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[Ipanema]

Hello,

I recently purchased my Smart ForFour with 1.5 litre engine and AMT transmission.
My previous cars always were bigger, so I have too many complaints but I think it is possible to fix most of the issues, so I will share them and maybe you know ways out or we can find the solution

First of all - Driving Ergonomics! I am 192cm high and I really find seating geometry awfull in the Smart Car - If you adjust the seat to feel comfortable with pedals - wheel is too far. if you adjust the seat to be well with the steering wheel - there is no legroom. possible way out - somehow moving the steering wheel forward - but I actually do not know how can it be sorted out without opting for aftermarket steering wheel with no airbag...

Another issue  -there are no cup-holders that actually can fit the cups in I like driving long trips (300 to 400 Km-s per day on weekends) with my wife and we both love coffee. in the front you have 2 cup-holders (technically), but you cannot fit even one usual cup without issues. cup-holders on the arm rest is useless too - it can fit one cup, but while sitting in the front - what is the point of keeping drink at the back? I do not know how to sort this out, because I could not find any place were bigger cup-holders can be mounted

Power Windows - controls are located in most unreachable place I could have imagined! Moreover, I cannot understand why rear passengers do not get buttons to operate windows! I really do not understand why this car has just automatic window down button without having automatic window up (except drivers door).   I am thinking putting additional buttons on the doors from any other car with automatic up/down feature, but do not know if this is possible at all. I really do not understand why this car has just automatic window down button without having automatic window up (except drivers door).

No coolant temperature indicator/gauge unless the car will start overheating (which I hope it will not) - I know that car can be fitted with dash pods, but I cannot find where can I buy them...

No place to store A4 size documents. I am a lawyer, so papers is something I cannot get rid off. I thought mounting storage box under the seat, but no place under any of the front seats...

No automatic headlamps (while JDM Mitsubishi Colt has this feature on most models), no such option. I will put this system from Colt in nearest future after sorting out my EPS problems. The way out is to fit relay and sensor from Colt and mount on the standard switch instead of parking lights.

No footrest. Well, technically it has one, but unless you have really skinny foot, it is not comfortable. My car is RHD, so it is not even covered with carpet... - maybe footrest from any other car might fit?

Two more issues that left me clueless when discovered: why on earth shall a car have bonnet release lever on the left when the car is right hand drive and why the hell shall I go to the left door to open the lock if the battery in the remote is flat? can these two thing be moved on the right side?

PS I still like this car veeery very much due to its surprisingly good handling and think that it is best in class!

[gregk2]

Sounds like someone bought the wrong car! 

A place to store A4 documents?? This is a car not a mobile office extension!

[mozilla]

You should send all that in an email to Smart Europe, we didnt make the car.

And Welcome

[Ipanema]

gregk2
A4 documents fit perfectly in glovebox of Nissan Micra K12 it is still possible for a small car

mozilla

they've done with it it's now up to us to tune it to match our needs

I really like the car, so I think it still is possible to do something with it

[Fox]

Many of your issues can be covered by one simple explanation -

European cars are LHD.
So are many others. Why would anyone re-design a car completely for a tiny RHD market?

Cupholders - You shouldn't be drinking coffee and driving. The cupholder is there for your passenger. Eyes on the road! But seriously, I've not found this an issue in five years of owning a forfour.

Lights and windows - trivial but of course you can fix these with the right electrical work.

Paperwork - Can't you store A4 documents in a binder in the boot?
That's a big enough space, surely!

Your height - This is something that should have been checked when you test drove the car. Not the car's fault at all. If you were to say the pedals and wheels were offset from the centre of the seat causing a misalignment of the driver's spine, that's a car issue.

It is a superb car however I think you might have made the wrong purchase for what you desire and need in a vehicle. Some things are not modifiable and some things are not worth modifying.

[crazations]

If you think the Door Lock Keyhole and Bonnet Release are an issue with the RHD model, just wait until you need to get at the Fuses and/or Relays - because you'll have to remove the Glove Box to get at them, and apparently replacing it afterwards is a real pain! - whereas us 'lefties' only have to simply and easily remove the Panel under the Steering Wheel to access them.

You'll get plenty of warning before the Key Battery eventually dies - the Indicators will blink 9 times rapidly when you lock the car - and you'll still be able to unlock/lock the car about another 100 times before it finally dies (User Manual Page 1-7) - so the Keyhole being on the passenger side shouldn't ever be an issue.

The Cupholders in the Twinface Armrest can be used in the front because it can be rotated through 180° (User Manual Page 1-16) - but as Fox rightly points out, you shouldn't drink and drive (even if it's only Coffee). I've heard that in the UK the Police will fine you even if you are stationery in traffic and you take a sip from a drink.

As for the Coolant Temperature, one solution would be to use a WiFi OBD Plug and an App for a Smartphone or Tablet such as DashCommand - this would have other benefits too, such as monitoring things you can't buy gauges for and accessing Fault Diagnostic Codes.

I do agree though that the position of the Electric Window Switches is a real pain - with the Armrest to the front you have to be a contortionist to open/close the Windows - and as a result my Armrest permanently lives to the rear of the car. If you, or anyone else, does come up with an elegant solution for this, then please let use know - this is my only complaint with the design of the ForFour.

[Brabs]

Yep, you've definitely bought the wrong car! Almost all of these issues should have picked up on a test drive! I agree that a lot of the issues which you raise are personal... but personally I don't share any of them!

 

[crazations]

Just one question Ipanema - why did you buy a RHD ForFour? - when according to http://whatsideoftheroad.com you drive on the proper side of the road in Georgia.

[djames108]

You should feel privileged to own a forfour and appreciate the fact its the best little car you can currently buy.

I wouldn't dream of buying anything else in its class, even if you offered me a straight swap for something brand new.

Perhaps ifnits not to your liking (whats wrong with you!!) then sell up to someone who will love it :p

[CrazyG]

I have to agree with eberything in crazations post...
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3861.msg41745#msg41745

The only thing I would add is that  another App for a Smartphone is 'Torque'
which can ; with an OBDII bluetooth adapter; be used to show lots of values
such as temperature, immediate fuel consumption, average fuel consumption
and lots of other choices.  You would not need the top dash pods, and you
therefore save a lot of money and time fitting them.

As for the window switches....be very careful as the wiring etc of them is
not at all what one would expect (usually a bare minumum of 3 wires),
but is 5 or even 6 wires for each switch....and some came with only fronts
electric and not rears...and others had no 'auto' up or down.
And neither are interchangable !

B U T........
The overiding factor here is that the car was designed over 10 years ago..
and saw the light of day 10 years ago, and other cars of that same point
in time did not have many of the features that the ForFour had.
And, although it has some 'faults', it is still a really fabulous little car
that most if not all of us agree can be forgiven for it's shortcomings
by todays standards of equipment/technology etc.

[Problemchild]

never had any issues with the driving position but i drive upright and not like these guys in their golfs where you can only just see the tops of their heads.

cup holder in my centre arm rest is fine and it flip and twists for use in the back. just get a door mounted one.

power windows bugged me too at first but when you realise that your left hand moves from wheel and gear stick a lot but your right one hardly does then it makes sense that the switched be operated by your left hand. It now really bugs me in my wifes car when i have to swap hands on the wheel as i approach a car park to wind down the window.

coolant temp is on my pod and my on board comp but it only ever goes from 0 to 90degC - there is a light should things go wrong. its common to only have a light.

A4 docs - get a document wallet

I have auto headlights and wipers.

bonnet release lever could be worse, could be a key on the bonnet like a ford focus.

door lock - could be worse, could be a fortwo and you have to crawl through from the boot. the car tells you when the battery is going flat in plenty of time

JJ

[Ipanema]

crazations
I got to the fuses but well, you do not need to get there on everyday basis. on the bright side, OBDII plug is easily accessible . I did not know about possibility to rotate armrest! very useful feature!
In Georgia nearly half of all cars are RHD due to prices in Japan. We do not produce cars and custom clearance dos no cost much, so importing is very rational in here. e.g. I paid around USD3000 for 2005 Smart ForFour with 85000KM (original) on the clock, 1.5 engine and AMT. custom clearance will cost another USD600 and that is it. car is ina very good condition with absolutely nothing wrong except the EPS ECU that I think might be dead and broken height adjuster on drivers seat .

I really think that I bought the correct car, because I wanted fast small hatch for city driving that could deliver good ride quality and handling and looked nice. I test drove practically every car of similar size and all of them look dull/crappy in comparison (I tested Nissan Micra/March K12, Mitsubishi Colt (JDM version has CVT transmission witch is something I cannot get used to due to any reasons), Honda Jazz/Fit, Toyota Yaris/Vitz, Mazda2/Demio, Toyota iSt/Scion xA).

Minor modifications to the interior can easily make this car perfect

FOX
fitting binder in the boot is a great idea that I will definitely do!

Problemchild
Can automatic headlights and wipers can be retrofitted to one without them?

So, at the end, most of the issues I have is fixable/doable/modifiable. Ordered bluetooth OBD2 plug and torque app, rotated the armrest and at the end of the day I will fit the usual A4 binder in the boot - at first it will be not well done, but will work on it

things left to modify are the steering wheel and the window switches

[Alex]

Auto headlights, perhaps, perhaps not. Daytime running lamps (where the car switches on the low beam automatically when you put the ignition on) can be activated by pulling on the light stalk towards you (as if you were flashing someone) and pressing LOCK on the key fob.

And you do the same for drive lock. The car will lock the doors when you reach ~10mph. To activate, press lock on the center button cluster and on the key fob.

If these can't be activated this way, then a STAR can be used.

I actually like where the buttons are, I don't like it when i drive the other car and passengers can open windows on their own usually in the worst situations. Also, I drive with mine always closed, only open them to get a ticket for parking or similar. I use the HVAC and AC to get air in the cabin. Otherwise dust gets in and messes up the interior.

[Ipanema]

Alex,
I will try to switch the daytime lights thanks

as for the window switches, my previous cars all had lock to disable switches on doors other than driver's.
it is really funny to find such lock on ForFour (and mine definitely has one)

[CrazyG]

Auto lights and auto wipers......
A simple flick/turn of a stalk is all that is needed to turn them on....
so why bother automatting it or wasting time n money converting
or adapting when you have hands that can do it for free !