Smart Roadster Opinions
Discussion
Hello,
I am currently looking to buy something a bit different. I need something that is small, automatic, cheap-ish and if possible a bit of fun. So, a Roadster came to mind. I have a couple of questions, if someone wouldn't mind helping me out.
Gearbox...now from a brief search online, I can tell that this is a much talked about topic. Is it as bad as some say? Or, are people just nitpicking and its something you get used to? I have never driven an auto before, but I hear the Roadsters don't have full hill assist, or 'creep' forward like a modern auto? Might seem obvious to some, but I can't quite get my head around how the auto box works on a Roadster.
I am tall, 6'3. I have heard they are roomier then you would think?
I wouldn't be doing a serious amount of miles, but it would be my daily driver. What are they like to live with on a daily basis?
Finally, if anyone has any other tips about buying, or any other comments then that would be great.
Cheers
I am currently looking to buy something a bit different. I need something that is small, automatic, cheap-ish and if possible a bit of fun. So, a Roadster came to mind. I have a couple of questions, if someone wouldn't mind helping me out.
Gearbox...now from a brief search online, I can tell that this is a much talked about topic. Is it as bad as some say? Or, are people just nitpicking and its something you get used to? I have never driven an auto before, but I hear the Roadsters don't have full hill assist, or 'creep' forward like a modern auto? Might seem obvious to some, but I can't quite get my head around how the auto box works on a Roadster.
I am tall, 6'3. I have heard they are roomier then you would think?
I wouldn't be doing a serious amount of miles, but it would be my daily driver. What are they like to live with on a daily basis?
Finally, if anyone has any other tips about buying, or any other comments then that would be great.
Cheers
1) Yes, the gearbox is as crap as everybody says it is. And it's a robotised manual, so it works like a manual, but the computer handles the clutch (badly).
2) The only way you will know is to try one. People have different proportions and comfort levels.
3) Yes, they're fine as daily drivers if you're not doing big mileages.
2) The only way you will know is to try one. People have different proportions and comfort levels.
3) Yes, they're fine as daily drivers if you're not doing big mileages.
Brilliant concept. Hopeless gearbox.
The most unfortunate thing was MB cancelled production shortly before the crisis of 2007 when everyone suddenly wanted small, economical cars. If they'd had the car properly sorted and still in production I think they could have made a killing with both Smart Roadster and Smart Coupe.
At one point a few optimists (Project Kimber) imagined they could put the car back into production somewhere in Wales as a sort of MG Midget. Like all these "British sportscar built in a shed" dreams it got nowhere.
As someone said above, I so want to like them....
The most unfortunate thing was MB cancelled production shortly before the crisis of 2007 when everyone suddenly wanted small, economical cars. If they'd had the car properly sorted and still in production I think they could have made a killing with both Smart Roadster and Smart Coupe.
At one point a few optimists (Project Kimber) imagined they could put the car back into production somewhere in Wales as a sort of MG Midget. Like all these "British sportscar built in a shed" dreams it got nowhere.
As someone said above, I so want to like them....
I don't have any real probs with the gearbox in mine , zips up & down the gears rapidly enough when driven in manual mode , a slight lift of the throttle on change up's helps to smooth things out . I had a remap done shortly after buying it last summer & this does help improve the shift speed noticeably . The automated manual box needs a little bit of time to adapt to , but it soon becomes second nature & and I think it suits the car well .
I have one, a Brabus Xclusive. The automatic mode is indeed hopeless but I never use it. Manual mode using either the shift lever or paddles is much much better. It still takes a bit of getting used to but once you learn it's quirks it's fine. Brabus improved the gear change even further and there are third party maps that will do the same.
They have hill assist as per any other manual car, i.e, the car will apply the the brakes briefly without rolling back. I tend to use the handbrake aswell, like a normal hill start but without a clutch pedal.
They will accommodate taller drivers with ease. There's an old top gear on YouTube and Clarkson summed this up when he tested one. They are comfortable but quite noisy I wouldn't want to be doing any more than 30 miles a day if I used it as a daily.
The steering has been criticized as being slow and one of the best modifications is to fit the smaller raid Daytona V6 wheel which completely transforms the feel of the car. However, this is very expensive option so look for a car that has one already fitted.
There is a very good buyers guide on the roadster.net which goes into further detail on what to look for. Service history is important on these and it's worth paying more for one of the better examples out there.
I also have a eunos mk1 and the roadster is almost as much fun to drive and is only let down by the harsh ride on rough roads.
They have hill assist as per any other manual car, i.e, the car will apply the the brakes briefly without rolling back. I tend to use the handbrake aswell, like a normal hill start but without a clutch pedal.
They will accommodate taller drivers with ease. There's an old top gear on YouTube and Clarkson summed this up when he tested one. They are comfortable but quite noisy I wouldn't want to be doing any more than 30 miles a day if I used it as a daily.
The steering has been criticized as being slow and one of the best modifications is to fit the smaller raid Daytona V6 wheel which completely transforms the feel of the car. However, this is very expensive option so look for a car that has one already fitted.
There is a very good buyers guide on the roadster.net which goes into further detail on what to look for. Service history is important on these and it's worth paying more for one of the better examples out there.
I also have a eunos mk1 and the roadster is almost as much fun to drive and is only let down by the harsh ride on rough roads.
Edited by kuro on Saturday 28th July 22:02
erebus said:
Hello,
I am currently looking to buy something a bit different. I need something that is small, automatic, cheap-ish and if possible a bit of fun. So, a Roadster came to mind. I have a couple of questions, if someone wouldn't mind helping me out.
Gearbox...now from a brief search online, I can tell that this is a much talked about topic. Is it as bad as some say? Or, are people just nitpicking and its something you get used to? I have never driven an auto before, but I hear the Roadsters don't have full hill assist, or 'creep' forward like a modern auto? Might seem obvious to some, but I can't quite get my head around how the auto box works on a Roadster.
I am tall, 6'3. I have heard they are roomier then you would think?
I wouldn't be doing a serious amount of miles, but it would be my daily driver. What are they like to live with on a daily basis?
Finally, if anyone has any other tips about buying, or any other comments then that would be great.
Cheers
The gearbox is just "different", no problems with ours! It will take half a mile to get used to it!I am currently looking to buy something a bit different. I need something that is small, automatic, cheap-ish and if possible a bit of fun. So, a Roadster came to mind. I have a couple of questions, if someone wouldn't mind helping me out.
Gearbox...now from a brief search online, I can tell that this is a much talked about topic. Is it as bad as some say? Or, are people just nitpicking and its something you get used to? I have never driven an auto before, but I hear the Roadsters don't have full hill assist, or 'creep' forward like a modern auto? Might seem obvious to some, but I can't quite get my head around how the auto box works on a Roadster.
I am tall, 6'3. I have heard they are roomier then you would think?
I wouldn't be doing a serious amount of miles, but it would be my daily driver. What are they like to live with on a daily basis?
Finally, if anyone has any other tips about buying, or any other comments then that would be great.
Cheers
You can drive in auto mode or manual mode, in auto mode you can force an up or downshift, should you want to.
In "manual" mode, remember to keep your foot in on down shifts.
If you've done your research you'll know to avoid anything with signs of water ingress, this can really mess up the ecu!
Another foible, keys! Once the batteries die in the key fobs you will need to get the keys pared with the car again, you will have to pay Mercedes for this.
You'll fit in comfortably, probably have to slide the seat back to get in but slide it back to get in the right driving position.
They're a fun little car, loads of fun to be had on twisty B roads.
No idea what the mpg is but it's very frugal.
We've had ours for 3 years, the only problem we've had was a blown brake light bulb.
Ours is not a daily driver and can be left for weeks at a time, it's never let us down!
I’ve had 2, both were used as daily’s - did 20k miles in a year in my 2nd.
Miss having one around. The gearbox is ok with paddles (sport pack - cars with 3 spoke wheels and 3 spoke steering wheels)
This was me: https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-carpool/ph...
Miss having one around. The gearbox is ok with paddles (sport pack - cars with 3 spoke wheels and 3 spoke steering wheels)
This was me: https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-carpool/ph...
kuro said:
I have one, a Brabus Xclusive. The automatic mode is indeed hopeless but I never use it. Manual mode using either the shift lever or paddles is much much better. It still takes a bit of getting used to but once you learn it's quirks it's fine. Brabus improved the gear change even further and there are third party maps that will do the same.
They have hill assist as per any other manual car, i.e, the car will apply the the brakes briefly without rolling back. I tend to use the handbrake aswell, like a normal hill start but without a clutch pedal.
They will accommodate taller drivers with ease. There's an old top gear on YouTube and Clarkson summed this up when he tested one. They are comfortable but quite noisy I wouldn't want to be doing any more than 30 miles a day if I used it as a daily.
The steering has been criticized as being slow and one of the best modifications is to fit the smaller raid Daytona V6 wheel which completely transforms the feel of the car. However, this is very expensive option so look for a car that has one already fitted.
There is a very good buyers guide on the roadster.net which goes into further detail on what to look for. Service history is important on these and it's worth paying more for one of the better examples out there.
I also have a eunos mk1 and the roadster is almost as much fun to drive and is only let down by the harsh ride on rough roads.
They have hill assist as per any other manual car, i.e, the car will apply the the brakes briefly without rolling back. I tend to use the handbrake aswell, like a normal hill start but without a clutch pedal.
They will accommodate taller drivers with ease. There's an old top gear on YouTube and Clarkson summed this up when he tested one. They are comfortable but quite noisy I wouldn't want to be doing any more than 30 miles a day if I used it as a daily.
The steering has been criticized as being slow and one of the best modifications is to fit the smaller raid Daytona V6 wheel which completely transforms the feel of the car. However, this is very expensive option so look for a car that has one already fitted.
There is a very good buyers guide on the roadster.net which goes into further detail on what to look for. Service history is important on these and it's worth paying more for one of the better examples out there.
I also have a eunos mk1 and the roadster is almost as much fun to drive and is only let down by the harsh ride on rough roads.
Edited by kuro on Saturday 28th July 22:02
Thanks for the reply.
This might see like a really obvious question, but having never driven an auto, or a Roadster, I am struggling to quite understand just how it works.
So, for example you stop on a hill, take your foot of the brake and the hill assist briefly kicks in long enough to put the hand brake on. Then, to get going again its handbrake off, then straight on the accelerator? Again, will really seem obvious to you. I have only ever driven manual, and I take it its just foot down and go, no balancing of the clutch etc.
It’s very natural. There’s no built in creep, but as soon as you apply a bit of throttle it automatically changes into 1st and slips the clutch the appropriate amount until up to speed. Slow speed manoeuvring is no problem.
Therefore you can hold the car on a hill just using throttle if you wanted, or use the handbrake until you feel the clutch engage just like a manual.
The biggest problem with the Smart gearbox is its full auto mode combined with roundabouts. As you back off approaching the roundabout it takes the car out of gear, then when you try and accelerate into a gap you find you’ve got no gear for an unnerving second or so as you drift into the path of oncoming traffic waiting for the gearbox to wake up.
You quickly learn to avoid this by using manual mode and a little anticipation. Soon becomes second nature, but goes a long way towards explaining the different opinions of long term owners and those with experience of just a short test drive.
Therefore you can hold the car on a hill just using throttle if you wanted, or use the handbrake until you feel the clutch engage just like a manual.
The biggest problem with the Smart gearbox is its full auto mode combined with roundabouts. As you back off approaching the roundabout it takes the car out of gear, then when you try and accelerate into a gap you find you’ve got no gear for an unnerving second or so as you drift into the path of oncoming traffic waiting for the gearbox to wake up.
You quickly learn to avoid this by using manual mode and a little anticipation. Soon becomes second nature, but goes a long way towards explaining the different opinions of long term owners and those with experience of just a short test drive.
giveitfish said:
It’s very natural. There’s no built in creep, but as soon as you apply a bit of throttle it automatically changes into 1st and slips the clutch the appropriate amount until up to speed. Slow speed manoeuvring is no problem.
Therefore you can hold the car on a hill just using throttle if you wanted, or use the handbrake until you feel the clutch engage just like a manual.
The biggest problem with the Smart gearbox is its full auto mode combined with roundabouts. As you back off approaching the roundabout it takes the car out of gear, then when you try and accelerate into a gap you find you’ve got no gear for an unnerving second or so as you drift into the path of oncoming traffic waiting for the gearbox to wake up.
You quickly learn to avoid this by using manual mode and a little anticipation. Soon becomes second nature, but goes a long way towards explaining the different opinions of long term owners and those with experience of just a short test drive.
Think of it like someone operating the clutch for you. The cars computer and clutch actuator replace the physical action of you having to operate a pedal. The only thing you can't do is feather the clutch. I tend to use a combination of hand and foot brake on hills.Therefore you can hold the car on a hill just using throttle if you wanted, or use the handbrake until you feel the clutch engage just like a manual.
The biggest problem with the Smart gearbox is its full auto mode combined with roundabouts. As you back off approaching the roundabout it takes the car out of gear, then when you try and accelerate into a gap you find you’ve got no gear for an unnerving second or so as you drift into the path of oncoming traffic waiting for the gearbox to wake up.
You quickly learn to avoid this by using manual mode and a little anticipation. Soon becomes second nature, but goes a long way towards explaining the different opinions of long term owners and those with experience of just a short test drive.
The gearbox is really not an issue in my car and it will punch up and down through the gears quicker than if it had a conventional manual setup.
The Smart Roadster was a brilliant concept - badly managed by those idiots at Mercedes/Smart that thought they could foister a small sports car onto Joe Public, and hoped they wouldn't notice all the built-in faults that the car carried throughout it's short 3 year life. Built to a price - NOT a quality. Despite the attachment of the Mercedes name. (Treating the car-buying public like idiots is a trait that all car manufacturers have practiced in the past - and some still do).
Having said all that - the car is brilliant in lots of respects. There is NOTHING wrong with the gearbox. It is the same concept as ANY other manual car, in that it has an engine, a clutch, and a manual gearbox. The clutch and gearbox are worked by very clever electronics, that, when understood and used IN THE CORRECT WAY perform in a fun way, and certainly different from anything else on the road. They dispensed with the clutch pedal, and gave you 3 ways in which to change gear - what was wrong with that?. Just because Smart used a different system to every other manufacturer - they are condemned out of hand.
Putting the main computer up behind the dashboard where a leaking windscreen/clogged heater vent soon drowned it and killed the electronics was a symptom of the stupidity at Smart. A leaking electric sunroof was another "lack of development" on the part of Smart. The above and other things cost Smart zillions in warranty claims. So, instead of sorting out the problems - the bean counters stopped production.
The last production run of Brabus Exclusive's were the very best attempt by Smart to get it right. And, for the most part, they did.
They ARE a lot of fun for the money. A friend of mine has 2 Brabus Roadsters in his showroom. 1 has done 3000 miles, the other 1500 miles. Neither are cheap. But VERY, VERY rare. He DID have a Roadster RCR, at 3000 miles, but it got sold to a guy "up Norf" who was happy to pay the £15,000 asking price.
The secret in enjoying any Smart was always to keep on top of the maintenance. Thrashing the engine when cold, NOT checking the oil every week, not changing the oil/servicing regularly will soon bite you on the bum.
Buy one and have lots of fun. But be VERY careful. There is a LOT of crap out there. Do your research and ask lots of questions. If you get the right car - you will be a happy bunny.
Having said all that - the car is brilliant in lots of respects. There is NOTHING wrong with the gearbox. It is the same concept as ANY other manual car, in that it has an engine, a clutch, and a manual gearbox. The clutch and gearbox are worked by very clever electronics, that, when understood and used IN THE CORRECT WAY perform in a fun way, and certainly different from anything else on the road. They dispensed with the clutch pedal, and gave you 3 ways in which to change gear - what was wrong with that?. Just because Smart used a different system to every other manufacturer - they are condemned out of hand.
Putting the main computer up behind the dashboard where a leaking windscreen/clogged heater vent soon drowned it and killed the electronics was a symptom of the stupidity at Smart. A leaking electric sunroof was another "lack of development" on the part of Smart. The above and other things cost Smart zillions in warranty claims. So, instead of sorting out the problems - the bean counters stopped production.
The last production run of Brabus Exclusive's were the very best attempt by Smart to get it right. And, for the most part, they did.
They ARE a lot of fun for the money. A friend of mine has 2 Brabus Roadsters in his showroom. 1 has done 3000 miles, the other 1500 miles. Neither are cheap. But VERY, VERY rare. He DID have a Roadster RCR, at 3000 miles, but it got sold to a guy "up Norf" who was happy to pay the £15,000 asking price.
The secret in enjoying any Smart was always to keep on top of the maintenance. Thrashing the engine when cold, NOT checking the oil every week, not changing the oil/servicing regularly will soon bite you on the bum.
Buy one and have lots of fun. But be VERY careful. There is a LOT of crap out there. Do your research and ask lots of questions. If you get the right car - you will be a happy bunny.
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