People forget that the smart was made for city driving, in traffic. I am in Canada, and never got stuck in the snow, I just drove over the snow. The fact that it can do some off reading is a bonus. People who complain about it don't get it. I miss my little car.
I'm had my Smart Car since 2008. Currently at just under 170,000 miles. You have to get used to the way the car drives. I have no trouble getting off the line or reaching the speed limit quickly. I've done up to 85 on the interstate. Solid handling. Tight turning radius. Awesome on agility courses. Fun, Fun, Fun car to drive.
I'm impressed with your 170,000 miles. Mine is a 2009 diesel and tends to give me 500 miles to a tank and about to hit 100,000 miles. It's only got 45 BHP, takes a bit of time to get to 70 mph, it's been to 90. I went to see my Aunt in Troon Scotland from the far south east of England on just one tank.
I owned one, ones that old you have to perform some maintenance on the little robot solenoid (need to be pulled, cleaned, and lubed) that puts the clutch in for you, and the robot gear switcher (some redline lube) and it will run nicely. If you don't do the maintenance you can get stuck in a gear, or stuck out of gear until you do. I recommend doing this before 100k miles. @@aeoteroa818
Mine is a 2008 that I got for $4k 8 years ago. Drive it like I stole everywhere I go. It governs at 95 mph while I'm only in 4th gear. I have 110k miles on it now and never did anything more than oil change and tires
I used mine to help a friend’s mom move into a new condo community recently - it fit in the little walking trails and the management office was fine with it. It was fun going back and forth between the housing complex and the moving truck. The tenants all seemed to love it also, everyone was coming out to look, laugh, and take pictures, which was hilarious.
I never felt sorry for a car before until this video. "Let's do everything we are not supposed to with this car so we can mock it and laugh at it" When ev's bring down the grid you can share the blame.
@@EmpressEnergy101 and I understand that no matter if you felt sorry for the poor do called car that you could not come up with a excuse why they were even made 🤔😂🤣😂
I drove my smart car for over 2 years, I absolutely loved it. Drove it in the city, drove it cross country in the rain and snow and it never did me wrong. I upgraded to a Jeep last week cause I finally needed something bigger, but if I ever have the chance to get a second car it’s gonna be a smart
Hah! They're honestly neat little cars. Learn to drive the transmission - drive it in manual mode all the time - rev it a little higher than you normally would with most cars so that the revs don't fall too low after the upshift. Try rev-matching - it will let you do it on downshifts. The 2011+ ones have a much nicer suspension and all sorts of nice updates. Ultra quirky, but in a dense urban environment, they're a total blast to drive.
But there is NO CLUTCH PEDAL, so you might say you learned to drive a manual because it says "manual mode" but you didn't. Only way to learn or drive a manual is with 3 pedals and a gear stick. Simple as that.
@@roxieloot it’s hard to explain, but there’s lots of quirky ways to drive the smart with its gearbox. Not saying it’s driving like a manual, but it has its tips and tricks. Manual mode is a great way to drive it and will give you a better chance of anticipating and initiating gear shifts instead of it “randomly” choosing when to shift.
@@roxieloot (I've driven a manual car for 19 years now) - it's still great fun being able to have anything where you can change gears as you wish, with no torque converter!
@@roxieloot It's a legitimate manual transmission, which has a motor actuating the clutch. It lets you do everything you can do with a manual car - you can rev-match while it's clutched-in for instance.
There's a guy at my parents camp ground that has a blue one that's jacked up with a/t tires. It's the best looking golf cart there. Also head light restoration test on the roof?
I had one for 7.5 years. It was very fun. Drove it cross country a couple times. Snow tires made it just fine for Minnesota in the winter. And, allowed me to park my car and motorcycle in one garage space!
Comes with automatic windows; yours is broken. Interior is optional leather. Standard was cloth. Had option for tach and clock mounted in little pods above climate controls. Passenger seat folds flat forward to increase hauling capacity - amazing what will fit. Top speed governed to 150kph (93mph). Much more compact subwoofer available; fits under passenger side of dash. Much smoother shifting with paddles. The electric version does away with the problem by being direct - drive. I get 39-40 mpg overall. I've seen over 50 mpg on highway trips. That being said, mileage is no great shakes. This car's best party trick is parking just about anywhere. Can't count the number of times I've parked in a space where some fool parked over the line. Also great for when you miss a turn and easily pull a u-ey. Turning radius even better in the later models.
I got up to 90 on the highway with my father-in-laws smart back in 2010 when he was just my girlfriends dad and the cop let me go cause he couldn’t believe it got that fast lol. Not a bad car for a high school kid or old guy driving back and forth to work.
I have two smarts. They are my favorite cars I've owned. I drive them everywhere. Other cars just sit. I've rallied my 08 on fire roads. All four tires off the ground slinging gravel. Many smiles. Adult gokart.
I love my smart car. Transmission complaints are unfounded, it's just a matter of learning to drive it correctly. Of course mine is the performance Brabus edition. Straight up for your f- type?
I also have a 2015 Brabus edition . Totally agree with all of your comments. love driving my Smart. Although the Brabus isn't really a performance edition. Different body panels, muffler, and shocks.
My co-worker had a Smart car. He bought it for the mileage because he managed the supermarket merchandisers for Coca-Cola. He's a big guy, probably 300+ lbs, over 6 foot tall. He often took a co-worker, nearly the same size of a guy with him to do store runs. Was funny to see 2 beefy guys climb out of a tiny Smart car. I told him it looked like one of those Little Tikes cars you buy for your kid. Even cooler, we had a covered roof area made strictly for motorcycle parking. The door barely would fit a Harley Trike. Once during a hailstorm, he pulled into the enclosed area and turned the car around, with no problem. You can park 2 of them in any parking space. Growing up al the muscle cars had big and little tires. I agree that those squatted trucks are just stupid. If you cant see the road, you shouldn't be driving the vehicle. Might as well do a Ricky Bobby and put a big logo across the windshield.
These are very underrated cars! Especially the newest/last generation of them. They are fun to drive, and are meant for city driving. If you live close to work and just need your own car for the short commute, they are perfect, and that's all they were meant for, although they are still capable beyond that
not only city but here in Germany, including myself are often in the left lane on the Autobahn. if you are familiar with road rules here, youll know what that indicates
My smart car was also great on ice & snow, as well. Loved that car . . . My wife didn’t like her internal organs shifting when we hit bumps (those front tires are rock hard).
I'm not surprised. I lived in Switzerland for three months. Those things drove everywhere in the snow with NO issues. On the OTHER hand, it ain't easy trying to control an Audi A6 even though it had AWD. The engine had just a bit too much hp. I was forced to use the manual gate on the shifter all the time or the wheels would just spin around.
I regularly get 35mpg around town 60 on a run . Mine is the 84 BHP turbo 2012. Gear shifting is good . 0 to 90 mph around 13 seconds. It’s not slow . I’ve been driving for 42 years now , this car is definitely a keeper.
@@Gzluweez, 1) its height in relation to its length gives it a pretty poor drag coefficient. 2) Its weight advantage compared to other small cars, for example the first-generation Toyota Yaris is insignificant, but it only has two seats as opposed to a rear bench and all the material necessary to fit that in, so where does that weight come from!? It was used to make the car more rigid and stable. It's the one small car in which they didn't have to cut down on materials to lighten the load for the engine, because the capability of the engine to move that weight was already known, so they had a lot of room to play with to make it more stable in cross winds. It's not completely stable, btw, but still better than a Jeep Wrangler, for instance, and probably at higher speed too. 3) I may not be up to date with this, but last time I checked, which was about 10 years ago just after I'd bought mine, most small cars came with 13" rims and tyres in 155 or 165 width. The smart's rims are 15" and the tyres 175 wide in front and 195 in the rear, creating lots of extra rolling resistance. I probably wouldn't have bought a smart for its fuel-saving capabilities if I had a regular medium-sized car, but I still think it's the best fuel-saving mod I ever got for my Jeep! 😉😏
Also, that Smart needs a turbo Hayabusa engine... It's been done, i know, but it's just hilarious seeing a Smart car with like 400 hp that screams like a banshee =)
A friend of mine bought one for 300 with a broken engine and its in the process to swap a 3 cyl from a 2018 mirage that his daughter totalled he plans to put some rods in the engine to turbo it,manual trans of course
Up by the front windshield it looks like the Tridian safety cell was compromised and that's why they totaled it. The car used to be safe now if you get in a standard wreck no guarantees that the cell won't crumple and kill the passengers inside. If you ever purchase one of these and see a dent, crease. scratch, etc. (I have seen one being sold at a used dealer that was compromised believe it or not) in the safety cell areas, walk away because it is not worth your life or the life of someone else! Open the doors during a purchase and check everywhere before buying that the cell is properly intact. Other than that, I absolutely love my 2013 facelift Passion paddle shifting version!
You truly have to understand a smart to truly enjoy it in full. When it was built, it wasn't built for crazy stuff. It always had a unique market focused on the city life. For the era these were designed (late 90's) the fuel economy was impressive. The transmission is one thing everyone complains about. The transmission is a "smart" transmission and re-learns to your driving style. In manual mode (and yes it is technically a manual transmission with an automatic clutch) hence why the shifts are always so delayed. The reliability on these is actually quite good for being a Mercedes product. The one downfall was that you would have to run premium all the time, or your power would tank. I am happy to say I've owned two and have always wanted another. Everyone likes to rip on these, but for what it is, it is quite good.
"The transmission is a "smart" transmission and re-learns to your driving style." That could explain the differences, I have a light right foot, sometimes... Love the "Sequential manual" shifts, nudging up and down (without a foot clutch, takes a leap of faith first time!)
@@ev-1832 yes! That could definitely explain it. According to service manual, you can “reset” to factory by undoing the battery for 15 minutes. At this point, after re hooking the battery, the car will adjust to your drive cycles after a while. As always, manual mode is so much easier for me, but to each their own.
i used to work at a lumber yard and a guy came in in a smart fortwo...i shit you not, i loaded an 8' 2x4 into that thing. diagonally from the top left corner of the hatch, to the bottom right corner of the passenger floor...and it fit with the hatch closed! i couldn't believe it.
People initially think the car is so small that there must be no room inside, but just the opposite, it has a ton of room inside! You can stretch your legs out and I never ran out of room to hold all my groceries. I should know because I owned "three" of them! They are actually easier then you think to work on as well. At this time I don't have a Smart car, but I will get another one, they really are a blast! I'm going to research the electric version before I purchase my next one.
I've seen pictures of a number of Class A motor homes that have a platform on the back...with a Smart Car on it that they haul around to drive while their RV is parked! A friend of mine has an electric version that he likes for driving around town.
I love how in some cities in Europe, it was legal to park two of them in one spot! And yes, the owners took advantage of that all the time. Sadly, they do NOT give you a discount on the parking ticket in public garages. You still pay the full price even if another Smart owner asks you to move over so he/she can park!
I loved mine. I miss it ; it gave its life and saved mine *and* killed the SUV that ran a redlight. I would have bought another if it had continued in production.
I've had 2 of them. The first one I gave to my granddaughter after I hit 89000 miles on it. Actually made two round trips from Charleston SC to Salt Lake City. It was a gas model. I now have a 2015 Smart EV that just went over 30,000 for around town driving. Best car for that i've ever had.
I’m only at 0:24 so just started but I just wanna say the Smart is actually awesome, and despite being so small has a brilliant crash structure. People who judge it poorly are forgetting what it was designed for. It’s a city car that CAN leave the city. This and Fiat 500 are brilliant cars, as is the mini (new and old). When I lived in France we had a John cooper Works Mini convertible. The first one was auto (actually the 1st might have been a normal one), but we upgraded to a JCW manual and it was awesome and so fun to drive, especially through the tunnels in and around Paris. Even THAT tunnel.
I remember when these first came out! Was immediately disappointed when I learned the diesels weren't available in the US. Would have been awesome to have such a quirky car run off of used vegetable oil. Didn't know they were so capable of off-roading, though. Wouldn't mind one of these for the zombie apocalypse!
@@kendallsmith1458 Yeah, if you’re being stupid about it. It’s obviously not going to climb 40+ percent grades or over rocky terrain, but what normal road car can? In a SHTF scenario where I’m trying to get out of the city, I’d rather have the Smart over a normal road car that would get stuck in congested/blocked off city streets. At least the Smart can drive over curbs and through ditches, sidewalks and alleyways.
I had a 2008 and was one of the first hundred to own .. it was a very early one Had No A/C I added a K/N air filter modified the air box , got rid of the “drone air muffler between filter and throttle body. Made a Huge difference… good luck Ron Ps mine was exactly same color I called it my baby shamu
Great video! One of the best observations is that YES, hail storms in the smart are scary. It sounds like the sky is falling in on you. But worth having the huge panoramic moon roof.
A car doesn't have to be big and fast to be fun. The most fun car I ever owned was a '83 Honda Civic hatchback with a 4 speed manual. Kept blowing head gaskets but I miss that car.
The modern day version of the BMW Isetta. These Smart cars were wildly popular in European big cities where parking is an issue, because you can straight-in park them to the curb.
I have a 1016 Smart ForTwo. Once you get it on the freeway, it goes 80 without you even knowing it... passing trucks on hills up or down.. I get about 425 miles per tank. I bought it used for $6500. Sale value today at Carmax, around $11,000, same condition. You didn't mention, the gas gauge icon is on the left of the instrument panel, but the gas tank door is on the right. Under the dash is a cigarette lighter plug. With an adapter, you can charge your phone, etc. The rear view mirror is a problem for me. Too big and too low. Blocks sight when looking to the right, especially on hills. There is a USP port and another plug for media In the GLOVE COMPARTMENT (very dangerous, can't see it from the drivers seat/fumbling...) I love it aside from those 2 things. I'd say 9 times out of 10, someone either points at my car going by, or have to talk to me about it in a parking lot when I am out.
Excited to see content on this! I had a blue convertible and daily drove it for a while and enjoyed it most of the time. Fun to scoot around town or back and forth to work but not the most comfortable to drive long distances.
My husband & I have 2. A 2009 & a 2011. We travel all over in one or the other. Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, and many more states. We travel in all weather, we live in Indiana and yes we drive in the ice and snow with no problem.
@@waheeddoesstuff Cause if you're in an accident chances are it would take you out being so enclosed. To each their own just would be easy to be trapped in the wrong case
There are a few things you can do to get better gear changes, learn to how to use the accelerator between gear shifts, gearbox/clutch reteach, if that doesn’t satisfy you try a Re-map
I had a 2009 Smart Passion it was great! I loved the car no issues handled perfectly. The problem was when it needed a repair no mechanic would touch the car. I brought car to dealership. I was told I needed a $2000. Plan to get smart fixed. I got rid of the car. These cars are great vehicles the people can not rip you off enough to make a profit that's the real problem. These cars handle real well. The mechanics can't rip you off. Please sell this car with a handbook how to repair and a mail order to purchase parts. This is the peoples car. Very economical sturdy and safe. Greedy people are the problem.
It seems like something neat to have in a city where parking is a premium like NYC, and I see these and Fiats so often here. Personally, I always preferred the Scion IQ In terms of looks, with supposedly nearly similar millage, not to mention more cargo space as well as enough room for a third passenger. Unfortunately their used prices are ridiculous (twice or 3x a Smart) even though they've been out of production almost 9 years.
I've had both a 2012 iQ (company car) and a 2012 fortwo (mine). The iQ had better fuel economy and a much tighter turning circle. The fortwo is more practical by a long-shot. It's tallness makes it have a lot of cargo capacity and it's honestly a ton more fun to drive than the iQ.
In the UK we have a tacho and clock in pods above the centre console. For some reason the tacho is the furthest from the driver, but you can swap them around.
The smart can be very fun in twisty roads. I have a 2013 with wider stock wheels, center exit exhaust, silicone intake tube and ultragauge II for important info.
I have to disagree with you on that. Twisty roads are scary! I had wear on my tires on my smart and it engages automatic braking which is scary asf. It almost throws you off the road
@@ffhjvbuydb78eb I’ve never had that issue. I’ve gone through switchbacks at 30-40mph. It kicks the back out a bit before traction control kicks in but never anything that bad.
@@JLinder1379 mind has autobraking pretty sure and i went 35 around some corners and it brakes but only the front and its SCARY. if you have good tires on the front it doesnt do it then.
10:12 You can get a tach if you get the accessory gauges that mount in the middle-aft of dash, behind the AC controls. Max RPM when parked is 3500. Max RPM when in gear is 6500. You could get an android head unit (if not one already), install the Torque app, and then a bluetooth OBDII reader. The only problem with the accessory gauges it that one of them is another clock. I didn't see any other videos for your smart but I hope you're still enjoying it.
The few SMART cars I've seen in the US all have "balloon" tires and a modded suspension. I would love to see the looks on the German and Swiss engineer's faces when they see people here trying to off road them. 😁😁 These are NOT helpless on the streets. In winter, these were everywhere on the streets of Switzerland. Never saw one get stuck either.
I have own one for 5 years now and I love it great in snow with proper tread and a lil more weight added in hatch if you take care of it properly never had any problems I will buy another one when this one stops running if it ever will lol
I know, I had the OG Metro called the Sprint and I got the full rated 60 mpg. For the first 50k, then the mileage went to exactly zero mpg because it was completely done.
Hilarious video. Sorry to hear about the High School Camero going away. Few can say they still have their 1st car (when car was desirable). But I admire the decision to sell & not be attached to things! Wish i had the same trait.
There's a tradeoff somewhere with engine displacement and car size. A modern civic got better gas mileage than a Fit for example, the only draw for the very small cars had to be price.
Ain't that the truth. When I was 17 Ford made a little hatchback called the Fiesta and they were peppy and fun to drive and got around 42 mpg in real-life driving. Of course that was before the world went insane.
Try pulling your clutch actuator out it's the 3 bolts right under your car or find the sweet slot of where your plot chicks will help it shift a little better unless you have a star system or a scanner to do it Also putting your are key accessories on and holding those 2 buttons Down on your - at exactly the same the same time and the middle triangle will Flash it will turn your track you can throw off let your wheel wheel spin a little bit or you can pull the abs Fuse
Engine in the back over the drive wheels is the old proven Wolksvagen Beatle concept. Worked well then and still works apparently. I rented one of theese baby cars on a holdiday trip to Crete. Lots of fun driving on the small narrow mountain roads. Not so fun on the highway but it kept up almost. Fun car I could have one.😎
I will NEVER offroad my 2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus Coupe (purchased it used 2 months ago). I would bathe in my tears if I do that. Enjoying every moment of it so far!
@@kelvinstokes996 Actually, it came with the Genius Darwin Rims when I bought it. However, the Contiprocontact tires on them makes it very fuel efficient (45 mpg Hwy) and handling is very good. But I will intend to buy the Brabus Rims (15 + 17) for Summer Tires. The suspension is non-existant; I swerve to avoid any potholes XD.
My Smart is from 2013, so nearly 10 years. Great car, you always find a parking lot (cities here in Europe are a bit smaller). Oh, its a SmartED, so its electric. Had a gas Smart before, that was bad, stupid tranny, noisy engine, high consumption, expensive, slow. Too bad they stopped production and sold the company to China. So no more Smarts.
So far loving my 2010 Smart…I bought it in 2021 with 7k miles. I drove from Texas to Florida without any issue… other than it’s not too comfy to sleep in 😜…. I consistently looked down to see my speedo between 85-90mph 😳…. I read it would go 96 mph and I believe it. It definitely takes it a little time to get there but I didn’t buy it to be fast off-the-line. My mileage fluctuated between 35-40 mpg going at LEAST 80 mph the majority of the time. I plan to upgrade the front tires/wheels… that’s about it. Mine does have auto-down windows, I guess that was an option or something….
I thought these were more practical than people gave them credit for. When this car first came to the States, RV brands didn't laugh. They saw an opportunity: one class A and several fifth wheel trailer brands immediately worked on converting one model in their catalog to hold one! They even added a clever hydraulic ramp that could slide out with a remote. That way, you do NOT have to drive it in. Park it on the ramp and hit the switch. It pulls the car into the garage. Even better, the wife's purse is safe because burglars can't break into the car if she forgot and left it on the passenger seat. I lived in Switzerland for a short while and trust me, they CAN be driven on snow and ice. If they couldn't half of the city would be crippled on its morning commute! These were everywhere. Even the company my dad worked for had one for advertisement. It was a distributor of powders used to treat paint so you can easily adjust the brightness of white or gray paint. Trust me, there's a sizeable market for that.
I’m in the UK. I used to have a neighbour who had a Smart Car. So did her mother. They used to park BOTH cars in the same parking space at the same time 🤣. By the way. 0-60mph in 10 seconds is fast for a small car in the UK.
I own a 2015 and it has the auto windows. I can't put bigger tires in back with smaller in front because of the sensors and the traction control. I need to have all 4 tires the same size. I put the Daystar lift on mine so I can put 195/60r15's on all the wheels when the originals finally wear out. Mine has 165/60r15 in front (22.8") and 195/50r15 in the rear (22.7"). They put wider wheels in back with thinner ones up front by design. It's the only way I can legally drive a go cart on the street and not get in trouble.
The transmission actuators can be tweaked a bit, expensive to re-map though. They are fun to drive in town, but not so fun on bigger roads, with bigger traffic...
I sold these things New thru a Porsche dealer in Chattanooga in 2010. It was always the car that I would take to do errands in, for the dealership. They are weird and oddly fun! You always get looks especially when your 6’2” 250 and getting out of it. Lol great review!!
The best off-road rig is the ZAZ 968. Rear mounted air cooled engine with rwd setup along with suspension made for soviet rural environment means it can fly through the fields like it's nothing. It also can be fixed with hammer and string anywhere.
Brilliant video! My partner has got a convertible Smart, and what a cracking little fun run around it is for work commutes, shopping and doing upto 100 miles per run or even a bit more. They are fairly safe, well made, economical and they are a definte head turner as well! Its a proper 'girly', fun run rider car OR for maybe a guy that fancies an around town head turner. I drive a Mercedes SLK, and the Smart seems to get more attention than my car!
I believe that I've seen safety tests of this with better results than many SUVs and trucks of that time. Yet i also remember that a lot of USans at the time said that they'd not feel safe in traffic... Well, it's no bumper car, it will take damage in a crash, but chances are that you will come out of it in better condition. Anyway, time to figure out how you want to mod it, the little tikes colour scheme is a good start, then perhaps replace the motor and suspension to taste.
I bought my new in 2009 .0.8 diesel..never had any problem with it ..Now 82000 miles on clock once changed front brake pads 25£ ,thermostat 30£,gearbox oil 50£ and service (40£)every 6000 miles..still driving like new and I get 75mpg..best car I ever had ...
I own a smart car and I’m laughing at all the American fools crying about the cost to fuel their SUV Land Rover that THEY DONT EVEN NEED. 20.00 fuel lasts me 2 weeks. Your huge car is made of aluminum MY car is made of steel. Which do you think is safer in a collision. The Smart car is one of the 3 safest vehicles on the road. So go ahead and enjoy your 3 rows and 6 video screens that rarely get used.
Welcome to the addiction. I have owned 4. Let me tell you that you're going to have so much fun like you said. But wait! There's more! Put in a turbo, air intake, headers and remove the muffler and prepare yourself. But wait there's more! But some cheap beat up Hayabusa or motorcycle engine and put the tac on the glove box door and watch the magic happen. The smart comes with hill climb assist and anti roll control to help control sway in case you have to suddenly steer left or right. If you need to to do engine work then remove the right rear wheel well and the ground wire and the 2 rear frame bolts and this will drop the motor at an angle allowing you to work on it. For a full engine out it's even easier than a lot of engine outs. Approximately 30 mins or less. If you do anything to the car start with a head gasket and timing chain guides. Enjoy your smart and welcome to the community.
We had one for about 5 years. It was mainly bought to be used as car to tow behind our motorhome (RV) but also served as my wife’s car. It was great fun to drive. Reliable, economic to run and ideal for towing on a small trailer.
You need to try the smart flic. Get it to at least 45mph on a wet surface. Then jank the wheel and let it spin around its own center. The road next to the railtracks are to narrow for that i think.
@@SixOhFive I thought so too - 2 weeks ago in heavy rain and stop and go traffic, I got rear-ended by an F150. While I went sliding a bit, there wasn't any damage to the car. The Ford, though, needs a radiator and AC condenser. I'd like to keep the sample set at 1, but I feel a _little_ better lol
My understanding is that knobby tires and a lift kit is available, you can supposedly cut the body panels with a razer knife to add riveted flared fenders, etc. Kind of cool!
Bought our first pre owned smart electric in 2021. Loved it so much, we just bought a second smart electric.. this time a cabrio! Great little cars if you find one in good condition. So much fun to scoot around town and as a bonus I can fit two of these in a single garage parking spot!
So where’s the weirdo that said JR never has anything other than dudes on his channel because it seems most of this video was recorded by a lady friend.🤔
I remember when they were first imported, a local dealer had several parked in a prominent place. I stopped, out of curiosity, the price was ridiculous, $17 or 18 grand! If you live in London, Paris, Rome, NYC, it could make since, maybe? 4 grand in Kansas! Ridiculous.
I worked at the Hertz car rental place a long time ago and some people stole a couple of our cars one night by driving into the fence between the posts and the fence stretched and lifted up as they went under but man did it ever scratch those cars up. We found them all parked in a lot about a mile down the road and everything from front bumper to trunk lid including front and rear glass was scratched and gouged from the fence.
People forget that the smart was made for city driving, in traffic. I am in Canada, and never got stuck in the snow, I just drove over the snow. The fact that it can do some off reading is a bonus. People who complain about it don't get it. I miss my little car.
I drove the brabus model it was a rocket
I got two of them and love them
I've been driving mine for years now , love it to bits
MPG close to Toyota Corolla but uses expensive gas.
I miss my 2013 fortwo and my 2016 fortwo.
I'm had my Smart Car since 2008. Currently at just under 170,000 miles. You have to get used to the way the car drives. I have no trouble getting off the line or reaching the speed limit quickly. I've done up to 85 on the interstate. Solid handling. Tight turning radius. Awesome on agility courses. Fun, Fun, Fun car to drive.
Me too. I drive my old Smart 450 cdi since 2008 and with
230.000 km
First Clutch, first Turbo.
Only maintenance.
Good car 👍
I'm impressed with your 170,000 miles. Mine is a 2009 diesel and tends to give me 500 miles to a tank and about to hit 100,000 miles.
It's only got 45 BHP, takes a bit of time to get to 70 mph, it's been to 90.
I went to see my Aunt in Troon Scotland from the far south east of England on just one tank.
Has it been reliable? I am highly considering one as a work commuter
I owned one, ones that old you have to perform some maintenance on the little robot solenoid (need to be pulled, cleaned, and lubed) that puts the clutch in for you, and the robot gear switcher (some redline lube) and it will run nicely. If you don't do the maintenance you can get stuck in a gear, or stuck out of gear until you do. I recommend doing this before 100k miles. @@aeoteroa818
Mine is a 2008 that I got for $4k 8 years ago. Drive it like I stole everywhere I go. It governs at 95 mph while I'm only in 4th gear. I have 110k miles on it now and never did anything more than oil change and tires
I used mine to help a friend’s mom move into a new condo community recently - it fit in the little walking trails and the management office was fine with it. It was fun going back and forth between the housing complex and the moving truck. The tenants all seemed to love it also, everyone was coming out to look, laugh, and take pictures, which was hilarious.
What a embarrassing thing to try to make look fun
I never felt sorry for a car before until this video. "Let's do everything we are not supposed to with this car so we can mock it and laugh at it" When ev's bring down the grid you can share the blame.
What a depressing reply section lmao, i am glad you had fun!
@@EmpressEnergy101 well that so called car stunned me to do I understand not being able to make a comment
@@EmpressEnergy101 and I understand that no matter if you felt sorry for the poor do called car that you could not come up with a excuse why they were even made 🤔😂🤣😂
I drove my smart car for over 2 years, I absolutely loved it. Drove it in the city, drove it cross country in the rain and snow and it never did me wrong.
I upgraded to a Jeep last week cause I finally needed something bigger, but if I ever have the chance to get a second car it’s gonna be a smart
2 yrs? That’s nothing!
I have a mini and a Jeep, best of both worlds....I sing Alan Jackson's DRIVE song...
Hah! They're honestly neat little cars. Learn to drive the transmission - drive it in manual mode all the time - rev it a little higher than you normally would with most cars so that the revs don't fall too low after the upshift. Try rev-matching - it will let you do it on downshifts. The 2011+ ones have a much nicer suspension and all sorts of nice updates. Ultra quirky, but in a dense urban environment, they're a total blast to drive.
Clutch pedal?
But there is NO CLUTCH PEDAL, so you might say you learned to drive a manual because it says "manual mode" but you didn't. Only way to learn or drive a manual is with 3 pedals and a gear stick. Simple as that.
@@roxieloot it’s hard to explain, but there’s lots of quirky ways to drive the smart with its gearbox. Not saying it’s driving like a manual, but it has its tips and tricks. Manual mode is a great way to drive it and will give you a better chance of anticipating and initiating gear shifts instead of it “randomly” choosing when to shift.
@@roxieloot (I've driven a manual car for 19 years now) - it's still great fun being able to have anything where you can change gears as you wish, with no torque converter!
@@roxieloot It's a legitimate manual transmission, which has a motor actuating the clutch. It lets you do everything you can do with a manual car - you can rev-match while it's clutched-in for instance.
There's a guy at my parents camp ground that has a blue one that's jacked up with a/t tires. It's the best looking golf cart there. Also head light restoration test on the roof?
I had one for 7.5 years. It was very fun. Drove it cross country a couple times. Snow tires made it just fine for Minnesota in the winter. And, allowed me to park my car and motorcycle in one garage space!
So if I’m considering buying one for northern Minnesota up in Duluth, I should be fine? Lol
Comes with automatic windows; yours is broken.
Interior is optional leather. Standard was cloth.
Had option for tach and clock mounted in little pods above climate controls.
Passenger seat folds flat forward to increase hauling capacity - amazing what will fit.
Top speed governed to 150kph (93mph).
Much more compact subwoofer available; fits under passenger side of dash.
Much smoother shifting with paddles. The electric version does away with the problem by being direct - drive.
I get 39-40 mpg overall. I've seen over 50 mpg on highway trips. That being said, mileage is no great shakes. This car's best party trick is parking just about anywhere. Can't count the number of times I've parked in a space where some fool parked over the line. Also great for when you miss a turn and easily pull a u-ey. Turning radius even better in the later models.
I got up to 90 on the highway with my father-in-laws smart back in 2010 when he was just my girlfriends dad and the cop let me go cause he couldn’t believe it got that fast lol. Not a bad car for a high school kid or old guy driving back and forth to work.
I have two smarts. They are my favorite cars I've owned. I drive them everywhere. Other cars just sit. I've rallied my 08 on fire roads. All four tires off the ground slinging gravel. Many smiles. Adult gokart.
I love my smart car. Transmission complaints are unfounded, it's just a matter of learning to drive it correctly. Of course mine is the performance Brabus edition. Straight up for your f- type?
Love the Brabus smart! Absolutely a unique car.
I also have a 2015 Brabus edition . Totally agree with all of your comments. love driving my Smart. Although the Brabus isn't really a performance edition. Different body panels, muffler, and shocks.
Just joking with the performance comment as with the straight up trade.@@margaretfoote2397
I would love to compare a Brabus to just a regular fortwo....
which 451?
brabus 62/72/75 kw vs
45/52 kw or diesel 33/40 kw
My co-worker had a Smart car. He bought it for the mileage because he managed the supermarket merchandisers for Coca-Cola. He's a big guy, probably 300+ lbs, over 6 foot tall. He often took a co-worker, nearly the same size of a guy with him to do store runs. Was funny to see 2 beefy guys climb out of a tiny Smart car. I told him it looked like one of those Little Tikes cars you buy for your kid. Even cooler, we had a covered roof area made strictly for motorcycle parking. The door barely would fit a Harley Trike. Once during a hailstorm, he pulled into the enclosed area and turned the car around, with no problem. You can park 2 of them in any parking space.
Growing up al the muscle cars had big and little tires. I agree that those squatted trucks are just stupid. If you cant see the road, you shouldn't be driving the vehicle. Might as well do a Ricky Bobby and put a big logo across the windshield.
Very inconvenient but I do love fig newtons
Thx for info
I love my Smartie, I've had him since 2009 and have never had any issues and it zips on the highway with no problem. Totally fun to drive.
These are very underrated cars! Especially the newest/last generation of them. They are fun to drive, and are meant for city driving. If you live close to work and just need your own car for the short commute, they are perfect, and that's all they were meant for, although they are still capable beyond that
not only city but here in Germany, including myself are often in the left lane on the Autobahn. if you are familiar with road rules here, youll know what that indicates
I live 10 minutes away from my work. I have a 2017 fortwo. It's so fun to drive. The turning radius blew my mind when I first test drove it.
My smart car was also great on ice & snow, as well. Loved that car . . . My wife didn’t like her internal organs shifting when we hit bumps (those front tires are rock hard).
I'm not surprised. I lived in Switzerland for three months. Those things drove everywhere in the snow with NO issues. On the OTHER hand, it ain't easy trying to control an Audi A6 even though it had AWD. The engine had just a bit too much hp. I was forced to use the manual gate on the shifter all the time or the wheels would just spin around.
I regularly get 35mpg around town 60 on a run . Mine is the 84 BHP turbo 2012. Gear shifting is good . 0 to 90 mph around 13 seconds. It’s not slow . I’ve been driving for 42 years now , this car is definitely a keeper.
Love the "Sequential manual" shifts, nudging up and down (without a foot clutch, takes a leap of faith first time!)
JUNK
@@Gzluweez It's heavy for it's apparent size. and adequately powered ( 3 banger)
You also didn't mention you have to put premium more expensive gas on it
@@Gzluweez, 1) its height in relation to its length gives it a pretty poor drag coefficient.
2) Its weight advantage compared to other small cars, for example the first-generation Toyota Yaris is insignificant, but it only has two seats as opposed to a rear bench and all the material necessary to fit that in, so where does that weight come from!? It was used to make the car more rigid and stable. It's the one small car in which they didn't have to cut down on materials to lighten the load for the engine, because the capability of the engine to move that weight was already known, so they had a lot of room to play with to make it more stable in cross winds. It's not completely stable, btw, but still better than a Jeep Wrangler, for instance, and probably at higher speed too.
3) I may not be up to date with this, but last time I checked, which was about 10 years ago just after I'd bought mine, most small cars came with 13" rims and tyres in 155 or 165 width. The smart's rims are 15" and the tyres 175 wide in front and 195 in the rear, creating lots of extra rolling resistance.
I probably wouldn't have bought a smart for its fuel-saving capabilities if I had a regular medium-sized car, but I still think it's the best fuel-saving mod I ever got for my Jeep! 😉😏
Also, that Smart needs a turbo Hayabusa engine... It's been done, i know, but it's just hilarious seeing a Smart car with like 400 hp that screams like a banshee =)
100%. I’d love to see that series, especially if he can get the A.C. to work!
This is the only comment needed for this video,100%agree
A friend of mine bought one for 300 with a broken engine and its in the process to swap a 3 cyl from a 2018 mirage that his daughter totalled he plans to put some rods in the engine to turbo it,manual trans of course
@@perioquido the Mirage 3 cyl is so terrible. Should have sourced a 1.0 Turbo from a wrecked Ford. Those Mitsubishi engines are so weak.
For sure. It would definitely make it reliable also. 👍
Up by the front windshield it looks like the Tridian safety cell was compromised and that's why they totaled it. The car used to be safe now if you get in a standard wreck no guarantees that the cell won't crumple and kill the passengers inside. If you ever purchase one of these and see a dent, crease. scratch, etc. (I have seen one being sold at a used dealer that was compromised believe it or not) in the safety cell areas, walk away because it is not worth your life or the life of someone else! Open the doors during a purchase and check everywhere before buying that the cell is properly intact.
Other than that, I absolutely love my 2013 facelift Passion paddle shifting version!
You truly have to understand a smart to truly enjoy it in full. When it was built, it wasn't built for crazy stuff. It always had a unique market focused on the city life. For the era these were designed (late 90's) the fuel economy was impressive. The transmission is one thing everyone complains about. The transmission is a "smart" transmission and re-learns to your driving style. In manual mode (and yes it is technically a manual transmission with an automatic clutch) hence why the shifts are always so delayed. The reliability on these is actually quite good for being a Mercedes product. The one downfall was that you would have to run premium all the time, or your power would tank. I am happy to say I've owned two and have always wanted another. Everyone likes to rip on these, but for what it is, it is quite good.
"The transmission is a "smart" transmission and re-learns to your driving style."
That could explain the differences, I have a light right foot, sometimes...
Love the "Sequential manual" shifts, nudging up and down (without a foot clutch, takes a leap of faith first time!)
@@ev-1832 yes! That could definitely explain it. According to service manual, you can “reset” to factory by undoing the battery for 15 minutes. At this point, after re hooking the battery, the car will adjust to your drive cycles after a while. As always, manual mode is so much easier for me, but to each their own.
Finally a Smart Car !!! Love this things, I have 45 HP Diesel Smart with 150,000 miles, still running great !
i used to work at a lumber yard and a guy came in in a smart fortwo...i shit you not, i loaded an 8' 2x4 into that thing. diagonally from the top left corner of the hatch, to the bottom right corner of the passenger floor...and it fit with the hatch closed! i couldn't believe it.
People initially think the car is so small that there must be no room inside, but just the opposite, it has a ton of room inside! You can stretch your legs out and I never ran out of room to hold all my groceries. I should know because I owned "three" of them! They are actually easier then you think to work on as well. At this time I don't have a Smart car, but I will get another one, they really are a blast! I'm going to research the electric version before I purchase my next one.
The inside is much bigger than it looks. My 6' 6" brother in law has plenty of room in it.
I would really like another one someday 👍
I've seen pictures of a number of Class A motor homes that have a platform on the back...with a Smart Car on it that they haul around to drive while their RV is parked! A friend of mine has an electric version that he likes for driving around town.
I've seen that a couple times in the last couple years. It's always funny to see a huge motorhome...with a teeny smart car behind it.
Nomadic Fanatic tows one on his RUclips channel
I daily drive a 2009 convertible Smart. It is fun. Great gas mileage. Very nimble and great for city parking.
I love how in some cities in Europe, it was legal to park two of them in one spot! And yes, the owners took advantage of that all the time. Sadly, they do NOT give you a discount on the parking ticket in public garages. You still pay the full price even if another Smart owner asks you to move over so he/she can park!
The approach and departure angles are fantastic, no wonder I see so many jacked up on super swampers.
I loved mine. I miss it ; it gave its life and saved mine *and* killed the SUV that ran a redlight. I would have bought another if it had continued in production.
I've had 2 of them. The first one I gave to my granddaughter after I hit 89000 miles on it. Actually made two round trips from Charleston SC to Salt Lake City. It was a gas model. I now have a 2015 Smart EV that just went over 30,000 for around town driving. Best car for that i've ever had.
I’m only at 0:24 so just started but I just wanna say the Smart is actually awesome, and despite being so small has a brilliant crash structure. People who judge it poorly are forgetting what it was designed for. It’s a city car that CAN leave the city. This and Fiat 500 are brilliant cars, as is the mini (new and old). When I lived in France we had a John cooper Works Mini convertible. The first one was auto (actually the 1st might have been a normal one), but we upgraded to a JCW manual and it was awesome and so fun to drive, especially through the tunnels in and around Paris. Even THAT tunnel.
I remember when these first came out! Was immediately disappointed when I learned the diesels weren't available in the US. Would have been awesome to have such a quirky car run off of used vegetable oil.
Didn't know they were so capable of off-roading, though. Wouldn't mind one of these for the zombie apocalypse!
They're awesome with fuel economy. They consume like 2-3L/100km.
The front lower panel was ripped off!
The Zs would outrun you
@@kendallsmith1458 Yeah, if you’re being stupid about it. It’s obviously not going to climb 40+ percent grades or over rocky terrain, but what normal road car can? In a SHTF scenario where I’m trying to get out of the city, I’d rather have the Smart over a normal road car that would get stuck in congested/blocked off city streets. At least the Smart can drive over curbs and through ditches, sidewalks and alleyways.
EV sounds way to go
I had a 2008 and was one of the first hundred to own .. it was a very early one Had No A/C
I added a K/N air filter modified the air box , got rid of the “drone air muffler between filter and throttle body.
Made a Huge difference… good luck Ron Ps mine was exactly same color I called it my baby shamu
Great video! One of the best observations is that YES, hail storms in the smart are scary. It sounds like the sky is falling in on you. But worth having the huge panoramic moon roof.
A car doesn't have to be big and fast to be fun. The most fun car I ever owned was a '83 Honda Civic hatchback with a 4 speed manual. Kept blowing head gaskets but I miss that car.
The modern day version of the BMW Isetta. These Smart cars were wildly popular in European big cities where parking is an issue, because you can straight-in park them to the curb.
I have a 1016 Smart ForTwo.
Once you get it on the freeway, it goes 80 without you even knowing it... passing trucks on hills up or down..
I get about 425 miles per tank.
I bought it used for $6500. Sale value today at Carmax, around $11,000, same condition.
You didn't mention, the gas gauge icon is on the left of the instrument panel, but the gas tank door is on the right.
Under the dash is a cigarette lighter plug. With an adapter, you can charge your phone, etc.
The rear view mirror is a problem for me. Too big and too low. Blocks sight when looking to the right, especially on hills.
There is a USP port and another plug for media In the GLOVE COMPARTMENT (very dangerous, can't see it from the drivers seat/fumbling...)
I love it aside from those 2 things.
I'd say 9 times out of 10, someone either points at my car going by, or have to talk to me about it in a parking lot when I am out.
Excited to see content on this! I had a blue convertible and daily drove it for a while and enjoyed it most of the time. Fun to scoot around town or back and forth to work but not the most comfortable to drive long distances.
I would rather be in a go cart
My husband & I have 2. A 2009 & a 2011. We travel all over in one or the other. Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin, and many more states. We travel in all weather, we live in Indiana and yes we drive in the ice and snow with no problem.
We have even slept all night in our Smart. Not bad actually
@@kevinanderson686 why? go karts arent as roomy and arent enclosed..
@@waheeddoesstuff Cause if you're in an accident chances are it would take you out being so enclosed. To each their own just would be easy to be trapped in the wrong case
There are a few things you can do to get better gear changes, learn to how to use the accelerator between gear shifts, gearbox/clutch reteach, if that doesn’t satisfy you try a Re-map
I see u jr.. sneaking in the lady friend in the smart car. Smart guy right there lol
Was just going to say something.
Brake job mom is back!
I had a 2009 Smart Passion it was great! I loved the car no issues handled perfectly. The problem was when it needed a repair no mechanic would touch the car. I brought car to dealership. I was told I needed a $2000. Plan to get smart fixed. I got rid of the car. These cars are great vehicles the people can not rip you off enough to make a profit that's the real problem. These cars handle real well. The mechanics can't rip you off. Please sell this car with a handbook how to repair and a mail order to purchase parts. This is the peoples car. Very economical sturdy and safe. Greedy people are the problem.
It seems like something neat to have in a city where parking is a premium like NYC, and I see these and Fiats so often here. Personally, I always preferred the Scion IQ In terms of looks, with supposedly nearly similar millage, not to mention more cargo space as well as enough room for a third passenger. Unfortunately their used prices are ridiculous (twice or 3x a Smart) even though they've been out of production almost 9 years.
Not to mention a scion has Toyota reliability vs this or a fiat.
I've had both a 2012 iQ (company car) and a 2012 fortwo (mine). The iQ had better fuel economy and a much tighter turning circle. The fortwo is more practical by a long-shot. It's tallness makes it have a lot of cargo capacity and it's honestly a ton more fun to drive than the iQ.
Why does a different size car affect parking costs?
@@ev-1832 not cost, availability. small stuff fits where big stuff cant
Would it fit in an elevator and though your door safer than street, careless drivers or thieves
In the UK we have a tacho and clock in pods above the centre console. For some reason the tacho is the furthest from the driver, but you can swap them around.
The smart can be very fun in twisty roads. I have a 2013 with wider stock wheels, center exit exhaust, silicone intake tube and ultragauge II for important info.
I have to disagree with you on that. Twisty roads are scary! I had wear on my tires on my smart and it engages automatic braking which is scary asf. It almost throws you off the road
@@ffhjvbuydb78eb I’ve never had that issue. I’ve gone through switchbacks at 30-40mph. It kicks the back out a bit before traction control kicks in but never anything that bad.
@@JLinder1379 mind has autobraking pretty sure and i went 35 around some corners and it brakes but only the front and its SCARY. if you have good tires on the front it doesnt do it then.
10:12 You can get a tach if you get the accessory gauges that mount in the middle-aft of dash, behind the AC controls. Max RPM when parked is 3500. Max RPM when in gear is 6500. You could get an android head unit (if not one already), install the Torque app, and then a bluetooth OBDII reader. The only problem with the accessory gauges it that one of them is another clock. I didn't see any other videos for your smart but I hope you're still enjoying it.
The approach, departure and breakover angles make the smart great offroad, thanks to that short length and wheelbase
The few SMART cars I've seen in the US all have "balloon" tires and a modded suspension. I would love to see the looks on the German and Swiss engineer's faces when they see people here trying to off road them. 😁😁 These are NOT helpless on the streets. In winter, these were everywhere on the streets of Switzerland. Never saw one get stuck either.
It's just like how people make fun of my Nissan Cube, but I never get stuck in snow and I live in northern Minnesota
The problem in the USA was they cost too much compared to a 4 door sedan that got the same mpg.
I have own one for 5 years now and I love it great in snow with proper tread and a lil more weight added in hatch if you take care of it properly never had any problems I will buy another one when this one stops running if it ever will lol
I don't know how this channel doesn't have more subscribers. Great content.
I love my Smartee car...tow it behind the RV. Great little rig for doing errands. You soon learn how to handle the rather horrendous transmission!
I was going to trade my old metro for one of these but the mileage was nowhere near to compatible at 48mpg on the metro.
I know, I had the OG Metro called the Sprint and I got the full rated 60 mpg. For the first 50k, then the mileage went to exactly zero mpg because it was completely done.
I had a 2 door, a 4 door, and a convertible metro. Amazing on gas. They should build it currently. I would buy them.
Hilarious video. Sorry to hear about the High School Camero going away. Few can say they still have their 1st car (when car was desirable). But I admire the decision to sell & not be attached to things! Wish i had the same trait.
I was always impressed with how terribly in-efficient they managed to make these. 38 mpg highway was definitely not worth the ridiculous look.
There's a tradeoff somewhere with engine displacement and car size. A modern civic got better gas mileage than a Fit for example, the only draw for the very small cars had to be price.
Yes. It was ridiculous. A 15-year-old Honda Fit can do as well and it's a real car. German engineering at its finest
@TheMrSnyder first generation Honda fit didn't have any of those things either
Ain't that the truth. When I was 17 Ford made a little hatchback called the Fiesta and they were peppy and fun to drive and got around 42 mpg in real-life driving. Of course that was before the world went insane.
Always figured these things should get 60 mpg. Friend of mine has one and claims it gets 50 mpg………but he lies.😔
I absolutely love this little car despite how much people make fun of them!!! Kudos :)-
I have to ask.... Will we see the Car Crusher crush and cube a load of metal from start to finish?
I know a little old lady that drives and loves her little Smart car. And she loves to talk about it.
Try pulling your clutch actuator out it's the 3 bolts right under your car or find the sweet slot of where your plot chicks will help it shift a little better unless you have a star system or a scanner to do it Also putting your are key accessories on and holding those 2 buttons Down on your - at exactly the same the same time and the middle triangle will Flash it will turn your track you can throw off let your wheel wheel spin a little bit or you can pull the abs Fuse
Oh, that's why it squeals... even with a passenger.
Engine in the back over the drive wheels is the old proven Wolksvagen Beatle concept. Worked well then and still works apparently. I rented one of theese baby cars on a holdiday trip to Crete. Lots of fun driving on the small narrow mountain roads. Not so fun on the highway but it kept up almost. Fun car I could have one.😎
I will NEVER offroad my 2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus Coupe (purchased it used 2 months ago). I would bathe in my tears if I do that. Enjoying every moment of it so far!
Love the Brabus smarts! The wheels really make it work!
@@kelvinstokes996 Actually, it came with the Genius Darwin Rims when I bought it. However, the Contiprocontact tires on them makes it very fuel efficient (45 mpg Hwy) and handling is very good. But I will intend to buy the Brabus Rims (15 + 17) for Summer Tires. The suspension is non-existant; I swerve to avoid any potholes XD.
My Smart is from 2013, so nearly 10 years. Great car, you always find a parking lot (cities here in Europe are a bit smaller). Oh, its a SmartED, so its electric. Had a gas Smart before, that was bad, stupid tranny, noisy engine, high consumption, expensive, slow. Too bad they stopped production and sold the company to China. So no more Smarts.
So far loving my 2010 Smart…I bought it in 2021 with 7k miles. I drove from Texas to Florida without any issue… other than it’s not too comfy to sleep in 😜…. I consistently looked down to see my speedo between 85-90mph 😳…. I read it would go 96 mph and I believe it. It definitely takes it a little time to get there but I didn’t buy it to be fast off-the-line. My mileage fluctuated between 35-40 mpg going at LEAST 80 mph the majority of the time. I plan to upgrade the front tires/wheels… that’s about it. Mine does have auto-down windows, I guess that was an option or something….
I drove mine from Florida up to NYC, then into Canada in the winter. No problems in the snow . Great little cars
True live in England great little car performs on motorways in UK or highways in the US so well. When you are at wheel of car feels like any other car
I never took Smart Cars seriously in the past, but this video changed my perspective on them. I like them now!
I thought these were more practical than people gave them credit for. When this car first came to the States, RV brands didn't laugh. They saw an opportunity: one class A and several fifth wheel trailer brands immediately worked on converting one model in their catalog to hold one! They even added a clever hydraulic ramp that could slide out with a remote. That way, you do NOT have to drive it in. Park it on the ramp and hit the switch. It pulls the car into the garage. Even better, the wife's purse is safe because burglars can't break into the car if she forgot and left it on the passenger seat. I lived in Switzerland for a short while and trust me, they CAN be driven on snow and ice. If they couldn't half of the city would be crippled on its morning commute! These were everywhere. Even the company my dad worked for had one for advertisement. It was a distributor of powders used to treat paint so you can easily adjust the brightness of white or gray paint. Trust me, there's a sizeable market for that.
I’m in the UK. I used to have a neighbour who had a Smart Car. So did her mother. They used to park BOTH cars in the same parking space at the same time 🤣. By the way. 0-60mph in 10 seconds is fast for a small car in the UK.
Thats so crazy to see my old car living the life it deserved! lol
I own a 2015 and it has the auto windows. I can't put bigger tires in back with smaller in front because of the sensors and the traction control. I need to have all 4 tires the same size. I put the Daystar lift on mine so I can put 195/60r15's on all the wheels when the originals finally wear out. Mine has 165/60r15 in front (22.8") and 195/50r15 in the rear (22.7"). They put wider wheels in back with thinner ones up front by design. It's the only way I can legally drive a go cart on the street and not get in trouble.
Do the little tikes wrap on it, I love it when smart cars do that.
I've seen some "Zebra stripes" and a "black and white cow", as well as some lurid ones.
The transmission actuators can be tweaked a bit, expensive to re-map though.
They are fun to drive in town, but not so fun on bigger roads, with bigger traffic...
1st guy in history to trade a Camaro for a Smart car.
I sold these things New thru a Porsche dealer in Chattanooga in 2010. It was always the car that I would take to do errands in, for the dealership. They are weird and oddly fun! You always get looks especially when your 6’2” 250 and getting out of it. Lol great review!!
The best off-road rig is the ZAZ 968. Rear mounted air cooled engine with rwd setup along with suspension made for soviet rural environment means it can fly through the fields like it's nothing.
It also can be fixed with hammer and string anywhere.
It was designed based on Porsche ideas.
@@johnkelly6888 Do Porsches have an ice fishing hatch? didn't think so :)
@@dgurevich1 what model are we talking about? Back in the sixties all had multiple openings in all directions.
10:20 My mom’s 2008 Fortwo has a engine temp meter
A fun car to own. I enjoyed mine. The convertible is way fun.
Brilliant video! My partner has got a convertible Smart, and what a cracking little fun run around it is for work commutes, shopping and doing upto 100 miles per run or even a bit more. They are fairly safe, well made, economical and they are a definte head turner as well! Its a proper 'girly', fun run rider car OR for maybe a guy that fancies an around town head turner. I drive a Mercedes SLK, and the Smart seems to get more attention than my car!
those light up valve caps are killin me!! LOL
I use to this on some Colorado mountain roads with my 88 Honda Crx. Honda off-roading was so much fun.
When you buy a SMART car, you’re not supposed to do DUMB things with it. Leave that to Tyler. 😂
I believe that I've seen safety tests of this with better results than many SUVs and trucks of that time. Yet i also remember that a lot of USans at the time said that they'd not feel safe in traffic...
Well, it's no bumper car, it will take damage in a crash, but chances are that you will come out of it in better condition.
Anyway, time to figure out how you want to mod it, the little tikes colour scheme is a good start, then perhaps replace the motor and suspension to taste.
LIFT THE SMART! EPIC PROJECT 🚗
Can the detail crew practice polishing the roof?
It's just like headlight restoration, just bigger 🤷♂️
I bought my new in 2009 .0.8 diesel..never had any problem with it ..Now 82000 miles on clock once changed front brake pads 25£ ,thermostat 30£,gearbox oil 50£ and service (40£)every 6000 miles..still driving like new and I get 75mpg..best car I ever had ...
Please do a lift kit on it and video the process!!!
I own a smart car and I’m laughing at all the American fools crying about the cost to fuel their SUV Land Rover that THEY DONT EVEN NEED. 20.00 fuel lasts me 2 weeks. Your huge car is made of aluminum MY car is made of steel. Which do you think is safer in a collision. The Smart car is one of the 3 safest vehicles on the road. So go ahead and enjoy your 3 rows and 6 video screens that rarely get used.
Welcome to the addiction. I have owned 4. Let me tell you that you're going to have so much fun like you said. But wait! There's more! Put in a turbo, air intake, headers and remove the muffler and prepare yourself. But wait there's more! But some cheap beat up Hayabusa or motorcycle engine and put the tac on the glove box door and watch the magic happen. The smart comes with hill climb assist and anti roll control to help control sway in case you have to suddenly steer left or right. If you need to to do engine work then remove the right rear wheel well and the ground wire and the 2 rear frame bolts and this will drop the motor at an angle allowing you to work on it. For a full engine out it's even easier than a lot of engine outs. Approximately 30 mins or less. If you do anything to the car start with a head gasket and timing chain guides. Enjoy your smart and welcome to the community.
We had one for about 5 years. It was mainly bought to be used as car to tow behind our motorhome (RV) but also served as my wife’s car. It was great fun to drive. Reliable, economic to run and ideal for towing on a small trailer.
“It’s actually pretty good at off-roading! That was like a…” _looks at watch_ “… 3 foot rise!”
0-60 = “eventually”
You need to try the smart flic.
Get it to at least 45mph on a wet surface. Then jank the wheel and let it spin around its own center. The road next to the railtracks are to narrow for that i think.
Did this today
I have the 2015 electric smart. A lot quicker and a lot of fun too!
The fortwo ED is a blast to drive! Much quicker and noticeable less "crashy" on the road due to its extra weight!
I have a company Smart Car, the same one as in this video. And I love it. The transmission is ridiculous, as is how genuinely quick it is.
Until you get slammed by a drunk in a bmw
@@SixOhFive I thought so too - 2 weeks ago in heavy rain and stop and go traffic, I got rear-ended by an F150. While I went sliding a bit, there wasn't any damage to the car. The Ford, though, needs a radiator and AC condenser. I'd like to keep the sample set at 1, but I feel a _little_ better lol
These cars have saved my wife’s life twice… we’ve owned 7 of them since 2008.
What?!
Are they disposable? 😝
Why so many? Not a sign-of being a good car. Ive owned same car 8 years, many more to come.
Dam your wife horrible driver
My understanding is that knobby tires and a lift kit is available, you can supposedly cut the body panels with a razer knife to add riveted flared fenders, etc. Kind of cool!
Hayabusa swap!!!!!
Wrap the bottom in red, the top in yellow then snag some Little Tikes stickers from eBay then it will be complete.
Bought our first pre owned smart electric in 2021. Loved it so much, we just bought a second smart electric.. this time a cabrio! Great little cars if you find one in good condition. So much fun to scoot around town and as a bonus I can fit two of these in a single garage parking spot!
I've NEVER seen a roller skate off-road like that!
edit: even funnier that the speedometer is actually in kilometers per hour.. haha
The car is not made for the US, that’s why it is in the metric system which is the one used all over the world.
@@carlosmatamoros4250 no i was joking about that, it's Mph, when it showed him going 60, joke
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
Good demo of JR's sales ability here. I spent years disliking these sorry cars. Now, after watching JR's sales pitch, I want to buy one as a project!
So where’s the weirdo that said JR never has anything other than dudes on his channel because it seems most of this video was recorded by a lady friend.🤔
I owned 2 of these cars but convertibles! Both Awesome Cars!! I miss both
Making money is an action. Keeping money is behavior. Growing money is knowledge
The variety of cars you have is why I keep tuning in JR. This one is a keeper, though the Atom is also one..
Rented one in Hawaii 15 years ago. Convertible. Thing was a blast lol
I remember when they were first imported, a local dealer had several parked in a prominent place. I stopped, out of curiosity, the price was ridiculous, $17 or 18 grand! If you live in London, Paris, Rome, NYC, it could make since, maybe? 4 grand in Kansas! Ridiculous.
I worked at the Hertz car rental place a long time ago and some people stole a couple of our cars one night by driving into the fence between the posts and the fence stretched and lifted up as they went under but man did it ever scratch those cars up. We found them all parked in a lot about a mile down the road and everything from front bumper to trunk lid including front and rear glass was scratched and gouged from the fence.
Repairs should have been easy as most of the body panels could pop off and be replaced.