Thinking of buying one as a local runaround.

 

Any experiences would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

About as safe as driving a soggy cardboard box... wouldnt want to be tapped by a 40 ton lorry in one.

Something like an iq would be cheaper and more practical IMO

Gearboxes are glacially slow and I've been told you either need a Smart car specialist or Mercedes to deal with them. I do remember a friend's Brabus one going well in a straight line though.

I drove a friend's Brabus (2007 model) and it was a hoot, BUT:

We later test drive a few Smart cars from the local Merc dealer as we were thinking of buying one as a town car.

Viewing was a pleasure and we both the styling, quirkiness, room and seating. For what it was, the car was very practical.

I never ever bottomed out the car's economy. While many owners claimed fantastic mpg, many many others were significantly disappointed. I came to my own conclusion that economy depended (as it often does) upon driving style. A heavy right foot put meant the Smart was less economic than many alternative vehicles in the market place that offered more room and a better driving experience.

The test drive was very, very disappointing. Poor jumpy ride and very little driver enjoyment. He overwhelming feature was the extremely poor auto box that had a "built-in" lag to every gear change. We wanted to love the car so we old buy one, but it's shortcomings we're far too evident. We did not buy one and have never regretted the decision.

In my opinion, it is a case of style over substance. There are many significantly better cars available to you.

My girlfriend as got one she loves I love and my little girl loves it.. We'll only two at a time lol she moved house in it when we got a place and we've also went on holiday in it and never missed a beat. Good on fuel, £20 tax and cheap to insure.

Personally it's good through the gears really nippy in and around towns, dead easy to park too. Quick to wash loads of leg room.

I would have a brabus one if I dint have a little girl but need the vrs for the family days out.

Ant

Fifth gear reviewed a Brabus the other week - said it was a hoot to drive but as others have said, and from personal experience, the gearbox is tat. You'd be better off with a mini or countless others for the local run-around. Toyota Aygo/Peugeot 1007, Citigo...the list is endless.

My step mum has just traded in her ForFour Brabus for a 'normal'    smart car. This will now be her 3rd, but technically 4th as my old man had one as a daily commute in to London a few years back.

 

Pros - Auto, although the ForFour was manual, small (ideal for the town/cities), pretty economical.

 

Cons - 'box is a bit 'meh', small (as in, too small), servicing is not cheap, don't know about the newer ones but my dads sounded like a bucket of nails at about 40k on an 05 - going back about 3 years ago since he had it.

 

As a run around, there is better but then there is A LOT worse.

 

Get a manly colour and don't let SWMBO stick eyelashes on it 

We test drove a FourFor as a runabout. It was monumentally / dangerously slow.

 

Bought a Polo GTI instead.

Had a couple. Best spec is brabus but if you can't afford then get the pulse spec. Make sure its the 700cc model not the 600cc. Remapped will remove the 74mph speed limiter and make sure you get the gearbox with tip and auto modes. Air con is a must. In summer the glass roof acts like a green house. Tax was around 50quid a year and mine was a 2003 model. Most are two tone colours. The panels can be removed and sprayed easy the "tridion" shell not so much. Despite people saying they are unsafe they are pretty strong as the tridion shell protects the car. Serving is best left with specific garages. Most don't even know how to change the oil! Ie no sump plug, you gotta suck it out. Fun cars tho. Changing a head light bulb is a 2 day job haha.

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Mate had a Smart Roadster. He quite liked it other than it's habit of changing lanes all by itself in heavy rain. I think the light weight + wide tyres gave it a bit of an aquaplaning problem.

 

He didn't keep it long.

Nothing "smart" or "normal" about a Smart Car. Wouldn't been seen dead in one!

I tried one and really liked it.

Like a go cart on the road although the gearchange was horrible and it really wandered on the M11 in a crosswind.

 

After 20 minutes I felt seasick though and I've never wanted to drive one since.

Complete no hoper.

 

Misubishi engine is knackered after about 60k miles, lousy economy. Transmission unspeakable.

 

Spend the same money on something else.

 

rotodiesel.

About as safe as driving a soggy cardboard box... wouldnt want to be tapped by a 40 ton lorry in one.

 

Top Gear crash tested one, it held up remarkably well...

 

http://youtu.be/n3bFhVvdlaI

10 years ago the Smart was a novel and pretty unique city car. But I think these days there are plenty of 4 seat alternatives that are probably as cheap to run and a lot more practical.......the Citigo for one.  

About as safe as driving a soggy cardboard box... wouldnt want to be tapped by a 40 ton lorry in one.

 

Dont know where you got your info from, but any car tapped by a 40 ton lorry wouldnt stand a chance.

 

The NCAP ratings are just as good as any of the small cars around.

 

SWMBO has had 2, & loved them, both my sons have had one & loved them for their rail like ride, Eldest also had a roadster, which is a brillinat little car.

When the eldest had his non roadster he got side swiped by a police volvo squeezing between him & a TT, chasing an armed robber in a scooby, both him & his g/f at the time came out completely unscathed.

I borrowed the roadster for a day to goto work, the journey was mainly via B roads & it was a real hoot to drive along the twistys in Kent,  even keeping up easily with a bmw. 

Bloke at work had one, loved it. Loads of kit, cheap to run, went well. He did have the diesel. 

About as safe as driving a soggy cardboard box... wouldnt want to be tapped by a 40 ton lorry in one.

Out of curiosity, what car would you like to be trapped in by a 40 ton lorry? I'll admit the Smart is probably not the strongest car in an impact but still better than some.

Wife used to have a smart car years back was fun to drive and throw around as the handling was interesting! The auto makes life difficult in the snow though. Friend at work just got a diesel one which sounds like it has very low running costs. I'd still look at the alternatives as the main manufacturers are all doing similar size cars these days.

Ok all I phrased it wrong. Let me eplain. When I was 17 a long time ago. A friend hit a lamp post at 40 in a g reg metro... bigger in the front that a smart car. He lost a leg. 4 years later I hit said lamp post at 40 in a d reg sierra with no seatbelt on... got out pushed the car off the lamp post after dealing with the police and drove it home before all the fluids went completley. Ergo... bigger car means safer. Next morning I bought a y reg metro for while my sapphire was off the road. 2 litre sierra vs 1 litre metro 30 miles each day to and from work... what was more economical? They used exactly the same fuel...

Get a fiat 500. 5* crash rating. 7 airbags as standard.

1.2 engine gives good economy at sensible speeds

and goes up to just under 100mph. 30quid a year tax.

easy to drive, well equipped and easy to sell on.

Oh, and can seat 4 when needed. Easy to service too.

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Ok all I phrased it wrong. Let me eplain. When I was 17 a long time ago. A friend hit a lamp post at 40 in a g reg metro... bigger in the front that a smart car. He lost a leg. 4 years later I hit said lamp post at 40 in a d reg sierra with no seatbelt on... got out pushed the car off the lamp post after dealing with the police and drove it home before all the fluids went completley. Ergo... bigger car means safer. Next morning I bought a y reg metro for while my sapphire was off the road. 2 litre sierra vs 1 litre metro 30 miles each day to and from work... what was more economical? They used exactly the same fuel...

But that's a 1980s car. I'd rather be in a collision in a modern day fiat 500 or mini than your 80s Sierra any day. 5th gear did a crash test at 70mph into a crash barrier with the smart car and it survived quite well.

From a practical point of view apart from someone who would only use it for commuting in the centre of London I can't think why anyone would choose one as there are better super minis out there that are better all round cars for less money and cost less to run. As always its personal choice but they just don't make any sense to me.

Old Vs new

 

 

I still wouldn't want a SMART. Better small cars out there.

A few in the office really like the Toyota IQ although it seems to get little love elsewhere.

Old Vs new

I still wouldn't want a SMART. Better small cars out there.

A few in the office really like the Toyota IQ although it seems to get little love elsewhere.

Although I would prefer to be in a modern car, it was well documented that there was no engine in that volvo, hence why it deformed so much. If that's true or not, no one knows.