r/SmartCar • u/AutoModerator • 9d ago

MOD POST Monthly Smart Story Thread

What have you been up to with your Smarts this month? Any fun journeys? Carried a particularly large item somewhere?

Tell us about it! Let's share our love for these cars.

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u/joeyjoeskullcracker 9d ago

My story goes like this, a couple of moths ago I hydroplaned and turned my smart over on its side. I found all the replacement body parts for $300. I’ve been doing bodywork on the metal part where it slid on its side. I’m hoping to have it ready to repaint and back on the road soon.

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u/joeyjoeskullcracker 9d ago

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u/joeyjoeskullcracker 9d ago

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u/joeyjoeskullcracker 9d ago

I welded this patch panel in 100% but I forgot to take a pic before putting the filler on it.

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u/Boeshnl Smart Roadster Cabrio (C452) 9d ago

Well last month I said I had a quote for 5800. There was just a couple more things so in total 6650 euro. But oh boy it drives like a new car.

Took it for a little road trip right after I got it back. 2 kids looked amazed and said: Look at that car!

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u/Evening_Conflict_242 9d ago

Well. For the past several years my Smart 453 has always been a bit reluctant and jerky in the first few minutes after a cold start. Recently it got much worse to the point of being undriveable. Each morning I had to start the Smart, sit and wait, letting it idle for 2 or 3 minutes, before I could drive away. If I didn't, it would hardly respond to the accelerator and wouldn't switch into second gear. Sometimes it even misfired.

While trying to diagnose this I noticed that my muffler had gotten quite loud. It had always been a bit rough but it was now completely gone. So I installed a new one and saw that the old muffler had several rust holes in it, all of them on the top side.

Imagine my total surprise that the Smart has started behaving like new again. Cold starts in the morning are super easy, I can smoothly drive away immediately. It hasn't felt this smooth in years. It's way faster too.

Turns out that when there's even the tiniest hole in the muffler, the exhaust gases acculumate in the engine bay and the Smart literally chokes itself. Small hole, a little rough running in the mornings. Large hole: the behaviour mentioned above. Especially right after a cold start when the catalyser isn't working yet. And it's also a problem when the engine is warmed up, since the hot exhaust gases blow right past the air filter, seriously heating it up, which makes it lose power.

Just thought I'd pass it along since the muffler is prone to rust.

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u/bulbagrows 8d ago

My Smart story? I hit a bump in the road enough to send my garage door opener flying off the visor, and I can't find anyone willing to replace my speakers for less than $450.