RE: PH Carpool: Smart Roadster Coupe

[300bhp/ton]

tomv1to said:

Does anyone know of a buyers guide for these cars?

And can anyone point me in the direction of a list of things that can go wrong and what to do to ensure that they don't?

And does anyone know of a decent smart garage in london that would be able to carry out performance mods should need be.

Depending which part of London these guys are in Watford, so pretty close and recommended: http://www.s2smarts.co.uk/home.htm

There are lots of very good indi's though, most can be found through theRaodster.net forum and others.

[moribund]

tomv1to said:

Does anyone know of a buyers guide for these cars?

And can anyone point me in the direction of a list of things that can go wrong and what to do to ensure that they don't?

And does anyone know of a decent smart garage in london that would be able to carry out performance mods should need be.

Get yourself over to http://www.theroadster.net !

[Lahlah]

Hello,

I have read all your comments with interest. After nearly 7 years and over 100,000 miles (70,000 with me) my beloved Smart ForTwo Pulse finally gave up last Wednesday night (cylinder had gone).It's my first and only car(rode 'bikes until falling off and breaking my knee in 1997, then relied on lifts!) and minimum useage is commuting to work 3 days a week (60 mile round trip mainly country roads with a bit of dual carriageway - A27) as well as visiting family every 2-3 weeks (120 mile round trip - country roads/through town/M25)
I'm now thinking of buying a Smart Roadster. My budget is £3500 max and have seen several in that range with 45 - 55,000 miles on the clock.
The best things about my Smarty were:
fun to drive
pretty nippy
quirky looking
cheap to tax/insure/run
easy to park
The worst things were:
Bit bumpy
Noisy at high speed
Automatic gear change a bit...'eccentric'...needed manual override on occasion

Given the above do you think a Roadster would be a good idea? Is the gearing similar to the ForTwo? I'm no mechanic so rely on local garage for maintenance (not a Smart specialist but looked after my ForTwo the entire time I had it...was the first he's dealt with when I first took it to him).
I'm very VERY tempted! Comments I've read here have not put me off - apart from the 'leaks' issue.
Any advice would be very gratefully received. I need another car very soon as getting the train to work is a lengthy and expensive procedure.

Many thanks!

[stephen300o]

I loved mine, trouble free and fun to drive. If you want a park anywhere city commuter, maybe another four two would be best, also very low if your knee is still knackered.
As with all cars, go give one a go.

[krissharm]

R8Steve said:

I have a re-mapped roadster and cannot fault it, easily gets 45 mpg, is extremely cheap for consumables and is fairly quick for what it is - the small size and wastegate chatter add to the full effect and on a recent duel carrigeway blast showed it was more than capable against a Civic Type R (much to his surprise....and mine!)

Mine had under 14k miles when i bought it, one owner and all for the bargain price of £3100. The only problem i've had with it is a suspected slipping clutch which was sorted with an ECU adjustment at MB to reset the solenoid position, got a full service along with that for about £200

A definite choice for a fun, small car on a budget

I drove a copen at the motorshow years back and it was a great bit of fun, it was a drive in the cones jobby at the NEC so limited, but it seemed responsive and turned well, with the roof down it didnt look to bad but once up, it looked a bit noddy, which was a shame. I decided I couldnt bring myself to buy one, not when it was a new car as a day to day anyway. I found it compared to a KA rather favourably.

[Lahlah]

stephen300o said:

I loved mine, trouble free and fun to drive. If you want a park anywhere city commuter, maybe another four two would be best, also very low if your knee is still knackered.
As with all cars, go give one a go.

Thanks for the swift reply Stephen! Knee is now no more knackered than the rest of me and I'm lucky enough to have on site parking at work. Quite fancy a 'sports' car before giving in to a sensible hatchback. Also the Roadster seems cheaper than a ForTwo to buy when looking for used RHD models? How long did you have yours, did you buy it from new?

[Buff Mchugelarge]

Off to the classifieds I go. *Sigh*

[stephen300o]

Lahlah said:

stephen300o said:

I loved mine, trouble free and fun to drive. If you want a park anywhere city commuter, maybe another four two would be best, also very low if your knee is still knackered.
As with all cars, go give one a go.

Thanks for the swift reply Stephen! Knee is now no more knackered than the rest of me and I'm lucky enough to have on site parking at work. Quite fancy a 'sports' car before giving in to a sensible hatchback. Also the Roadster seems cheaper than a ForTwo to buy when looking for used RHD models? How long did you have yours, did you buy it from new?

They are bargain at the moment.
I bought my LHD one new when they first came out, the first at my local dealer.
Only had it just over a year,(no problems at all, mine did not leak)
I traded in at Honda and left walking funny...

[Lahlah]

stephen300o said:

Lahlah said:

stephen300o said:

I loved mine, trouble free and fun to drive. If you want a park anywhere city commuter, maybe another four two would be best, also very low if your knee is still knackered.
As with all cars, go give one a go.

Thanks for the swift reply Stephen! Knee is now no more knackered than the rest of me and I'm lucky enough to have on site parking at work. Quite fancy a 'sports' car before giving in to a sensible hatchback. Also the Roadster seems cheaper than a ForTwo to buy when looking for used RHD models? How long did you have yours, did you buy it from new?

They are bargain at the moment.
I bought my LHD one new when they first came out, the first at my local dealer.
Only had it just over a year,(no problems at all, mine did not leak)
I traded in at Honda and left walking funny...

Left walking funny?? Why did you only keep it a year?

[stephen300o]

Lahlah said:

stephen300o said:

Lahlah said:

stephen300o said:

I loved mine, trouble free and fun to drive. If you want a park anywhere city commuter, maybe another four two would be best, also very low if your knee is still knackered.
As with all cars, go give one a go.

Thanks for the swift reply Stephen! Knee is now no more knackered than the rest of me and I'm lucky enough to have on site parking at work. Quite fancy a 'sports' car before giving in to a sensible hatchback. Also the Roadster seems cheaper than a ForTwo to buy when looking for used RHD models? How long did you have yours, did you buy it from new?

They are bargain at the moment.
I bought my LHD one new when they first came out, the first at my local dealer.
Only had it just over a year,(no problems at all, mine did not leak)
I traded in at Honda and left walking funny...

Left walking funny?? Why did you only keep it a year?

Was saving for the NSX, but one came up I didn't want to miss.
Didn't get quite as much as expected on trade in..

[moribund]

Lahlah said:

Hello,

I have read all your comments with interest. After nearly 7 years and over 100,000 miles (70,000 with me) my beloved Smart ForTwo Pulse finally gave up last Wednesday night (cylinder had gone).It's my first and only car(rode 'bikes until falling off and breaking my knee in 1997, then relied on lifts!) and minimum useage is commuting to work 3 days a week (60 mile round trip mainly country roads with a bit of dual carriageway - A27) as well as visiting family every 2-3 weeks (120 mile round trip - country roads/through town/M25)
I'm now thinking of buying a Smart Roadster. My budget is £3500 max and have seen several in that range with 45 - 55,000 miles on the clock.
The best things about my Smarty were:
fun to drive
pretty nippy
quirky looking
cheap to tax/insure/run
easy to park
The worst things were:
Bit bumpy
Noisy at high speed
Automatic gear change a bit...'eccentric'...needed manual override on occasion

Given the above do you think a Roadster would be a good idea? Is the gearing similar to the ForTwo? I'm no mechanic so rely on local garage for maintenance (not a Smart specialist but looked after my ForTwo the entire time I had it...was the first he's dealt with when I first took it to him).
I'm very VERY tempted! Comments I've read here have not put me off - apart from the 'leaks' issue.
Any advice would be very gratefully received. I need another car very soon as getting the train to work is a lengthy and expensive procedure.

Many thanks!

I think a Roadster would fit that brief pretty well perfectly. Just manually override the gears all the time instead of on occasion (get one with paddle shift). It'll transform your country road commute. Same pros and cons as your forTwo although I think the Roadster rides better personally. Handling is in a different league.

If you trust your mechanic with your current Smart the Roadster is almost identical mechanically.

Re the gearing I don't know if they're different, but a standard Roadster is good for well over 100mph unlike a forTwo.

Try one!

Edited by moribund on Sunday 3rd February 22:01

[Lahlah]

moribund said:

I think a Roadster would fit that brief pretty well perfectly. Just manually override the gears all the time instead of on occasion (get one with paddle shift). It'll transform your country road commute. Same pros and cons as your forTwo although I think the Roadster rides better personally. Handling is in a different league.

If you trust your mechanic with your current Smart the Roadster is almost identical mechanically.

Re the gearing I don't know if they're different, but a standard Roadster is good for well over 100mph unlike a forTwo.

Try one!

Edited by moribund on Sunday 3rd February 22:01

Thanks for replying...I was afraid that might be the case! Your videos do make it look and sound really fun to drive (I chose the XT350 based on those two factors - not very sensibly as it turned out) I suppose my biggest fear - not having driven anything but the ForTwo - is seeing and being seen when so low to the ground...particularly the latter. I have often been apparently invisible to other car drivers in my Smarty...until I overtake them that is!...and was once pushed off the inside lane of a dual carriageway by coach driver who literally didn't see me. The nearest Roadster that I can afford is about 80 miles away and the thought of driving it that distance as a 'first go' is making me a bit nervous. Would it be best to wait on the off chance one will pop up locally? I can't wait too long though and there is a low-ish mileage ForTwo cabriolet for sale literally 5 mins away...very torn! :/

[moribund]

No worries. I have the same problem being seen, it's small and people miss it or assume I'm going slower than I am. Very different to when I'm driving my big car.

Personally I've just learned to drive more defensively and be aware of not getting into people's blind spots etc - I bet you already do this after being a biker?

Re the first drive - it's not a hard car to drive and you soon get used to the visibility and low position. I wouldn't plan on buying the first car you see though. You need to see a few. Get yourself over to http://www.theroadster.net/trc/ and ask the same question. I bet there is someone in your area who would be more than happy to come over and show off their car to you.

[Lahlah]

moribund said:

No worries. I have the same problem being seen, it's small and people miss it or assume I'm going slower than I am. Very different to when I'm driving my big car.

Personally I've just learned to drive more defensively and be aware of not getting into people's blind spots etc - I bet you already do this after being a biker?

Re the first drive - it's not a hard car to drive and you soon get used to the visibility and low position. I wouldn't plan on buying the first car you see though. You need to see a few. Get yourself over to http://www.theroadster.net/trc/ and ask the same question. I bet there is someone in your area who would be more than happy to come over and show off their car to you.

Good idea thanks...and yes you're right I do tend to drive defensively...(apart from in the Cairngorms that is!)

[Lahlah]

TheLastPost said:

I am running a Brabus Roadster Coupe at the moment, and my girlfriend has a ForTwo... as Moribund says, the handling on the Roadster is incomparably better, but of your original list of pros and cons, the one area where the Roadster falls short of the ForTwo is in parking - it's significantly longer, so can't tuck into quite such tiny parking spaces, and the rear visibility is surprisingly bad.

Probably more practical overall, though, thanks to the additional storage space in the front 'boot'.

I DO love how easy the Smart is to park (I'm crap at parking)...it's a real boon where I work (Brighton) but not an issue where I live in the sticks. I've been talking to people on the SmartManiacs site too and I think I'm too much of a scaredy cat for the Roadster...i.e. fear of being squashed by some huge 4x4, being dazzled by 'regular' car headlights, the whole leaks thing. Unlike Moribund I don't have the option of an alternative 'big'car...BUT they are so pretty and sound so good...his videos are partly to blame for me even considering it!

[Smart Alec]

Lahlah said:

I DO love how easy the Smart is to park (I'm crap at parking)...it's a real boon where I work (Brighton) but not an issue where I live in the sticks. I've been talking to people on the SmartManiacs site too and I think I'm too much of a scaredy cat for the Roadster...i.e. fear of being squashed by some huge 4x4, being dazzled by 'regular' car headlights, the whole leaks thing. Unlike Moribund I don't have the option of an alternative 'big'car...BUT they are so pretty and sound so good...his videos are partly to blame for me even considering it!

Hi there, just a thought, but I don't know if you've considered a newer 451 model of smart car. These were available from mid 2007 (57 plate) onwards and the earliest cars are probably in your price range. There is an (excellent, imo) cabrio version but these are holding value well and I haven't seen one for sale for less than £5k recently. You may find an early 451 with panaromaic roof though for under £4k.

The newer car is a good leap ahead from the older version imo, and (again imo) the gearbox has been completely transformed. I really like the newer models and am on the look out for a cabrio myself.

However the feedback I get from customers is that they are not as economical as the older cars, (and indeed the Roadster is possibly the most economical petrol smart car of all). I've driven a couple of the 71bhp non-turbo 451s though and have really enjoyed them, in fact I drove one in the recent snow and was very impressed. Like the original smart car the 451 is nippy, makes a great 3-cylinder howl at high revs, is easy to park and doesn't have the gearbox foibles of the older car.

Just thought I'd throw my two-pennorth into the ring. (And no, we don't have one for sale) .

[Lahlah]

Smart Alec said:

Hi there, just a thought, but I don't know if you've considered a newer 451 model of smart car. These were available from mid 2007 (57 plate) onwards and the earliest cars are probably in your price range. There is an (excellent, imo) cabrio version but these are holding value well and I haven't seen one for sale for less than £5k recently. You may find an early 451 with panaromaic roof though for under £4k.

The newer car is a good leap ahead from the older version imo, and (again imo) the gearbox has been completely transformed. I really like the newer models and am on the look out for a cabrio myself.

However the feedback I get from customers is that they are not as economical as the older cars, (and indeed the Roadster is possibly the most economical petrol smart car of all). I've driven a couple of the 71bhp non-turbo 451s though and have really enjoyed them, in fact I drove one in the recent snow and was very impressed. Like the original smart car the 451 is nippy, makes a great 3-cylinder howl at high revs, is easy to park and doesn't have the gearbox foibles of the older car.

Just thought I'd throw my two-pennorth into the ring. (And no, we don't have one for sale) .

Thanks Mike...that's really helpful. You're a Smart specialist mechanic I see so i hope you don't mind me picking your brains?? A few people over at SmartManiacs have suggested that I should look into getting my ForTwo repaired by a specialist. They have indicated this could be done for £750 - £800 which would be amazing as chatting to my (non-specialist) mechanic we've assumed £1200 - £1500 upwards. He's serviced my car every 10,000 miles since I bought it with 30,000 on the clock nearly 7 years ago,and fitted new turbo/manifold and exhaust about 2 years ago but had never been able to sort out the judder I sometimes get when pressing the brake pedal, and which I've had for years. The car is now (not) running on 2 cylinders has done over 100,000 miles and drinks oil. Do you think it's worth getting fixed? If I could do it for around a grand it's definitely something I'd consider. If not I'm going to sell it as a non-runner...hopefully get a few hundred for her? Sorry for all the questions...you can tell me to take a hike...will understand!

[moribund]

Well, as hinted in the article the urge to buy an Elise has finally caught up with me so my Roadster is in the Pistonheads classifieds if anyone fancies it

[Smart Alec]

Lahlah said:

Thanks Mike...that's really helpful. You're a Smart specialist mechanic I see so i hope you don't mind me picking your brains?? A few people over at SmartManiacs have suggested that I should look into getting my ForTwo repaired by a specialist. They have indicated this could be done for £750 - £800 which would be amazing as chatting to my (non-specialist) mechanic we've assumed £1200 - £1500 upwards. He's serviced my car every 10,000 miles since I bought it with 30,000 on the clock nearly 7 years ago,and fitted new turbo/manifold and exhaust about 2 years ago but had never been able to sort out the judder I sometimes get when pressing the brake pedal, and which I've had for years. The car is now (not) running on 2 cylinders has done over 100,000 miles and drinks oil. Do you think it's worth getting fixed? If I could do it for around a grand it's definitely something I'd consider. If not I'm going to sell it as a non-runner...hopefully get a few hundred for her? Sorry for all the questions...you can tell me to take a hike...will understand!

Oh wow, I didn't see this post before. A million apologies! Contact us if you are not already sorted.

[moribund]

Well my Roadster is now sold! Strange feeling after 5 years but onwards and upwards.