April 2006

I buy my smart forfour, part exchange a Ford Focus for it, join Smartmaniacs and go off to my first meet. The car is a 1.3 passion, in bay grey with a silver tridion, just one year old when I purchase it for about half what it cost new. First impressions are that it's a fantastic car for what it is, 95 bhp, 5 doors, 4 seats semi-auto box. The engine is quiet, pulls well in every gear, and seems to be very sprightly. Soon after getting it I purchase some Brabus lowering springs and drop it on those to improve the handling.

Mid 2006

Go to Smartbeat and meet a few other owners of smarts, go on the London to Brighton and the M25 Run.

Late 2006

I change jobs to a local company, so decide I need a small efficient car for running to and from work.

Purchase a fortwo from eBay. Take it to get it's cracked manifold sorted out. Turns out the water pump is gone and the timing chain needs renewing. My wallet is in despair. After fixing it however, the car runs well. It's a pretty car blue and silver and I do several upgrades including TIK pipe, roadster alloys, blindy exhaust and colour coding of various bits. 

Early 2007

The fortwo's engine fails with high oil consumption and a misfire. A brand new back end is fitted by Cambridge Smart Cars. My wallet despairs again.

June 2007

Purchase a roadster in blue with black tridion. Standard spec, and upgrade it with a better TIK, air filter, and get it remapped. But oh dear... this one leaks. Visit Destination Brooklands.

Mid 2007

I'm using the fortwo a lot less, and the roadster a lot more, impractical as it is.

End of 2007

I change jobs. The new fortwo is released. The fortwo's battery keeps failing, even when I replace it with a better one. By now we have three cars, and there's only two of us, this isn't a very good situation, the insurance is expensive, and keeping all three cars taxed and serviced is a strain on the finances.

Beginning of 2008

I sell the fortwo, it goes to a couple who export it to Greece. I also sell the roadster due to family circumstances and purchase an Alfa Romeo 147.

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Overall, the smarts have treated me well, the least reliable car I have owned was the fortwo, the most impractical was the roadster. The only smart car that has served me well, been reliable and has never skipped a beat is the forfour. So if you want to buy a smart car, buy a forfour, or one of the new 2007/2008 models, they have very reliable mitsubishi engines in them.

As for the smart community, they're very welcoming, but they're very fickle, if you step a foot wrong then you're forcibly pushed out the door very quickly, as for which smart community you join, if you want to join one. I would suggest onSMART's forums, but then I would say that. There's plenty of smart forums out there, far too many in my opinion, and they all have their pros and cons.