[vaccaro]

Good Evening
I just found and put a deposit on a 2014 smart fortwo passion

We haggled a bit and test drove. The smile on my face when she got done with her test drive was priceless! The car seems fine during my test drive an air bag light came on and my wife noticed a brake light was out. I brought my OBD2 reader and while there was not check engine light on but it did have a code U0001 High Speed CAN Communication Bus. It was also missing part of the smart emblem on the back just "sma"

The dealer is just down the street from Benzel-Busch smart center Englewood, so they said they would bring it to them to have everything looked at as it was still under warranty.

The tire were fair brakes felt good but I assume at 15k they could be coming to the end of their life.

My questions are
Are there major concerns with what I have mentioned? Or just normal Smart things that crop up
Where is the wheel lug lock key kept?

Thanks for your time this forum looks great

 

[stevenjb]

Good Evening
I just found and put a deposit on a 2014 smart fortwo passion

We haggled a bit and test drove. The smile on my face when she got done with her test drive was priceless! The car seems fine during my test drive an air bag light came on and my wife noticed a brake light was out.

Break light should be easy fix with bulb replacement. As for the SRS light, could be a loose connector under either seat for the seat side airbags - should be a fix under warranty.

It was also missing part of the smart emblem on the back just "sma"

Naughty children. Doubt dealer would replace. You can find the 'smart' letter decal online. Or just remove the 'sma'.

Where is the wheel lug lock key kept?

With the seller or prior owner. You will need that key, else that tire is staying put. No key would be a deal break for me.

And be sure the car comes with two working ignition key fobs - they are uber expensive to replace.


Happy Holidays everyone - and an awesome 2017.

 

[vaccaro]

Thank you! My wife's last car was a chevy aveo, we got that with 40K on it and it served us pretty well for the last 7 years now it still an okay car but there always worry related to it." will that dam timing belt break?"

We are hoping to get a great life from this little car.

 

[jimvw57]

The U0001 is a very common item, most likely caused by a phone charger with a bit of voltage left in it when the car was shut off. I would be more concerned about the tire locks

 

[jzchen]

I keep my wheel lock key in the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat. It could possibly be in the bottom door panel in the "trunk". Those things can be a pain to remove. I agree that you better find it somehow...

Benzel used to have a great www.smartonlineparts.com website. Seems like it's no longer there. I did check on Benzel-Busch's website, and the catalog was not there last time I checked...

 

[Miss Mercedes]

Good Evening
I just found and put a deposit on a 2014 smart fortwo passion

We haggled a bit and test drove. The smile on my face when she got done with her test drive was priceless! The car seems fine during my test drive an air bag light came on and my wife noticed a brake light was out. I brought my OBD2 reader and while there was not check engine light on but it did have a code U0001 High Speed CAN Communication Bus. It was also missing part of the smart emblem on the back just "sma"

The dealer is just down the street from Benzel-Busch smart center Englewood, so they said they would bring it to them to have everything looked at as it was still under warranty.

The tire were fair brakes felt good but I assume at 15k they could be coming to the end of their life.

My questions are
Are there major concerns with what I have mentioned? Or just normal Smart things that crop up
Where is the wheel lug lock key kept?

Thanks for your time this forum looks great

Hiya!!!! Welcome to our lovely asylum!!!!! >

To answer your questions:

1. Brake light: These cars sometimes have the tendency to eat bulbs, usually if the previous owner used them allllllllll the time. Easy to replace though.

2. Air bag light: Were any of the seatbelts jammed when the light was on? Sometimes if you take a corner at speed or pull too hard on the seatbelt, the SRS will lock the seatbelt and hold it for dear life until the light comes on. Lightly tugging will disengage the lock and the light will turn off on the next engine cycle. Either way, dealer ought to fix that, same with that CANBus error.

3. sma: Well, the emblems pretty much never fall off. Since it was obviously caused by some shenanigans with the previous owner and the burden shouldn't be passed onto you, I'd ask the dealer to replace... I mean, it is the car's badge!!!

4. Wheel locks: I assume this car has custom wheels, as I haven't seen any smarts with wheel locks outside a Brabus here and there and folks with custom wheels. Either have them find the key, or have the dealer extract that lug bolt out and replace with one that doesn't have a lock. Doubt they'll do it for free though.

5. Brakes/Tyres: Neither should be close to being worn out at 15k...however, if that car has custom wheels, it could be very possible.

Hope it all works out!!!

 

[Rustedwrench]

Either the timing belt will break or one of the guide pulleys will fail and turn the engine into junk if they are not replaced with oem or equal quality parts. The only question is, when will they fail.

 

[vaccaro]

Thank you all for your in-depth answers. You have made this a much nicer decision

 

[vaccaro]

here is the car. It does look like stock rimes, in the picture it looked like there were special keyed lug nuts

2014 Smart Fortwo PassionCOMFORT PACKAGEPANORAMA ROOF In Hasbrouck Heights NJ - C&K Auto Imports


We should pick up the Car on Tuesday! WOOT. Ive dealt with quite a few used car dealers but they seem okay, hopefully they will have addressed those few issues.

Again thank you for taking the time.

 

[jzchen]

Just took a peek at the ad. Those look like the standard 15mm lug nuts. It was blurry... (The standard lugs had hollow centers, I'm assuming so the wheels could break away in an accident. The OE locks have a similar design feature if I recall correctly.)

McGard sells locks for the standard wheels, and aftermarket wheels had a tendency to use the OE bolts?.?. Those definitely look like OE wheels.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jimvw57]

I always have to laugh at the options, they are standard items on all smarts, except for the comfort package. leather seats with heaters is a nice option. Stock rims and I never understood why they put locks on all 3 bolts. the rims only fit on another smart..not really worth stealing. in my opinion.

Not a bad price, and I always loved the black color. Just a guess but are you saying the seatbelt sign above the mirror is on?? it should be on if nobody is in the pass seat...

The timing belt should last a lot longer than 3 years and 15K miles.. my 2009 had 165K on it and the belts were still original. The Continental tires didn't last long on my car either. better off with Kumho tires, or go with same size tires and rims all the way around.

 

[Smart Bob]

I also concur that the wheel bolts look like the standard 15mm wheel bolts. There are special sockets that you can acquire that will remove lugbolt or lugnut locks. Most tire shops have them and they are not too expensive to acquire. I think all that you need is a 15mm. impact socket and you should be good to go to r&r the wheel bolts.

 

[Rustedwrench]

Good Evening
I just found and put a deposit on a 2014 smart fortwo passion

Where is the wheel lug lock key kept?

Thanks for your time this forum looks great

The photos on the link show oem smart passion wheels with McGard-type wheel locks. If the wheel lock key is not in the car somewhere there may be a paper card with the manuals that has the key number, which can be used to order a replacement key. If you do so, order two because many ham-handed mechanics will remove and install wheel locks with a impact wrench and the keys will break. The alternative is to have a shop remove the locks and replace them with normal wheel bolts.

 

[vaccaro]

Thanks I will put all your suggestions on my list when we go pick up the car.

My wife and I are both like the car a lot. As a Miata and motorcycle owner I am well versed in dealing small car racists. But as we told a few people about our plans with the Smart there looks and words are at a completely on a different level.

We don't even have the car yet and people have doomed us into being crushed by a tractor trailer, or driving at a 40mph top speed down the highway being blown on its side by a breeze.

Every Smart I've personally seen on the road is usually passing me at 75MPH!

How do you guys deal with the looks and comments, besides smiling all the way to the bank!

 

[jzchen]

Thanks I will put all your suggestions on my list when we go pick up the car.

My wife and I are both like the car a lot. As a Miata and motorcycle owner I am well versed in dealing small car racists. But as we told a few people about our plans with the Smart there looks and words are at a completely on a different level.

We don't even have the car yet and people have doomed us into being crushed by a tractor trailer, or driving at a 40mph top speed down the highway being blown on its side by a breeze.

Every Smart I've personally seen on the road is usually passing me at 75MPH!

How do you guys deal with the looks and comments, besides smiling all the way to the bank!

A lot of times I'll get giggles or fingers pointed at the car, at other times nothing. My son is 11 and sometimes I'll drive to his school. It is much easier to find parking, unless I am with one of my parents and use their handicap placard. When approached I'm usually asked, in a respectful manner, about the gas mileage, of which I believe/respond it is somewhere around 40 mpg. No biggie, strange/exotic cars are not uncommon to be seen going to pick up children at his school though. Smarts are also pretty common around here as well...

There are several things owners have done to improve high speed stability. One has been suspension upgrades. Another is larger wheels and tires in front, or all around. A third, I particularly am happy with, is addition of a front Brabus spoiler. '13 on has what I dare say (from BMW terminology) LCI or refresh to the body panels. There is a rear and front spoiler available, and once I completed the set by adding the front I feel the car is very stable, without having to deal with the other two upgrades....

Sent from my MT2L03 using Tapatalk

 

[MB DNA]

Not a show stopper but - might be an illusion or distorted image, the right front wheel could be a little out of round following an encountered with a curb or pothole?

May want to ask for an alignment check?

 

[vaccaro]

Not a show stopper but - might be an illusion or distorted image, the right front wheel could be a little out of round following an encountered with a curb or pothole?

May want to ask for an alignment check

I did see that in the image, did not notice it when inspecting the car. I will double check when picking it up the tire wear on the car was quite good and surprisingly even. The car track well down the street no pulling. or out-of-round or wobble nosies.

And really thank you for taking the time to look at the car that closely! That's above and beyond in my book!

Did the other post say upgrades? Didn't occur to me, as this being my wife's primary diver didn't really think of that. She just wanted a bluetooth radio to make phone calls on. But YES Time to investigate upgrades. WOOT! Perhaps some tasteful pin-striping?

You guys have really made my christmas

 

[vaccaro]

One further bit of thanks. After all this feedback, positive and cautious comments. My wife is feeling much better about getting it. She really loved her test drive. I know its just a car. But in some ways it kind of a lifestyle choice. or half a lifestyle choice. ( being that it's a small car -- see what I did there --- punny)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[vaccaro]

WE GOT THE CAR!
What a great little car. drove a few hundred miles so far and it almost as fun as my Miata. My wife is very happy thanks for all you advise and help.
Dealer fixed everything, the only thing missing is a tow hook, will try to get him to replace one.

Thanks again