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[Lizzie_Zoom]

Yesterday I was talking to my nail technician (for the men that means a lady who keeps your finger nails all nice and painted! ), and got onto the subject of her Smartcar that was not parked outside as usual.

She explained that she had had trouble starting it, in fact not starting at all!!  The alternator had gone, along with a belt.  She had also decided to have a full service as it was well overdue.

After the faults were identified she found that no local garage wanted to touch it, as they stated they did not have all the special tools required, and the cars were a pain to work on!!  It finally ended up with a Mercedes main dealer, who had originally sold her the car, taking on the work as of course Smartcars come from the Merc stable.  The cost of the alternator, belt, and full service?  £800, yes, £800 after a discount!!!

Bloody hell I said, and I thought my Omega can cost enough if I was stupid lacking the skill so I had to take it to a Vx main dealer, but £800 for a Mickey Mouse or Noddy car!!!

So these "green, eco friendly and environmently great" cars are actually the most expensive for servicing and repairs in the average car stakes!!

[Andy B]

Yesterday I was talking to my nail technician (for the men that means a lady who keeps your finger nails all nice and painted! ), and got onto the subject of her Smartcar that was not parked outside as usual.

She explained that she had had trouble starting it, in fact not starting at all!!  The alternator had gone, along with a belt.  She had also decided to have a full service as it was well overdue.

After the faults were identified she found that no local garage wanted to touch it, as they stated they did not have all the special tools required, and the cars were a pain to work on!!  It finally ended up with a Mercedes main dealer, who had originally sold her the car, taking on the work as of course Smartcars come from the Merc stable.  The cost of the alternator, belt, and full service?  £800, yes, £800 after a discount!!!

Bloody hell I said, and I thought my Omega can cost enough if I was stupid lacking the skill so I had to take it to a Vx main dealer, but £800 for a Mickey Mouse or Noddy car!!!

So these "green, eco friendly and environmently great" cars are actually the most expensive for servicing and repairs in the average car stakes!!

Any main dealer is going to nail your hat on if you just ask them to fix it. My local MB daler charges £100 an hour so it doesn't take long for the price to upwards & onwards. I've no idea about your neck of the woods specifically, but there are loads of independant Smart specialist around who don't charge the earth & have a better idea of what they're doing. She should count herself lucky she doesn't drive a Roadster, the back end has to come off if you need your 6 spark plugs changing.
I was speaking to a Vectra owner recently whose alternator had died on him while he was away on holiday. He was recovered to the nearest Vauxhall dealers who billed him around £450 for a fitted replacement alternator, they reduced it to just under £400 when he questioned it.

[PhilRich]

Yesterday I was talking to my nail technician (for the men that means a lady who keeps your finger nails all nice and painted! ), and got onto the subject of her Smartcar that was not parked outside as usual.

She explained that she had had trouble starting it, in fact not starting at all!!  The alternator had gone, along with a belt.  She had also decided to have a full service as it was well overdue.

After the faults were identified she found that no local garage wanted to touch it, as they stated they did not have all the special tools required, and the cars were a pain to work on!!  It finally ended up with a Mercedes main dealer, who had originally sold her the car, taking on the work as of course Smartcars come from the Merc stable.  The cost of the alternator, belt, and full service?  £800, yes, £800 after a discount!!!

Bloody hell I said, and I thought my Omega can cost enough if I was stupid lacking the skill so I had to take it to a Vx main dealer, but £800 for a Mickey Mouse or Noddy car!!!

So these "green, eco friendly and environmently great" cars are actually the most expensive for servicing and repairs in the average car stakes!!

Any main dealer is going to nail your hat on if you just ask them to fix it. My local MB daler charges £100 an hour so it doesn't take long for the price to upwards & onwards. I've no idea about your neck of the woods specifically, but there are loads of independant Smart specialist around who don't charge the earth & have a better idea of what they're doing. She should count herself lucky she doesn't drive a Roadster, the back end has to come off if you need your 6 spark plugs changing.
I was speaking to a Vectra owner recently whose alternator had died on him while he was away on holiday. He was recovered to the nearest Vauxhall dealers who billed him around £450 for a fitted replacement alternator, they reduced it to just under £400 when he questioned it.

  I hope he counted his fingers after  being robbed handing over the money      

[tunnie]

main dealers are at least £100+ per hour labor, so not a surprise.

[Omegatoy]

lol i have to do the starter motor on a smart soon, average time to do it is??
6 hours!!!! just about everything and anything has to come off to get to it including intercooler, shrouding, various electrical plugs and sensors removed offside engine mounting then drop the engine down as far as you can go then if your very very lucky you can wriggle it out of the gap that appears, if your not the engine other side has to come down to give more room, merc reckon you have to drop the engine out!!!

[Seth]

I've got a 'thing' about ladies with nice fingernails Ms Zoom!
 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

lol i have to do the starter motor on a smart soon, average time to do it is??
6 hours!!!! just about everything and anything has to come off to get to it including intercooler, shrouding, various electrical plugs and sensors removed offside engine mounting then drop the engine down as far as you can go then if your very very lucky you can wriggle it out of the gap that appears, if your not the engine other side has to come down to give more room, merc reckon you have to drop the engine out!!!

Blimey!!    So what some local mechanics told my nail lady was correct.  They all said they were a pig to work on, and they wouldn't!!

From what you say it is even worse than working on an original Mini, and that could be a right pain!!

[Ken T]

Yesterday I was talking to my nail technician (for the men that means a lady who keeps your finger nails all nice and painted! ), and got onto the subject of her Smartcar that was not parked outside as usual.

She explained that she had had trouble starting it, in fact not starting at all!!  The alternator had gone, along with a belt.  She had also decided to have a full service as it was well overdue.

After the faults were identified she found that no local garage wanted to touch it, as they stated they did not have all the special tools required, and the cars were a pain to work on!!  It finally ended up with a Mercedes main dealer, who had originally sold her the car, taking on the work as of course Smartcars come from the Merc stable.  The cost of the alternator, belt, and full service?  £800, yes, £800 after a discount!!!

Bloody hell I said, and I thought my Omega can cost enough if I was stupid lacking the skill so I had to take it to a Vx main dealer, but £800 for a Mickey Mouse or Noddy car!!!

So these "green, eco friendly and environmently great" cars are actually the most expensive for servicing and repairs in the average car stakes!!

Any main dealer is going to nail your hat on if you just ask them to fix it. My local MB daler charges £100 an hour so it doesn't take long for the price to upwards & onwards. I've no idea about your neck of the woods specifically, but there are loads of independant Smart specialist around who don't charge the earth & have a better idea of what they're doing. She should count herself lucky she doesn't drive a Roadster, the back end has to come off if you need your 6 spark plugs changing.
I was speaking to a Vectra owner recently whose alternator had died on him while he was away on holiday. He was recovered to the nearest Vauxhall dealers who billed him around £450 for a fitted replacement alternator, they reduced it to just under £400 when he questioned it.

Makes me getting charged £170 seem quite good really 

Thing is, its probably either the rectifier pack or the voltage regulator, or the connections, and I'm sure the electronics modules cost not much more than £10 each.

Ever get the feeling we are all getting screwed, by everyone.

Ken

[Seth]

Yesterday I was talking to my nail technician (for the men that means a lady who keeps your finger nails all nice and painted! ), and got onto the subject of her Smartcar that was not parked outside as usual.

She explained that she had had trouble starting it, in fact not starting at all!!  The alternator had gone, along with a belt.  She had also decided to have a full service as it was well overdue.

After the faults were identified she found that no local garage wanted to touch it, as they stated they did not have all the special tools required, and the cars were a pain to work on!!  It finally ended up with a Mercedes main dealer, who had originally sold her the car, taking on the work as of course Smartcars come from the Merc stable.  The cost of the alternator, belt, and full service?  £800, yes, £800 after a discount!!!

Bloody hell I said, and I thought my Omega can cost enough if I was stupid lacking the skill so I had to take it to a Vx main dealer, but £800 for a Mickey Mouse or Noddy car!!!

So these "green, eco friendly and environmently great" cars are actually the most expensive for servicing and repairs in the average car stakes!!

Any main dealer is going to nail your hat on if you just ask them to fix it. My local MB daler charges £100 an hour so it doesn't take long for the price to upwards & onwards. I've no idea about your neck of the woods specifically, but there are loads of independant Smart specialist around who don't charge the earth & have a better idea of what they're doing. She should count herself lucky she doesn't drive a Roadster, the back end has to come off if you need your 6 spark plugs changing.
I was speaking to a Vectra owner recently whose alternator had died on him while he was away on holiday. He was recovered to the nearest Vauxhall dealers who billed him around £450 for a fitted replacement alternator, they reduced it to just under £400 when he questioned it.

Makes me getting charged £170 seem quite good really 

Thing is, its probably either the rectifier pack or the voltage regulator, or the connections, and I'm sure the electronics modules cost not much more than £10 each.

Ever get the feeling we are all getting screwed, by everyone.

Ken

Yeah mate - constantly

[Lizzie_Zoom]

I've got a 'thing' about ladies with nice fingernails Ms Zoom!
 

Well I have ten of them Byron, plus 10 painted toe nails!    I hope you sleep well tonight!

[Seth]

I've got a 'thing' about ladies with nice fingernails Ms Zoom!
 

Well I have ten of them Byron, plus 10 painted toe nails!    I hope you sleep well tonight!

Mmmmmm ...........
Night night sweetness!

[Omegatoy]

lol i have to do the starter motor on a smart soon, average time to do it is??
6 hours!!!! just about everything and anything has to come off to get to it including intercooler, shrouding, various electrical plugs and sensors removed offside engine mounting then drop the engine down as far as you can go then if your very very lucky you can wriggle it out of the gap that appears, if your not the engine other side has to come down to give more room, merc reckon you have to drop the engine out!!!

Blimey!!    So what some local mechanics told my nail lady was correct.  They all said they were a pig to work on, and they wouldn't!!

From what you say it is even worse than working on an original Mini, and that could be a right pain!!

Liz i would welcome doing a head gasket on aclassic mini rather than doing a smart!!!, next time you see you nail lady just ask her to show you the engine, and see if you can spot the starter motor!!

[Andy B]

lol i have to do the starter motor on a smart soon, average time to do it is??
6 hours!!!! just about everything and anything has to come off to get to it including intercooler, shrouding, various electrical plugs and sensors removed offside engine mounting then drop the engine down as far as you can go then if your very very lucky you can wriggle it out of the gap that appears, if your not the engine other side has to come down to give more room, merc reckon you have to drop the engine out!!!

Blimey!!    So what some local mechanics told my nail lady was correct.  They all said they were a pig to work on, and they wouldn't!!

From what you say it is even worse than working on an original Mini, and that could be a right pain!!

Liz i would welcome doing a head gasket on aclassic mini rather than doing a smart!!!, next time you see you nail lady just ask her to show you the engine, and see if you can spot the starter motor!!

If access is as good as on a Roadster, when  you remove the engine cover, you're lucky to see anything at all. 

[aaronjb]

lol i have to do the starter motor on a smart soon, average time to do it is??
6 hours!!!! just about everything and anything has to come off to get to it including intercooler, shrouding, various electrical plugs and sensors removed offside engine mounting then drop the engine down as far as you can go then if your very very lucky you can wriggle it out of the gap that appears, if your not the engine other side has to come down to give more room, merc reckon you have to drop the engine out!!!

Blimey!!    So what some local mechanics told my nail lady was correct.  They all said they were a pig to work on, and they wouldn't!!

From what you say it is even worse than working on an original Mini, and that could be a right pain!!

Liz i would welcome doing a head gasket on aclassic mini rather than doing a smart!!!, next time you see you nail lady just ask her to show you the engine, and see if you can spot the starter motor!!

If access is as good as on a Roadster, when  you remove the engine cover, you're lucky to see anything at all. 

Much better access if you ditch the standard engine and fit a GSX-R engine instead:



 

[Amigo]

I thought a smartcar was a V6 starter motor, maybe an alternator?
   Gay cars.