Should I buy a Smart Car?

[Denis O]

HotJambalaya said:

This thread really makes me want one for central london....

Not quite sure why everyone is anti the mhd models though?

was really toying with the idea of a little soft top one

The belts on the mhd models have a habit of going south and you then have no water circulation and the engine cooks. All happens in as little as 2 minutes and the engine then needs a rebuild.

The problem now is you can only get the 71bhp in mhd form. Best to go for the 84bhp, non mhd. Actually it's best to go for the 2014 Brabus which I believe has 121bhp. Now that would be fun.

[pingu393]

Post deleted.

Edited by pingu393 on Friday 16th May 00:20

[04helipilot]

For me they are great little cars, so much fun to drive, never had to look to hard to find a parking space (which was the reason we started driving smarts). My wife and I both have Smarts as does my daughter and her boyfriend, his brother and loads more people we know do as well.
Need to adapt your driving style to get the most enjoyment. Mine is a Brabus and I always use the paddles and my wife has a standard one(pulse) so when I drive hers I always use the stick to control the gear change which my wife hates, she always uses the auto mode. My wife has a Boxster but she will nearly always take the smart. I will never be without a smart in my garage absolutely love them. Best if you are a multiple car owner.

Good luck

[pingu393]

When driving in a spirited manner, I use the manual change down and swap to auto for the upshifts.

You get used to the gearbox delay by changing down before you need to. It's disconcerting at first, but you get used to it as the delay is consistent and can be predicted.

[KFC]

Mines doesn't have a button to change the automatic mode? It changes down gears itself, but not up.

Cool car so far, perfect for the job:

[Mermaid]

Buy a used Toyota iQ

[KFC]

Mermaid said:

Buy a used Toyota iQ

I take it you don't read threads before replying then?

[Mermaid]

KFC said:

Mermaid said:

Buy a used Toyota iQ

I take it you don't read threads before replying then?

Have to confess did not read every page, but did see the Iq mentioned, and think it is a great car. Goes away to read the whole thread now.....

[RizzoTheRat]

The smart does sound like the ideal car for your situation, but I've got to admit I'd have been tempted to buy a TukTuk instead

[shandyboy]

KFC said:

Mines doesn't have a button to change the automatic mode? It changes down gears itself, but not up.

Cool car so far, perfect for the job

Very nice!

I drove an early for2 years ago when the company I worked for had one imported (left-hand drive, before they were available in the UK). It was a fantastic little car and with the turbo it could beat most cars from a traffic light with ease - the look on their faces was priceless!

I think it had the same gear type as yours - it was tiptronic so you selected when to change up/down by flicking the gearstick forwards/backwards but it's not a full automatic, though it will change down automatically to prevent stalling...

Once you get used to it it becomes second nature. And until someone experiences the ease of parking anywhere they can't truly comprehend how massive other cars are!

Edited by shandyboy on Tuesday 10th June 14:12

[KFC]

shandyboy said:

And until someone experiences the ease of parking anywhere they can't truly comprehend how massive other cars are!

Absolutely spot on with this point

Unbelievable how easy it is to use around town in comparison to the Lambo or the Porsche. I'm so happy with the purchase that I'm wondering if I should have spent more money and got a newer/better one! I think that one cost me 3500 euros

[Engineer1]

chances are the cheap disposable level of the purchase is adding to the fun of it.

[pingu393]

KFC said:

I'm so happy with the purchase that I'm wondering if I should have spent more money and got a newer/better one! I think that one cost me 3500 euros

I got a fairly new one (10 mths old / £10k) and I would rather have an older one for £2k. I think they are a cheap fun car. To spend much more than you did is just foolish, and I was a fool .

My 10k Smart is OK, my £1k Smart was fun. When the 10k one is only worth 1k, it may become fun again, but I doubt that I will get over the £9k depreciation.

[hondansx]

The very first one's were the best to drive, because you sat lower (LHD, so not an issue of being too close to the fuel tank) and there wasn't any kind of stability control. With the skinny tyres, they'd four-wheel drift. Also, being tiny, LHD was actually a positive thing.

We've probably had about 8 in the family over the year, and it's only when you get back in an older ones you suddenly realise how dated they are!

If anyone's interested in one, it is definitely worth spending more on a convertible and, if you can stretch, the Brabus. It just looks too cool and is one of those rare cars like a Defender or a Golf where anyone from teenagers to billionaires have!

All of them have bags of character because they are so difficult to drive at speed. Used to always love jumping in my Brabus, irrespective if i'd stepped from any of the exotica in the garage.

[RDMcG]

I bought my Smart ForTwo diesel in December 2004 and I still have it. Was specifically for short trips in the congestion of Toronto , because to does one thing very well.

It parks.

Performance is non-existent, but irrelevant in the congestion. It is surprising roomy , although the A/C is marginal. I will likely keep it indefinitely.


It is, of course, heavily modified

[KFC]

Well my ex has been driving it around and said there is a huge problem with it, the garage apparently are saying it'll cost 2000 euros to fix

ex girlfriend said:

Hello,
car have problem with first and second cilinder, maybe more also motor need fix engine etc.....
I will inform ex owner tomorrow.
I will ask him for money back, or pay me some part .. I would like give him car back and he can sell again.....

Now, in servis....they will open motor and say to me at Monday really price about repair motor. I will inform you.

speak later, good night

[Denis O]

KFC said:

Well my ex has been driving it around and said there is a huge problem with it, the garage apparently are saying it'll cost 2000 euros to fix

ex girlfriend said:

Hello,
car have problem with first and second cilinder, maybe more also motor need fix engine etc.....
I will inform ex owner tomorrow.
I will ask him for money back, or pay me some part .. I would like give him car back and he can sell again.....

Now, in servis....they will open motor and say to me at Monday really price about repair motor. I will inform you.

speak later, good night

Shoite. Bad luck.

I'm guessing your car would have been a pre 2007 450 version and not a Brabus. The engines in the 450 are usually due a rebuild around 45 to 50 thousand miles. It's not a very strong engine. The 450 Brabus however is a very strong engine.

All my research suggested I should buy a 451 which has the Mitsubishi 999cc engine and doesn't suffer from the same issues as the old Smart lump.

[Wacky Racer]

My son's girlfriend (27)bought a very nice three year old smart car, low mileage (8000) from a main Mercedes dealer in the North West, it was totally mint, but she hated it from the very first day despite doing all the research, extended test drives etc.....

Poor fuel consumption...(mid 40's)...underpowered and if she wanted to take her mother and sister out shopping she couldn't...she also said the steering was VERY heavy for a small car....(She said)

She has now swapped it after two months for a brand new Vauxhall Adam which she loves....

(She had a nice Civic Type R before the smart car, but the insurance costs were too excessive after a couple of minor prangs...hence the smaller cars)

[KFC]

Denis O said:

Shoite. Bad luck.

I'm guessing your car would have been a pre 2007 450 version and not a Brabus. The engines in the 450 are usually due a rebuild around 45 to 50 thousand miles. It's not a very strong engine. The 450 Brabus however is a very strong engine.

All my research suggested I should buy a 451 which has the Mitsubishi 999cc engine and doesn't suffer from the same issues as the old Smart lump.

It was a 2003 one. Will see on Monday, no idea if the garage is just trying it on. I have a decent garage that work on my other cars and never rip me off, so I'll get it to there if I can. She's saying it won't go over 40kmh just now though...

[essIII]