Photo of Rachel Nabors

Hi, I'm Rachel Nabors, and these are my real-life adventures with my new smart car, Roxi.

Homecoming: A trip to the Blue Ridge mountains with my smart car

A motorcycle parked next to my smart car outside Mabry Mill.

Last weekend I went on a trip to visit my mother and homeplace in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia… in my smart car! It was quite and adventure, filled with motorcycles, horses, and gravel roads, oh my! Conquering the mountains in a little smart car!

Replacing the headlight on my smart car

The smart car

I was at work, getting ready for a big night out, when I noticed one of my head lights was no longer working! A few emails later, I had a part number and a set of faxed instructions so I could change the bulb and be ready to go in time. Learn how to change your own head lamps!

10k Maintenance at the Smart Car Center

Smart cars only need to be taken in for maintenance every 10,000 miles, and my odometer just hit 9,500. I was worried that because I was taking my car to a Mercedez dealership (where the Smart Center is), it might cost a lot. But the experience turned out to be quite pleasant and affordable.

Let’s talk hyperbole.

I get a lot of comments on my blog. Some are fawning, others are pugnacious. Smart cars bring out both sides of Americans. I approve both equally given that they meet the following simple requirements:

The author expresses her ideas understandably and with reasonable grammar (no lollerskating in the halls!)
The comments do not verge on trolling [...]

smart car meets fish: the “Black Orchid”

I entered a smart car design contest with a design named for a breed of Siamese fighting fish called the “black orchid crown tail” and inspired by Mexican skull candy, orchid blossoms, deep sea fish, and Japanese manga artist Junko Mizuno’s work. By all means have a look and let me know what you think!

Fun with snow: Driving my smart car in winter weather

I didn’t think I would have the chance to write about driving in snow this year, considering how little of it we’ve been having in the past couple of winters. But I have been driving my smart car in not one but at least two snow showers in the past month!

New year in my (still rather new) smart car

I have been horribly remiss in my duties! After Halloween, I took some time to carefully wash and detail my smart car. I took pictures and made detailed account of the process and everything. I was just about to post all this in a “clean up your car before winter!” article, then Thanksgiving hit. Then [...]

Tall people love smart cars, too! Just ask Danny Clark, linebacker for the New York Giants.

Normally I’m not into football, but now if anyone asks if I have a favorite player, I will answer affirmatively that Danny Clark and I are united by our smart cars!

It’s a Martha Stewart Halloween, smart car!

These motorcycle helmet ears attach via suction cups to a smooth surface.

It’s a smart car Halloween! I’ve kitted Roxi out with a pair of devil horns and a tail, and we’re up to mischief. Plus, learn how to make your own feather wreath and join us for some Halloween treats!

Guilty pleasures: heated seats

I never wanted heated seats. They seemed so extravagant. But I got stuck with them when I bought my smart car. Little did I realize how much I would come to depend on the “butt warmer” in the fall.