Smart car FORFOUR ?!

[Smartjames]

Hey guys just a few questions as most know I might be getting rid of my beloved fortwo but as I like the smarts so much thinking about getting the forfour. Then I still get a car to wizz about in and can take both kids for in the future when we decide on the other baby

So iv been looking them up and can only find upto 2006 models do they have newer than that or have they stopped making them ?

Also what's people who has the car views on it ?
Is there any tips on getting one or downers on it ?
As the wife keeps on about a ford fiesta ;-/ but I'm like nuh I have seen some rather "smart" looking forfour brabus on like 54,55 and 06 plates from like 3,000- 4,500 !

So any input would be helpful people many thanks

James




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[lalli_d1]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

the forfour was only made for 2 years and then dropped due to lack of interest (too expensive compared to the competition).

there is the usual model line up as the rest of the smarts pure, pulse, passion, brabus as well as some special editions

here is a link to the common problems/quirks http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=97.0

i can't really fault my 1.1 passion. i bought it when it was 5 years old with 69,000 miles and iv had it for about 4 years and clocked over 112,700 miles and its still going strong, haven't really spent much on it other than servicing, brakes and tyres. others have clocked well over 140,000 miles

all the engines are chain driven other than the brabus which is a belt driven

the petrol engine line up is 1.1 (3 cylinder), 1.3 (3 cylinder i think) , 1.5 and 1.5 turbo (brabus)

the diesel are 1.5 with 2 power outputs, 68 BHP and 95 BHP. both are 3 cylinders

[problemchild1976]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

The BRAB will blow you away

for £4k, you will have a car that puts its rival to shame for reliability, performance, spec and rarity (but then i'm biased)

i know quite a few owners who went to buy a fiesta and came away with a forfour and are so glad they did.

my only advice would be avoid the semi auto.

JJ

[Smartjames]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

@lalli_d1 thanks for the information mate so are belt better than chain or the other way round ? Or pretty equal ?

@problemchild so that's go for the manual only then


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[problemchild1976]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

The semi auto is fine but of the few mechanical issues that crop up this is one of them.

If I was to buy again I would probably go for a cdi and get it mapped by s2smarts into the beast that they can be. Although I would miss the BRABUS spec.

JJ

[lalli_d1]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

im a mechanic and personally prefer chain over belts for the reason chains dont need changing like belts. they are equally as good as each other. having driven a brabus forfour i would REALLY love one, they go like sit of a stick, but the insurance would have my pants down as they are already, £750 for my 1.1 for the year (that is with unlimited mileage though through MSM)

[Smartjames]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

It's a shame as I don't want to get rid of the car I'm loving it but must change to the needs. And that handy to no so the Brabus are chain run then that's all of them ?! And corr that's defo having ur pants down but that's good unlimited mileage cool thanks people


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[problemchild1976]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

BRABUS is belt
All rest are chains

My brab has cost me around the £300 mark ever since I was 30.

Lalli - don't you have a total loss though?

I thought msm would be cheaper with all my mods and remap but aviva remained the cheapest (that's without the £60 cash back I got through quidco)

My nephew (in law) has a brab forfour and he is in his early 20s and his insurance isn't too bad.

JJ

[lalli_d1]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

Lalli - don't you have a total loss though?

yes my old car was written off and the claim went 50/50

MSM have been cheapest. ever other insurance company have ALL quoted me over £1000 for with mileage limited to 30,000 miles a year, plus it the area i live in as well. car is left on the road on a night, and its in an area where the riots in harehill took place back in the 90's, i think

[Ocracoke]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

For a brief period of time, I had a 1.5 Passion Semi-Auto and I enjoyed the car enormoursly but I ended up trading back to my mk5 Pure 600cc. As it is only my wife and I, I felt the car was too big for me personally and I found the lack of a turbo to be a disappointment (I suspect the turbo Brabus would have pleased me there but hey ho). If I had a family, I suspect I would have kept the ForFour. The Semi-Auto gearbox is, I found, to be far smoother than the ForTwo gearbox of a smilar age but I cannot say if it is unreliable or not. I still think the ForFour, depsite it looking "conventional", is awfuly pretty and if I needed to get one, I would in a heartbeat.

@lalli_d1: I think the 1.3 is a 4 cylinder.

[Smartjames]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

Well looks like I won't be getting a forfour after all. Spoken to the wife and work out a plan to keep it for now at least until another baby is born shame cos I was starting to take a real liking to the forfour Brabus even thou the tax and insurance would have put a big dent in the wallet so back to modding up the fortwo then lol


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[problemchild1976]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

i think road fund license on the BRAB forfour is a total bargain..... £175/yr which is less than our Diesel Zafira

JJ

[Smartjames]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

Maybe yeah £175/yr isn't that's bad and maybe less than your diesel zafira but not less than my diesel fortwo 0/yr lol or my wife's diesel ford focus £30/yr think I had a test drive of one I'll prob be buying one now lol




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[hustler320e]

Re: Smart car FORFOUR ?!

Hi,

I cannot fault my 1.5 diesel passion, trip to Scotland 58mpg. I have the 95 ps and it was chipped prior to my purchase so doesn't hang about, you can get the 68 ps and chip that up as well with the cheaper tax. Panoramic roof with the lounge effect front seats and on board computer are excellent extras to have, I also have the 5 seats so check this as a lot are 4 seaters.

118000 mls and still going strong, replaced the clutch last year but apart from this just service items.

Again an excellent little car that did not survive the benz board room.

Al