i am thinking of buying one of these for the wife.

can anyone give me any advise on buying and thoughts on the car - good or bad.

Petrol engine isn't as economical as you'd think it should be; diesel engine is good, but rarer on the older models.

Expensive to buy (for what they are) but hold their value pretty well, expensive to service if you use main dealer although there are some good independent smart specialists out there. Tyres are unusual size, so you'll most likely end up having to get premium brand ones when they need replacing (and no spare wheel, so good breakdown cover might be important!).

Insurance can be very cheap - MSM Insurance specialise in insurance for smarts, and are very competitive.

Lot of fun to drive - what it lacks in "competence" it makes up for in character. Interior design makes it a nice place to be, and it's spacious inside.

If you want a smart, buy a smart; if you want a cheap town runabout, get an Aygo/C1/1007.

I know i work for them but you should go and try a Toyota iQ, much much better car

My cousin has a c1, and it's an impressive little car, seems nippy and fun and seats 4.

The smart doesn't have a spare wheel and is a funny tyre size which can be tricky to get hold of, unless you go to merc. Lass at work had one that had a puncture and it cost her quite a bit if i remember correctly. She also said the main reason for getting rid of it was due to other drivers bullying her on the road till she felt unsafe driving it.

The Smart petrol has very poor economy and a short engine life - I suspect there may be no balancer shaft, but I haven't checked. The auto start/stop is horrible and you will run with it disabled.

Different tyre sizes front/rear and no spare is just plain stupid. The dealers will take your trousers down when you have it serviced.

Small Toyota every time.

rotodiesel.

One of my neighbours has a Smart cabrio, and shall we say regularly he has been coming home in different cars recently (works courtesy cars normally), due to something else being broken on it. It's had the suspension done twice!! Built by Merc accountants!

i am thinking of buying one of these for the wife.

can anyone give me any advise on buying and thoughts on the car - good or bad.

Only minor input I have is a bit of observation from my friend who traded one of those tiny Smarts (ForTwo?) for a Leon Fr, the next week someone crashed into the back of it, while he was sat in traffic jam, they hit at around 50~60mph. He walked away but the area crushed on the Leon by the incoming car was about half the length of the smart.

Unscientific I know, crumple zones are designed to crumple but the realisation certainly shook him up and put most of the guys in the office off the idea of very small cars.

Unscientific I know, crumple zones are designed to crumple but the realisation certainly shook him up and put most of the guys in the office off the idea of very small cars.

The smart generally fairs well in crashes - the frame is very strong and the backs of the seats are relatively thick steel which helps protect the occupants in rear end shunts.

a couple of mentions about poor economy.

can you quantify please.

a couple of mentions about poor economy.

can you quantify please.

As a ballpark average, on the petrol - high 30s/low 40s (regardless of old 700cc engine/new 1.0 engine).

Diesel - low/high 60s.

Both could do quite a bit better on long runs, but nothing you probably couldn't match elsewhere.

Dont let the size put you off, this car is a mobile safety cell, look around on a couple of Smart sites and even on you tube at how people have survived what looks like horrendous crashes.

Also, put 2 people over 6 ft in the Smart & there is plenty of room, put 2 in an IQ or C1/Aygo/107 & the rear seats are useless, along with the front actually being quite cramped.

The Smart does feel solid compared to the C1/ Aygo/107, the IQ does feel better than others. ( looked at an IQ, & one of my sons had a 107)

Dont be fooled by the IQ, space behind the driver is very cramped if the driver is over 5ft 4 inches, & the boot space is non existant, In the Smart we can get 2 Shop boxes & 2 coolbags with shopping in them, in the others you would have to fold the seats to get the same items in ( the Fiat 500 is the same for boot space)

The Smart is a town car, & is perfectly usable even in Kent to do shopping in Tesco / Asda / Sainsbury, but you do have to pack youre weekly shop with a bit of thought , non of this ' just chucking' in load of plastic carrier bags.

If there is only going to be 2 people use it for short to medium trips it is a perfectly reasonable mode of transport , I find the ride a bit like a go kart specially over the current bad roads .

I will dispute quote above that you have to go for Premium replacement tyres, you dont, as SWMBO owns a Smart ( actually her 2nd) & this hasnt been the case for her

The Independant service places are far better than the Mercedes dealers that you are supposed to take them to, the service from Merc dealers makes even the bad Skoda dealers look excellent.

No doubt SWMBO will be along shortly to post her views being an owner.

I will dispute quote above that you have to go for Premium replacement tyres, you dont

If you have the opportunity to shop around and wait for delivery, no, you don't have to get a premium brand. If you get a puncture and need it replaced quickly 'cos you can't run on a non-existant spare, your options will be limited and most likely all that'll be available at short notice is a premium tyre.

A good friend of mine has a Smart (pertrol) which he bought for town use.

His daughter's ancient Peugeot 205 diesel absolutely trounces it on fuel economy - in and out of town.

These cars are a complete waste of time and a design liability - buying tyres as a panic purchase is never a good idea. You can't criticise other 4 seaters for having no room in the rear when the front seats are well back - the Smart has no rear seats at all.

There's a very good reason why you don't see many of these around.

rotodiesel.

Gearbox is awful but the Roadster I had some time ago was a hoot despite it lurching between gears with its nasty autobox.

as said the petrol ones are ****e on fuel, I'd stay well away.

thanks for all the replies

going to go back to my original plan - nissan micra auto

thanks for all the replies

going to go back to my original plan - nissan micra auto

Wardy has a nice one for sale on here.

put 2 people over 6 ft in the Smart & there is plenty of room, put 2 in an IQ or C1/Aygo/107 & the rear seats are useless, along with the front actually being quite cramped.

At one time I was frequently given a lift in an Aygo. I'm tall and sat in the front, and found that as long as I moved the seat forward such that my knees weren't hitting the dash, there was enough room for a less tall person sitting behind me. Certainly good enough for short trips in an urban environment.

Sorry but the Micra isn't much better. I've got a 60 one at the moment and the new shape is awful. The more "cute" rounded version isn't that quick and the bootspace is pretty poor. As for performance, 0-60 in a month or two is about right for the 1.2 with an auto box...

Sorry but the Micra isn't much better. I've got a 60 one at the moment and the new shape is awful. The more "cute" rounded version isn't that quick and the bootspace is pretty poor. As for performance, 0-60 in a month or two is about right for the 1.2 with an auto box...

its for the wife, for her birthday.

to be honest she rarely exceeds 35mph so 0-60 isnt an issue.

she has had a micra in the past and she loves them

My dad has a Mushibushi i.

I've no idea why, there must be all of about 12 on the UK's roads but one of them is him.