As title guys, i quite like the look of the smart fortwo early ish ones, but are they crap etc, anyone have experience of them...

Only want one due to inconsiderate arses with more than one car at houses down our road as we dont have any front gardens or driveways so if you move your car, its 50/50 if you can even park again when you come back

So are they ok
are they bad to work on
are they just shit
or should i not even bother
are bits expensive etc
This one is near me, but i have no idea about them
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMART-CAR...oAAOSwxNxbbWvF

 

My brother had one and he loved it. I had a go in it and was surprised at how much space was in it. As I'm around 6'2" and weigh around 16 stone I expected to be pretty cramped, but there was plenty of room. Was also expecting it to be really slow, but again was surprised at how nippy it was.
No idea what they're like for parts though. I think my brothers was pretty reliable.

 

My mate got one Ł400 he's a pannel beater and uses it to get to his unit and back loves it I had a go quiet a laugh to fly around town in shit for anything else same Nick 6ft+ felt like I was laying down lol

 

From what I'm told, they're great around town, but shit for commuting on fast A roads or motorways. Tiny engine can't keep up and ends up eating itself prematurely.

 

 

Thanks guys, i dont do long distance or motorways etc, mark, what version is the one i posted on ebay ,? thanks

 

 

 

 

I drove one for a number of years as the firm I previously worked for had one.

Very good runabouts and not slow as they have a fairly decent power/weight ratio. Another perk is as Clarkson once famously said, you can say you drive a turbocharged rear wheel drive Mercedes

Early ones had a problem with the keys losing partnership and I believe cracked exhaust manifolds are common. Another thing is there is the oil cannot be drained, so you have to pump it out.

Martin

 

A friend of a friend had one and the engine fell out one day only a couple of weeks after a service....the dealer said that was quite common...

Figure that one out !

 

I had a MK1 Brabus and that was better on Dual Carriage ways than it was around town IMO, they are a bit fussy to get off the line in stop start traffic with quite a throttle delay but once moving it was great. Was fast enough on A roads, did only 48mpg though and had to use super unleaded.

The Mk 2 I used was much better but the diesel was gutless.



This was my Brabus

 

 

i `d rather get a bus pass than a smart

 

Bet they don't stink of piss in switzerland

 

I'm sure they are fine for nipping about in, but I certainly wouldn't like to crash one. With zero crumple zones, you are going to get injured, no matter what. Remember fifth gears crash test of one?

 

The 450 Fortwo kept dropping valves and the piston rings would gum up.
There are 6 spark plugs that need changing on them and the engine needs to be dropped to do this. Mercedes use some large bolts and drop the engine down.
As already said. Turbo and the manifolds are like chocolate.
Having said all that, I had 4 of them and the 700cc engine was marginally better, but not by much.

 

Yes, it was interesting that Smart advertised the car as not being damaged as much as the E class merc they crashed it in to but surely you need deformation of the car to stop your body bouncing around inside?

 

Yup, the front of the car folding up is what is absorbing energy, thus giving you protection. I would almost guarantee that in that test, the e class driver walked away, I doubt the smart car driver would have!

 

 

You can also remove the rear panel and crash bar to do the plugs.

I've not been far in one but tbh I wouldn't want to!

Have serviced a few and been on road test but that's about it, someone I know went to the Nurburgring in one

 

 

 

most of the time they are actually really nice and clean

 

Ha ha best reply I've read in ages

 

Whoa what the heck did i start on here..

Ps i havent bought one, but still like em, only in black tho...