would you buy a Smart car?

[rblote]

Hey people out there
Just a question, would you buy a Smart

I can buy a low KM Smart. You know one of these super small
things. What do you know about it?
Are they any good?

Thanks

[scimjim]

My wife has had 2 Smart cars - both brand new, a 2008 petrol and a 2011 diesel (both auto which is an option). Both did exactly what they said on the tin except for the gearbox, which is absolutely awful and tries to kill you at every roundabout or junction and the suspension - which manages to feel rock hard on potholes but also give loads of body roll in corners (unsurprising really in a short, tall little car).

Only ever had two problems, the first one had a brake switch failure - nothing big you think? Unfortunately it’s a twin switch that operates the lights and also tells the ECU that you have your foot on the brake. So a switch failure means you can’t start the engine (because the ECU wants to see a brake pedal signal), and if you’ve parked it in gear (as per manual) it also means you can’t select neutral (same reason)! So you can’t start it and you can’t tow it and the switch is underneath the floor pan but above the full length under tray. And that’s why I spent a cold December day under a Smart car in a foot of snow (£250 for Mercedes to recover the car and fit the £15 switch).

The second problem was more serious - randomly going into limp home mode at full speed, particularly startling in the outside lane of a dual carriageway going up a VERY steep hill with a line of slow moving lorries beside you. Apparently it was quite a common occurrence on the diesel (I think it was a loom fault?)

There’s quite a few models, a few versions of the 2 seater (now called the Fortwo) and the 4 seater (which was a rebodied Mitsubishi Colt, now a Renault Twingo) and a couple of versions of the discontinued roadster, which looks cool but has the same drivetrain and a very leaky roof (with a moisture absorbing fuse box in the footwell!)

Second hand, they’re cheap as chips in UK and if you’re only looking for a town/city driver they make a lot of sense.

[Dez]

Did quite a bit of work on one for a friend a few years back. Similar sentiments to scimjim.

The auto gearboxes are truly awful. Like you can’t imagine a car that new ever came market with one that bad. The gearchange delay is comical.

The engines themselves are pretty dire too. They were never designed to be repaired in any way, they’re a disposable complete unit good for 120k miles or so. Iirc they don’t even have any way of filling or checking the oil. Almost every one you see will have failed in the same way. They lean out one cylinder due to the plastic inlet manifold warping as it gets hotter on one cylinder. Bore/ring/pistons damage then ensues. At the time we fixed his there was little to no aftermarket support for this issue, and the options where find a s/h unit from an accident damaged car, or buy a complete new engine from Mercedes as they don’t (didnt) sell parts.
They’re a throwaway car, I would t want to think I’d spent my money on one personally.

[bmcnut]

I drove a smart car few years ago, its the closest thing to a kids cosy coupe i can imagine, but in the best possible sence. I almost bought a smartcoupe last year, a hoot to drive with the turbo whistle right behind your ear, if it wasnt such an event trying to wedge myself into it, and getting out of it was even worse, I would have bought it without doubt. Completly different driving experience to anything else ive driven.

[rblote]

Thank you all.

I think they are awesome. I can buy a 2005 60.000km one owner Smart (petrol Aut) I am still not sure. The road I have to take
to work is quite bad.
Will see.

[gtviva]

The only one I had dealings with had TV screens fitted into the outside of the doors for some form of advertising, once the plastic outer skin comes of it looked quite scary how little metal there is in the framework, I guess they are safe and must have passed all the crash test stuff!!

[nickwheeler]

Nov 4, 2018 11:16:11 GMT gtviva said:

The only one I had dealings with had TV screens fitted into the outside of the doors for some form of advertising, once the plastic outer skin comes of it looked quite scary how little metal there is in the framework, I guess they are safe and must have passed all the crash test stuff!!

The Smart is not the problem in a heavy crash, as the structure is very strong. Much stronger than the squishy pink things inside it!

[Mercdan68]

NO

[ProjectBobcat]

It's a no from me, but it'd be a boring world if everyone liked the same thing. My experience of driving one was round a car park so cant comment too much from that respect. They just arent the style of car that I like and I'm not 100% certain why, it might be the height ratio in relation to the short wheelbase.

[rblote]

I agree NO.

I liked it a lot, had some fun during the test run but did not fall in love and don't think that I ever will.
It's possibly not my car.

I am just after a shopping trolley on wheels. It needs to be an automatic, it needs to be small,it needs to be reliable,
it can't be a project as I need it straight away.

I also had a look at a Jimny but $9000 for a 2007 model.....for a car with 100.000km on the clock. Again I liked it, but the love
was not there.

We used to have a Daihatsu Cuore and we loved it. But finding one with auto is really hard . The closest one is $2800 drive away but it's in Sydney. 1100Km away.

So, tomorrow I am looking at a Suzuki Alto. 60.000km first owner. Will see what it will bring

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Nov 5, 2018 10:52:20 GMT rblote said:

I agree NO.

I liked it a lot, had some fun during the test run but did not fall in love and don't think that I ever will.
It's possibly not my car.

I am just after a shopping trolley on wheels. It needs to be an automatic, it needs to be small,it needs to be reliable,
it can't be a project as I need it straight away.

I also had a look at a Jimny but $9000 for a 2007 model.....for a car with 100.000km on the clock. Again I liked it, but the love
was not there.

We used to have a Daihatsu Cuore and we loved it. But finding one with auto is really hard . The closest one is $2800 drive away but it's in Sydney. 1100Km away.

So, tomorrow I am looking at a Suzuki Alto. 60.000km first owner. Will see what it will bring

I clicked into thread to say YES (as a former owner) then saw your comment saying shopping trolley on wheels and small and reliable and instantly thought both the early 2000s cuore and alto that i owned for a year each tick both those boxes. Then read you're already onto it.

So yeah all of those!

Have you thought about a z11 nissan cube? Not sure how much mpg is a factor as they're higher than those already mentioned but they're all auto and a fair few have made it over the sea from japan to australia i believe.

[rblote]

Yes, the Cube is available here indeed but did not think of them to be honest.
They are just big Micra's isn't it?

[rblote]

I bought a shopping trolley!!

Much much newer than I thought I would buy. But the change to by a 2013 17.000km (just over 10.000 miles) Suzuki Alto Automatic
with airco, electric everything for 2700GBP ($5000) was to good to let go.
She/he is white and stock as a rock.
I am very happy with it. It only needs 2 new struts for the hatch. I found out when I put some shopping in the back and ending up banging my head really hard on the hatch. (is that how you call that 5th rear door thing??)
Anyway blood has stopped running and all is good!!
At least I know what I am gonna do today....of to the strut shop!

[s1105117]

Nov 4, 2018 19:00:01 GMT Mercdan68 said:

NO

what he said.

[discostew38]

Had one awful thing
I bought it with an engine fault
The engines are so stressed a rebuild at 50k is recommended I think it's even in the service plan
The problem was a burnt valve but still replaced rings/shells/timing chain etc with the idea of keeping it

But after driving it to and from work for a week it had to go

Biggest issue was the gearbox
Mine had the auto and semi auto
In auto it holds the gears to long so it's always revving to high unless you go faster to make it change up and then slow down
But the way it changes gear is terrible

Next issue is the lack of torque
Round town it was fine and done its best MPG
But on a motorway the gearing is either to high or to low so in auto it's constantly changing up or down

Bottom line is there are much better cars around
I sold it and bought a mk5 1250cc fiesta as good on fuel and much better on a motorway or anywhere for that matter
And it was half the price

So unless you live in London where parking is a problem or your going to spend loads of money making it faster I wouldn't bother


And I never mentioned the handling

[rwdrules]

tried it, hated it had a hell of a job selling it, in short noooo