I've just bought a smart car!

[Maff]

Well its sort of Mercedes!

And I'm pretty chuffed with it! I have been looking for a small car to use for running around in, and to the building site that will be my new home sometime next year and decided a smart car would be a good choice, after driving a hire 'smart' for a few weeks once.

I had a look for a few weeks in the usual places, and also found a couple on ebay. One looked rather good and I put a bid in with 1 hour to go. It was a black and silver 2005 ForTwo Passion with air con and panoramic roof with 46k miles and the bid was at £2750. My bid took it too £2900 and to my surprise I won! Every other car with that spec was going for ~£3450.

Picked it up last week and I'm over the moon with it! The gearbox is a little slow at changing gear, and the steering is a bit heavy off of the centre but other than that its a cracking little car! The engine has a good noise to it, the acceleration seems pretty quick for a 700cc car and its doing about 60 mpg at the moment! I've used it everyday since I picked it up, and driving around town in it is quite a lot of fun!

60mpg, £30 road tax, cheap insurance and lots of fun - Just wish I had bought one sooner!

Oh, and I tried to get it into the office reception to get it out of the snow too, but the doors were about 2 inches too narrow!

Hehe!!

YouTube - Getting my smart car into the office...

 

[mattc]

isnot it mssing about 5 cylinders and 500bhp compared to your normal fodder?

 

[BlackC55]

If you wish I can improve the gearchange. I can't get it perfect but I can improve it.

Take care to check the oil at regular intervals as they tend to use it. Mobil one only too. 0W40

Good choice for a runaround.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Well done on the purchase - I suppose it's a form of carbon offsetting.

Can't believe you've admitted defeat to Clarkson, though; perhaps you chose the wrong weapon this time...

 

[Maff]

isnot it mssing about 5 cylinders and 500bhp compared to your normal fodder?

It is a bit strange to think its engine is just under 10 times smaller than that of my C-Class!

 

[The Boss]

NICE one.. very happy for you. i felt the same when i got mine.. slow gear change, but its a great car

 

[greggster]

If you wish I can improve the gearchange. I can't get it perfect but I can improve it.

Hi Olly, is that true of the newer ones aswell (451)? Is it electronic changes you can make? Cheers

 

[fuzzer]

haha youre turn now. Its a hoot. Winter tyre sets are available for them too if you fancy them. Problem is they bottom out and turn into a sledge

 

[Smarties]

Great choice of car and once sampled very hard to get away from. We've owned one now for over 10 years!

 

[Tan]

Congrats Maff on your latest car purchase and the video was great

I quite fancy getting a smart car myself, as an economical run around.

Does anyone know if smarts are Congestion Charge exempt?

Regards

Tan

 

[The Boss]

Congrats Maff on your latest car purchase and the video was great

I quite fancy getting a smart car myself, as an economical run around.

Does anyone know if smarts are Congestion Charge exempt?

Regards

Tan

as far as i know, next yr, the diesel and the smaller petrol variants will be!

 

[The Boss]

If you wish I can improve the gearchange. I can't get it perfect but I can improve it.

Take care to check the oil at regular intervals as they tend to use it. Mobil one only too. 0W40

Good choice for a runaround.

would be good to know more about the gear change improvements - Please PM me!

thanks!

 

[kth286]

what gearbox options are there ie. manual, auto, semi-auto etc ?

and which is best ?

 

[Bellow]

The gearbox is a little slow at changing gear, and the steering is a bit heavy off of the centre

Wider front tyres lighten the steering and cure the comedy understeer.
The gearchange can be improved with the Brabus 74kW TIK, without having to indulge in re-mapping the electronics. See here >> Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

These cars are like the original Mini - responsive to simple mechanical modifications.

Incidentally, the jury is very much out as to Mobil 1 being the best choice.

These sites here >> Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia
FQ101.co.uk
may be of use.

 

[Bellow]

what gearbox options are there ie. manual, auto, semi-auto etc ?

and which is best ?

They are all 2 pedal AMT (automated manual transmission). The earlier 450 is a 6 speed with 3 gears and 2 final drives, the later 450s are 5 speed. The clutch is a conventional plate clutch under electronic control.

Three modes of gearchange available depending on model triim.
Manual, via the stick - nudge sequentially back and forth. (Pure)
Ditto but with wheel mounted paddles. (Pulse - though possibly an option only)
Auto courtesy of programmed electronics. (Passion) Many dislike auto mode and prefer to change manually. The paddles are the sought after set-up.

 

[wemorgan]

Driven with the right mind-set and in the right environment the ForTwo is an excellent car IMHO. Well done Maff, it brings credibility to the car the fact that a petrolhead can still choose to own one. I sometimes regret selling mine, but when my father gets bored of it maybe I'll buy it back.

 

[Biglips]

What is the general consensus about the Brabus Smart? If my plans to move house next year come about I will get a smart for my commute. Fancy a Brabus but are they worth the additional premium?

 

[Smarties]

What is the general consensus about the Brabus Smart? If my plans to move house next year come about I will get a smart for my commute. Fancy a Brabus but are they worth the additional premium?

You’d have to be extremely keen or well healed to find the premium when new. However, they represent a fantastic proposition when used and the difference narrows to circa 2k. Well worth it for the slightly extra grunt, Brabus tuning and trim parts

 

[Biglips]

You’d have to be extremely keen or well healed to find the premium when new. However, they represent a fantastic proposition when used and the difference narrows to circa 2k. Well worth it for the slightly extra grunt, Brabus tuning and trim parts

I will definately check them out then. Sadly not in a position to buy new, but might be able to stretch to an extra 1k or so to get into a second hand one.

 

[Brian WH]

Another car for your collection eh Matt? A Smartarse eh?

Trouble is that one definitely will not get you to 200+, but it will get you to the shops cheaply.

You can always put it in the boot of one of the others.