You might remember that Jon Barrett, a vehicle data editor at Edmunds.com, has been driving a 2008 Smart Fortwo pretty extensively in the last few weeks. Here's his report of his latest adventures:
"Lately I've been spending a lot of time in a Smart that a friend of mine has bought for promotional purposes. The other weekend when I fired up the Smart and attempted to put it into gear, I couldn't get the brake interlock to disengage the shift lever. I tried turning the car on and off a few times, stepped on the brake pedal a bunch of times, and even smacked the top of the shifter. But all of this was to no avail; the button on the shift lever just wouldn't depress.
"Finally I called Smart USA for roadside assistance. They informed me that the car would have to be towed to the dealer for repair and said that a tow truck would be there in 90 minutes. Cut to nearly 4 hours (and many phone calls) later, and a huge flatbed finally arrived.
"While waiting for the tow truck, I jumped on-line to check some forums for Smart car owners to see if anyone else had experienced a similar problem. To my surprise, this shift lever issue appeared to be an all too common occurrence. Even the tow truck driver admitted that he sees this problem quite often. According to members of the 451s.com forum (www.451s.com), the problem seems to stem from the unique center console that the U.S.-market Smart gets and a lack of proper lubrication of the parts inside the shifter.
"When I picked up the Smart after its warranty repair, the work order showed that the shift knob had been removed, the interior parts had been lubricated and then the knob had been replaced. Everything has worked perfectly since.
"But some good did come out of this whole episode. I learned from dealership personnel that an upgrade is on the way for all 2008 and some 2009 Smarts. It includes a software update to modify shift timing for better drivability, replaces the battery with a larger-capacity one and substitutes some misprinted VIN stickers on the car (NHTSA TSB 10025723). Apparently Smart owners will be modified by VIN number to bring in their car. My car is due for an oil change soon, so I'll get the upgrade then and then let you know how it works out."
e34bmwlover says:
05:11 PM, 04/ 6/09
I bet they could fit another smart on that flatbed if they load it perpendicularly to the truck. What a waste of space
vt8919 says:
06:00 PM, 04/ 6/09
How ironic. The guy who's supposed to pick up a rolling wristwatch advertisement wasn't on time.
greenpony says:
06:51 PM, 04/ 6/09
I didn't think it was possible to make an ugly vehicle even uglier, but there you go.
playdrv4me says:
09:44 AM, 04/ 7/09
Gotta love Mercedes engineering. Ugh.
banhugh says:
09:55 AM, 04/ 7/09
"Smart owners will be modified by VIN number to bring in their car"
It sound pretty painful...
3trackmind says:
10:27 AM, 04/ 7/09
OK, it should say "notified", not "modified". But even then, owners will be notified by VIN number that their VIN number is incorrect??
Monocrom says:
02:31 AM, 04/ 8/09
Wow! Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse... This car is a joke. The only reason why it's popular is because it's cute, and it's trendy with the "Green" crowd. (Especially the ones who absolutely have to show the rest of the world that they care about the enviornment). What a joke.
The car fits only two people. So if you're not some loser with only one friend in the entire world, skip it. It costs more than a fuel-sipping economy car with a backseat. It takes Premium. (Unlike an economy car). There's higher risk of roll-over... unlike an ecomony car.
The Smart is a pretty dumb choice. A Hyundai Accent would be a better choice. Decent fuel economy, on REGULAR. Room for more than just one passenger. Less expensive to buy. Nearly as easy to park. More room in back of the hatch. No need to worry about flipping over if you take a corner too fast.
A VW Beetle is also cute, and far more practical than the Smart. But the Smart is trendy... especially among those who enjoy showing the world that they care about saving the planet. After all, what's the point of doing something good, if no one notices.
Monocrom says:
02:42 AM, 04/ 8/09
Wow! Just when you thought it couldn't get worse.
With the exception of heated, cloth seats; nothing about the Smart is actually smart. A Hyundai Accent would be a smarter choice. Less expensive, uses Regular (unlike the Smart), decent fuel economy, capable of carrying more than just one other person, still rather easy to park, and you don't have to worry about flipping over if you take a corner too fast.
But the Smart is cute... And so is a VW Beetle. Which is far more pragmatic compared to a Smart.
The Smart is wildly popular with the "Green" crowd. (At least with the ones who must show others that they truly care about saving the planet. After all, what's the point of doing something good; if no one is around to see you do it).
Monocrom says:
02:44 AM, 04/ 8/09
*Damn glitch. Apologies for the duplicate post.*