Which smart car repair did you mean?
A Smart car. The tiny two-seat ForTwo and its relatives are what this page covers.
Smart repair, for scratches and dents. The same words also describe quick paint and panel repairs on any car. That's work for a panel shop, not a mechanic, so we're not the right people to ask for that one.
What makes a Smart different to work on
The engine's at the back. The ForTwo is rear-engined and rear-wheel drive, so it isn't laid out like the small hatches most workshops see all day. Ask if the mechanic has actually had one in.
The gearbox has no clutch pedal. First and second generation cars use an automated manual from Getrag, with a clutch worked electrohydraulically. It's a manual gearbox with a computer doing the shifting, so a slow or jerky change needs someone who understands that setup, not a standard automatic repair.
Small engines, several of them. The first generation used turbocharged three-cylinder petrols of 599 cc, later 698 cc, plus a 799 cc turbodiesel. The second generation, from November 2006, moved to a 999 cc three-cylinder Mitsubishi engine, with and without a turbo. Give the mechanic the year.
The body comes apart. A steel safety cell, marketed as the Tridion cell, carries plastic body panels. Handy to know if a repair means getting behind a panel.
Service and parts since Smart left Australia
These were always rare here. CarsGuide counted more than 4,400 Smarts sold over 12 years from 2003, including 3,517 ForTwos across two generations. Sales peaked at 799 in 2005 and were down to 108 in 2014.
When the brand was dropped in 2015, Mercedes-Benz said its dealers would keep providing service and support, so a Mercedes-Benz dealer is a fair first call for part numbers. Time has passed since that statement, though, so ask about availability before you commit to a job.
A car this age is well past its new car warranty. Your protection is the Australian Consumer Law: repairs must be done with due care and skill, and a written estimate first is sensible.
What to tell the mechanic about your Smart
- The year and model, and whether it's a ForTwo or a ForFour.
- Petrol or diesel, and turbo if you know it.
- When the problem shows up: cold, warm, taking off or changing gear.
- Any warning lights, with a photo of the dash.
- What's been done lately, so nothing gets paid for twice.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Check the oil the way your handbook describes, on a cold car on flat ground.
- Keep the battery healthy: a Smart that sits for weeks can go flat.
- Note how the gear changes feel, and when they feel wrong.
Leave to the mechanic
- Clutch and gearbox work.
- Reading fault codes.
- Anything that needs panels off or the engine reached from below.
Our take on an older Smart
We'd ask one question first: have you worked on one of these before? Then we'd ask about parts and how long they'll take, before agreeing to any job. A small car doesn't always mean a small repair, so we'd want a written estimate, and we'd only go ahead once it makes sense against what the car means to you. Tell us the job and the year. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.