Courtesy Smart car!

[TonyCoolDaddy]

While my T210 (e clasee) went into Swindon Merc stealership (Synter Group) for a new steering wheel I was given a Smart Car for the day. only after I got to work did I realize that my feet had been inches from the front bumber. scary

Should I expect an 210 courtesy car when I take my 210 in? If the dont oblige what should I do?

 

[maddog]

I think most dealerships use the A class. I couldnt care less myself as long as it has a wheel in each corner

 

[Tinyflier]

Don't be scared! I use my Smart about 95% of my journeys instead of either my AMG C43 or my Jaguar S-Type!

Much modifed, it pumps out about 96bhp, around 115 lb/ft of torque, clings to the road like superglue, paddle gearshift, aircon plus about 6K of other mods.

Like it? I love it!

David

 

[Roger]

Sounds great Tinyflier could you post some pictures?

 

[Tinyflier]

Here are a couple Roger. Been a few further mods since these pics, namely high boost turbo and a DTM style twin outlet stainless steel custom exhaust.

David

 

[NormanB]

Yes the Smart is a great concept and a real solution to modern city driving with an occassional blast up t'motorway.

However the big drawback is the poor engine life and there are no replacement parts available - you have to replace the complete unit.

I am not sure of the average death rate but it is astonsishingly low (circa 30K miles)

Ho Hum

 

[Tinyflier]

the big drawback is the poor engine life

True that some have failed in early life but equally I know of many owners who have completed well over 100K and an even larger number who are into 50K plus.

I agree though that DC policy is to replace entire engine unit in cases where you would think a strip and rebuild would be the best approach.

occassional blast up t'motorway

Disagree here though, I use mine regularily on the motorway and have done a 400 mile trip down through France easily in a day without ache or pain.

David

 

[Roger]

Now that is one car I'd love to have as a courtesy car. I love the idea of the smart, in this day an age a car that is small for towns and cities seems such a good idea, especialy if it can be used for longer journeys as well... Had a look at one a while back the having a couple of children to collect from school stopped me taking it any further. Perhaps when the four seater has been out a while I'll have another look.

 

[maddog]

thats really cool!!!

Thing is if the engine does go there is a company that fits a Suzuki GSXR1000 engine for you which produces over 145hp

 

[Tinyflier]

Suzuki GSXR1000 engine for you which produces over 145hp

Was engineered by ZCars into the car of a friend of mine. To be honest though it is still in early stages as a) all ABS & traction control electronics are disabled, b) the Suzuki engine used is remarkably lacking in torque (lots of top end go though) and c) it is a pricey mod at about £9K!

See this weeks Autocar for a roadtest and some amazing (or is it frightening?) pictures.

David

 

[maddog]

Agreed you wont see the same kind of torque as you would from a car but car engines dont rev to 13,000rpm.

£9k is a bit steep though

 

[TonyCoolDaddy]

I am 30 something years old and have served as a Staffordshire PC and Dorset Constabulary PC for 5 years. In that time I spent 1.5 years in traffic sections, and have attended 1000's of RTA's. I have seen hundreds of dead people in small cars and less in large cars. Do small cars crash faster and harder? I dont know. Do people in larger cars (not MPV-SUV) have fewer accidents? All I know is that I dreaded walking up to a "small" car that had crashed more than a big one. I saw more trapped dead or alive people in "small" cars than "bigger" cars, the effect it has had on me is that I consider anything equivalent to a Modeo/C class or smaller as non surviveable in accidents over 50MPH. So when I see a Smart car, I know I should be thinking "environment friendly" but all of my trauma makes me think, flimsy coffin. In my limited experience I would not advise using a smart over 20MPH without body armour and motorcycle helmet and then they should be restricted to 50mph. If you want to go any fasted by an S500. Also I would rather crash a S class than an ML any day of the week.

 

[NormanB]

That is an interesting and sobering perspective gained from hard earned experience.

It is a sad fact of life that althought the UK roads are relatively safe compared to others, the daily carnage almost goes unnoticed apart from those directly involved. There is always a hullabaloo if there are a handful of casualties in a rail crash - yet worse happens on the roads every day.

Maybe part of the problem is we feel secure in our metal cages with nice heaters/aircon, wall to wall music, traction control, ABS, brake assist, seatbelts, airbags, aircurtains etc etc.

Perhaps it would be safer all round if we took the drivers airbag and seatbelt out and had a mandatory and automatic system where on engine start a stainless steel spike advanced itself from the steering wheel boss to within say 6 inches of the drivers head - might change driver attitude and curtail some of the more wilder and inconsiderate behaviour such as tailgating.

Only joking - but....................

NormanB

 

[guydewdney]

Perhaps it would be safer all round if we took the drivers airbag and seatbelt out and had a mandatory and automatic system where on engine start a stainless steel spike advanced itself from the steering wheel boss to within say 6 inches of the drivers head - might change driver attitude and curtail some of the more wilder and inconsiderate behaviour such as tailgating.

Only joking - but....................

NormanB

IIRC henry ford is credited with stating that the best safty feature would be a ban on seatbelts and a compulsary 6" metal spike on the steering wheel...



having learnt my roadcraft on a bike - i consider myself a 'better' driver than most - admitedly i cant drive for toffee - i dont know the width of my car, and i cant park, but i LOOK - i look a lot - my driving instructor actually noted this and said that he had never seen anyone look as much as I do.

so - end result - im gonna crash, but at least i'll see it

 

[TonyCoolDaddy]

Come all you Smart car drivers that survived a crash - and those who have dead family members from Smart car wipe outs. Also as for traction the Courtesy SMART I had last week felt light on the wheels and I noticed it skipping and jumping on lumpy dry corners. I dread to think what it must be like in Wet/Ice/Snow, better stick to summer days all you "trendy" risk takers out there

 

[Tinyflier]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, happy to drive my Smart the way I have been trained (by traffic officers from Tulliallan Police Driving School). Interestingly there are some of your Traffic Colleagues with whom I have spoken who having attended Smarts involved in accidents have commented how in their opinion the occupants would not have survived in other small cars. Maybe more people are injured in small car accidents than big ones, perhaps because there are actually more small cars on the roads?

Yes I drive quickly in this car as much as I do in my C43, WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT, I do not regard myself as a "trendy risk taker (whatever that means).

As to what a Smart is like in wet/ice/snow it is just as usable as any other car if used in ACCORDANCE with conditions.

David

 

[NormanB]

Perhaps it would be safer all round if we took the drivers airbag and seatbelt out and had a mandatory and automatic system where on engine start a stainless steel spike advanced itself from the steering wheel boss to within say 6 inches of the drivers head - might change driver attitude and curtail some of the more wilder and inconsiderate behaviour such as tailgating.

Only joking - but....................

NormanB

IIRC henry ford is credited with stating that the best safty feature would be a ban on seatbelts and a compulsary 6" metal spike on the steering wheel...

Bugger - I thought I was being profound.

Having re-read my post - my excuse is I had not had much sleep- sorry ;-)

 

[thekeeper24]

i think we all missed one important fact here- it is not always how good a driver you are, its the fact that the OTHER GUY is a worse driver then you AND in a bigger car/SUV ( and in this case a MUCH bigger automobile.)
-I know i would not consider the SMART just b/c of the small size of it, and if i was so concerned about the economy of my car, there are enough econo choices out there that by far outweigh the risk of driving such a small auto.
-but then again there arent nearly as many SUV or semi-'s in europe as there are in the U.S. (by the way, a few will be state side soon)
i have a good pic for a Smart between an H2 and a Suburban, just cant figue out how to upload it...

But! point being-> you cant drive for the other guy or control what he does or where he goes!


-mike

 

[maddog]

The Smart car is probably significantly safer than most cars were 25 years ago, when a 30mph impact could mean an engine on your lap!!

I recall the same arguments being said about minis years ago.

As a biker who rides outrageously powerful machines i would have no worries about getting in a smart car :twisted:

 

[Roger]

the keeper you can use the browse which is in the post box to add the file to post, or you could email it to roger@mercedesclub.org.uk and I will attach it for you.

Oh and I for one would much preffer to be in any modern car in an accident then one from 20 years ago, any car can get you seriously injured or killed, and from what I have read an SUV is not nessercarily the best thing to be in in an accident either..

Cap safety ratings for small cars the smart is by no means the bottom of the pile detail here

and if you compare it to the large SUV's here it is as 'safe' as some of those.