Smart - Winter Edition?

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Spinal

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 14, 2004
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Location
between Uxbridge and the Alps
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x254, G350, Duster, S320, Mach1, 900ss and a few more
Does anyone know if smarts have a "winterized" version for colder climates?

I.e. if someone were stupid enough to buy a smart car to Alaska or Siberia, do they come with "extras" (like a second battery, fuel pre-heaters, etc?)

If not... how hard would it be to fit these? I.e. if I were to buy a 2nd hand, LHD smart, what would you recomend fitting to it before shipping it over to Alaska and attempting the Dalton highway?

M.
 
Fuel pre-heating would be for diesels I presume? Petrol models would likely have fewer problems in cold weather. Also you'd need to jack up the suspension to allow for pot-holes, snow drifts, fitting/removal of chains and for the build-up of snow in the arches.
 
Doubt you'd get a second battery in. Might be able to fit a higher capacity one though.
 
Stop at this point :D

I love the smart car! It's a great little toy, drove one from Turin to Napoli a few years back (at speeds I shouldn't have been doing) and was very impressed by it.

Had a look around, and renting doesn't appear to be an option...

So here's plan 2:
- buy a smart car in Alaska (less hassle with importing/exporting)
- spend 1 week getting it ready
- drive the Dalton...

I'm thinking:
- 4 spare tyres,
- higher capacity battery or 2nd battery
- maybe high suspension
- snow chains
- CB radio
- sat phone
- 2x 20lt jerrycans

Not much else I can think of really!

M.
 
I presume all that equipment will go in the Toyota Land Cruiser support vehicle? ;)

Seriously, the ForTwo does have a big-ish boot for its size, but not that big.

Have you tried calling up a Mercedes/Smart dealer within a cold country to ask the question directly?
 
I love the smart car! It's a great little toy, drove one from Turin to Napoli a few years back (at speeds I shouldn't have been doing) and was very impressed by it.

Had a look around, and renting doesn't appear to be an option...

So here's plan 2:
- buy a smart car in Alaska (less hassle with importing/exporting)
- spend 1 week getting it ready
- drive the Dalton...

I'm thinking:
- 4 spare tyres,
- higher capacity battery or 2nd battery
- maybe high suspension
- snow chains
- CB radio
- sat phone
- 2x 20lt jerrycans

Not much else I can think of really!
Don't forget you need to buy your CB radio out there as the frequencies will be different to here.
 
I love the smart car! It's a great little toy, drove one from Turin to Napoli a few years back (at speeds I shouldn't have been doing) and was very impressed by it.

Had a look around, and renting doesn't appear to be an option...

So here's plan 2:
- buy a smart car in Alaska (less hassle with importing/exporting)
- spend 1 week getting it ready
- drive the Dalton...

I'm thinking:
- 4 spare tyres,
- higher capacity battery or 2nd battery
- maybe high suspension
- snow chains
- CB radio
- sat phone
- 2x 20lt jerrycans

Not much else I can think of really!

M.


Or just be sensible and buy a car more suited to the conditions ?

Sounds a bit of a faff to me.
 
A blanket and shovel
That's the least of the survival gear required! I didn't think we were going to get into that as the list would go on for pages and pages!
 
I would have thought 4 wheel drive would be a minimum requirement. Watch you don't get squashed by the ice road truckers :)

Daz
 
Survival gear is a separate debate... pretty well covered there (albeit my last trip was the Sahara, so conditions are a little different :p)

Re size: shouldn't be an issue. The idea is to get 2 cars (doing it in a single car wouldn't be smart... no pun intended) - both smart cars. One driver in each, split load of spares, food, fuel and warm tea :p

moonloops: Sensible? It wouldn't be a challenge if I went there in a lorry or 4x4... the point it to push yourself, to find your limits and go beyond them. To explore what you can do, and succeed at what you can't do.

Like crossing the Sahara in a £100, 2wD car.... or riding el passo della muerte... or scrambling el camino del rey...

There is some risk involved, but what would life be without risk?

M.

P.S. Blatant plug - for a few more, look at Eo, Vita! « Home it's the site where I document all these... "things"
 
Check it out in Google Street view :D :D
 
You should also consider the special issues of the ultra low temps that you'll experience on the Dalton Highway which might affect the structural integrity of the car. I assume you'll have an adequate support team. I'm only guessing but you may also have to seek some sort of approval from the authorities before they'll let you onto their road in a smart.
 
I presume that you're thinking of driving this in the summer... in which case about 250 vehicles per day use the highway and a decent 4x4 driver can do it in about 12 hours.

Winter is a completely different ball-game.

Also, at the end, if you've not arranged a tour of the oil facilities you'll have to turn round at the gate and go home again!

I would guess that the authorities would take a dim view of a Smart - I don't think they can stop you but if you get into trouble you'll need deep pockets.

Have a look at these links (if you haven't already):

driving dalton highway - Google Search

Dalton Highway, otherwise known as the Haul Road

With the right vehicle and gear it could be great fun...
 
moonloops: Sensible? It wouldn't be a challenge if I went there in a lorry or 4x4... the point it to push yourself, to find your limits and go beyond them. To explore what you can do, and succeed at what you can't do.

Like crossing the Sahara in a £100, 2wD car.... or riding el passo della muerte... or scrambling el camino del rey...

There is some risk involved, but what would life be without risk?

M.

Thanks, wasn't obvious from your first post what you were trying to achieve :thumb:
 
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In the motorcycle world I have seen these inflatable pontoons that one can attach to each side of the bike for deep river crossings.

I'm wondering if you could adopt a similar idea with the smart combined with an emergency inflate button should the Smart's short wheelbase prove to be too much for the ice.
 
You should also consider the special issues of the ultra low temps that you'll experience on the Dalton Highway which might affect the structural integrity of the car. I assume you'll have an adequate support team. I'm only guessing but you may also have to seek some sort of approval from the authorities before they'll let you onto their road in a smart.
Support team - not really
Approval - the road was opened to the public a few years ago... only the last stretch is closed, but if you join a tour group you can finish that off as well and get to the ocean.

Regarding summer vs. winter... to be honest, I want to do it in winter. That's where the challenge lies. but I reckon it may be more sensible to try it in summer first, and then park up the car somewhere for 6 months then fly back to complete it in winter...

M.
 
I presume that you're thinking of driving this in the summer... in which case about 250 vehicles per day use the highway and a decent 4x4 driver can do it in about 12 hours.

Winter is a completely different ball-game.

Also, at the end, if you've not arranged a tour of the oil facilities you'll have to turn round at the gate and go home again!

I would guess that the authorities would take a dim view of a Smart - I don't think they can stop you but if you get into trouble you'll need deep pockets.

Have a look at these links (if you haven't already):

driving dalton highway - Google Search

Dalton Highway, otherwise known as the Haul Road

With the right vehicle and gear it could be great fun...

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times]Don't even consider driving the Dalton unless you have 4-wheel [/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times]drive, [/FONT][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times] quoted on the second link[/FONT] if you don't follow that advice then it's a bit like this couple not taking locals advice

Help, we're from Down Under | Herald Sun

:D
 

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