Should You Buy a SMART ROADSTER? (Test Drive & Review)

แชร์
ฝัง
  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2021
  • Check out the HIGH PEAK store: www.highpeakstore.co.uk
    If you're interested in getting into the used car industry, check out the website below for more information on my online course. It's only £27 per month with biweekly livestreams! There are nearly 100 videos covering a whole range of topics. Plus you can cancel at any time. Click below.
    Visit www.highpeakautosacademy.com or click this link bit.ly/3rNtNhG
    Thank you to the channel sponsors:
    CarMoney - bit.ly/HighPeakCM - For Car Finance
    I'd be grateful if you could give the video a thumbs up and don't forget to subscribe if you're new to the channel.
    Today I'm in this 2005 Smart Roadster. Let's see what it's like.
    Check out my website: www.highpeakautosltd.co.uk
    Follow Me:
    Instagram - / highpeakautos
    Facebook - / highpeakautos
    Twitter - / highpeakautos
    #Smart #SmartCar #SmartRoadster #highpeakautos
  • ยานยนต์และพาหนะ

ความคิดเห็น • 581

  • @56Gumball
    @56Gumball 2 ปีที่แล้ว +62

    Fun fact: The roadster has two spark plugs per cyclinder (6 in total), has hill start, abs, anti skid, traction control and launch control. It was way ahead of its time and I thoroughly enjoyed mine back in the day, especially with an Evil Twin re-map which bought the power up to that of the Brabus version. Oh, and the gear box isn’t quite that bad, it just requires the user to adopt a different driving style. 😉

    • @Ralnon
      @Ralnon ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yes - you turn off automatic and hit 5000rpm before you change, I bloody loved my flappy paddle Roadster and miss it a LOT

    • @snafufubar
      @snafufubar 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      ​@@RalnonI had a Bluewave Coupe version. The paddles were great fun to use. Wish I had kept mine. Getting out sometimes required doing a commando roll. Such a good car we went to the local casino in it one night and the valet put it amongst all the super cars outside the door. 😮😅😅

    • @kimmccandless2099
      @kimmccandless2099 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Good video. Pity about the comment about Heather Mills !!

  • @jhunt823
    @jhunt823 2 ปีที่แล้ว +93

    If Paul McCarthy is watching this I'm sure he chuckled..I nearly pissed myself..cracking line !

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Haha that would be funny if he was a fan :)

    • @V7RNR
      @V7RNR 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      McCartney

    • @johnnunn8688
      @johnnunn8688 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@V7RNR, did you know what he meant?

    • @martinwilson2660
      @martinwilson2660 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Apparently Paul McCartney treated Heather very well. At Christmas he bought her a plane, and a lady shave for the other leg. I’ll get me coat…

    • @jeffallinson8089
      @jeffallinson8089 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Paul who lol?

  • @iandeakin4503
    @iandeakin4503 2 ปีที่แล้ว +112

    Hey mat ,nobody can say you don't have variety in your car reviews, one day an Audi rs6 avant the next a smart car. That's why I look forward to your videos, thanks mat.🙏

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Very true!

    • @Czechbound
      @Czechbound 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yes. Always a very interesting mix of "real world" cars. The last super-car/ hyper-car video I watched ( about 2 years ago ) was the last one I'll ever watch. These more real world cars ( incl. the Bentley as that is doable if you work hard and save ) are much more interesting

  • @Alexander_l322
    @Alexander_l322 2 ปีที่แล้ว +55

    I used to enjoy looking at these when I was younger and they were current. I think if they’d put a manual box in them then they’d have been far better, especially in the Brabus.

  • @tikkathreebarrels
    @tikkathreebarrels 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Cup holder exists: fold the passenger seat down and there it is in the middle of the seat back. Oh aye, the coupe gives a useful rear storage area above the tea tray.

  • @andyb190
    @andyb190 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Top review Mat. Loved the Aldi and Heather references. You have the ability 5o make me smile whilst considering buying a car the size of one of my slippers. 👌

  • @pfftt11
    @pfftt11 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thanks for adding the litres per / 100km bit when you mention fuel economy. Appreciated

  • @mikesear482
    @mikesear482 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I owned one of these in this colour. Loved every minute of it, on country roads it was fantastic

  • @pashton76
    @pashton76 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I had one of these and loved it. So much fun. Light, and economical.

  • @marshahall69
    @marshahall69 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Hi Mat, decent enough generally well balanced review, nice to see. Roadsters came in two main variants, with either a black chassis, ( "Tridion" ), or silver which was a cost option ), Colours of the body panels, were "Jack black", "Shine yellow", ( as tested on your video), "Star blue", "Glance grey" and "Spice red" with "Speed silver' on the roadster only Speedsilver special edition of 2005. They were offered in both roadster and coupe for, with Brabus versions having a different engine with bigger turbo and charge cooler as well as suspension exhaust and styling differences and larger wheels amongst other minor differences. Generally they were sold however in the UK for a little longer than 2 years however, from 2003 to 2007. They came generally with an electric folding roof but could be spec'd with hardtop instead, ( gloss black or a matt "dimpled film" covered version. You could also buy a hardtop in a bag as an option with it's own carry bag but you also need the hardtop fitting kit. You were testing the basic "Light" version that only came in hardtop form with steel wheels no a/c dimpled steering wheel and base grey cloth seats. They also did other special editions, a "Speedsilver" in roadster form only non in coupe, in 2003/4 they produced the "Bluewave" in both coupe and roadster in Star blue with silver tridion only these had Brabus mono-bloc alloys Brabus twin exhaust and sport pack interior so and several versions including the Brabus variants as "Finale edition" which were 2006 to the end of production with colour coded body sections and fluted headlight covers. The rarest version was coupe only " Edition Red" that came with the Brabus style wheels and 3 spoke steering wheel but also had the quilted red diamond stitched seats and unique Ferrari red "Rosso Corsa" painted panels. It was however 80 not 101BHP spec. Coupes generally are worth around £1,000-£1,500 more than the standard roadster and are also rarer as less were made, Brabus versions are generally £1,500- 2,000 more than their equivalent standard versions. All standard cars could be spec'd with upgrades including "pack option", "Lux", "safety" and "sports", individually you could option, a/c electric mirrors, cruise control, auto-light, on board trip computer,3 spoke paddle shift steering wheel, sound pack etc. It was also for a while the case that you could also buy fitted genuine coupe and roadster waterproof vocoders from Mercedes Smart however they rapidly sold out ! A Full service for £200 !....with respect that seems remarkably cheap for a proper "c service" however so I assume it was just 6 plugs oil and filters done then and not a full service. All the engines it's with saying are cam chain not belt by the way and are different from the similar looking problematic 450 Fortwo engine. Price wise high mileage roadsters with average spec are around £2,500 to £4,000 for a sorted and decent example without issues, coupes from £3,500 to £6k currently. Low mileage examples that are mint can fetch a premium, but need to be properly sorted cars with preventative waterproofing works and gone through top to bottom. There are a lot of horrible examples around with worn suspension, rusty sumps, rusty abs rings, rusty turbo coolant pipes, water damaged SAM units, soaking wet carpets, damaged lights, noisy cam chains, leaking water pumps, iffy starter motors and alternators, ( which you have to be very careful getting a correct replacement ),...etc etc...and with no waterproofing work done. You certainly get what you pay for with them.£7,995 for the "Light" base car you have is also however, well a tad, optimistic to say the least, !, (despite the very low mileage),I really do wish you luck with that as although I see that more like tops £5k realistically at the moment, ...but ...if you get £7,995 that pushes the whole market up 25%+ ! ...(I imagine the owners clubs and forums will be in melt down however and trolling you about the price already, they normally do with any higher priced cars, not just Smarts though, the keyboard warriors love to slag of dealers ). Waterproofing work is generally straight forward to do and you did not mention this, sealing the wing mirrors and bulk head is as common fix. They are a cracking little car and the size is almost identical to an early 70's `Lotus Elan. Keep up the good work and best of luck selling your car.

  • @markjones5230
    @markjones5230 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Another great and witty review from you Matt. Always look forward to your reviews and always looking at what car stock you have.
    Keep up the excellent job and I think we car lovers would all love to see you as a presenter on one of the big shows !

  • @philipread8733
    @philipread8733 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    You’ve just confirmed my thoughts about the roadster. Great little car

  • @raymondhunt6109
    @raymondhunt6109 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Saw one of these in rural Wales this morning and then your video comes up.I didn't realize it was a Smart Roadster.

  • @northernhammer1414
    @northernhammer1414 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thinking of getting one of these in January, lovely lil review

  • @cactus3796
    @cactus3796 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    great video ! ive had the new shape smart forfour as my first car for a few months now and I love it! its the more powerful 89hp version and i think its really fun to drive ! it would be great if you did a video on one !

  • @Knapweed
    @Knapweed ปีที่แล้ว

    Excellent review with just the right amount of humour. Good job!

  • @abstractgroove160
    @abstractgroove160 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Always really liked these. Not sure I'd want to own one, but I do crack a smile whenever I see one out and about. They just look really fun - too many cars take themselves too seriously.

  • @TheLeylander
    @TheLeylander 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great review , and I love my smart , very quirky and not everyone,s cup of tea , but I exactly agree with you , if you have one of these always try and make sure you use a smart specialist for servicing and repairs , and yes they will increase in value over time .
    Thanks again 👍

  • @GrahamSmith-co8uy
    @GrahamSmith-co8uy ปีที่แล้ว

    I've got a roadster with the paddle gear shift - and I think the gearbox mapping has been updated - no gear change lag at all, and it's immense fun. I agree with you about getting in and out, though... I have to fall into it... and getting out is almost comedic... Love the car - brilliant on country roads.

  • @DaveDVideoMaker
    @DaveDVideoMaker 2 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    The boot of the SMART Roadster is hilariously small.
    Jeremy Clarkson says it's a baking tray above the engine.

    • @DaveDVideoMaker
      @DaveDVideoMaker 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @Uncle Gilbert It doesn’t matter.

    • @ferrumignis
      @ferrumignis 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      That's why you buy the Roadster Coupe.

  • @charliedenholm4060
    @charliedenholm4060 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Another great video, have been seriously considering swapping my GTV T.Spark for a Brabus Roaster for a while now

  • @scalecrawlnl
    @scalecrawlnl 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Cool review of a rare car! Thank you very much for the video and all car variety, good fun👍😎

  • @connorhalford2735
    @connorhalford2735 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Brilliant videos , love the variety of content 👍🏼👍🏼

  • @Dubb1000
    @Dubb1000 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Love this guy's sense of humor, and the vid was really informative too. I had to subscribe.

  • @toms_garage
    @toms_garage 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great video, love the yellow colour too!! I remember these from my youth.

  • @izzirosenberg9339
    @izzirosenberg9339 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    You've got me thinking now. I'm tempted

  • @defcon5i
    @defcon5i 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great presentation Matt as always.... always wondered if you prepare a script or it is all adlib straight off the cuff? Either way you have it nailed and have the perfect balance of knowledge, information and entertainment. Would be interesting to see a video of your camera set ups.

  • @Playford-garden-maintenance
    @Playford-garden-maintenance 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Mate I love your car reviews no one puts it better great videos

  • @sebastianpeter8197
    @sebastianpeter8197 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Finally i understand the mpg figure! Thanks for the conversion to L/100km

  • @andrewgray1934
    @andrewgray1934 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    The Heather Mills reference was pure class, do you prep your reviews if not you really have missed your calling. Keep up the excellent work.

  • @JohnLyle
    @JohnLyle 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i LOVE these and the Brabus is a proper future classic. it has a paddle change and genuinely feels quite quick.

  • @parvinkukar1259
    @parvinkukar1259 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Been looking forward for this review and totally agree with your comments after driving it my self

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      It’s good fun to drive but wouldn’t want to use it everyday

  • @whitemoor66
    @whitemoor66 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Always liked these, particularly the quirky looks, but I was always put off by the gearbox. Looks great in this colour!

  • @MrSluby
    @MrSluby 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Always a pleasure watching your channel. Love your dry sense of humour and variety of cars. Keep it up !

  • @phil8437
    @phil8437 2 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    Nearly bought one of these but ended up buying a Suzuki Cappuccino and never regretted it. The Suzuki is very well engineered, easy to service, rare and a blast to drive. Suzuki Cappuccino, 5 speed gearbox 0-60 in 8 seconds and top speed 90 mph.

    • @chrispenn715
      @chrispenn715 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Agreed - the Cappuccino is brilliant. I had one when they were current. Difficult to find now - and very expensive for a good one, which is why went for the Smart. The Suzukis can also rust badly......

    • @stuartday1876
      @stuartday1876 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Always wanted a Cappuccino when they came out years ago, they looked like a lot of fun! Can't be many good examples left by now I imagine.

    • @bmurphy737
      @bmurphy737 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I’ve owned both the Smart and Cappuccino (at different times). There’s no question: the Cappuccino is better in every respect and much better in most.

    • @InsanityRenn
      @InsanityRenn 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      So rare ive never seen one. Guessing they werent released in the UK?

    • @ferrumignis
      @ferrumignis 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@InsanityRennOnly as grey imports. The biggest issue with the Cappuccino is they rust like a 1970s Lancia.

  • @BEGGARWOOD1
    @BEGGARWOOD1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I owned two of these car, both coupes . Brilliant little things . The Brabus one is a great drive

  • @5ebra1
    @5ebra1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for providing us with such a varied feast.

  • @ademo5756
    @ademo5756 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I was actually checking your website the other day and saw this car, i was thinking to my self, I would actually like to see this car in your reviews :D

  • @MrSidMuff
    @MrSidMuff 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Had a Brabus example..101bhp, paddle gears etc. Fantastic car...really nippy and such good fun. Gearbox was remapped (making a huge difference), but the ride was shocking! I'd definitely have another!

  • @kurtgoar519
    @kurtgoar519 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very cool,,
    All the best from A.J. Arizona USA..
    Congratulations on all your success ,
    I recall the first review I watched,
    Not surprised of your viewership is always on the rise, Thank you for your interesting views and humorous
    Way we all look at buying, cars..
    Kh

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! Blows my mind that people are watching from all over the world. Cheers

  • @simonjugessur6936
    @simonjugessur6936 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hey Matt. Great review- very polished.. you’re costing me a fortune- every time I see one of your reviews.. off to Auto Trader .. Thanks for reviewing cars that nobody thinks or talks about ..

  • @qianjizhao
    @qianjizhao 2 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    It was my wife's first car, we had for about 4-5 years. It is a great fun car. Regarding the cup holder, there are 2 in the car. One of the CD tray has a rubber insert which is the cup holder and the other one, you need to fold the passenger seat.

  • @kevinwall795
    @kevinwall795 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Heather Mills....Very good!

  • @Gmh6477
    @Gmh6477 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Gear shifts in these and the for2 can be massively improved by lifting off the throttle when changing gear.

  • @thekidskil
    @thekidskil 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Need the Peugeot 407 Coupé review, 2.0 HDI Diesel is just fantastic.
    Cheers and thanks for the videos as always

  • @Freeedy
    @Freeedy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    A friend lent me his Smart roadster for a week. I travelled all over the middle part of Vietnam in it. This car was great fun and so well built that it withstood every challenge I threw at it including speed and it coped just fine with the heat, humidity and the rough roads & hills. My wife & I packed our carry on wheely suitcase which just about fitted in the rear boot unfolded. The front boot was used for storing our shoes & other knick knacks. Well worth investing in one as a spare weekend plaything.

    • @joerith00
      @joerith00 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi, do you think it is also a good option as daily? Mainly for getting to work and back

    • @Freeedy
      @Freeedy ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@joerith00 Yes absolutely.

  • @70053morayfirth
    @70053morayfirth 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We had two of these, the second one a Brabus. Fantastic car in every way, beautifully made. I never noticed the pedal problem - obviously it did not affect me. But a new tyre for the Brabus was £150!! Definitely a future classic but try to get the Brabus version. You soon get used to the gearbox.

  • @S-Ltd1000
    @S-Ltd1000 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I had a really nice Brabus Xclusive coupé for a couple of years. It was good fun and pretty quick having been remapped to about 120bhp with an aftermarket filter, ported throttle body and a forge dump valve. Flappy paddles were standard on the Brabus and mine also had a ridiculously expensive V6 Raid steering wheel which transformed the feel of the car. Gear change was actually pretty quick in my car and never bothered me though ride comfort was feckin harsh, akin to driving a skateboard with seats! The expensive monoblock alloys were prone to damage and had me constantly scanning the road for potholes which was tiresome. You are right about the specialist aspect which is a bit of a pita as the nearest to me was 25 miles away. As a result I never found it that cheap to run and hefty bills await even for mundane little jobs due to the access to the mechanicals. The clutch and turbo aren't a cheap fix either. I ran mine alongside a Eunos roadster which I still have. Ultimately the Mazda is a better drivers car, way more reliable and cheaper to maintain.

  • @stephandolby
    @stephandolby 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    One of my old bosses had a red one of these. He used to drive down from Northumberland to Leeds, stay over two or three nights for work, and then drive back. Must be interesting driving one of those things up and down the A1 for two hours at a time. He also owned a couple of old Discos, quite the contrast.

  • @emilymaitlislaptop
    @emilymaitlislaptop 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Yes! Got the Brabus Roadster coupe with twin roof panels. Gearbox is slow, but it's a pocket rocket given the power to weight.

  • @Janshevik
    @Janshevik 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Glad you are making also other cars than SUVs and executive cars.

  • @calcuttaworks6398
    @calcuttaworks6398 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great episode .. informative and genuinely funny . Thank you !

  • @stuartwhite24
    @stuartwhite24 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great video matt I wouldn't mind a smart roadster but already got a smart fortwo 2010 and a bmw 730i e65 little and large lol know what you mean about the parked behind a rangerover happens to Me all the time lol

  • @robwalker9657
    @robwalker9657 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I've got one and they handle superbly.....flappy paddles are a must imo and you get used to gearbox n change gear a little earlier

  • @martinhogg5337
    @martinhogg5337 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Learn and laugh! Great review with loads of useful information!

  • @LA-fr7fx
    @LA-fr7fx 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The views/scenery in your videos are worth the viewing time alone 👍👍

  • @paulkennedy477
    @paulkennedy477 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great script this week. Mat....... the Heather Mills gag had me gasping and slapping my desk.... hilarious! I haven't heard her referenced in years and the dead pan delivery was perfect. You are a talented presenter compared to the usual 'content providers in the TH-cam motoring universe. Keep it up.

  • @leebrown6623
    @leebrown6623 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Gotta be your best an most humorous review to date..I howled when you mentioned no where for your foot to go 🤣🤣 simply brilliant as ever

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Haha thank you for watching

  • @Hamish2016
    @Hamish2016 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi m8 a have just bought myself a yellow smart roadster coupe 2004 one owner, love ❤ 😍 it ,remapped to 116bhp

  • @paulscott4950
    @paulscott4950 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    great fun to drive (felt like Michael Shoomacher with the flappy paddles), surprisingly practical if you had a coupe - but by god, it was riddled with electrical problems

  • @stevenpearson5658
    @stevenpearson5658 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Brilliant review as expected with lots of funny metaphors for good measure. You really should be on Top Gear!

  • @HowardMessias
    @HowardMessias 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I once installed an alarm/remote start in one, I still remember the pain plus the high door sill digging into my side.

  • @iandonkin6762
    @iandonkin6762 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    The coupe is my choice (I’ve owned 5), and they are a hoot to drive. That hard-top is worth a fortune nowadays, yet used to be the poverty-spec option; if the SAM unit wasn’t so vulnerable and they didn’t leak so badly, they’d be perfect.
    Still an awesome car and glad to see you being enthusiastic about it. The gearbox ain’t that bad though!

    • @Brebgon
      @Brebgon 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Why did you own 5?

  • @mguuu813
    @mguuu813 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Well done Matt, great video as usual, you could make a labour politician sound interesting!! 👍👍

  • @Yorkshiremadmick
    @Yorkshiremadmick 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Mrs has a 2005 Roadster (fabric roof) can open and close that at 80mph. We had a boot bag (off my SL)
    that made it an everyday tourer. Economical too.

  • @azer66
    @azer66 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I used to own one of these 13 years ago. It was so fun! Wish it had more HP though

  • @bestfriendbayliss
    @bestfriendbayliss 2 ปีที่แล้ว +92

    Refreshing to see an honest, positive review of one of these. I’ve had mine for two years now and love it.
    Points of note:
    1. That gearbox - it actually doesn’t change any slower than a manual gearbox, we’re just conditioned to think a “tiptronic” type box should change instantly. Once you get that idea out of your head and approach changes as you would in a manual car it actually works very well. I never use mine in auto mode because it’s just bad and indecisive. Also worthy of note is that it’s a 3 speed box with overdrive on every gear, hence the 3rd to 4th change is fractionally slower than all the others.
    2. Acceleration - The headline figures are hindered somewhat by the gearbox when pulling away as it slips the clutch a touch if you floor it, and hindered more by the change from 3rd to 4th at about 58mph. In gear acceleration is absolutely fine.
    3. Motorway twitchiness - I’ve ditched the power steering in mine and it made a huge difference in that regard. I’ve also since fitted Eibach springs, Bilstein dampers and a stiffer ARB which improved things further, but removing the PAS is free and takes less than a minute so is well worthwhile. The steering is still lighter than on my X5 even with PAS removed as there’s very little weight over the front of the car.
    4. Servicing - Dead easy, even removing the rear bumper to replace all six plugs isn’t a major chore. Important to have the clutch aligned though and this requires MB Star software so go to a specialist for that once a year.
    5. Leaks - I have a hard and soft top for mine. The soft top doesn’t leak at all, the hardtop does leak. If anyone sees this and is thinking of buying one, PLEASE join the Evilution (not a typo) website and follow all the leak prevention guides, they’re invaluable, as is much of that site.
    6. Reliability - Gearboxes are strong, engines are reliable if maintained. Mine is on 140,000 miles - the engine has never been opened up and it’s still on its original clutch, it’s been serviced every 6000 miles from new, mostly by the previous owner and me, and has been totally reliable save for a dry solder in the SAM unit that was causing it to cut out - fixed for free, by me, on my kitchen table.

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Thanks for the tips

    • @emilymaitlislaptop
      @emilymaitlislaptop 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Agreed water ingress at top of A pillar is an issue with my targa top (said goodbye to the speakers). Good informative post, thanks.

    • @Valisk
      @Valisk 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I never used the auto mode in mine, but there's no way "it actually doesn’t change any slower than a manual gearbox".

    • @emilymaitlislaptop
      @emilymaitlislaptop 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@Valisk yeah, I also use the manual up/down. Still feels like a delay engaging though. Other than the box and minor roof water leaks, it's a very underrated car and I love it for weekends.

    • @Valisk
      @Valisk 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@emilymaitlislaptop ​ @page 94 Mine was pretty trouble free over 80k, although it was nearly new when I got it. No leaks or failures, apart from the time the gearbox decided to completely stop selecting gears. It used to eat tyres - I went through several sets of the factory spec Bridgestones. I occasionally find myself looking at them on Autotrader - it was a fun car.

  • @spaccaboy
    @spaccaboy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Ahhh I sold my Brabus Coupe this year - drove it for 3 years, had THE most fun in it as a school run car. Sold it for the same money I bought it for. Build quality was not great but the styling on the outside made it a truly interesting and unique car to own. Why they didn't pursue the develop the platform is beyond me, the handling was amazing but the suspension was horrifically hard and speed bumps were something to make my blood run cold. Gearbox on mine was pretty good once you got used to it. Brabus alloys have to be the worst alloys every, as fragile as it gets.

  • @garymartin557
    @garymartin557 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    The Aldi special buy quip made me smile just as much as the Heather Mills one!

  • @danielbirch9590
    @danielbirch9590 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have just seen this on your website about an hour and was surprised that you hadn't filmed with it... but you never let me down! Here I am

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hahah Or am I just predictable

    • @danielbirch9590
      @danielbirch9590 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@HighPeakAutos not predictable, at least your use of similes isn't! I'd love to get your view on a classic Mini, I have a 1991 rover mini and I love it

  • @DBCSgaming
    @DBCSgaming 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Brilliant video ...

  • @edward1591
    @edward1591 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I wish they''d stuck with it! The principles of the Smart Roadster are still the way forward - lots of accessible fun in the real world. I've heard McLarens described as a Lotus turned up to 11, but what we actually need is a Lotus turned up to 7...Like this!

  • @ColonelBobfed
    @ColonelBobfed 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    First time I saw spotted one of these at a dealership as a lad, by Bartley Water in Totton it was, I said out loud "Ooh I'll have one of those when I'm older!".
    Still got a soft spot for these but even with its small size I ain't got the space.

  • @jlmfoy365
    @jlmfoy365 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Good review Matt, although I was looking for the shoehorn to get my bfa into that seat, also where do you put the dog and fishing tackle ( important questions )😁. Look forward to your next video. Regards Jim.

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Haha This isnt the car for fishing

  • @GixxerZilla
    @GixxerZilla 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I had one of these when they first came out. Managed to get it sideways on the first corner. Good times

  • @Haroosh20
    @Haroosh20 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    my friend had one many years ago and it was great fun except for that horrendous gearbox. You are spot on that it just ruins the fun and was the only real let down on an otherwise superb little car. I just couldn't live with the lag in the gearbox on a day to day basis :-(

  • @chrispenn715
    @chrispenn715 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Good review - Recently bought one and agree with your conclusions. The gearbox is slow, but with practice, you can make reasonably smooth and quick manual changes - which is quite satisfying. The other water leak issue is when when the engine management computer (SAM) gets damaged. It's under the dash on the drivers side and the cars are prone to water leaks through the scuttle. This was one of the expensive warranty claims when new and most cars were re-sealed, but this was never a complete fix and they are getting old now, so something to watch out for.Mine has the canvas electric roof, which I prefer as it can be opened and closed at any speed and takes up less room than the hardtop.

    • @ascelot
      @ascelot ปีที่แล้ว

      There are fixes to leaky roofs though not sure if still can buy them, more of a fabric top, that attaches to the anchor points side top panels and covers the top of the car and strechy bands to keep it in place. Advised not to drive above 60mph if attached, defo fixed my water leaking issues.

    • @chrispenn715
      @chrispenn715 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ascelot Yes - that can help, but I understand they also had issues with the scuttle area - dealers had a fix process under warranty which involved lots of sealer in the heater inlet/wiper motor area. Mine's a second car, which I only use when the sun is out, so not too worried about leaks.....

    • @triax7006
      @triax7006 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yeh the SAM unit get's damage from water as I discovered & had to send it away to be fixed. Wipers would run all the time & then other things went so the SAM unit had to be fixed. They are fun cars & still have mine & hope to get it back on the road soon.

  • @DoughnutsInspace
    @DoughnutsInspace 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    After driving 1 of the first Smart cars to enter the UK (left hand drive) I would say 12 seconds to change gear is overly generous, plus I found when it did decide to change gear it was so jerky you nearly hit the windscreen when it disengaged a gear, then when it felt like engaging the next gear it would throw your head backwards. I believe the headrest was classed as a safety feature to stop whiplash every time it finally did change up or down a gear. Fun car to drive though.

  • @skeblehask4353
    @skeblehask4353 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have 2 all black smart roadsters at the moment, I'm 18 and they were my first and second cars done about 30k miles between them and its safe to say I love em!

    • @skeblehask4353
      @skeblehask4353 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I've found that there faster than almost all other people first cars e.g. mk7/6 fiestas, corsas, yaris and many more

  • @NGC1433
    @NGC1433 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I persume it's a fantastic car! I owned a 2001 4two smart which is basically same car but squished along it;s length. Brilliant car. And I'd guess they would cost upwards of 40grand if they had a proper snappy manual box instead of that parliament. It takes ages to do a straightforward shift, but god forbid you roll out into a roundabout in third and it starts to debate whether downshift or stay in third when you realize that concrete mixer is going faster than you thought...

  • @allosaurusfragilis7782
    @allosaurusfragilis7782 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    My sister had one of these. It was huge fun and had some very good design features, I thought. Like you, I thought that sluggish, lurching gearbox just ruined the fun on a country road. Totally agree_ an mx5 box or similar and that would be an all time great.

  • @alfgunn
    @alfgunn ปีที่แล้ว

    They do have a cupholder! I own one, good review and agree with other comments :)

  • @terencerollins7917
    @terencerollins7917 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Matt - I bought one, off the back of your recommendation. I have a bright red, silver retractable elec. roof version, with removable bars (under 45k miles). Thought my daughter would absolutely love It and the cheap insurance/running costs were a plus. I thought she'd be so excited. Sadly - I was so wrong. She wants a Fiat 500. She says she don't like being so low to the ground. Not happy but will probably give in, but preferably to a Toyota.

  • @MaximilianvonPinneberg
    @MaximilianvonPinneberg 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I loved these when they launched. But prefer the glassback version. Being 2m tall I can actually fit in it. I always thought these would be a future classic.

  • @happyhermit2022
    @happyhermit2022 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    " Heather Mills "🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 A Smart Specialist can play with the chip really smoothing out the hesitant gear changes. Great review thank you 👍

  • @hairymonster2000
    @hairymonster2000 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    We had a 2000 reg Smart Passion diesel and found it a great fun car. Keep the turbo on low boost and could get 100 mpg - Sheffield to Skegvegas and back on 9 litres. Weston on Donkey and back on a tank. Talk about space, it's a tardis. My Mom used to go to Skeg for a couple of months and packed accordingly. Food, bedding (including pillows), curtains, basic gardening tools, suitcases, pans ..........., it all went in (with some creative packing lol).
    Only problem we had was when we took it to our local Merc/Smart agent for it's final warranty service. Charged us 2 hours at £75 per hour plus service items. Cost over £200 in 2003 and they didn't know how to service it. Yep, they told us Smart don't do a diesel and the service manager kept telling us we were wrong. It came out rattling like a tin can when we picked it up and they wanted to charge us to see what the problem was. I think you can guess what our reply was. Similar problems when we had a new Skoda. Never used a main dealer since and never will again. Specialists live or die by the quality of their work, main agents don't.
    Nice videos, keep up the good work.

  • @andypeebles2242
    @andypeebles2242 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Heather Mills....brilliant! Wiping tea off my keyboard now

  • @Czechbound
    @Czechbound 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    If you do an old skool Twingo, then you'll have covered my 2 favourite small cars

  • @stevespindler4956
    @stevespindler4956 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have one and totally love it but only as a 2nd car

  • @DaveDVideoMaker
    @DaveDVideoMaker 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Review of the Nissan Note and Ford B-Max please.

  • @stevenlawrie7819
    @stevenlawrie7819 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love Smart on my second - would love a roadster or coupé. Daimler were looking to sell the rights to AC but the deal fell through. You can get bespoke luggage including the rear boot and friends of mine toured Europe in theirs. Oh and don't forget that Brabus created a couple of V6 versions :-)

  • @roberttaylor6295
    @roberttaylor6295 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Great review that nearly competes with Twin Cam!
    Rob

  • @preopdollop
    @preopdollop 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    My ex had one. The one with the glass boot at the back. Brilliant fun and with the bigger boot it was actually pretty practical. I drove it to Scotland from Yorkshire. Wouldn't recommend that. I was almost on diazepam once I arrived!

  • @viduransivakumar3192
    @viduransivakumar3192 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You've got to feature more 2 seat sports cars on the channel. How about the Honda S2000 or a different gen MX5?

  • @sebastianfry7813
    @sebastianfry7813 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Hi! My dad owns one of these and I love it, so I clicked instantly.
    No, it would not make a great first car. I have continuously checked my insurance cost for it (before and after passing my test), and with a blackbox I was getting £2.2k - £2.7k, without a blackbox it was £3.2k-£4.6k. Even now, a year after passing my test, I’m looking to pay £2.1k without a blackbox. And trust me, there’s no point in owning one with a blackbox.
    No Jump starting either, it blows the ECU and it’s about a grand for a new one (don’t ask me how I know). Parts are rare and expensive at times too, so god forbid something goes wrong. First year of owning this car as a youngun would cost you probably around £5k, at least, depending on which model and what condition.
    But still, there is no car I want more.

  • @joshualambert456
    @joshualambert456 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Can you do a video on what car you’d buy from each price point and each category of car ie family car , sports car etc

  • @EdgyNumber1
    @EdgyNumber1 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This was on my list of convertibles to own. FYI, I chose the Tigra Twintop.
    ● Mazda MX5
    ● Smart Roadster
    ● Merc SLK
    ● Vauxhall Tigra Twintop
    ● Renault (can't remember the name - not Megane)
    ● Ford Street Ka
    Each had their limitations but the Tigra ticked all the practicality boxes and so far, its lasted me for 14 years. It still runs today. 👍
    /Discuss

  • @stadleroux
    @stadleroux 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I only have a fortwo, not a roadster, but I've always loved the idea of the roadster, except that they're so difficult to get into and out of! I'm surprised that the consumption figures seem pretty much the same as for the fortwo, which always surprise people when I tell them. Almost always the first question I get from people who ask me about it is if it is very light on fuel. I usually tell them that it is light, but that there certainly are other, more practical cars that are lighter yet. I also add that it was the best fuel-saving modification I could've got for my old Jeep Wrangler, so for me it's more than light enough!
    Those people forget, of course, that the normal fortwo still weighs close to the same as many other small cars - I recall something like 50 kg lighter than the original Yaris, for instance? - that it has much larger, wider tires than most other small cars and that it is really quite aerodynamically challenged, compared to many larger, lower-slung cars, which brings me to the roadster's apparently much more aerodynamic shape: Surely this should make some difference to the fuel consumption, even though the other factors may remain the same?

  • @stevie007
    @stevie007 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I haven't watched it yet !!!!!!!!!!!! but it`s guaranteed to be an excellent watch👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏

    • @HighPeakAutos
      @HighPeakAutos  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I Hope it doesnt disappoint :)

    • @stevie007
      @stevie007 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@HighPeakAutos It never has since you started Matt>>>>>>>>> So I very much doubt it mate 🙏🙏

  • @Birmingham_racing
    @Birmingham_racing 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I remember Clarkson loved it apart from the gearbox. Guess it does actually make sense for a first car with such a small engine