any smart roadsters for sale

Alfagtamini

hi all
looking for a smart roadster as a car for a bit of fun on the weekends. there seems to be 4 for sale at the moment.
a unregistered 2011 on carzone, which is too expensive
the blue on carzone is sold
the orange one is on dondeal and carzone not too fond on the colour
the silver one in limerick has been modified, not really to my taste and i think its a good bit over book value.


ideal one would be a brabus, black,blue, silver with a hard top. (living in limerick)

might have to go to the uk but the vrt is around the 1200e mark

there might be a boardsie selling one or looking for a swap p/x for my car
thanks

si_guru

Have you driven one?

The delay on take off is horrible. My mate had one... it was ace fun.. but that delay - he sold it after 3 months.

Alfagtamini

si_guru wrote: »

Have you driven one?

The delay on take off is horrible. My mate had one... it was ace fun.. but that delay - he sold it after 3 months.

yeah ive heard that. i had a few classic mini's few years back so looking for a car for the weekend. if i find a suitable one ill go for a test drive to see if i can live with it. thanks for the heads up

si_guru

Just for the record I think they are dead cool.. and if it is a weekend car you could live with a few "characteristics"... I just sold a V8 1980 Land Rover... great for weekends.. but 50mph and 12mpg wouldn't work everyday!

Alfagtamini

si_guru wrote: »

Just for the record I think they are dead cool.. and if it is a weekend car you could live with a few "characteristics"... I just sold a V8 1980 Land Rover... great for weekends.. but 50mph and 12mpg wouldn't work everyday!

yeah i agree its purely for a bit of fun on a Sunday. found 2 more on car buyers guide ill give them a ring

Nissan doctor

paulryanmini wrote: »

yeah i agree its purely for a bit of fun on a Sunday. found 2 more on car buyers guide ill give them a ring

IMO if you want a weekend roadster, get an MX5. They are cheaper to run, faster, more reliable, better looking(opinion I know) hold value better, handle better, have a proper convertible roof, a better quality interior.......and I'm sure there is more.

The engines in the smart a very prone to wearing valves when the milage starts to build up and as has been said, you will never grasp how rubbish the gearbox is untill you try one.

si_guru

Good idea.. MX5 is a great car. Spares and upgrades easily got. Get a 1.6 and have lowish tax too. I'd hunt down a Jap import with AC and leather.

Alfagtamini

Nissan doctor wrote: »

IMO if you want a weekend roadster, get an MX5. They are cheaper to run, faster, more reliable, better looking(opinion I know) hold value better, handle better, have a proper convertible roof, a better quality interior.......and I'm sure there is more.

The engines in the smart a very prone to wearing valves when the mileage starts to build up and as has been said, you will never grasp how rubbish the gearbox is until you try one.

thanks for the reply's but i really don't like the mx-5's. much prefer the mg tf. i know they have there little niggles but most cars i buy do, im odd that way
3 70's minis
3 alfa 156's
1 mg zs

i think ill have to take one for a test drive and see how bad the gearbox really is. a lot of owners say it takes a while to get used to them. does any boardsie have one?

Nissan doctor

paulryanmini wrote: »

i think ill have to take one for a test drive and see how bad the gearbox really is. a lot of owners say it takes a while to get used to them. does any boardsie have one?

You could get used to eating worms too if you had to...but you don't!:D


Having had the use of one abroad for a week, its just terrible, it auto mode it changes randomly..and worse, changes up a gear on hills, then won't change down by itself. In manual mode it has the slowest change time of any semi auto...by a vast vast amount and even then still sometimes won't change at all when you tell it to.
Oh, and you have to use the manual mode to put it in 5th on the motorway because in auto mode, it keeps changing from 4th to 5th to 4th once you get to 120kmh!:eek::eek:

Alfagtamini

Nissan doctor wrote: »

You could get used to eating worms too if you had to...but you don't!:D


Having had the use of one abroad for a week, its just terrible, it auto mode it changes randomly..and worse, changes up a gear on hills, then won't change down by itself. In manual mode it has the slowest change time of any semi auto...by a vast vast amount and even then still sometimes won't change at all when you tell it to.
Oh, and you have to use the manual mode to put it in 5th on the motorway because in auto mode, it keeps changing from 4th to 5th to 4th once you get to 120kmh!:eek::eek:

ha ha thats very true! ive read a lot of poor reviews about the gearbox. there a nice looking car in brabus form. i hear what your saying nissan doctor but i suppose i have to experience it for myself. pity i dont like the mx-5 everyone i know that has one loves them.

galwaytt

paulryanmini wrote: »

3 70's minis
3 alfa 156's
1 mg zs

...that list is exactly why you should buy an MX-5 !

Alfagtamini

galwaytt wrote: »

...that list is exactly why you should buy an MX-5 !

your probably right. i just don't like the styling of the mx5

i was sure there was a boards member with one who was very happy with it. any ideas??

si_guru

paulryanmini wrote: »

your probably right. i just don't like the styling of the mx5

i was sure there was a boards member with one who was very happy with it. any ideas??

http://www.retroforza.com/?page=gallery

Alfagtamini

si_guru wrote: »

http://www.retroforza.com/?page=gallery

si guru thats a great improvement in my opinion.... off to done deal to find one

si_guru

paulryanmini wrote: »

si guru thats a great improvement in my opinion.... off to done deal to find one

There is another company that do 3 different kits... looking for link now.

Also there was an episode of Wheeler Dealers covering the MX5.. good prog. I have driven a 1990 1.6 and it is the car Lotus should have made instead of the Elan M100.

Alfagtamini

would they be classed as a kit car then? i cant see quinn direct ( current insurer) liking them some how. the rear windows on my current 156 are slightly tinted . quinn wanted 85e extra for this modification. hate to see what they would charge for a new body

Wicklowrider

Was looking at Smarts and in end I got MR2 Spyder.
I'm

Alfagtamini

Wicklowrider wrote: »

Was looking at Smarts and in end I got MR2 Spyder.
I'm

nice! im not really a jap car person. prefer English, Italian marques.

si_guru

English eh..... http://www.amx07.com/

Nissan doctor

paulryanmini wrote: »

nice! im not really a jap car person. prefer English, Italian marques.

Thats like saying I prefare jumping out of my bedroom window and landing on my face instead of using the stairs.

Alfagtamini

si_guru wrote: »

English eh..... http://www.amx07.com/

very nice but i think you'd look like a bit of a tool driving it. :P
priced a roadster id like up from the uk should be 6k euro vrt'd, taxed, nct'd. thats for a top spec 04 brabus.

gonna stick my 2005 alfa 156 ti 1.6 up on adverts to see what it will fetch.
nct 03-13,
tax 08-10.
83k kilometers .
just had belts etc done
rare alfa blue
ti reacro electric leather seats, ti alloys. excellent condition.
shamless sell plug:D

Alfagtamini

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Thats like saying I prefare jumping out of my bedroom window and landing on my face instead of using the stairs.

ha . i pick my cars on looks and how they drive, reliability never really bothers me. it also has to be rare

si_guru

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2007/09/hiroshi-toyota-2000gt-007-replica-based.html

http://www.simpsondesign.net/Default.htm


There is some mad stuff in Japan...

Alfagtamini

si_guru wrote: »

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2007/09/hiroshi-toyota-2000gt-007-replica-based.html

http://www.simpsondesign.net/Default.htm


There is some mad stuff in Japan...

they are cool jap reliability with proper styling !

there is a micra with a jag mk2 front end on it going around limerick a strange car to say the least

Nissan doctor

paulryanmini wrote: »

ha . i pick my cars on looks and how they drive, reliability never really bothers me. it also has to be rare

Ah you need to open your horizons, some of the best and rarest cars come from Japan, Some have strange styling but if you like the look of a smart roadster you should be alright:D


Here is my favorite jap cabriolet, rare too...

http://www.osakaperformance.com.au/_data/docs/silvia-varietta-s15-2000.jpg

MidlandsM

paulryanmini wrote: »

it also has to be rare

whats rare about an alfa 156?:rolleyes:

Alfagtamini

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Ah you need to open your horizons, some of the best and rarest cars come from Japan, Some have strange styling but if you like the look of a smart roadster you should be alright:D

ha you don't rate the smart roadster on looks then! i think in black and brabus form there cracking looking but its all subjective

Alfagtamini

MidlandsM wrote: »

whats rare about an alfa 156?:rolleyes:

they are rare as a model and marque compared to ford vw toyota etc

MidlandsM

paulryanmini wrote: »

they are rare as a model and marque compared to ford vw toyota etc

nope, 156's are far from rare.
Still, good luck with the search.