USED Smart Roadster Roadster (03 - 06)

My car

Like all the other reviews, the car is great-in theory! Mine is a 54 reg and had done 8000 miles when bought. It leaked immediately and has done so constantly, dispite going into Smart Machester for a total of 8 weeks on two occasions!!! The car has recently started to have electrical problems and the immobiliser does not recognise the key. Smart have had the car in and amazingly cant find anything wrong with it!!! Looks like I'll be forking out £1500 to have the SAM system replaced. Will be trying to sell mine in summer - the repair costs are more than outweighing the 'low' running costs!!

My car

I have had a brabus for just over 2 years old, bought when 1 year old. Have had loads of fun. On the motorways, twisty roads and general city driving, it moves and works well. I can cope with the engine and wind noise as I ride motorbikes too.... Petrol running costs are great... no issues there.

Problems - ok where to start? When it rains, leaks from the seals appear and both passenger and driver footwells become soaking wet. I had to remove the mats to let them dry as they were causing that damp musty smell. Reach behind the seat and the floor is soaking too. Water leaks thru the seal and drips down the speakers. Add cold weather (winter) to the rain and the roof freezes and icicles actually form on the inside. Ice on the inside of all the windows takes over 10 minutes to clear. Am currently in dispute with Smart/Mercedes as my Smart broke down. It wouldn't start. All the electrics come on, just not the engine. Reading many forums, it seems like a regular problem with many owners. It's all apparently down to the SAM unit (looks like a big fuse box) and water leaking into it. No parts can be salvaged, the whole unit has to be replaced. I have been told it has to be imported as there are none in the UK!!!! IT AIN'T CHEAP TO REPLACE EITHER!!! and my Brabus is 4 months out of warranty. The question arises... would this be covered by the Sale of Goods Act and where is my courtesy car as Mercedes have had my Smart for 2 weeks already?!!! Answers on a postcard!!!

My car

This Roadster is a brilliant little car to own and run im on my second one due to an accident in my first and belive me they may be small but they can take some impact. Anyway i now own the earlier model now with the hard targa top and its even better no leaks and only 35 pound a year road tax, bargin for a cool roadster. Oh there is a cool website to called smarts r us where you can jazz your roadster up its worth a look too.

My car

Well, I have owned mine from new (04) and I still enjoy it very much. Driving it in the Summer on country roads is great fun and belive me I have and do own some powerfull cars but this one gives me the most giggle factor of all. I have had only one problem with it and that is the water ingress where the carpets keep getting wet on the passenger side. Drys out fine in the summer and there are websites which can advise you on a cure. I think maybe people expect too much from this little car. It is what it is, a fun sports car like those of old but with new technology, maybe too much technology? Talk about cheap to run though and the mother-inlaw can't get down low enough, oh and its popular with all ages. Come on, what more can you want?