how good/bad is the new Smart?

[yhangout]

My yellow smart fortwo is on the way.
I always think about the reliability of the car.
I read some car magazines year ago, they tested the previous Smart from Canada. that was the worst engine they ever test. (who makes that engine?)
the new one finally come to states, I love it. not on hand yet.
BUT, if any one can tell how good is it? what's the cost to keep this toy?

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by yhangout

My yellow smart fortwo is on the way.
I always think about the reliability of the car.
I read some car magazines year ago, they tested the previous Smart from Canada. that was the worst engine they ever test. (who makes that engine?)
the new one finally come to states, I love it. not on hand yet.
BUT, if any one can tell how good is it? what's the cost to keep this toy?

1. Welcome to our forum. Please take the time to review previous threads as they will answer your questions.
2. The engine was a Mercedes, and the new engine is a Mitsubishi.
3. If you own a Porsche now, why worry about the maint. cost on the smart? You can be sure it will be way less! ;)

[young-nyc]

mitsubishi engine?
I hope the reliabilty holds up, i did not have great
experience with the mitsu engine ages ago, but i'm guessing it's long improved since then =)
i did not realize this...thanks for the info

[KWScott]

Originally Posted by young-nyc

mitsubishi engine?
I hope the reliabilty holds up, i did not have great
experience with the mitsu engine ages ago, but i'm guessing it's long improved since then =)
i did not realize this...thanks for the info

I've got a '98 Stratus that has a 6 cylinder Mitsubishi engine in it. In the 10 years I've had it (And while I haven't abused it horribly, I've not babied it either... missed or delayed an oil change here and there) the only mechanical problem I've had with the engine was a bad bearing on an idler pully.

One data point is not statistically significant, but my Mitsubishi motor has been utterly reliable for 10 years.

[Ared08]

I don't know if anyone here has been keeping tabs but the press reports and the enthusiast magazines seem to be equally split on the car. Just off the top of my head;
Loads of interior room
transmission hard to get used to
fit and finish good
susceptible to cross winds
good gas mileage
lousy gas mileage
comfortable seating position
mirror intrudes into driver's view

So the list goes on and on. You should probably try to drive one in order to determine for yourself.

[Smartdavis]

Absolutely...driving it is the only way to tell if this car is going to suit you. The dealers will let you drive it as much as you want. Mine did. Our salesmen let me run some errands with him and he sat outside the an REI store while people came up to ask questions, and I picked up a package. It does draw the curious. It's a funky car to drive, it feels like someone else is shifting it for you (like a ghost driver), it's a hoot to park and turn (takes up no space) and after about 400 miles of city driving demo we were in still had a quarter tank left. It put a smile on my face.

[evoluzione]

Originally Posted by Smartdavis

...and after about 400 miles of city driving demo we were in still had a quarter tank left...

based on my smart, a quarter tank left means i've used about 6 gallons of fuel. based on your report, you were getting ~67 mpg. also, getting a salesman to run 400 miles worth of city driving is pretty impressive.


regards,

ken

[Smartdavis]

I was a bit unclear. The demo car had been driven for just under 400 miles when I got my turn. My errands took a few hours. All the salesmen were amazed at how far the car had gone on so little gas.

[bmx43]

Originally Posted by Smartdavis

I was a bit unclear. The demo car had been driven for just under 400 miles when I got my turn. My errands took a few hours. All the salesmen were amazed at how far the car had gone on so little gas.

yea, those aren't the numbers i'm getting. i'm at 1/4 tank right now and have right at 200 miles on the car. i'll fill up today and get the true math worked out.

nobody is getting 60mpg or 50mpg for that matter.

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by Ared08

I don't know if anyone here has been keeping tabs but the press reports and the enthusiast magazines seem to be equally split on the car. Just off the top of my head;
Loads of interior room
transmission hard to get used to
fit and finish good
susceptible to cross winds
good gas mileage
lousy gas mileage
comfortable seating position
mirror intrudes into driver's view

So the list goes on and on. You should probably try to drive one in order to determine for yourself.

I find the inside rear view mirror a bit intrusive, on my first tank of gas that is the only critique of the car so far
karl