kwakdonut
MB Enthusiast
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Current diesel is a whole 45bhp!!! mmmmm zippy......
Our Smart car needs a new engine
- Thread starter ALFIE CONN
- Start date
grober
MB Master
Fair enough.
1. Its not simple---what's complicated about it?
2. Its not cheap to make-----maybe Mercedes don't know how to build small cars economically?
3. sold at inflated prices---- their other "first effort" the A class was hugely overpriced for what it was and not exactly a monument to quality either -athough again that wasn't reflected in its purchase or servicing/repair costs.
4. That is why Mercedes have lost huge numbers of millions on the Smart car project and probably wish they'd never started it. which brings us back to 2.
Finally what I actually said was "Like many "urban concept" cars clever packaging and funky design are let down by trying to manufacture these cars on the cheap and selling them at inflated prices". To clarify this a little more I was not getting at Mercedes or Smart in particular but my comments were directed at all the manufacturers of "urban cars" Here's a video of an urban car made by a manufacturer who knows what they are doing IMHO.[YOUTUBEHQ]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rMD0Mvu8W7U&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rMD0Mvu8W7U&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBEHQ]
1. Its not simple---what's complicated about it?
2. Its not cheap to make-----maybe Mercedes don't know how to build small cars economically?
3. sold at inflated prices---- their other "first effort" the A class was hugely overpriced for what it was and not exactly a monument to quality either -athough again that wasn't reflected in its purchase or servicing/repair costs.
4. That is why Mercedes have lost huge numbers of millions on the Smart car project and probably wish they'd never started it. which brings us back to 2.
Finally what I actually said was "Like many "urban concept" cars clever packaging and funky design are let down by trying to manufacture these cars on the cheap and selling them at inflated prices". To clarify this a little more I was not getting at Mercedes or Smart in particular but my comments were directed at all the manufacturers of "urban cars" Here's a video of an urban car made by a manufacturer who knows what they are doing IMHO.[YOUTUBEHQ]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rMD0Mvu8W7U&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rMD0Mvu8W7U&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBEHQ]
The first Smart ForTwo was designed in-house, whilst the second was done externally. So maybe D-C admit they made too many mistakes with the first. D-C are currently in the process of deciding where the third generation will be designed.
hawk20
MB Enthusiast
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- Mine: BMW X4 2.0d M-Sport (Red) Hers: BMW X1 2.0d M-Sport (Black) Sorry about that...
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Vlad
MB Enthusiast
As I understand the reason a lot of SMART engines go pop is due to a problem with the exhaust manifold....ie they get hairline cracks which let in air, which in turn confuses the lambda sensor which then causes the engine to under fuel and then over fuel etc etc etc.......the overfuelling washes the bore clean of oil and the under fuelling causes the engine to run hot and then things start to get ugly (ie sometimes the spark plug tip breaks off and scores the bore) and eventually the engine goes pop if the problem is left for too long.
Because the engine is buried under the back of the car, many owners don't cotton on to the hairline crack in the manifold, let alone bother to check their oil levels.
So I don't think that its a design problem with the engine itself.
Because the engine is buried under the back of the car, many owners don't cotton on to the hairline crack in the manifold, let alone bother to check their oil levels.
So I don't think that its a design problem with the engine itself.
If i wanted a small economic car i wouldnt buy a car that was manufactured by mercedes or bmw just for the badge. Id honestly buy a toyota or a nissan or a VW polo.. they are much better, because those manufacturers have decades of experience under their belt in building small economic reliable cars.
If i want something fast, reliable and comfortable, id buy a merc, if i wanted something more fun and less reliable/comfortable id buy a bmw!
If i want something fast, reliable and comfortable, id buy a merc, if i wanted something more fun and less reliable/comfortable id buy a bmw!
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I was told by a tech from an MB workshop that Merc/Smart expected the engines to last 90k and any more is a bonus, i don't know how true that is.
I have seen some UK petrol ones with over 100k on the clock, for me it's all about how they're driven. Same with any car really, except it's relative size has to be taken into account.
If it's used solely for short in-town journeys and never properly warmed up that's not good for it. If it's used for massive motorway journeys at high revs that's not good either. I would imagne a lot of the engine wear happens because owners just jump in and stamp on the right pedal from cold due to it's go-kart type nature.
I have seen some UK petrol ones with over 100k on the clock, for me it's all about how they're driven. Same with any car really, except it's relative size has to be taken into account.
If it's used solely for short in-town journeys and never properly warmed up that's not good for it. If it's used for massive motorway journeys at high revs that's not good either. I would imagne a lot of the engine wear happens because owners just jump in and stamp on the right pedal from cold due to it's go-kart type nature.
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