Smart Car - FourTwo Opinion
- Thread starter Zeebedy
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- 13 Apr 2010
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- 18,464
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- Sunny Sussex
Had one for a week in majorca a few years ago, cheap plastic and gutless, I doubt they age well, i'd query parts prices
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Oh, yes it is plastic so should age great
I think he was referring to the mechanicals not the bodywork.
Soldato
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- 17 Sep 2007
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- West Yorkshire / Market Bosworth
I wonder if he meant the ForFour or the ForTwo. Boggles the mind. 
The robotised manual gearboxes are pretty nasty, very slow gear changes which can be a bit frustrating. The older 600cc engines are a bit fragile, plenty expire before ~50k. They tend to suffer quite a lot of problems with the main control module (known as the "SAM" unit) which can be quite expensive.
As a pure city car they do make some sense. If you are commuting any significant distance, or need to carry anything large then they are less great.
As a pure city car they do make some sense. If you are commuting any significant distance, or need to carry anything large then they are less great.
People always say that there is an engine rebuild waiting to happen after 80k miles.
I had a Roadster for a few years and driven a few for2 (old style ones not the new 1litre cars) during that time.
As a fun car they tend to be missing something. But you can drive them at motorway speed all day and they don't blink an eye, cheap to run (but frequent servicing) was a reality with me.
The gearbox is a little poo, but you soon learn to drive it accordingly. I would buy one if I did not need 3 seats, you can fit a fair amount in them.
But you are likely to get odd comments and looks dependant where you go. London not so bad, Rural Gloucestershire - its like driving a pink handbag.
I had a Roadster for a few years and driven a few for2 (old style ones not the new 1litre cars) during that time.
As a fun car they tend to be missing something. But you can drive them at motorway speed all day and they don't blink an eye, cheap to run (but frequent servicing) was a reality with me.
The gearbox is a little poo, but you soon learn to drive it accordingly. I would buy one if I did not need 3 seats, you can fit a fair amount in them.
But you are likely to get odd comments and looks dependant where you go. London not so bad, Rural Gloucestershire - its like driving a pink handbag.
My next door neighbour had one (smart for four) for a couple of years, it was in the garage being fixed more than it was in his garage, most of the problems seem to have centred round the computer saying that it was broken, rather than the fact that it was broken.
He got so peed off with calling out mechanics to look at it that he bought a Vauxhall of some sort, he's never had a problem with that, had it for 3 years.
edit. his wife is on her second Smart for two, she loves it!
He got so peed off with calling out mechanics to look at it that he bought a Vauxhall of some sort, he's never had a problem with that, had it for 3 years.
edit. his wife is on her second Smart for two, she loves it!
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What driving do you do mostly? I take it from your post that you will be buying a new one?
Personally I think they a unreliable little shoeboxes that I wouldn't be seen dead in. Unless you never leave london, an aygo is a better bet I'd say.
Personally I think they a unreliable little shoeboxes that I wouldn't be seen dead in. Unless you never leave london, an aygo is a better bet I'd say.
Associate
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- 24 Jul 2003
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- Bracknell, Berks.
There many other super minis on the market
I bought a second hand Toyota IQ over a year ago and it has been great.
I am over 6ft and it is perfect.
no road tax and I saved about 350 on insurance and do mainly town driving and I have halfed my fuel costs.
I bought a second hand Toyota IQ over a year ago and it has been great.
I am over 6ft and it is perfect.
no road tax and I saved about 350 on insurance and do mainly town driving and I have halfed my fuel costs.