Forum > General Smart Chat
Buying a BRABUS
Problemchild:
Hope this helps potential buyers...
First and foremost, ensure that the car you buy has 2 keys.
If not deduct £250 from the price. £200 for a new key from MB
and £50 to code it to the car. No one except MB can provide the
keys as they are a specilised item due to the shape and electronics.
REQUIREMENT: Set out what you want from your BRAB....
AGE - production finished with 56 plates (i think) but there are some newer registered ones than that
Colour - Black or Silver
Radio/CD - Radio5(basic 2 speaker set-up, though there are some with 6 speakers but no sub, and some with
6 speakers plus sub).. Radio6(larger screen, telephone controls and 6 speakers plus sub woofer)..
SatNav(built in satnav).
Other options - Large opening Sunroof, panoramic roof, headlamp washers, HID's (with headlamp washers),
auto lights/wipers (think thats about it!!)
SERVICING:
Service history is one of the key things to consider when buying a second hand Brabus ForFour
because of the tuned engine. There are some out there which have not been serviced correctly,
usually missing the 10,000km (6,250mile) Intermediate Oil change.
If the seller cannot prove evidence that it has been done, walk away and find one which has.
http://forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=138.0
(Saying that though, a lot of BRABs have low mileage and this change may not have been
necessarily due to lack of road time)
WARRANTY:
If the car was registered after April 2006, it will have the benefit of 4 years warranty as opposed
to 2years (some Dealers argue this fact, but it's true, so call MBUK if you are unsure).
The extra two years are granted as an extended warranty if the car has been serviced correctly
during the previous 2 years term (not necessary to be with Merc) . Then, the extended two year
warranty is only valid if you continue using Smart Centre's and not Independents.
(but Merc can be good value for money).
COMMON ISSUES:
Leaky shock absorbers (especially rears) are common across the while ForFour range !
Wheel bearings are known to go !
Reverse gear selection can be crunchy !
BRAB MonoBlock VI alloys are soft (they will dent if you hit a pothole too hard) and the lacquer does
corrode (as it also does on expensive Mercs too !)
(The BRAB Monoblock 'A' wheels are a lot harder/better wheel than the Monoblock VI's..easier to clean too !)
The alarm can be very sensitive, and it has no adjustment.
The engine itself is more or less 'bullet proof', as is the manual gearbox (the Mitsubishi influence)
TUNING:
The standard Brabus Map is excellent. Its beyond description and pulls power all the way to the redline,
unlike other cars where power drops off in the last thousand or so rpm.
The best mods on the car can be had very simply, hardware mods.
Upgrade exhaust with sports catalyst, panel air filter replacement (ITG, Pipercross, K&N), or an Induction kit
such as the one made by K&N (The Colt CZT one). Remapping is an option, but not many suppliers around,
and of those, very very very few who can do better than the original map.
NB: Some owners have tried uprated Colt CZT maps, but they have all seen and felt the 'rev-iness' of the
original Brabus map disappear, and overall the car is nowhere near as quick or driveable as it was before !
Any further questions then feel free to ask !!
JJ
K3dge:
Should of had a look at this last week!
funkydoodycool:
--- Quote from: K3dge on April 29, 2012, 09:29:24 PM ---Should of had a look at this last week!
--- End quote ---
I wasn't 100% sure of the history of mine at purchase, it had most of a service history, but a couple of gaps. So I booked it in for a B service, so everthing is in tip top shape now. Turned out my spark plugs were standard forfour ones, NOT the superduper expensive Brabus grade ones.... so that costs a bit to put right. Well worth it though.
Doesn't hurt to give yourself a starting point now you've got the car.
mr singh:
--- Quote from: Problemchild on March 25, 2010, 04:36:12 PM ---
Other options - Large opening Sunroof, panoramic roof, headlamp washers, HID's (with headlamp washers),
auto lights/wipers (think thats about it!!)
--- End quote ---
you sure about HID lighting? never recall seeing it on the options list
(You are 100% correct...never were an option. - CrazyG)
Big Dunc:
I have to say, I bought mine a bit blind. I knew very little about them, other than when they were new I read all the road tests and thought "I really want one of those, when I can afford it". Then, just after my last Subaru died, I was looking for another car, something sporty, but with rear seats, but fancying a change from a subaru, having had several of them, I saw this Brabus. The rest, as they say, was history. I was lucky, as touching wood, and past performance is no guarrenttee of future success etc, so far it has been a good one. The previous owner came across as someone who really cared about his cars and was passionet about it and clearly knew his stuff. I have a big file of receipts, as well as the stamps in the book. The couple of little things wrong with it, that every used car has, he was very honest about.
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