Want heads up on the Smart Car
Discussion
marlinmunro said:
Hi starting look at Smart Cars (as a second car), cheap and cheerful low road tax and I understand a hoot to drive. Can anyone give me the heads up on what to look for when buying a used one. Cheers
I bought one for the wife about 7 years ago. It was alright around town being very small and easy to park and nippy-ish, but horribly understeery. The gearbox is dreadful, handling is dire, it's an effort to get it round a roundabout at a reasonable speed, needs servicing every 600 yards and doesn't have a boot.If i were to draft a list of small, cheap and cheerful cars, it would be very close to the bottom.
I thought it might be nice to get my Daughter one, but I drove one....... and then had a chat with a local mechanic who used to fix them for a dealer and he told horror stories about cracked inlet manifolds, weak mixture and melted pistons. I'm guessing you need to be VERY careful what you buy.
Depends on its age, but they're pretty reliable APART from engines that die at 60k+ (give or take 20k), exhaust manifold/turbos can crack. Driving - it's an acquired taste, due to the semi auto gearbox and the handling can be "interesting" (and not in a good way)
Pop on over to www.thesmartclub.com for more stuff.
Oh, and they aren't all on low road tax, early cars and certain specs are a more normal priced tax bracket.
Pop on over to www.thesmartclub.com for more stuff.
Oh, and they aren't all on low road tax, early cars and certain specs are a more normal priced tax bracket.
Edited by J500ANT on Thursday 29th July 09:11
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I thought about 3K it's only for shopping and leaving in places that I wouldn't want to leave my Pork, but already I am being put off by the comments. Already had a bad purchase this year of a new shape beetle when the water pump went and blew the head. All the garages I took it too said get rid the2 ltr engine is crap. So that cost me nearly two grandI'll comment on the American version, which I understand is a little different. Fun at first, converstion starter, parking super easy. BUT dangerously underpowered, horrible transmission, and not very practical when you think about alternatives at the same price.
If it were electric, however. Well, that's something else.
If it were electric, however. Well, that's something else.
I had a LHD Smart when they were still relatively rare on UK roads in 2000.
As said above, the handling was frightening on the 145x15 profile front wheels, so I upgraded to some Kahn wheels with decent brand 195x50x15 rubber and it turned into a go-cart. Couldn't believe how much difference they made.
I was in my early twenties at the time and stupid, so got it chipped (www.smarttune.co.uk), had a free flowing manifold/exhaust made, and a few other silly things. It went from 62bhp up to about 95. It was fast, but it also highlighted how slow the gear change was. The chip claimed to reduce the gear change time by 30%, but it was still unacceptable!
As said above, the handling was frightening on the 145x15 profile front wheels, so I upgraded to some Kahn wheels with decent brand 195x50x15 rubber and it turned into a go-cart. Couldn't believe how much difference they made.
I was in my early twenties at the time and stupid, so got it chipped (www.smarttune.co.uk), had a free flowing manifold/exhaust made, and a few other silly things. It went from 62bhp up to about 95. It was fast, but it also highlighted how slow the gear change was. The chip claimed to reduce the gear change time by 30%, but it was still unacceptable!
J500ANT said:
I love my smart, for all it's flaws. If I wanted a car that does the job and nothing else then i'd have bought a Kia Picanto.
That's when I'm at with ours. I almost love it because the flaws in a perverse way. The current shape one is a big improvement on the mk 1 and I agree about needing the wider wheel option.
If it's any use to the op, ours was bought new. £1300 up front plus 24x £92 payments then we'll likely hand it back. Factoring all costs, it's quite cheap motoring though I dare say similar deals are available on the c1 etc...
Chopped in the 964 for a Brabus Fortwo - the Mk2 model.
It is a great laugh to drive. The seats are superb, , and it's all very funky inside. Pretty much the same seating area as a normal car (except no back seats !) and 50MPG !!!!, and cheap road tax !
There's quite a cult following and a big Smart gathering at Mercedes-World Brooklands later in the year.
http://www.destinationsmart.co.uk/
Try posting on www.Smartz.com , they are pretty good for info.
www.evilution.com has a good online service manual.
paddle shift is really good too.....and if you lift off the throttle when changing, it is a fairly smooth change.
Brabus doesn't seem to be as understeery as mentioned in earlier posts (which may be the different wheel widths), but is by no means a sportscar !!
As far as speed, the Brabus will do 100MPH. Just got back from a 150mile round trip, and it's very comfortable.
It has it's faults, but so did the beetle, and people loved that too !!!
It is a great laugh to drive. The seats are superb, , and it's all very funky inside. Pretty much the same seating area as a normal car (except no back seats !) and 50MPG !!!!, and cheap road tax !
There's quite a cult following and a big Smart gathering at Mercedes-World Brooklands later in the year.
http://www.destinationsmart.co.uk/
Try posting on www.Smartz.com , they are pretty good for info.
www.evilution.com has a good online service manual.
paddle shift is really good too.....and if you lift off the throttle when changing, it is a fairly smooth change.
Brabus doesn't seem to be as understeery as mentioned in earlier posts (which may be the different wheel widths), but is by no means a sportscar !!
As far as speed, the Brabus will do 100MPH. Just got back from a 150mile round trip, and it's very comfortable.
It has it's faults, but so did the beetle, and people loved that too !!!
Edited by Bahnstormer on Thursday 29th July 21:01
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