[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

I own a 2009 451 and after almost 2 years of ownership it decided to throw the towel.

So few weeks back I was heading to work, just to hear a semi loud pop and see my dashboard light up like a christmas tree with bunch of icons. And then the tranny just died and I had to push the bugger a bit in snow & ice. Took out my trusty ODB2 and bam P0805 & P0900.

Turn the engine off and attempted to restrain the tranny, sadly this failed and I was forced to leave the 451 in a empty Superstore parking lot and come back next morning with a CAA flatbed to tow my 451 to my mechanic.

So it's been 1 1/2 weeks since my 451 has been in the Mechanic (non MB mechanic) and too be honest I regret it now as MB would have fixed the car by now for pretty much the same money as I'm running with into with my current mechanic.

So so far I been told they had to replace a Motor on a tranny, what motor I have no idea, since with some lurking around this forum the common solution usually was to replace the Clutch Actuator assembly. Well apparently it was some sort of motor. Today I called my Mechanic and was told they are installing the Motor and reprogramming the computer. Well who would have guessed my car still isn't fixed. With repairs thus far around $1600 with parts & labour. Since they did not fix it I fear that they will have to call someone from MB to assist them, thus bringing my bill even higher.

Any idea what Tranny motor they are even talking about?

 

[Jo e Lefors]

I'll bet your mechanic was talking about Genuine Smart Fortwo Clutch Actuator Slave Cylinder Clutch Operation 4512500062
https://www.ebay.com/i/122166363748...3D711-117182-37290-0%26rvr_id%3D1399016906068
Something powered and mechanical has to be doing the shifting for the " Automated Manual" transmission. This is it.
You're already into it for $1600. It's decision time. Much more and and you'll be close (depending on mileage) to the total value of the car.

Good luck

 

[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

Well funny enough I bought this car used around end of 2016, for $4400 CAD, it came with 120,000 KM. So far it's at 165,000 KM mark and I already put in $1000 over the years in minor repairs (ABS Sensor died, Electrical problem with headlights, new tires). Now I'm looking at another $1600, but as I said they might need to call a MB Mechanic to assist them, meaning extra cost will occur for me. This is a bit of a bummer because I'm stuck at a point where I put so much money into this already that I burned away a down payment on a new car, and the second problem is with new car I'm back to making month-to-month payments for whatever the term is + insurance, which last time I called I got quoted $350/mon for a new 2017 Lancer, while I'm paying $250/mon for the 451.

See if I lease or finance I will bury myself in payments for the next few years.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

All that and if you don't repair it, what is it worth???
Tough spot to be in.

 

[DowneasTTer]

So let me get this right. You bought an 8 year old car for about $3,500 (US dollar figure as of today) two years ago. It had about 75,000 miles on it at the time. You drove it for two years adding another 25,000 miles or so. Seems like pretty cheap cost of ownership up to the point it died. But you state you are paying $250/month. Does that mean you actually financed it? Sorry to hear of your problems but they seem almost self-inflicted. Hope you solve the issue and good luck.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

So let me get this right. You bought an 8 year old car for about $3,500 (US dollar figure as of today) two years ago. It had about 75,000 miles on it at the time. You drove it for two years adding another 25,000 miles or so. Seems like pretty cheap cost of ownership up to the point it died. But you state you are paying $250/month. Does that mean you actually financed it? Sorry to hear of your problems but they seem almost self-inflicted. Hope you solve the issue and good luck.

You forgot the $1000 in repairs while it was drivable. That and it was bought at the END of 2016, so I'm guessing a little more than a year of ownership and use.
Not 2 years. I don't consider that "Cheap" ownership.

Well funny enough I bought this car used around end of 2016, for $4400 CAD, it came with 120,000 KM. So far it's at 165,000 KM mark and I already put in $1000 over the years in minor repairs (ABS Sensor died, Electrical problem with headlights, new tires). Now I'm looking at another $1600, but as I said they might need to call a MB Mechanic to assist them, meaning extra cost will occur for me. This is a bit of a bummer because I'm stuck at a point where I put so much money into this already I burned away a down payment on a new car, and the second problem is with new car I'm back to making month-to-month payments for whatever the term is + insurance, which last time I called I got quoted $350/mon for a new 2017 Lancer, while I'm paying $250/mon for the 451.

See if I lease or finance I will bury myself in payments for the next few years.

 

[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

All that and if you don't repair it, what is it worth???
Tough spot to be in.

Well prob $500 as scrap :/

 

[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

So let me get this right. You bought an 8 year old car for about $3,500 (US dollar figure as of today) two years ago. It had about 75,000 miles on it at the time. You drove it for two years adding another 25,000 miles or so. Seems like pretty cheap cost of ownership up to the point it died. But you state you are paying $250/month. Does that mean you actually financed it? Sorry to hear of your problems but they seem almost self-inflicted. Hope you solve the issue and good luck.

Nope I bought it outright for $4400. The $250/mon is the godly Canadian Insurance because we have to pay high insurance lol

Also can’t say it’s self inflicted. Casual driving in summer and winter, got a shovel with me for the winter season truth so yeah.

 

[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

So it turns out there my car failed on 2 stages.

Stage 1: One of the Servos for Clutch/Actuator died
Stage 2: Transfer rod on the Actuator snapped

But thankfully I'm getting my car back soon, and only looking at $1600 in repairs. Funny enough my Mechanic no longer wants to see that car lol.

 

[jimvw57]

Sadly these lil guys are not cheap to get repaired.

 

[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

Sadly these lil guys are not cheap to get repaired.

Well it's a MB (German) product you can't expect anything less. In US/Can this buggers are pricy to repair and get aftermarket parts, in Europe there is a massive amounts of aftermarket parts and repairs are more or less reasonable there v. here.

 

[DowneasTTer]

Be thankful you own a 451. There are at least parts around both new and used. That's another reason I don't have a lot of love for the now discontinued ice 453... With few of the buggers around and no more coming across the pond part prices won't be the biggest problem in a few years. Glad you got your smart back. Hopefully you'll have many more KM's without issues.

 

[FEWTOOMANYBEERS]

Be thankful you own a 451. There are at least parts around both new and used. That's another reason I don't have a lot of love for the now discontinued ice 453... With few of the buggers around and no more coming across the pond part prices won't be the biggest problem in a few years. Glad you got your smart back. Hopefully you'll have many more KM's without issues.

To be quite honest I think Smart Car's are overpriced. The new 453 look blocky and have less trunk space then my 451 (I test driven the new 453). Now they are going ED only which is a no-no in my books. I love the screaming my I-3 0.9L naturally aspirated banger makes via the 2" Exhaust without Muffler , I would not be able to stand the no-sound ED. However, even for my 451 there are little parts at scrap yards.

Honestly I look an many cars, I love smaller cars because they are a blast in traffic (former Motorcycle rider). The 451 does some nice sketchy traffic driving. However it's disappointing that it make around 64hp and any engine upgrades will cost an arm an a leg. I'm just waiting till my bugger makes it to 300,000 KM's (186,411 Miles) and if the engine still lives, cool. If it dies, then well I will probably dump $7000 and make it into a Smart-suki with a Turbo busa engine