16bha
New member
I'm looking to get a second car, but just want something small, cheap to run and low tax, to commute to work in. Anyone have a Smart car? What's it like on the motorway and long treks?
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Anyone own a Smart car?
- Thread starter 16bha
- Start date
Steve Foster
Well-known member
Mrs Foster has a Smart Car. Loves it. Had her car for a number of years, no problems, faster acceleration than my BMW!
Only £35 tax & receives a massive discount in parking in our permit road in Hove. Loves it! Highly recommendable.
Never used it on the motorway!
Also a novelty to fill it with fuel.
Only £35 tax & receives a massive discount in parking in our permit road in Hove. Loves it! Highly recommendable.
Never used it on the motorway!
Also a novelty to fill it with fuel.
If using on motorway I would avoid - a friend of mine died (and was the only person to suffer any injury) in a 5 car pile up on the A1(M) a few years back - he was driving a Smart Car.
http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/officers_honoured_after_a1_m_death_crash_1_53949
http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/officers_honoured_after_a1_m_death_crash_1_53949
Lyndhurst 14
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2008
- 5,242
grubbyhands
Well-known member
I have one to sell for a friend of mine. It's a 2003 Brabus so it's a bit different looking and has been "got at" by the official tuning arm of Mercedes. It goes like a rocket. Silver with black leather, glass roof and the desirable "flappy paddle " gearchange option.He wants about £3000.00 for it.PM me if you want to know any more, I am in Surrey though IF you wanna come and see it
dougdeep
New member
I got the wife a C1 Citroen. She loves it and it is ridiculously cheap to run.
Two friends of mine one had the other still has one, from what I can see as an observer they both appear to have had their. More than far share of trouble both have had brake and engine managment system faults and both have broken down on route I think one was a fuel pump not shoure. About the other one
seagurn
Well-known member
bobthebrickie may own one and he's bringing all his geezer mates with him in it!
I have owned two of them. One hard top and one convertible. They were both pre 2006. Whilst they are surprisingly roomy (was able to get a washing machine in the back! My knees were round my ears though), great fun to drive, £35 tax, and very small fuel costs, but any money saved there was more than eaten up by repair costs. Two cars over two years: steering column £600, door handle mechanism £200, roof mechanism £400, Rear window on soft top £150. All the problems happened during two cold winters 2009 and 2010. The whole car seems to be made out of cheap plastic. They were driven very conservatively by my wife no more than 4000 miles to and from work during that time. My advice would be to stay away from a used one.
theboybilly
Well-known member
A used Toyota iQ?
I've got an '06 Grand Style Smart which I've had for 2 years and 20,000 of it's 47,000 miles. It's fun to drive and very economical. It's great up to about 65mph, after that a judders a bit. It's not the best for Motorway driving, but it's all I've got so I do it. I did make the mistake of taking it to the Mercedes garage after the first year and I got stung on the servicing and parts they found that needed replacing. This year a Kwik Fit service and MOT cost me 130 pounds! I'd previously had new brake pads and discs put in and it has a FSH. It's cheap to insure and surprisingly comfortable inside with heated seats for a winter treat! When you are inside it and driving it you think you are in a normal sized car, but of course from the outside it looks small. It's very easy to park. I can't take my daughter and her baby in it which is the only downside I can think of. You get recognition on the road from other Smart drivers, and there's usually a Smart Festival at Brooklands in Surrey each year (this year's postponed until 2014) which is a fun event to attend. I'd sell mine for 4.5k, I've seen a '56 with similar mileage up for 5.6k in a local garage.
Just sold my smart car after 8 happy years. I loved it. It always made me smile when I got into it. It never liked heavy cross-winds in open country. Was always a joy tailing someone who was obviously looking for a parking spot. They'd see a spot assess that it was too small for them and drive on only to see me in their rear view slotting in quite nicely. Economically astute to run. Will pack more in than you'd imagine. Fantastic safety cell. Mine was one of the originals, so a left hooker, but that never put me off. If I could afford to run a second car right now I'd buy another Smart in a heartbeat.
Edit:
Never take it to a Merc garage for ANYTHING!!! You will need a second mortgage for most things. (195 quid for a new key!!!!!)
Halfords even refused to carry out the free headlamp bulb installation. (Very fiddly job)
Edit:
Never take it to a Merc garage for ANYTHING!!! You will need a second mortgage for most things. (195 quid for a new key!!!!!)
Halfords even refused to carry out the free headlamp bulb installation. (Very fiddly job)
Last edited:
Iv'e just got rid of my Merc A190, steering, suspension, £300 for one sensor, cost a bloody fortune for parts/ labour. Small cars which Merc are involved in are shite imo.
If its only a tad less I think you're putting the nozzle in the window !