Just bought a Smart Roadster! 8)

[hardchargin40]

Well the missus has!  Its awesome, well funky and fairly rapid too!  'Only' 80bhp but do not underestimate this car, brilliant!  Cant stop smiling!   Blue, Full leather heated seats, sport pack on it too, stiffer suspension, larger 16" wheels 205/45/16 tyres!  Handles like on rails and I love the turbo chatter right behind your head, 1bar boost too.    Feels so much quicker and gives a right shove, even in full auto mode.  Got paddle shift on it too, gearbox shifting time isn't that bad as what the reviews have you believe, perfectly liveable and useable!  Best car ever to have fun in that doesn't involve losing your licence with insane speeds!

Picking it up on Tuesday night!  Gonna be a long couple of days!

[hayesey]

they sound like right good fun those things, but do they come with a paper bag to put over your head  

[hardchargin40]

When it looks like this....    Loud and Proud!

[hayesey]

it's the perfect car for the mrs to own because you still get to drive it but have the excuse "its the mrs' car"

[samg40]

I like em. I've been trying to get the missus to get rid of her Corrado for one. She has yet to be convinced.

[sinister polo]

brabus do a version of this with an added turbo and another 3 cylinders = v6 twin turbo,
it was on top gear a few years back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omrpAh1gMdQ

[hardchargin40]

£330, 000 Each and only 10 made, fuel tank for a boot, all non road legal!     Great fun Id imagine.  Watched clarksons review of the noraml one on top gear, proper slated it for being slow and an age to change gear, then finished saying its brilliant!

I compared it to the Polo Gt, well her mk2 Polo with GT engine on carbs anyway, coming from a fast G40 then getting into something that you can just 'rag' because you can actually use the power and just have fun, laughing your head in a good way, especially say a 2nd gear turn into a corner from a roundabout or something on the power feeling the back end squat down and grip propelling you forward with turbo chatter next to your head.   Ive driven an elise and VX220 years back, totally forgotten what a decent handling RWD car feels like.

Do like the brabus version of her roadster but most of the reviews dont rate it as a proper step up from the normal, bar the looks of it... i.e. you've got to be driving 90% of its limit to really notice it, normal everyday driving you dont really notice it, especially over a chipped one.

Not sure if her 'sport pack' is the same as the brabus one but its proper stiff suspension especially on the low profile 16s on.

This one has plans for a remap at least by Digi-tec and poss a better exhaust.  Put boost pressure to around 1.4bar and between 90-106bhp dependant.

I do prefer the coupe look, abit more blokey to me, lol although heavier.

[scotsjohn]

Maybe you should look at Smartuki; or maybe again you shouldn't. lol.

[hardchargin40]

A few piccies of the new roadster after a cleaning session on saturday.  Trackday next week!

[gavin.starr]

Rear wheel drive is defiantly the way to have good fun.

I have my supra for the weekend drives and absolutely love it, knowing that your being pushed from the back is an absolutely fantastic feeling, and when the two tubbies come on line and the exhaust opens up 

[hardchargin40]

Too right!     The snow's been fun in it!    The missus was donutting (by accident) in our cul de sac turning circle in the snow.  lol.

Just had a good major service at a smart specialist, found 3of the 6spark plugs had never been changed (full Merc history this!) and a few other things, pipercross filter and exhaust sorted.  Its running really good now its got full power back!   Getting remapped in a month or two, after I locate a brabus TIK pipe for it first.  Should see about 110bhp, and around 110-120lb/ft torque.  Sounds pouncy I know, but trust me you get a big kick from it and its ssoooooo much fun, roof down of course!

I like supras, you seen JamieP 1000bhp one on PH?  Awesome machine!

[scotsjohn]

" Three of the six spark plugs hadn't been changed". Suprex only has three cylinders!

[hardchargin40]

Twin spark!

[scotsjohn]

Only other answer, but not one I was expecting really. I've only ever had a look at the for-twos. Until recently I was working with Merc. and the dealer took on the Smart franchise and we started seeing a few  Roadsters. Already seeing problems with parts though. What's the aftermarket supply like ?

[hardchargin40]

Well its nicknamed the 'leakster'.   But we've done alot to overcome the majority of them leaks.  Main ones is the scuttle wiper tray doesn't have a great seal and also the SAM wiring loom bulkhead grommet, has been resealed with a fair amount of sealant, as the main SAM unit lives underneath the wiper tray and the wiring loom goes straight downward to the SAM.  Also since we've had it, replaced the wiper motor as the only weather seal it has is a thin O-ring, so when we got the new one, I stripped it and sealed up the mating surfaces so no moisture can get inside. It was freezing beforehand too, the old one was minging inside and full of water and crap.  Greased all the seals for the roof.  Main leaks at mo, is got water coming through the door window lower seal and through into the inside door handle so getting a new door seal, leak is only when washing the car though, not with rain, and occasional drip leak from the top door seal.  Smart released a 60page document about how to fix and problem leak areas.    Other known problems are front springs are a weak point apparently and can snap.  Bar getting the remap and TIK next year, we've lowering 30mm it anyway so springs won't be an issue.  You have to run it on ron98 too.  Alot of the guys, have overcome all the problems and detailed alot anyhow, abit like the G40.   www.fq101.co.uk is a good read for how to guides, so is www.evilution.co.uk, then theres the T.R.n.

You get alot of garages, changing only the top 3 spark plugs which is what we found.  As they don't see the other 3 underneath and you've got to take the back end bodywork off to change them and use a special puller for the leads too. Merc aswell don't change the plugs on a B service either, so if you want them done , they'll charge you labour to remove the rear end and plugs onto.  MB of lincoln wanted nearer £600-700 for a service including plugs (normally £310)!  We got a C (B + fuel filter) service done at S2 Smarts in watford for £238 inc a new pipercross filter, plugs everything.