2002 Smart Cabrio - talk me out of it!
Discussion
A big come down from a decade of barging but...
1. Most trips I do are short, urban and parking is easier to get for free on streets.
2. Soft top gives a feel for open top motoring but obviously isn't the full monty being so small to begin with.
3. Road tax/mpg.
4. Smarts are RWD.
5. I rarely get good opportunity to give it the full beans on the roads these days making my V8 penchant a bit of a waste.
So come on the good chaps and ladies of PH, is there a reason why I shouldn't go for it? The car I'm looking at is an 02, 65k miles.
1. Most trips I do are short, urban and parking is easier to get for free on streets.
2. Soft top gives a feel for open top motoring but obviously isn't the full monty being so small to begin with.
3. Road tax/mpg.
4. Smarts are RWD.
5. I rarely get good opportunity to give it the full beans on the roads these days making my V8 penchant a bit of a waste.
So come on the good chaps and ladies of PH, is there a reason why I shouldn't go for it? The car I'm looking at is an 02, 65k miles.
well for a start I'm sure RWD is a non nonsensical argument when its in a smart car for a 'pootling' around town.. That and driving a drop top smart car around town could be considered a way of announcing your homosexuality.
You're just trying to talk yourself into it, but yes for a very small town car theres nothing wrong with them imo
You're just trying to talk yourself into it, but yes for a very small town car theres nothing wrong with them imo
Yeah I nearly put the homo factor into my OP. I'm too old and firmly heterosexual enough to be concerned about that. In many ways a Smart will primarily be an additional vehicle for commute and work purposes and a safer alternative to a motorbike.
Off to the village May fair now and will check back later and ponder it more.
Off to the village May fair now and will check back later and ponder it more.
We have an X reg LHD 600cc 17000 mile cabrio for towing behind a motorhome & tatting about in at home - 40/50mpg. Whirrs a bit,but the turbo whistles nicely. Takes a bit of getting used to (starting procedure etc) but good fun. Be a bit nervous about high mileage though..50000 miles seems to be good before engines get expensive..oval bores for example. Car is FULL of electonic gizmos & more relays than you can imagine. Good specialists know their way round them though. Never been aware of limp wrist factor. Roadster is fun, but without the dodgeabilty of the "normal" models.Lots around, look for a good 'un.
Drive it for a good long test drive to see if you can live with one.
Fine for city fun car but uncomfortable seats, dreadful handling, slow gearchange, terrible suspension ie if you live in an area with speed bumps it will kill your back. If you drive it slowly has good mpg but if you drive normally and enjoy using its the boost (over 3,500 revs) you will only get 25-30 mpg.
I have owned lots of them and would never recommend a friend to buy one! The newer ones much better (1.0L) but still very expensive for what they are.
Look out for - oil burning engines, but this can be hard to spot.
With the cab' its easier to spot as the buring oil smell will come into the cabin with roof open eg when you lift off from high revs.
Also look for signs of fresh oil spills around the filler cap as its tricky to keep topping them up without spilling the oil without a proper funnel.
02 will be a 600cc you'd be better to buy a 700 the engines last a bit longer before needing a rebuild (anything after 60k miles there is good chance of needing a rebuild).
Make sure the elec roof works and goes all the way back and forth, replacement roof is £1200, cant fix the elec roof once the clips break.
also check for wet carpets in the front passenger footwell.
Old smart cars are potentially a whole heap of expensive trouble.
Fine for city fun car but uncomfortable seats, dreadful handling, slow gearchange, terrible suspension ie if you live in an area with speed bumps it will kill your back. If you drive it slowly has good mpg but if you drive normally and enjoy using its the boost (over 3,500 revs) you will only get 25-30 mpg.
I have owned lots of them and would never recommend a friend to buy one! The newer ones much better (1.0L) but still very expensive for what they are.
Look out for - oil burning engines, but this can be hard to spot.
With the cab' its easier to spot as the buring oil smell will come into the cabin with roof open eg when you lift off from high revs.
Also look for signs of fresh oil spills around the filler cap as its tricky to keep topping them up without spilling the oil without a proper funnel.
02 will be a 600cc you'd be better to buy a 700 the engines last a bit longer before needing a rebuild (anything after 60k miles there is good chance of needing a rebuild).
Make sure the elec roof works and goes all the way back and forth, replacement roof is £1200, cant fix the elec roof once the clips break.
also check for wet carpets in the front passenger footwell.
Old smart cars are potentially a whole heap of expensive trouble.
Edited by rallycross on Monday 7th May 14:14
I ran a 2003 Cabrio for a few years as a shopping trolley and commuter when I had a Caterham.
I liked the quirkyness of the thing, the roof was great, you could open it with a press of the keyfob and open or close up to 50 mph.
For a town car it was bloody awful on speedbumps and potholes, real teeth jarring stuff and rear visibility is not too good as the cabrio has a small plastic window rather that the full width glass screen on the hatchback versions.
Check the exact spec of the models as I think 2003 is when the engines had a fair bhp increase and there are different engines/interior spec between the 3 models, Pure, Passion & can't remember the other one.
Mine had gear change paddles behind the steering wheel and to be honest I wouldn't have bought it without them.
The 'full auto' mode was far too slow to change up or down, the push forwards or backwards on the floor mounted gearlever wasn't much better, the paddles for some reason gave a much faster gear change.
All in all I did like it but you will probably pay more for one than just a bog standard eurobox.
I liked the quirkyness of the thing, the roof was great, you could open it with a press of the keyfob and open or close up to 50 mph.
For a town car it was bloody awful on speedbumps and potholes, real teeth jarring stuff and rear visibility is not too good as the cabrio has a small plastic window rather that the full width glass screen on the hatchback versions.
Check the exact spec of the models as I think 2003 is when the engines had a fair bhp increase and there are different engines/interior spec between the 3 models, Pure, Passion & can't remember the other one.
Mine had gear change paddles behind the steering wheel and to be honest I wouldn't have bought it without them.
The 'full auto' mode was far too slow to change up or down, the push forwards or backwards on the floor mounted gearlever wasn't much better, the paddles for some reason gave a much faster gear change.
All in all I did like it but you will probably pay more for one than just a bog standard eurobox.
Is it going to be your only car?
As a strict city-only runaround (with something different for the weekends) I think it'd be a pretty decent choice. But if it's your only car and you're of the petrolheaded persuasion you will presumably venture out of the city centre eventually ... and then you'll find it rather compromised.
There is a lot to like about them. Characterful engine, chunky steering, decent visibility, surprisingly perky performance, nice interior on the higher spec cars and low running costs. The quicker models are also great for annoying van drivers at the lights.
On the downside, boot space is pretty tiny, they feel a little precarious when driven enthusiastically and they can be downright terrifying in cross winds.
I can't say I've ever driven a Smart roadster, but it's always struck me that the components - gearbox aside - would work quite well in a small sports car, so that might be a more 'PH' choice.
As a strict city-only runaround (with something different for the weekends) I think it'd be a pretty decent choice. But if it's your only car and you're of the petrolheaded persuasion you will presumably venture out of the city centre eventually ... and then you'll find it rather compromised.
There is a lot to like about them. Characterful engine, chunky steering, decent visibility, surprisingly perky performance, nice interior on the higher spec cars and low running costs. The quicker models are also great for annoying van drivers at the lights.
On the downside, boot space is pretty tiny, they feel a little precarious when driven enthusiastically and they can be downright terrifying in cross winds.
I can't say I've ever driven a Smart roadster, but it's always struck me that the components - gearbox aside - would work quite well in a small sports car, so that might be a more 'PH' choice.
Thanks for the replies. On further research the engines need rebuilds anytime after 60k, a well known feature whereby something gums up from the oil or something.
It seems to be more of a 'when' not an 'if', so history is everything on "higher" mileage Smarts.
I've backed off somewhat having learned this. Apparently rebuilds are also variable in their reliability as well.
Good to consider it with eyes fully open though!
It seems to be more of a 'when' not an 'if', so history is everything on "higher" mileage Smarts.
I've backed off somewhat having learned this. Apparently rebuilds are also variable in their reliability as well.
Good to consider it with eyes fully open though!
A friend of mine bought one around 3 weeks ago.
2 weeks ago it wouldn't select anything other than 1st gear.
last week he drove to work with a Tesco bag on the drivers set because the roof was leaking so badly.
He suspects that it needs an engine rebuild due to the oil on the dipstick stinking of petrol.
2 weeks ago it wouldn't select anything other than 1st gear.
last week he drove to work with a Tesco bag on the drivers set because the roof was leaking so badly.
He suspects that it needs an engine rebuild due to the oil on the dipstick stinking of petrol.
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