L&G.scooby

hi all.
i am looking into maybe getting a smart roadster, 03/04 plate for a cheep runaround and to use as my second car. i dont need nothing massive or impresive and just want to use for some cheep fun and my 60 to seventy mile drive to sunday night/monday morning then drive home friday afternoon.
not after what else i could possibly get like this diesel or that deesel, just some info if anyone owns or has owned one. such as mpg and any pros cons, what to look for when buying.
thanks.

Mouser

Fifth Gear featured this car and others as very slow depreciating secondhand cars with low running costs.

http://fwd.channel5.com/fifth-gear/v...ree-motoring-2

dunx

iTrader: (3)

My neighbour had one, he was always saying how fast and fun it was...

Till I passed him !

LOL

dunx

L&G.scooby

Thanks guys, good read mouser, :-)

2000 sport

iTrader: (1)

Don't bother if you are tall.. A friend of mine had one, I got in it once and had to crawl out on my hands and knees!

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

You should consider an mr2 if your after something like that, the smart roadster is meant to be fun but i think they cost quite a bit for what they are and they are really low in traffic,your head is not much more than the bumper level of most normal cars, you should also consider a westfield with a 1.6 ford ztec can be had for little money and loads of fun and cheap to run.

what would scooby do

Slow and engines done last much longer than 70,000 miles

L&G.scooby

thanks all. really got me thinking now with those coments, westfield sounds like fun.

what would scooby do

MR2 Turbo with T Bar, best of both worlds, open top, enclosed, fast and a hoot.

GU5

Lots of them had issues with water leaks, so check under the carpets thoroughly (also for water trickle marks on the inside etc)
Engines are the same as other smarts, lots went bang at low miles but some didn't. I had one which I sold at 107k miles and the engine was fine. Used a bit of oil so needed checking very frequently.

Andy M3

I've had one, I enjoyed bits of it wouldn't have another. My mum has a 4-2 2003 model circa 25k on the clock, Mercedes wanted £1000 last week to get it through an MOT. It's wanted for nothing, always cleaned and garaged and it bites back big time!!

The Zohan

we brought an immaculate 2001 70k miles FSH Toyota MR2 convertible for just shy of 3K. Performance and handling are really good, only 160bhp but only 900KGS so the power to weight ratio is not at all bad. Mid-engined and rwd makes for a lot of fun and it begs to be driven hard. Build quality is great. Only thing to watch for on early cars is the pre-cats which can and do break up and get sucked into the engine and bang! had them removed for £80.00 by a local specialist but is a DIY job if you fancy it. Only failure so far is a 02 sensor which i sourced for £73.00 on the internet.

As for a hairdressers car image the engine & suspension and shared with the later generation Lotus Elise. You will find few cars that handle as well or go as well for the size/capacity and for that sort of money. Point to point it is on a par than my old UK my99 turbo and a more entertaining drive.

it does 40+mpg all day, every day and 50 on a run. We got this instead of a diesel eurobox diesel.


oh and painted the wheels

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evol...oyota_mr2.html

The Trooper 1815

iTrader: (31)

Mk1/2/2.5 MX5.

L&G.scooby

Thanks all. Looking into a lot now and like a lot to. Time to decided what I really want it to do I suppose???

subevo

I NEARLY BOUGHT A SMART ROADSTER.WHAT PUT ME OFF WAS THE MANY WATER LEAKS.one guy couldnt put his seat belt on because it was always soaking wet.the car uses a system of internal gutters.crap.

Andy M3

never had this issue on mine or my mums 4-2 cab?

subevo

I WENT TO AN OWNERS MEET AT THE PERTH DEALERSHIP IN SCOTLAND.some of the owners i spoke to said there were around 40 plus known leaks.some were through the mirrors and destroyed the sound system etc.i had just put my deposit down and then cancelled it.maybe they have been resolved with later models but there was a few pissed off owners that i spoke to.this was when they first came out though so things may have improved.

L&G.scooby

Thanks for all the replys and info people. The more i read the less i want one as was looking at one of the first to come out, and they seem to reallt hold there money well. The less i spend on a car the more i have to spend on the scooby. so i think it might be a MX5 as you seem to be able to pick up a half good one for less than a grand.

The Zohan

realistically you are not going to get a 'good one' for a grand or less.