XSeries-forum

I have a little Smart Brabus

Wel as I was about to post, it's been unwell and in the repairers for 2 weeks?

Yes I hit a pot hole and it broke and when I got home the near side suspension was down and arch was. Nearly on the wheel, I suspected a broken coil spring. Got the car to the garage the following day and they confirmed the spring had snapped, a fairly common problem I am told on these.

Mercedes wanted £170 for 2 front springs and 3 days to deliver, so I thought about lowered springs but ended up sourcing some standard brabus ones off the web for a third of their price.

Garage rang last week to say that these cars had a suspension mod to stop them snapping the springs, but Mercedes couldn't tell them if mine had been done and would not send them the mod parts, even though they themselves would do the mod for free?

Anyhow the garage said as suspension was seized would have to heat it up and probably result in new top mounts and shocks, as wells and another 2 days to get the bits but the prices were reasonable. So the parts were ordered.

Whilst in there they checked the exhaust which was blowing and it's got a split, and just guess the cost of a New Brabus Exhaust from Mercedes ?

No not £300 try again


No not £500 try again


No not even £750 one last price



Yes how about

£950    !!!!!!  Yes nearly a grand well I fell through the floor

So that was a no and have been looking on the web and have ordered a hand made stainless steel system for the smart for £420 which in comparison seems to be a bargain.

So last night manage to pick my Smart up, it's called Arthur2 as its just half a car and the second smart fortowo I have owned. So the credit card has been hit but the suspension is better now I have some, just need to get that exhaust done.

I guess you all thought an X5 was an expensive car, well for the size and weight of the smart i would reckon its up their with the rest of the supercars. However, all this expense has put paid to the winter wheels and any mods on the X5 for a month or so. Unless I win on the lottery.

Anyhow it's good to have it back and it puts a smile on my face when you drive it and when parking it in a space only available to a smart car  ) and you can park it sideways to the curb I am told which I will try at some point.

We had the same issue on the merc A class 2 years ago. Merc stealership wanted crazy money for the springs but got it for 1/3 of the price the  stealer wanted. They also had a common issue with the suspension springs.

Ouch!  Our E46 breaks rear springs regularly.  Again it's a 'known issue' but no one has fixed it.  One Dealer told me it was because the springs were made from recycled steel!  Yeah like that's a reason to believe.... >:(

R

I do love these statements that its a known issue but no fix, and it amazes me they get away with it but I think that is life.

Anyhow that's the reason I couldn't stretch to buying the wheels from kkodal78.

Oh we'll onwards, and upwards just one of the radiators to sort in the house today.

How dare you come on here waxing lyrical about the ultra small TwoFour and not post pictures!  >:(

Make amends and post!

Don

Ouch

Always liked them! But you know the drill!

Our little Smart ForTwo has been sitting patiently on the drive for about 2 years now, sans battery - we use it with our motorhome (on an A  frame) motorhome has also been standing around for that length of time as I had work contracts away from home etc etc. Its hooked up to mains and I do start it now and then unlike the Smart!!    So fully expecting to have to have it recovered to Mercedes to have the keys recoded when we finally do use it!

I have also found it an incredibly finnicky little car, a total horror to do even the simplest of things like change a light bulb, and very expensive to repair.  Had to have the whole steering wheel replaced because of some 20p washer thing which started throwing error codes - over £300 for the wheel.  Aircon kept breaking down when we were using it and I got sick of having it regassed and pressure tested.    Plus a multitude of other little issues.    Almost as bad as BMW then but at least the X is more functional and comfortable and the dealers are generally not quite as up themselves as Mercedes!    We had an A class for a few years luckily not too much of a problem, just the cam position sensor, but the depreciation on it was diabolical - worse than any other car I have had in recent years.

We still have a classic 1999 SLK 230 and Mercedes kept missing the various warning signs of electrical failures until one day the compressor that opens the roof burnt out within 2 minutes of them delivering the car back to me - luckily the car did not catch fire.  The boot rubber seal had allowed water ingress which seeped to the lowest point of the boot where the pump is fitted and it actually seeped all the way down the wiring harness beyond the pump giving all sorts of random faults. Mercedes acknowledged they should have picked up the fault and spent many hours rewiring the car, I paid for a new pump to be flown in from Germany and the labour was free.  Cost about £1500 though, just for the parts.  And the exhaust story just as you have found silly silly money.  I had a hand crafted stainless steel replacement made for a fraction of the cost.  Its a great classic car now, though, and a delight to drive, just not at this time of year and I am pleased not to have to use it as a daily driver!!!    Likewise the Smart!!!!