it is going to cost us over time. When we look at those figures we're shocked when we thought something was a good buy but the cost for us to keep it was a different story.

I was doing some research on the smart fortwo today to look at the bigger picture numbers. I wanted to investigate for my customers beyond the ecological pricing we have for a commuter, first time buyer car, or a car that one just desires because the customability. I investigated is it the right decision for a long term purchase and how this amazing little car stands up to our competition. This is what I found.

A couple years ago, when I was at Honda, I often used the exact same tools my customers to help them with their decisions. Edmunds.com has built a fantastic tool to help us make the right choices. They built a tool that analyzes the True Cost to Own a vehicle. Great thing about this tool is you can look at any car, new or used, and it will estimate the cost for you to own it over a 5 year period. They calculate everything from fuel consumption, maintenance, purchase price, financing, miscellaneous things you might encounter beside basic servicing etc. So, I wanted to come up with a comparison of the total cost at the end of 5 years with my competitors I usually get shopped against. Below are my findings:

2010 Mini Cooper: $37,131
Cost per mile: $0.50

2010 Honda Fit: $32,493
Cost per mile: $0.43

2010 Toyota Yaris: $32,283
Cost per mile: 0.43

2010 smart Passion Coupe: $29,577
Cost per mile: $0.39

Edmunds.com TCO Side by Side Comparison

After seeing this I wanted to dig a little deeper. Another tool I use often is fueleconomy.gov. This website was built by the EPA to help consumers get a better sense of the actual fuel economy they will get based on their driving habits. The numbers I am going to report to you is based on 15,000 miles driven per year, 45% highway driving and 55% city driving.

2010 Mini Cooper:
Cost to Drive 25 Miles: $2.97
Fuel to Drive 25 Miles: 0.89 gal
Cost to Fill up: $39.56
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,783

2010 Honda Fit:
Cost to Drive 25 Miles: $2.49
Fuel to Drive 25 Miles: 0.81 gal
Cost to Fill up: $29.48
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,497

2010 Toyota Yaris:
Cost to Drive 25 Miles: $2.49
Fuel to Drive 25 Miles: 0.81 gal
Cost to Fill up: $30.87
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,497

2010 smart Passion Coupe:
Cost to Drive 25 Miles: $2.31
Fuel to Drive 25 Miles: 0.69 gal
Cost to Fill up: $26.07
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,389

fueleconomy.gov Side by Side Comparisons

One day soon we'll be able to see the full lifecycle of a car we purchase it's effects on the environment and the cost for it's entire lifetime.

Think Smart, Think Green

A manufacturing first in the automotive industry, constructing a car looking at the bigger picture in it's affects on the planet. Mercedes-Benz really thought this one out when they built the plants for the smart car. They looked at the entire life cycle of the smart car to ensure that they maximized the reduction in it's footprint on the earth.

When choosing vendors we chose only ones that utilized returnable containers. When wasting is unavoidable we look at how it can be minimized. The entire process to build a smart car is only 8 hours, 3 of which is actual build time!

Materials in the smart fortwo are chosen because they will have a minimal effect on the environment. A majority of our parts are recyclable. They stem from renewable raw materials and 100% recycled plastics. Not to mention how great are the doors? When is the last time you owned a car that was virtually dent and ding free?

Instead conventional painting for our cars we use a powder-coat process which uses 40% less energy. You'll find that this process has zero solvent emissions involved and no water consumption (for the water we do use it is also recycled water as well). Any powder over spary, or excess, is collected to be used again.

Our technologically advanced 3-cylinder engine competes with even the Hybrids out there. With the best fuel economy out there for gasoline powered vehicles, we are looking to reduce everyone's carbon footprint. Here are some tips to maximize your already fuel efficent smart: Fuel Saving Tips

In January 2011 the United States will see the fully electric smart fortwo. 2012 we'll see this amazing little car in full swing production! Not too long after that we might even see the clean burning diesel that has been reported to get 84 mpg.

Our consciousness doesn't end there, because this is an ongoing thing we must keep revisiting and reevaluating how to reduce our carbon footprint. One day we'll see the day when we can manufacture cars with little to no impact to the earth and our future.