Smart City Coupe (2000 – 2004) Review

Smart City Coupe (2000 – 2004) At A Glance

It has the style and performance that other two-seat city cars lack. Cheap to run.

Doesn't handle that well. Gearbox and throttle can feel odd at first. Rear windows aren't thief-proof. LHD only until early 2002.

Ask Honest John

How much is a 1999 Smart Limited 1 worth?

"We own a 1999 Smart Limited 1. I believe there were only 7500 of these Limited 1 specials produced. How many are still-on-the-road today and what sort of valuation could we expect to achieve if sold. Only due to the rarity value, I am thinking of offering it to Smart/Mercedes-Benz UK to add to their heritage fleet."

There are probably now only a couple of dozen Limited 1s in the UK - but the values don't match the rarity. We spoke to Al Young - chairman of the Smart Club. He said, 'No Smart City Coupes (MCC) built before 2001 were ever sold in the UK and that includes the Limited 1. Every smart was LHD and imported, bringing with it some issues around headlamp alignment and rear fog/reverse light configuration. The UK workaround was inevitably messy, which means the final road-going version is not a 'pure' Limited 1. As always, low-mileage cars can bring their own issues in terms of seals, bearings etc on this 20-year-old car. Ideally, this is for someone to garage and keep. Will it increase in value? Probably not. There may be someone out there willing to pay silly money but I believe, as does my committee, that a max figure of double the 'normal Limited 1' would be realistic - so let's say £2000.'

Answered by Keith Moody

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Model History

• February 2000

Driving Smart City Coupe (2000 – 2004)

This Smart is one of those that you desperately want to love. But, while it has many redeeming features, driving it isn't one of them.

So let's start with the good. The cabin is fun and funky, chock full of colourful plastics that are pretty hard-wearing. And, even though it's a left-hooker, it could take you a while to notice such is the central feel of the driving position.

But things start to go downhill when you try and get comfy. You'll find yourselft sat too close to the steering wheel (which has no adjustment) in order to get full travel on the pedals. In fact, the first six inches or so of the brake pedal are completely irrelevant, which can make things a little hair-raising the first few times you need to stop.

The non-power assisted steering is direct with a reasonable amount of feel. But try and park the car and you'll be dismayed by the lack of rear three-quarter visability.

Power comes courtesy of Mercedes - a turbocharged 599cc 55bhp engine that never feels as quick as it should (but it can still nudge 84mph if conditions are favourable and the road is long enough). The racing-style semi-sequential gearbox might sound appealing, but in practice it is awful.

Early models suffered from jerky changes that never really went away, but all shifts are slow with the car taking an age to find the next cog. Not ideal when you needed to rattle through the shifts just to keep up with the rest of the traffic.

And then there is the handling. Born while the Mercedes A-class was coming under fire for rolling over, the design team went out of their way to make sure the Smart was as safe as could be. The result? Bags of understeer from the tiny tyres at the slightest whiff of a hairpin.

But then performance wasn't the point of the City Coupe (or ForTwo as it was later renamed). If you needed a small car that didn't cost the earth to run, then you bought a Ford Ka. If you wanted a small car as a status symbol, then you spent £6k on a Smart and put the shopping in the E-class.

Smart City Coupe (2000 – 2004) Buying Guide

Good

• Did well in German TUV/Auto Bild front offside crash test.
• Three-Star NCAP crash safety rating.
• Smart City Coupe and Cabrio 5th overall in 2003 What Car? J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. 100% breakdown free in 2003 Which survey. 19th top car out of 137 in 2003 Top Gear survey.
• A reader recommended source for LHD CDI diesels, complete with English handbooks, is Anthony Clutterbuck at the Surrey Smart Centre, tel 020 8686 2606.
• Good independent spares supply and servicing from Top One International in Kingston, Surrey, tel: 020 8549 8188.
• A Smart ForTwo has reached 339,600 miles on its original engine and transmission, with just one new clutch at 96,000 miles.
• Modifications giving more luggage space www.smartsrus.com/clever_models.htm
• Smart social networking site www.destinationsmart.co.uk

Bad

• Gearbox and accelerator can take some getting used to.
• LHD only up to early 2002.
• Two seats only.
• Definitely doesn't handle like a hot hatch, though handling can be hugely improved by fitting wide wheels and tyres to the front.

Watch

• With first generation Smarts, take care on corners, or fit wider front wheels and tyres.
• Rearmost side windows can be prised off with bare fingers giving access to thieves. So never leave valuables in the car.
• At least one instance of rear window shattering violently due to minor prior damage exposed to extreme temperature change. Replaced without demur under warranty.
• Engine life can be short and exhaust silencer boxes very prone to rusting inside out.
• Exhaust manifolds can crack and cost £380 + labour of about £300 to replace.
• Coil spring failures becoming increasingly common. The springs fail at the tops.

Recalls

• May 2000: Official recall by Daimler Chrysler via DVLA records on all 602 MCC Smarts imported in 1998 and 1999 to uprate part of the stability control system software, to check the front axle ball joints for water ingress and corrosion and to check the throttle pedal module. Any replacements free of charge wherever the car was purchased.
• June 2003: Stickers sent out to Smart owners to put over the air intake on LHS of the car warning drivers and filling station attendants that it is not the fuel filler hole. 7/4/2003:24/6/2003 VIN KMHEN41EPXA000380 to KM11WF35H82A526636: On some cars with side airbags there is a faulty connection onto the SRS wiring loom under both front seats. This will cause the SRS warning light to illuminate and the airbag system will be disabled. Re-route and secure the airbag cables and connectors.

Running Smart City Coupe (2000 – 2004)

Spare parts for Smarts from italy: www.rdmricambi.it