Discussion
I am thinking of buying a second hand Smart for two for my wife as it seems to tick all the right boxes in respect of modern, economical and reasonably high tech city/commuting transport. Could anybody please advise how reliable these are, what to look for and what kind of real world mpg i should expect. They seem to have a good reputation in general although i have heard some rumours regarding the longevity of the gearboxes..? ny advice would be much appreciated.
I owned a 698cc ForTwo for five years and 20,000 miles, a `53 plate Mk7 car.
As long as you accept them for what they are they`re great. Apart from regular servicing (I used a Smart specialist) the only issue I had was a broken front spring and a cooling pipe that was partially chafed through.
I used to average around 45-50 mpg on my 10 miles commute although better mpg was readily available had I been trying.
The gearbox is somewhat of an acquired taste, throughout ownership I managed to tolerate it (mine had the paddle shift which apparently helps a little in respect of change times).
Mine had the glass roof and in summer (despite having air-con) it was incredibly hot in there.
For what I used it for, it was perfect, I now have a 50 mile each way commute though so it had to go.
If my circumstances were to change, I`d have another.
As long as you accept them for what they are they`re great. Apart from regular servicing (I used a Smart specialist) the only issue I had was a broken front spring and a cooling pipe that was partially chafed through.
I used to average around 45-50 mpg on my 10 miles commute although better mpg was readily available had I been trying.
The gearbox is somewhat of an acquired taste, throughout ownership I managed to tolerate it (mine had the paddle shift which apparently helps a little in respect of change times).
Mine had the glass roof and in summer (despite having air-con) it was incredibly hot in there.
For what I used it for, it was perfect, I now have a 50 mile each way commute though so it had to go.
If my circumstances were to change, I`d have another.
I have one ( bought new in 2004). Diesel. Reliability was perfect except for one very expensive item..blown turbo, out of warranty. Car had not been drivn hard (as if you could) but is used as a city runabout for very short trips. As mentioned A/C is inadequate, and in Canada where I live, heating is not great either. On the other hand. my wife loves the thing with all its faults, so it will probably be a permanent fixture.
Thanks guys, very helpful. I think I need to try one to see what they are like first but I am very attracted by their left-field approach and the fact that for short journeys excess mass is the enemy! I am curious to know how many miles these little engines can rack up if looked after? Are they easy to work on or get spares for? Btw what kind of economy did you get out of the diesel smart? Thanks again!
Lots of them around here with 50,000km on them. Ours is the original smaller version which is generally regarded as inferior to its successor. The diesel gets about 50mpg in city conditions.
Its brilliant for a congested city as parking is a breeze and the lack of acceleration is irrelevant in heavy traffic. I can get across town as quickly as a Zonda.leg and headroom are great.
Merging onto highways,especially from steep ramps is another matter entirely and high crosswinds are clearly felt. Quite safe but S....L....O....W
This is an eccentric car which is objectively not a driver's choice,but it has unrivalled exterior dimensions. My wife would smite me with a blunt instrument if I sold it.
Its brilliant for a congested city as parking is a breeze and the lack of acceleration is irrelevant in heavy traffic. I can get across town as quickly as a Zonda.leg and headroom are great.
Merging onto highways,especially from steep ramps is another matter entirely and high crosswinds are clearly felt. Quite safe but S....L....O....W
This is an eccentric car which is objectively not a driver's choice,but it has unrivalled exterior dimensions. My wife would smite me with a blunt instrument if I sold it.
Gassing Station | Mercedes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff