I’ve owned 2 Smarts and tried to do all maintenance and repairs myself. If you take one to a garage make absolutely certain that they know Smarts. Those issues with the air lock are very easy to avoid by following the well documented procedure. Also, the auto mode is kind of a waste of time, use manual shifts and it’s a lot better. Remove and re-grease the supposedly sealed but not sealed electric clutch actuator, or replace it with a faster updated one. Also, be extremely extremely careful to never overfill the oil. So many issues with these are caused my well meaning mechanics who just don’t know how to treat them. Ignore rumors of the suprex engine being weak, with attention to oil levels and as you have the oil cooler there is no reason for the engine to fail prematurely. Of course, as a used car, unless bought from a enthusiast you have no idea of how it’s been used or maintained in the past.. a service book full of oil changes is not much help. Great cars when you understand them. Keep it indoors in the rain though as no matter how hard you try, it will suffer water ingress and it can cause a lot of damage.
I have Brabus 450 remapped to around 120 hp. It surprises many people off the lights. Just keep an eye on the oil levels and make sure to grease the clutch actuator. There is a temperature sensor on the top of the engine, you can remove to bleed the coolant. The timing chains do stretch but are easy to change as a complete kit. Also, consider changing the sump pan. As new, they came with no drain plug. They are definitely going up in value, so hold onto it for a little while.
I had one of these from new, I got the 120 remap and it was plenty quick off the mark. It could defy physics around corners with that ESP and super rigid chassis. Most focussed cornering I've ever known - although if it ever truly let go, I knew I was straight into a hedge. Loads of fun! Apart from the absolutely, utterly, shockingly shit gearbox that ruins the whole package. Just imagine how good it would be with a proper manual box and an engine without so much turbo lag. I'd still own it now. Edit. I'd absoluteley love one of the BEC conversions.
i’m thinking of buying one that needs nothing for 5500$ it’s the convertible tho I can’t seem to find the coupe it’s not the brabus tho My thought was too fully swap the 451 engine and gearbox into this
I thought this was my old Roadster, KU55KCV! They are a big ballache to fix when they go wrong - I had to trace a fault and had to strip the ENTIRE car (body panels, interior, engine) to fix a wiring loom fault. It took 12+ hour three days over Christmas a couple of years ago! I would have another one with a fault cheap as I just know everything about them completely now! Nobody is surprised by how fast they are (they are not fast whatever remap they have had), but they handle well.
I've owned my roadster for 7 years now. Great fun and don't know what I'd swap it for. With a bit of practice you can remove the rear end bodywork in around 15 minutes and drop the engine within about another 30. Well work it to actually save time trying to reach hard to get to parts. Also u can get service bolts that allow u to drop the engine about 2 inches without removing anything but the 4 subframe bolts. You'd be surprised how much this helps when working on them. Hope this info helps someone. If u own / buy one there where only about 1500 registered for road tax last year so you have something that's very rare.
Agreed for the rear bodywork, but do you have a trick for the plastic rivets ? They are the longer to get off... I also didn't put back the screws under the windows of my coupe,saves a lot of time.
@@TheThunderwars Do you mean the metal clips that hold the body parts together? If so they slide off, don't try to pull them off. If it's the white and yellow clips, they are often over tightened, they just hold the parts in place. You can very easily strip the threads, if so you can only break them off and replace them. Mercedes Newcastle have a eBay page, they have all these bit's, and are often cheaper than 2nd hand ones. If it's the wheel arch liner ones you mean, them WD40, leave for 5 minutes then use a big flat head screw driver to get them started, finally the cutter side of some plyers (with no pressure) as a leaver to pull them the rest of the way. Again Mercedes Newcastle have the correct replacement ones if you need. If it's something else, let me know. I have the roadster, not the coupe so don't know how to deal with the windows. Hope all this helps.
@@Dan-zw6mo I'm just talking about the small plastic rivets that you push in then you push an additional small cylinder in to expand them on the other side :) I usually leave them off when troubleshooting so that everything else comes off easily. When it comes to the coupe, there are three screws under each window that hold the rear bodywork, but you can just not put them back so as to not have to take out the windows every time (they have fragile fixations). Thank you ;)
Forgot to mention, the body can be lifted approx. 30mm off the engine subframe without taking any parts off (it's how merc. designed them). 1st 'crack off' the sub frame bolts, support the front section of the sub frame (right underneath the car). Undo the subframe bolts and remove them. Use the rear jacking points to lift the rest of the car off the sub frame. Use this method at your own risk! If you want to do it the official way, get a set of service bolts from Merc, replace each bolt in tern and replace with service bolt. You can then lift the rest of the car off the sub frame knowing you won't lift it to far. Again, Use this method at your own risk! The sub frame has locators, so is easer than you might think to secure again.
I had a Smart Roadster back in 2006, when they were fairly new. Fun little car, but so many inherent faults made ownership not fun. Leaks were the main issue, front scuttle, roof, doors, you name it, they leaked water in. Mine was a standard Roadster, but with a remap it was at 120bhp which made a huge difference, also the gearbox was remapped which improved things too. Great fun to drive, but the reliability issues at the time were off putting.
They are great fun, but the electrics are very susceptible to water damage and very expensive to mend., and as you say, they leak like a sieve. Mine spends far more time off the roads than on it.
If you end up keeping it long term, get another set of roadster(15 or 16 inch) alloys. The brabus monoblock 17 inch alloys are known to bend on potholes. Check the tyre pressure regularly (it's 2 bar). Id not bother with the side skirts. Look good but catch / scrape everything. Many of the fixing points are destroyed. They're great fun but do break a lot. Drop the undertrays and check the break lines for unsighted rust (you can pop a line). The wiper bucket can leak as it has a compressed foam gasket that wasn't put on very well. Most reseal the bucket with tigerseal (or similar). Why do this?? The wiper tray is above the Sam unit. Leak here drops water onto the cars electronics - not good but unfortunately common. Having said that they're great fun. So much so I've got a coupe and notch back roadsters 😅
Really good to see users of Smart cars chipping in with very good advice about them. Helps make the Internet worthwhile despite the Trolls. Well done. 👍
@1:40 It is a highend tuner. They still improve the Smart lineup for Smart but the new Renault Twingo GT is basically identical to the Brabus Smart fortwo but cheaper.
You buy some interesting motors Mr Chops, one look at that little pocket rocket you can tell it would go round corners like it was on rails. Can't understand why anyone would prefer the auto change to manual, all part of the driving experience!😁
Great review! Even when you start thinking to sell it if you make one more ride you will change your mind. I love mine and made dedicated YT Channel with a lot of tutorials for the Roadster maintanance.
Love these. I always thought that with a better gearbox (manual) these would have been a perfect modern MG Midget. At under £6k that seems like a steal!
Hi Chops. Great video on the Roadster. Glad you are enjoying it! I have a Roadster Brabus Exculsive Coupe, so can attest to the journey you are on! Great fun for not much money, and at a speed that keeps your licence. The temperature your getting seems normal now. Mine runs at 70 on the move. Will quickly creep up in traffic. One other change for the Brabus was a larger TIK pipe to give more air to the turbo. How is yours doing for leaks? The door seals are the main issue and cause all sorts of fun with the SAM unit. Also try to keep away from potholes or manhole covers - the monoblock wheels buckle very easily. Two things are bugging me about yours - the bonnet badge is missing and the roof bars are black rather than silver. Apart from that, what a beastie! Loving the mix of cars on the channel. However I'm getting worried with the number of cars in the Chops fleet!
Great video Mr. Chops!!! My son had the normal roadster - really enjoyed it at first, but then got fed up of many intermittent electrical problems, water leaks, faulty micro switches, the "wet" ecu, etc. But glad to see you having fun Mr. Chops!
Great video as always mate, i love them little cars iv always wanted one, but there was always out of my price range. I was surprised to see you fit in the car 🎉
Be careful when you wash it. The ecu (SAM) is under the dash and water gets in through the windscreen drains even when new. a wet SAM causes all sorts of problems 😂. I dont take mine out in the rain 😭
@@ChopsGarage there's a good article on the Evilution web site about it. It can be improved but the design is flawed. Mercedes lost money on every sale because of warranty claims when new. Best buy a warranty for it when you sell 😭. Best think of it as a pet rather than a car - that way you dont feel so bad about spending on it 😀
I was looking at a few Smart Brabus a while ago and saw yours. What put me off was the gap between the bonnet and the body. I have a Roadster and I know that it shouldn't be that large. I think that people will think "accident damage" as it certainly put me off. This may not be the case but I think I would look into why there is that gap between the bonnet and frame. P.S. I am a subscriber so I know you are an honest trader.
If you want to improve the speed of the down change when in manual mode blip the throttle just after you flip the paddle down. The timing is like saying flip and blip at a normal speaking speed. I have owned a ForTwo and a roadster and now have a Brabus ForTwo which I am going to keep. It’s already doubled in value since I bought it. The roadster with out pace a Focus ST in the wet on a windy road.
Having owned one of these they are great fun when they work, water ingress and electrical problems were a real problem though, ecu, dash pods, earth leads failing are all common..probably abit too fragile for British roads and weather but really good fun as a toy...best to keep garaged.
Friend had a standard roadster and that was fun. Gear changes were harsh as well when booting it. Normal steady speeds and it was smooth. Great fun car though. Future classic id say
I had the Coupé version of the Brabus. The charge cooler constantly lost its fluid - I could never find the leak. The doors would freeze either open or closed in winter. The leaks from the rear of the roof on the passenger side was epic and yet, it was the best fun I ever had. The first car I ever felt completely confident overtaking on a country lane in. If I went round a corner near a Police car - even at only 25-30mph I'd be pulled over and accused of speeding. The stops where the Police are blagging you rather than one where they have technology. Eventually I bought into a cruise control update then set the limiter to 28 before I went into a town centre. When the Police stopped me I'd leave the engine running and force them to look at it. Finally, mine also seized its alternator - and the gear actuator started playing up. Getting hold of parts started to get really difficult when Mercedes stopped supplying them. I gave up on it and sold it for a song when things started breaking and I was constantly needing to take it off the road - it was my daily driver. The guy I bought it from had had to completely dismantle the front of it and replace the SAM computer. On the right-hand drive versions, rain from the windscreen can end up pouring through the computer in the driver's footwell. It's to do with the RHD windscreen wiper set up. All in all, I loved it and hated it in equal proportions. I bought mine for £5,400 in 2013 - it was an 05 plate. Bloody massive steering wheel!!!
Cheap and Brabus only go together when the word trouble can join in. It's not just about power to weight, that only helps accelaration, for out right speed Colin Chapman from Lotus always said "Add lightness", then you can brake later, which means faster overall. Low end torque also helps with getting away :)
Not many people also know that the Smart for four is virtually the same basic car as the Renault Twingo mark 4. My daughter has a Twingo but N/A , but it's also available with the 897cc three cylinder turbo like the Later Clios. It's also rear engined like the Smart you have..
Had a Mark4 Twingo GT (110 HP) for four years before trading it in last year for 75% of what I paid for it. Great car with similar 0-60 acceleration to the 205 GTi I ran back in the late 80s and better overtaking.
The engine note and performance are very similar to the 110 HP 900cc Mk 4 Renault Twingo GT that I owned for 4 years and traded in for 75% of what I paid when new. (also made in Mercedes factory) That Brabus is a belter of a small sporty car.
We’ve had two Smart cars. I used to yearn after a Brabus Roadster. We now have a last gen pre electric 2016 (64) petrol Fortwo, non Brabus, but turbo. 90bhp, 99mph allegedly! I think it’s a better car. It cruises happily on the motorway at 80+ The Brabus Roadsters were known for leaking like sieves and they’re now getting very long in the tooth. Our current Fourtwo is faster, better suspension, better gearbox, better handling, more toys, etc. etc. But it doesn’t look the biz like the Roadster and I still want one…. TonyS
I am 5 ft 11 and my weight is 20st 4 ibs I have lost about 3 stone in a couple of years with being diabetic but I have reversed it with exercise cycling and low carb diet next year doctors said I should be in remission talking of cycling had my bike serviced yesterday and dropped my bike down the stairs I live in a top flat and bugged the gears on my bike £63 down the drain that's my weekend lol good channel mate
Cracking little thing, pitty after going to the effort of designing the engine they dropped the ball with the tranny. Did hear way back someone looked at fitting a manual as an aftermarket option, one that no anything came of it tho'. Cars this small, engine access is always going to be a problem, struck it lucky with the coolant issue. I wouldn't have been surprised if the therm had stuck if it had been sat a while.
cool car, great to see one Indepth, the electric mirror switch makes me laugh since identical to a older 2000 era Vauxhall, feel like the roof light might be aswell, but not sure
you can free up a seized alternator.. ive had 1 of these..21 mm socket on the alternator pulley and it frees it up..apparently they seize up after only 2 weeks..
My roadster managed 70k on one set of brake pads because i just used the gear shift all the time, i miss the car big time with all its little gremlins, bit sketchy in the wet like so take your time, chops missed out the fact it has a kickdown from the start off, hoots of fun like, i think i need another one in my life again and put a smile on this miserable grumpy old git again
They are definitely a dry day fun car , don't like the rain , water leaks and electrical gremlins really common. Definitely needs to be garaged overnight.
I had a very nice black coupé Xclusive remapped to 120hp with various other mods including a forge dump valve, carbon trim, polished throttle body and the eyewateringly expensive V6 steering wheel. It was good fun but had the suspension lifted from a skateboard and the wheels are made of cheese so you were constantly scanning for potholes. It wasn't quick off the line but in gear performance was surprisingly good. It never broke down but I never really trusted it 100% so ended up selling it for more than I paid just before the kung flu outbreak. Ideally they need specialist care and I used to do a 50 mile round trip to Teignmouth for servicing and maintenance which got a bit tiresome. Interesting comments on the mx5, I ran mine alongside a 1993 Eunos roadster which I still have. In my opinion the mk1 is far easier to live with plus the steering, gearbox, handling and reliability are way superior. I'm glad I owned one but I don't think I'd have another.
Hello! So I recently bought a Smart Roadster coupe with soft top and it takes a bit of effort to close completly. Can you please give me a piece of advice regarding what to do with it to make it smoother?
Sorry .I WAS going to donate £2 and the attached google account wanted my password. I never had to use it before, so I couldn't remember it. So I tried to set up a new one. But the system wasn't having any of it. So I can't donate I'm afraid!
Its needs a lot of work. I purchased her for a £1000 beginning 2021. Been sitting a year while I saved the funds. 11 owners and 54000 miles on the clock, it was a garage queen. Back on the road December. Cant wait! Whats the plan with yours
Some of these people mate, drives you nuts , I have NEVER deleted any comment other than porn or crypto , I have no need to as I have nothing to hide. People can be such d@cks
My mate bought a Vito brabus van new in 2007,think it was 35k,stupid purchase, he used it as a painter and decorators van so all the black leather got paint on it, ride was absolutely awful as well, he always likes to show off.
Running a car on a lithium jump pac isn't a good idea for the ecu, or for the jump pac, there designed to just give an instant boost, couldn't you just put a battery on it bud?
It's an Automated Manual Transmission, James, so the gearbox and clutch are doing exactly the same as a manual box, but without you having to shift gears or press the clutch, so the changes will never be as slick as a 'proper' auto.
I have a 800 cc smart diesel cars. Love it 😀 had chip 3000 to 4000. On the rev counter goes like Fu@,k .Down side is when you're over taking car at 85 mph under 50 to the gallon. But 95 mph down hall is not to bad
🤣"we'll pull over so the car in front can gain some distance!" in a real sports car, you'd have blasted past the car in front ;-) does look smart though.
![[Limbus Company - PV] Chapter.7 - Oblivion](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VUpkXPkvoxU/mqdefault.jpg)
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I’ve owned 2 Smarts and tried to do all maintenance and repairs myself. If you take one to a garage make absolutely certain that they know Smarts. Those issues with the air lock are very easy to avoid by following the well documented procedure. Also, the auto mode is kind of a waste of time, use manual shifts and it’s a lot better. Remove and re-grease the supposedly sealed but not sealed electric clutch actuator, or replace it with a faster updated one. Also, be extremely extremely careful to never overfill the oil. So many issues with these are caused my well meaning mechanics who just don’t know how to treat them. Ignore rumors of the suprex engine being weak, with attention to oil levels and as you have the oil cooler there is no reason for the engine to fail prematurely. Of course, as a used car, unless bought from a enthusiast you have no idea of how it’s been used or maintained in the past.. a service book full of oil changes is not much help. Great cars when you understand them. Keep it indoors in the rain though as no matter how hard you try, it will suffer water ingress and it can cause a lot of damage.
Been watching since your early days and now you have nearly 40k subscribers
congratulations.
Wishing you every success, you work very hard.
Thank you so much 😀
I have Brabus 450 remapped to around 120 hp. It surprises many people off the lights. Just keep an eye on the oil levels and make sure to grease the clutch actuator. There is a temperature sensor on the top of the engine, you can remove to bleed the coolant. The timing chains do stretch but are easy to change as a complete kit. Also, consider changing the sump pan. As new, they came with no drain plug. They are definitely going up in value, so hold onto it for a little while.
I had one of these from new, I got the 120 remap and it was plenty quick off the mark. It could defy physics around corners with that ESP and super rigid chassis. Most focussed cornering I've ever known - although if it ever truly let go, I knew I was straight into a hedge. Loads of fun!
Apart from the absolutely, utterly, shockingly shit gearbox that ruins the whole package. Just imagine how good it would be with a proper manual box and an engine without so much turbo lag. I'd still own it now.
Edit. I'd absoluteley love one of the BEC conversions.
I always found mine to be sluggish off the line due to the cars software. In gear performance was excellent though.
Invaluable info there keep up the work
i’m thinking of buying one that needs nothing for 5500$
it’s the convertible tho I can’t seem to find the coupe
it’s not the brabus tho
My thought was too fully swap the 451 engine and gearbox into this
I thought this was my old Roadster, KU55KCV! They are a big ballache to fix when they go wrong - I had to trace a fault and had to strip the ENTIRE car (body panels, interior, engine) to fix a wiring loom fault. It took 12+ hour three days over Christmas a couple of years ago! I would have another one with a fault cheap as I just know everything about them completely now!
Nobody is surprised by how fast they are (they are not fast whatever remap they have had), but they handle well.
I've owned my roadster for 7 years now. Great fun and don't know what I'd swap it for.
With a bit of practice you can remove the rear end bodywork in around 15 minutes and drop the engine within about another 30.
Well work it to actually save time trying to reach hard to get to parts.
Also u can get service bolts that allow u to drop the engine about 2 inches without removing anything but the 4 subframe bolts. You'd be surprised how much this helps when working on them.
Hope this info helps someone.
If u own / buy one there where only about 1500 registered for road tax last year so you have something that's very rare.
Agreed for the rear bodywork, but do you have a trick for the plastic rivets ? They are the longer to get off... I also didn't put back the screws under the windows of my coupe,saves a lot of time.
@@TheThunderwars Do you mean the metal clips that hold the body parts together? If so they slide off, don't try to pull them off. If it's the white and yellow clips, they are often over tightened, they just hold the parts in place. You can very easily strip the threads, if so you can only break them off and replace them. Mercedes Newcastle have a eBay page, they have all these bit's, and are often cheaper than 2nd hand ones. If it's the wheel arch liner ones you mean, them WD40, leave for 5 minutes then use a big flat head screw driver to get them started, finally the cutter side of some plyers (with no pressure) as a leaver to pull them the rest of the way. Again Mercedes Newcastle have the correct replacement ones if you need. If it's something else, let me know. I have the roadster, not the coupe so don't know how to deal with the windows. Hope all this helps.
@@Dan-zw6mo I'm just talking about the small plastic rivets that you push in then you push an additional small cylinder in to expand them on the other side :) I usually leave them off when troubleshooting so that everything else comes off easily. When it comes to the coupe, there are three screws under each window that hold the rear bodywork, but you can just not put them back so as to not have to take out the windows every time (they have fragile fixations). Thank you ;)
Forgot to mention, the body can be lifted approx. 30mm off the engine subframe without taking any parts off (it's how merc. designed them). 1st 'crack off' the sub frame bolts, support the front section of the sub frame (right underneath the car). Undo the subframe bolts and remove them. Use the rear jacking points to lift the rest of the car off the sub frame. Use this method at your own risk! If you want to do it the official way, get a set of service bolts from Merc, replace each bolt in tern and replace with service bolt. You can then lift the rest of the car off the sub frame knowing you won't lift it to far. Again, Use this method at your own risk!
The sub frame has locators, so is easer than you might think to secure again.
@@TheThunderwarsare you talking about the ones that are the same in the rear wheel arch liner? Mine have a head you can get grip on to pull them out.
I had a Smart Roadster back in 2006, when they were fairly new. Fun little car, but so many inherent faults made ownership not fun. Leaks were the main issue, front scuttle, roof, doors, you name it, they leaked water in.
Mine was a standard Roadster, but with a remap it was at 120bhp which made a huge difference, also the gearbox was remapped which improved things too. Great fun to drive, but the reliability issues at the time were off putting.
They are great fun, but the electrics are very susceptible to water damage and very expensive to mend., and as you say, they leak like a sieve. Mine spends far more time off the roads than on it.
If you end up keeping it long term, get another set of roadster(15 or 16 inch) alloys. The brabus monoblock 17 inch alloys are known to bend on potholes. Check the tyre pressure regularly (it's 2 bar).
Id not bother with the side skirts. Look good but catch / scrape everything. Many of the fixing points are destroyed.
They're great fun but do break a lot.
Drop the undertrays and check the break lines for unsighted rust (you can pop a line).
The wiper bucket can leak as it has a compressed foam gasket that wasn't put on very well. Most reseal the bucket with tigerseal (or similar). Why do this?? The wiper tray is above the Sam unit. Leak here drops water onto the cars electronics - not good but unfortunately common.
Having said that they're great fun. So much so I've got a coupe and notch back roadsters 😅
Great tips
Loved the Suzuki cappuccino reference. I currently have one and I am looking at one of these as a daily whilst the suzuki remains for the weekends
Really good to see users of Smart cars chipping in with very good advice about them. Helps make the Internet worthwhile despite the Trolls. Well done. 👍
Couldn't agree more!
I miss my Brabus Roadster, such an amazing fun little car, it's like a micro sized supercar, all the noises and personality, cheers for the vid!
What a fun little car to have in stock!! It will be a classic and only go up in value I think 🤔 great video as always James
@1:40 It is a highend tuner. They still improve the Smart lineup for Smart but the new Renault Twingo GT is basically identical to the Brabus Smart fortwo but cheaper.
You buy some interesting motors Mr Chops, one look at that little pocket rocket you can tell it would go round corners like it was on rails. Can't understand why anyone would prefer the auto change to manual, all part of the driving experience!😁
Stupid fun
Great review! Even when you start thinking to sell it if you make one more ride you will change your mind.
I love mine and made dedicated YT Channel with a lot of tutorials for the Roadster maintanance.
Thanks for all your informative videos it has helped me a lot! 👍
Love these. I always thought that with a better gearbox (manual) these would have been a perfect modern MG Midget. At under £6k that seems like a steal!
Couldn't agree more!
Swap to a 3a91 from forfour 1.1. im doing on mine
Like it,and thought of buying one,but went for Daihatsu Copen 1.3,and have no regrets.
The turbos are always on the exhaust headers so if you ever want to find them start looking on your exhaust headers and follow them to the turbos.
Hi Chops. Great video on the Roadster. Glad you are enjoying it! I have a Roadster Brabus Exculsive Coupe, so can attest to the journey you are on! Great fun for not much money, and at a speed that keeps your licence.
The temperature your getting seems normal now. Mine runs at 70 on the move. Will quickly creep up in traffic.
One other change for the Brabus was a larger TIK pipe to give more air to the turbo.
How is yours doing for leaks? The door seals are the main issue and cause all sorts of fun with the SAM unit. Also try to keep away from potholes or manhole covers - the monoblock wheels buckle very easily.
Two things are bugging me about yours - the bonnet badge is missing and the roof bars are black rather than silver. Apart from that, what a beastie!
Loving the mix of cars on the channel. However I'm getting worried with the number of cars in the Chops fleet!
Great video Mr. Chops!!! My son had the normal roadster - really enjoyed it at first, but then got fed up of many intermittent electrical problems, water leaks, faulty micro switches, the "wet" ecu, etc. But glad to see you having fun Mr. Chops!
Thanks Alan!
Great video as always mate, i love them little cars iv always wanted one, but there was always out of my price range. I was surprised to see you fit in the car 🎉
Be careful when you wash it. The ecu (SAM) is under the dash and water gets in through the windscreen drains even when new. a wet SAM causes all sorts of problems 😂. I dont take mine out in the rain 😭
Yes think mine will stay inside. Did anyone ever modify in some way to keep water out?
@@ChopsGarage there's a good article on the Evilution web site about it. It can be improved but the design is flawed. Mercedes lost money on every sale because of warranty claims when new. Best buy a warranty for it when you sell 😭. Best think of it as a pet rather than a car - that way you dont feel so bad about spending on it 😀
@@chrispenn715 this is a hilarious response like a pet lmfao brilliant
I was looking at a few Smart Brabus a while ago and saw yours. What put me off was the gap between the bonnet and the body. I have a Roadster and I know that it shouldn't be that large. I think that people will think "accident damage" as it certainly put me off. This may not be the case but I think I would look into why there is that gap between the bonnet and frame. P.S. I am a subscriber so I know you are an honest trader.
If you want to improve the speed of the down change when in manual mode blip the throttle just after you flip the paddle down. The timing is like saying flip and blip at a normal speaking speed.
I have owned a ForTwo and a roadster and now have a Brabus ForTwo which I am going to keep. It’s already doubled in value since I bought it. The roadster with out pace a Focus ST in the wet on a windy road.
Thanks for tip, Ill give that a go
@15:00 sounds like a lawnmower on tickover. keep up the good work
Having owned one of these they are great fun when they work, water ingress and electrical problems were a real problem though, ecu, dash pods, earth leads failing are all common..probably abit too fragile for British roads and weather but really good fun as a toy...best to keep garaged.
Think you need a word with car vertical mate . Put private plate on car two years ago. Can only find car on original reg
There will always be the odd discrepancy, not even DVLA gets it right every time
Friend had a standard roadster and that was fun. Gear changes were harsh as well when booting it. Normal steady speeds and it was smooth. Great fun car though. Future classic id say
I had the Coupé version of the Brabus.
The charge cooler constantly lost its fluid - I could never find the leak. The doors would freeze either open or closed in winter. The leaks from the rear of the roof on the passenger side was epic and yet, it was the best fun I ever had. The first car I ever felt completely confident overtaking on a country lane in.
If I went round a corner near a Police car - even at only 25-30mph I'd be pulled over and accused of speeding. The stops where the Police are blagging you rather than one where they have technology. Eventually I bought into a cruise control update then set the limiter to 28 before I went into a town centre. When the Police stopped me I'd leave the engine running and force them to look at it.
Finally, mine also seized its alternator - and the gear actuator started playing up. Getting hold of parts started to get really difficult when Mercedes stopped supplying them. I gave up on it and sold it for a song when things started breaking and I was constantly needing to take it off the road - it was my daily driver.
The guy I bought it from had had to completely dismantle the front of it and replace the SAM computer. On the right-hand drive versions, rain from the windscreen can end up pouring through the computer in the driver's footwell. It's to do with the RHD windscreen wiper set up.
All in all, I loved it and hated it in equal proportions. I bought mine for £5,400 in 2013 - it was an 05 plate. Bloody massive steering wheel!!!
That for that, interesting to hear the same
Great video James,that should sell quick once it's up forsale,have a great monday👍
Thanks, you too!
I fancied 1 of those, probably would now struggle getting in & out of it.
I sometimes have to crawl out of mine!
Yeah engines low down too, my father had a Hillman Imp, I believe the braking force was 50/50 due to the engine being at the back.
Cheap and Brabus only go together when the word trouble can join in.
It's not just about power to weight, that only helps accelaration, for out right speed Colin Chapman from Lotus always said "Add lightness", then you can brake later, which means faster overall. Low end torque also helps with getting away :)
It's surprisingly torquey
If your 'battery boosters' are lithium, you should not leave them connected in the same way as a regular lead/acid battery.
Great video. Always fancied one of these. Great size guide for taller folk also
Glad you enjoyed it
Exceptionally informative. You really DO know this model!
Glad it was helpful!
Question.
Are you supposed to enjoy your work as much as you do?
I love these cars, and always wanted to have one as a 2nd car...maybe one day 😃
Lol, not sure you can call it work when I do as much as I do lol
You looked like Donkey Kong in Mario kart whenever you climbed into it.
lol
Not many people also know that the Smart for four is virtually the same basic car as the Renault Twingo mark 4. My daughter has a Twingo but N/A , but it's also available with the 897cc three cylinder turbo like the Later Clios. It's also rear engined like the Smart you have..
Had a Mark4 Twingo GT (110 HP) for four years before trading it in last year for 75% of what I paid for it. Great car with similar 0-60 acceleration to the 205 GTi I ran back in the late 80s and better overtaking.
@@briangriffiths114 my wife's car is the tce90, but it's good fun to drive. I sometimes take it instead of my Jaguar XF.
The engine note and performance are very similar to the 110 HP 900cc Mk 4 Renault Twingo GT that I owned for 4 years and traded in for 75% of what I paid when new. (also made in Mercedes factory) That Brabus is a belter of a small sporty car.
Yes seen a few comments re the twingo link. Nothing is unique anymore is it lol, all shared bits
I’m so jealous 😭, I wish we got these in the us so bad
We’ve had two Smart cars. I used to yearn after a Brabus Roadster. We now have a last gen pre electric 2016 (64) petrol Fortwo, non Brabus, but turbo. 90bhp, 99mph allegedly!
I think it’s a better car. It cruises happily on the motorway at 80+
The Brabus Roadsters were known for leaking like sieves and they’re now getting very long in the tooth.
Our current Fourtwo is faster, better suspension, better gearbox, better handling, more toys, etc. etc.
But it doesn’t look the biz like the Roadster and I still want one….
TonyS
Freshly got my driver's license, bought a smart Roadster as my first car
I had a Berlingo that had an automated manual gearbox and when it was changing up you had to back off the accelerator. It was just so slow though!
lol
Jeremy Clarkson did describe its as a Mid Engined Merc.
I predict James' personal collection expanding by one ... 🤣🤣
lol
I am 5 ft 11 and my weight is 20st 4 ibs I have lost about 3 stone in a couple of years with being diabetic but I have reversed it with exercise cycling and low carb diet next year doctors said I should be in remission talking of cycling had my bike serviced yesterday and dropped my bike down the stairs I live in a top flat and bugged the gears on my bike £63 down the drain that's my weekend lol good channel mate
Luckily a lot of mine is no fat mate, do strongman training etc but still could lose a bit
lets hope you've got a good one that wont have any of the electrical gremlins that seemed to plague them
Seems ok currently , but its old so will defo need work
Cracking little thing, pitty after going to the effort of designing the engine they dropped the ball with the tranny. Did hear way back someone looked at fitting a manual as an aftermarket option, one that no anything came of it tho'. Cars this small, engine access is always going to be a problem, struck it lucky with the coolant issue. I wouldn't have been surprised if the therm had stuck if it had been sat a while.
cool car, great to see one Indepth, the electric mirror switch makes me laugh since identical to a older 2000 era Vauxhall, feel like the roof light might be aswell, but not sure
Some others have mentioned the switch lol
you can free up a seized alternator.. ive had 1 of these..21 mm socket on the alternator pulley and it frees it up..apparently they seize up after only 2 weeks..
Oh ok bud well know if happens again
i dont doubt your opinions but i bet 50 to 60 on a skateboard would feel quick 😆 super little car though, hope you do well out of it
Probably lol
My favourite was always B.A. Barabus.
lol
"Shut up, fool!" 🤣🤣🤣
I ain't gettin' in no smart car Hannibal.
Plastic pocket rocket seems like a lot of fun 😉
My roadster managed 70k on one set of brake pads because i just used the gear shift all the time, i miss the car big time with all its little gremlins, bit sketchy in the wet like so take your time, chops missed out the fact it has a kickdown from the start off, hoots of fun like, i think i need another one in my life again and put a smile on this miserable grumpy old git again
They are definitely a dry day fun car , don't like the rain , water leaks and electrical gremlins really common. Definitely needs to be garaged overnight.
Yes thats my plan
@Chops Garage sounds good , on the track you would see its full potential, really fun car , rides on rails . You would really enjoy it .
You'd believe a herring with a feather stuck up it's arse is a sea pheasant 🤣🤣🤣
Ok, that strange, perhaps you should read this stuff back before posting
Next door neighbour had one when they were quite new. Did very few miles and sold it in a year. Ride was just too hard for him .
I had a very nice black coupé Xclusive remapped to 120hp with various other mods including a forge dump valve, carbon trim, polished throttle body and the eyewateringly expensive V6 steering wheel. It was good fun but had the suspension lifted from a skateboard and the wheels are made of cheese so you were constantly scanning for potholes. It wasn't quick off the line but in gear performance was surprisingly good. It never broke down but I never really trusted it 100% so ended up selling it for more than I paid just before the kung flu outbreak. Ideally they need specialist care and I used to do a 50 mile round trip to Teignmouth for servicing and maintenance which got a bit tiresome. Interesting comments on the mx5, I ran mine alongside a 1993 Eunos roadster which I still have. In my opinion the mk1 is far easier to live with plus the steering, gearbox, handling and reliability are way superior. I'm glad I owned one but I don't think I'd have another.
Looks like a great little car. Nice to see your videos
Thanks 👍
Hello! So I recently bought a Smart Roadster coupe with soft top and it takes a bit of effort to close completly. Can you please give me a piece of advice regarding what to do with it to make it smoother?
Id grease the runners with white grease
LOVE THAT ROADSTER ❤️😍
Great isn't it
That's an awesome little car.
Used too be in expressway car's that wee car a think
Would like to see how people convert these with a motorcycle engine
Sorry .I WAS going to donate £2 and the attached google account wanted my password. I never had to use it before, so I couldn't remember it. So I tried to set up a new one. But the system wasn't having any of it. So I can't donate I'm afraid!
Got a smart roadster brabus. In for service mot at the moment. Costing £1900…..
Service and MOT is £1900?
Its needs a lot of work. I purchased her for a £1000 beginning 2021. Been sitting a year while I saved the funds. 11 owners and 54000 miles on the clock, it was a garage queen. Back on the road December. Cant wait!
Whats the plan with yours
A complete change of transmission fluid will transform even the auto mode.
Oh good tip, Ill get on that
Great review, on a rare unusual car, worth keeping IMHO x
Thanks Harry
James chill m8 people know your a decent guy👍
Some of these people mate, drives you nuts , I have NEVER deleted any comment other than porn or crypto , I have no need to as I have nothing to hide. People can be such d@cks
Is the electric window switch out of a Mk3 Cav and Astra?
possibly lol
My mate bought a Vito brabus van new in 2007,think it was 35k,stupid purchase, he used it as a painter and decorators van so all the black leather got paint on it, ride was absolutely awful as well, he always likes to show off.
Sounds pretty noisy wee car! Fun video cheers James
Thanks Will
Eye spie an old alfa in the corner of the car park 👀
Yes 155
Fun Motor. What's Not to Like ? 👍😁
Exactly!
You were well rid of that jag trade mate, should have stayed away, crazy driving more than a few yards with no water pump going round bud tbh.
Im loving the jag. Ill bin it for parts if needed get my money back
@@ChopsGarage OK bud
Running a car on a lithium jump pac isn't a good idea for the ecu, or for the jump pac, there designed to just give an instant boost, couldn't you just put a battery on it bud?
Not without robbing off another car, well had half charged monster bmw battery that would not of fit. Sometimes you risk it for a biscuit
@@ChopsGarage I know mate, I do all the time, but risking ecu and head going, well (!)
That’s a keeper then James? 😂
Probably not if it sells at the recommended retail, I really need to have a cull of my toys lol
Very cool wee car
Isn't it
It's an Automated Manual Transmission, James, so the gearbox and clutch are doing exactly the same as a manual box, but without you having to shift gears or press the clutch, so the changes will never be as slick as a 'proper' auto.
I zoned out as soon as you compared to a MG ZT190 lol
MG TF maybe but that's it
I agree with you there bud
@@roystonvehicles9129 No chance the sound of that is better than a KV6. And at least you don't need physiotherapy after driving a ZT haha
@@roystonvehicles9129 And the automatic slush box bogs it down. What a heap of s*** they are the roadster lol
Simply a comparison of Power to Weight ratio, no more
Ive driven both, horses for courses. The Roadster is way more fun. The ZT would make better daily
Looks like just an air lock then bud. Good news.
Squeeky bum moment lol
@@ChopsGarage get them all the time mate
I have a 800 cc smart diesel cars. Love it 😀 had chip 3000 to 4000. On the rev counter goes like Fu@,k .Down side is when you're over taking car at 85 mph under 50 to the gallon. But 95 mph down hall is not to bad
🤣"we'll pull over so the car in front can gain some distance!" in a real sports car, you'd have blasted past the car in front ;-) does look smart though.
Challenge accepted
@@ChopsGarage 😎
Good afternoon James 👌👌
Hi Stevie
Hope they've not driven for any distance with water pump not running, head will have gone if they have,hope not.
Done a lot of driving in it now mate temp has been fine , using no coolant
@@ChopsGarage good, lucky then mate.
Are you aware how many adverts there are now on your posts? too many imho
RUclips placed one? No I never fiddle with that, they place them on the vids automatically
@@ChopsGarage okay, not great tbh, interrupts a good video, they have placed 5 in this
these cars go for about 3000-4000
No, not Brabus they don't.
I sold mine for £6k 3 years ago.
@@S-Ltd1000 oh wow, well id of thought they would of gone up then if yours was similar miles
and shared to FB too
Much appreciated
Nice buy mucker
Cheers
You've got as much idea about cars as her in doors has about kitchen management...FFS have a day off
Oh dear someone needs recognition badly, bless you. Things will get better for you I'm sure
Afternoon
Hi
Avoid potholes with those Brabus alloys. They're made of cheese!
I'm hearing this
the worst click bait channel I've seen, title never matches the video and just a pure adfest for carchecking apps joke.
Ok, pretty sure only few other million channels to watch on here drama queen 🤣🤣🤣
Barabus he was a Murderer what a name for company to give the car lol not much thought behind it at all
lol
Good fun cars mate you had much interest in it
What’s the mileage on it mate
Have you ever driven a GTV? They are great fun to drive too. Loves the roads down herein Cornwall
it is a cheep gold fish bowl piss in water all the time shite got rid
? ok