[Killer Tomato]

Some of you may remember me. I bought my first smart new in 2009. A couple years ago I sent it to live in San Diego with my son. Well, somehow I got down to 4 cars!! So I started looking at smarts. I rescued a Yellow 2008 cabrio for $3300, that's had a rough life.The top was sealed with duct tape, which meant there is glue everywhere. Almost everything in the slide mechanism is bent or broken. Roof is usable, if anyone knows where I can get the hardware, I'd appreciate it. All of the panels have some clear coat peeling, and the previous owner really liked tape. There is tape residue in various places all over the car. The front cover has "tiger" stripes, like the panel was bent over and over leaving lighter Yellow stripes across the hood. After I paid for it and the lady made a hasty exit, I went to put it in gear and the lever moves but the car didn't! The gear indicator was not showing the gear either. Shut it off and restarted, shifted fine. I think I remember that problem being discussed here. I bought it Saturday, I've been through the buyers remorse part of buying an old car, now I'm excited to start driving it. When I got it home I going over everything I would have to do to make it pretty again, then I realized, it doesn't have to be pretty, it can be the first "Rat" smart! So, anyway, nice to be back, I see some of you are still here.

 

[jwight]

Welcome back!

 

[Killer Tomato]

Thanks, I remember you!

 

[1stiski]

Pics of the beater may give it better justice . but , nevertheless , enjoy your fixer upper !

 

[sokoloff]

Welcome back - I lived in North Shore in Pasadena for about 28 years. Taught at Chesapeake and Northeast.

Len
2014 EV Coupe 16,000 miles
2014 EV Cabriolet 8,000 miles

 

[Killer Tomato]

I'll get some up this weekend .

 

[Killer Tomato]

My son and my sister went to Chesapeake. I think i recognize your name from back in the day.

 

[1stiski]

I'll get some up this weekend .

Excellent .

 

[twcom]

Well like any used car its the starting point. Get it running and rolling right. Cosmetics are so easy for these cars visually just need to decide what you want it to be. First tape on the cabrios seem to usually be about wind noise. If I get a cabrio I would make it all about being a drop top noise and all. Top down on warm nights only, especially with 4 other cars. You are in position to make the ultra drop top Smart. Decadently Cabrio.

 

[Killer Tomato]

Well I couldn't control myself last night and un-taped the roof and dug in to see what is wrong. Almost all of the runner hardware is broken and the cables have progressed to different distances on the rail. Now if I can just find a supplier or junk yard that has the parts I need. The plan for now is to tape it up for the winter, while I try to locate the parts. She runs really good, slight vibration over 60 mph. The shifter problem happened again last night, so far, restarting it fixes it. This weekend I'll change the oil, check the air filter (order a K&N from Amazon), top off all of the fluids, tape the top closed, replace the burned out fog lamps, install the engine cover latch and check the air in the tires before resetting the tpms, time permitting. Oh yeah, I noticed a "boom noise" when I turned the radio up! I have one of the factory under seat sub-woofers! It's not playing bass notes, just booming every once and a while. I'll pull that out and look it over when I get a chance.

In the meantime I'm not suffering too much ;-), 2 of my cars are long term projects, a 1987 Buick Grand National and a 1940 Chrysler Royal Coupe street rod, Which have been pushed back to retirement projects. My daily drivers are a 2010 Yellow Corvette convertible and a 2017 Ram Rebel pickup. The main purposes of the smart are to save on gas, keep the miles off the other 2 and to be able to park at certain places I go without worrying about door dings.

Yes, I'll put up images of the others this weekend too. ;-)

 

[Killer Tomato]

New to me!

Figured out how to upload finally!

 

[Killer Tomato]

New to me smart

New to me smart

 

[BB Benz]

Here are a couple of video's you might find useful:

The first one is slider replacement, and the second is adjustment.

 

[Susan A Pitman]

I'd love to see pictures too!

 

[SkippyThorson]

Welcome back!!! Congrats on the new ride and whenever you get tired of the Grand National, give me a call. Got a Monte Carlo that would love a Buick cousin!

Hopefully you can get that top repaired. I have faith; you got this!

 

[Killer Tomato]

That GN has been on hold for almost 20 years. Hoping to retire in February, will get it back on the road then. Thanks though ;-). Nice to be back in a smart!

 

[Killer Tomato]

Well, Maryland requires a safety inspection to register new vehicle purchases. Bent control arm, shot bushings in the motor mount and torsion bar and a small host of other things, $1200. I brought the price down on the car from $3995 to $3300, so by some weird mathematics, I'm only down $500! Not liking odd numbers, I found a set of tires and wheels on here for $500 which will put me at an even $1000 over. .Due to time constraints, I'm having them do the work to get through inspection. The brakes will need to be done soon, but I can do that. The axle seals also need replacing, might wait until Spring. I'll put some new images up after she gets her new shoes.