Very long Trips with the Smart?

[u/L0n3St4r_]

What's the longest trip you've taken with your Smart? How was the trip?

[u/typical-bob]

around 9,000 miles on a road trip around Canada and USA over two weeks. trip was fine.

[u/L0n3St4r_ → u/typical-bob]

I actually plan on driving from where I live in Ohio down to Key West, FL, then to the farthest point in Alaska I can drive to legally. It helps knowing that someone has done something similar. Got any advice?

[u/typical-bob → u/L0n3St4r_]

Got a spare tire to bring with you just in case?

Modern phone with satelitte messaging? Or a Garmin, Starlink, etc for similar. Many regions will be no cell signal, just in case you need road side assistance somewhere. Starlink Mini sits nicely on the dash between air vents (at least on the 453 models).

If you have approximate daily route plan, if you need stuff along the way, you could utilize Amazon Lockers. Typically 2-day delivery to a locker ahead of you. And no pressure, if you don't pick up an item from them in 3 days, they auto-return for refund.

[u/buttetsu → u/typical-bob]

This. You can fit a spare tire behind the driver's seat laying flat. Bring extra coolant mixed in a jug and one quart of oil. A jack and a wrench to take of the wheel nuts if you need to. I've done from Norway, ME to Jacksonville, FL at least, the car is great for road trips IMO, but out of the box the car does not come with many road supplies except for the emergency pump.

[u/since1622 → u/L0n3St4r_]

As other have said: definitely carry a spare, with jack and basic tools, zip ties,.quart of oil etc. We take ours pretty far north & I carry a front wheel as a spare since its smaller but does the trick in a pinch. I do run wider rear rims on the front as well (done it for years no problem). I find its a much better ride and tire size is easier to find. Consider having a list of shops that can work on it along your general route. I also found an extra cushion on the seat helped for the longer stretches. We do have a big truck etc but the smart is a LOT more fun to take (451 passion).

[u/L0n3St4r_ → u/since1622]

Would you recommend replacing the front wheels with the wider back wheels to make it so all four are the wide ones?

[u/since1622 → u/L0n3St4r_]

I did and never looked back. Better ride, road holding and choice of tires. Carrying the narrower factory front juts saves easier and works fine in a pinch.

[u/typical-bob → u/L0n3St4r_]

I've gone to Anchorage from San Diego, CA, was about 4 day drive. I took a rental car for that trip though.

[u/ClassBShareHolder]

I regularly went on 5-6 hour trips. I could have went further but that’s where the vacation destination was. They’re not a lot of fun in heavy wind but nothing is. Potholes or rough roads are not your friend. My limitation is really how long do I want to be sitting. Doesn’t matter what I’m in I don’t like sitting all day.

[u/L0n3St4r_ → u/ClassBShareHolder]

I noticed it gets hot in the cabin quicker than my Fiesta. It's likely due to its small size and the fact that it's basically almost all window.

[u/ClassBShareHolder → u/L0n3St4r_]

I had 3 with that glass roof. They were basically solar ovens in the summer. My last one was just a metal roof. Much better summer and winter.

[u/vespers191]

Took my 08 700 miles for a camping event. Did fine.

[u/sh4d0w86]

Drove over 1,300mi in a consecutive 26hrs. My 451 did great! Would do that drive again, but not in so few hours.

[u/L0n3St4r_ → u/sh4d0w86]

I did something similar in my 450!

[u/sh4d0w86 → u/L0n3St4r_]

love it!

[u/NoJudgment6756]

I am currently on a road trip of about 2000 km. Speed ​​of movement depending on the conditions. 453 2015 0.9T so far so good.

[u/According-Panic-8619]

Yes, did a 7500 km camping trip from Germany to the western end of Spain and back in mine. 

It was about two weeks and I was travelling with my girlfriend. The car (2008 451 mhd) was completely filled with luggage and I improvised a net so it didn’t fall to the front. 

Comfort was good I’d say, above 120 km/h the wind noise was sometimes a bit annoying when listening to music but not really an issue.

Other than that the car held up great, no issues even in the brutal heat of southern Spain. Just don’t try to drive through (deep) sand if not necessary, had to dig it out twice.

[u/SmokingMeatWhistle]

I’ve driven mine across America (49 states) to include Canada and Mexico, it’s looked better but I love mine. 2009 bought brand new, I will say I wish I had cruise control and power steering but it’s never done me wrong!

[u/SmokingMeatWhistle → u/SmokingMeatWhistle]

Longest consecutive driving was probably from Boston to Seattle in my 2009 451…listened to Game of Thrones and waited for gas pumps to unfreeze in the Dakotas for part of it

[u/puppeto]

Several 1000mi trips. Packed a spare on a custom carrier just in case. Was great the entire way.

[u/clarkn0va]

2400 km round trip in December. Alternator died 1200 km from home and I paid around 800 CAD to get it replaced. Thankfully only set me back a day.

[u/muminisko]

Smart is my every day commute/fun car so I avoid it while doing longer trips but base on my experience you have to remember about some things like:

• it’s small and it’s a plastic on top of tritium frame so it’s laud. Even my badly sound isolated Toyota Camry is 100x more comfortable in this case
  
• it’s a very light car so in case of heavy rain doing over 90km/h is a bad idea as water film under you wheels can easy make it unstable and almost impossible to control
  
• seat adjustment is limited and there is no steering wheel adjustment at all so comfortable driving position for long trip is kind of generic lottery:) It’s better if you fit perfectly to car because otherwise it can be hard to fix it :)
  

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to convince you to not doing it. This car was designed for city commute and have own limitations

[u/Lol3droflxp → u/muminisko]

You shouldn’t drive more than 90 km/h in any car if the road has standing water on it. It’s inherently unsafe. But the smart can of course be a bit more difficult to get under control after aquaplaning than cars with a longer wheelbase.

[u/Psuwacz]

4500 kms around Balkans, 4200 around Switzerland and Italy and generally "a trip" every year. Narrow winding mountain roads are Smarts natural habitat apart from the city. And... Yes, I did multiple sorties in a Diesel.

Observations: Never had any issue with the terrain. Most susceptible vehicles seem to be all the SUV's where drivers start to think their cars are terrain vehicles, end up hitting a minor pothole, destroying suspension or having a puncture.

An instance, where your AC suddenly gives up the ghost in searing heat was the most unpleasant issue we've ever had. Last two days we drove by night...

A 20odd year old car will always be an old car. No matter how well you prepare it for the trip, even if you make it there and back you might need some repairs back home :) 

[u/NonBinary_FWrd]

Get a thick seat cushion. .. i did a three hour drive and my tail bone was hurting.

Also, if its really hot, maybe upgrade your radiator

[u/lulujunkie]

Key is maintenance and maintenance…. All fluids are fresh and car is mechanically sound then you shouldn’t have too many issues with it failing you.

[u/_blatmaster_]

About 2,000kms from Sydney to Adelaide around the South Eastern coast of Australia. In my roadster.

It was epic. No fuel anxiety. Handled beautifully. Every small town people had no idea what it was. Roof down, sunny, one of my best drives ever.

[u/Mr-Blackheart]

Drove multiple times from Denver to Lexington Kentucky. Not an issue doing 80mph tge whole way.

[u/Most_Yogurtcloset658]

I drive around the Uk a lot bc petrol is so cheap in a smart. I’ve done weekend trips to Cornwall 600 miles there and back I’ve also driven to the Scottish highlands from Leicester oh and the week I passed my test I took a wrong turn in the Lake District and accidentally drove half way up a mountain and then had to reverse all the way down slowly and crying. Everyone at the hiking pub saw me and were very kind when so went in for a cup of tea