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[lawrence]

Evening Chaps,

So after deliberating since before Xmas on what car to get, i stumbled across the Forfour Brabus, it seems like an absolutely cracking car for the money, quirky, fast, cheap to insure, tax & reasonable on fuel for the performance.
However, i don't really know much about them & being fairly few & far between i don't really know where to start!
What're they like to live with on a daily basis? Any common issues, bar the alloys?
Dealer prices seem a but sporadic, anything from £4500-£8000 on Autotrader.
I'd be looking at around an 06 with sub 60k mileage.

Any pointers & info greatly welcomed!

[juju13]

should be selling mine soon , need something faster heres some pics http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=945.msg7866#msg7866

[CrazyG]

All the points you've stated are just about correct for the Brabus.

60k is when the cam belt needs changing, and that is a tad expensive.
Best to have it done by someone who has 'genuninely' done one (preferably
more) before as it has to be done properly.  Check around any local Smart
independants in your area or close to you.
The standard fit Monoblock VI wheels are soft as cheese and flat spot/buckle easily,
but they are without doubt nice looking. Monoblock A wheels were an option...but rare
and expensive to find now.
insurance...go to MSM insurance who appear to give the best deal around for Smart
owners.  Don't forget to tell them that you are a member of this website and for extra
measure add TheSmartClub too !
there were many options to have when the car was first ordered...like the double DIN
sized Radio6 instead of the 1.5 DIN sized Radio5...or even the Command head unit with
SatNav.   Sound system usually was the premium pack with speakers in both front and
rear doors, tweeters in the top front corner of the front doors (where the mirror adjusters
are located)...but then you could have electric mirrors, or electric heated mirrors.
Electric windows front n back were standard.
Headlight washers...optional....auto wipers...optional...autolights...optional...
front pax side bottle holder...optional...    I could go on and on and on....
Ensure it has a full service history...and 2 keys. (If only 1 key then deduct £250.)
Just find one that you are happy with is all I can say.

Other faults n quirks can be picked up from the many posts on here from Brabus owners.
(Myself included)...and I'm sure JJ (Problemchild) and Funkydoodycool and even
Big Dunc will come along and add their pennyworth to what I've said.

[lawrence]

Expensive changes, i'm coming from a Renault, Renault main dealers charge an eye watering £1000 for a clutch change! £600 for a cambelt!
What're the service intervals like on a Brabus?
Juju, you have PM aswell

[lawrence]

Also, about pricing, i'm chatting to 2 Smart dealers, both Indy's, both have cars on Atrader, similar mileages, but £1000 difference in the price (one at £4995, one at £5995).
Which is the more realistic price?

[CrazyG]

Price difference can depend on many things....
Service History.....extra's (options fitted when ordered)...age (as you haven't said they are
the same)....location in the UK.....how desperate they are to move them on....or how much
they think they can sell it for.
Without specific links so we can see them we can't really tell. And sometimes you won't see
some options in the pictures, cos they maybe don't know themselves what the options are/were.
It's what you want to pay at the end of the day, and has it got what you want it to have to
satisfy you.

[funkydoodycool]

Welcome to the club!

I bought mine for £4,300 last August from a local dealer (non-MB).  52,000 miles, more-or-less full service history, 2 lady owners.  It ran fine on a test run, had a lot of fun pushing the revs.  I knew nothing of the car at the time, other than that it was incredibly rare.  In fact I tried to sell it, as I couldn't justify the cost of the fuel over my 40mpg micra... glad I didn't, as now I've got to know it much better.

It's now closing in on 59,000 miles, and has (touch wood) had nothing at all go wrong.  New brake pads all round, a full B service (which is basically renewing everything) and that's it.  Normal stuff.

Yes the wheels are a bit pants - they are probably the most beautiful wheels I've ever seen, but I've had a total of 4 flats due to knocking potholes, so replaced them with some nice Team Dynamics wheels.

The engine itself is beautiful.  Best engine I've ever owned, except maybe my P11 Primera.  It beats most anything that's had a go - many BMWs, Golf GTis, and I laughed off a Fiesta ST today.

The ride is also the best of any car I've had.  It lacks the nippy, playful handling of the Micra, but it WILL NOT slide.  I have tried, but I can't get the back to slip more than the tiniest amount, even at speed on wet corners down gravelly country roads.  It's really no fun on bumpy roads though, due to the stiff springs and skinny tyres.

MPG... well that depends.  I've had as low as 15mpg on a (fun) ride, but also as high as 45mpg on a long, easy motorway run.  Average about 28mpg on a typical tank.

As for the rarity of the car - it gets a lot of looks, especially from the aforementioned BMW drivers who aren't used to being shown up by a Smart.  I've kept mine largely a "sleeper" (thanks in part to a Badger stealing my rear splitter), so it shocks them harder It's also nice pulling up outside work, and someone asking "what is that?"

So yeah, my recommendation is do it.  You've obviously already done some homework.  You'll love the car - I think all us Brab owners on here do.  It's something special in many ways.

As I said, I paid a dealer £4,300 about 8 months ago.  Just about anything that could be wrong with the one you want, you'll find the solution on this forum.  Most things I've encountered have been very simple fixes.  Some parts are expensive (usually the Brabus branded parts) but I've found most Smart branded parts to be quite reasonable in the scheme of things.

Yeah so that's my bit.  I do sometimes write a lot

PS - shame - you just missed out on a lovely modded CDi in Plymouth.  It's in Ireland now though

[mr singh]

why dont you go for one with over 60,000 miles, that way the cam belt should be done and is a cost you wont have to worry about for a few years?

[lawrence]

It's purely a 'mental' thing for me, sub 60K as i'd like to keep it for the forseeable future! The cars i've been looking at are a shade under 60K (around 55k) so i would expect a cambelt change to be part of the deal.
The links to one of them is here: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201203442389927/sort/default/usedcars/model/forfour/make/smart/radius/1500/postcode/tq14td/keywords/brabus/page/1?logcode=p
The other is no longer on Atrader as it has to be prepped, etc, however, the seller (trade) did send me photo's last night & the car is absolultely immaculate, completely standard, 1 owner, FSH, he did'nt mention any of the factory extras, although he did say that it needed 1 of the alloys sorting which is currently being done, the other 3 are immaculate & the whole car was going through the workship at some smart specialist in Guilford, i'm sure he said Sachs & something....?

[K3dge]

I can honestly say i have not owned a more fun car for my commute to work!

I bought mine about three or four weeks ago now. I knew it needed a new clutch, pads, discs and front tyres.

It had 90000 miles on the clock at the time (now 92500  ), new cambelt 15000 miles ago and new rear tyres yokos. The engine is brilliant according to many reviews and currently i have not found anything to complain about. She came with: Command head unit, head light washers, auto lights and wipers, many more extras... Immaculate inside and out - bar the wheels, and she only cost me £3300.

The fuel economy can vary dramatically dependent on the driving style, I’ve had anywhere from 18 to 41 mpg out of her! Averaging very similar to funky.

Things that I have found that I was not aware of when purchasing, leaky windscreen, exhaust noise when cruising and a loose door mirror surround!

The leaky windscreen was an easy fix... took trim off pushed screen up and backfilled with black silicon. If I was aware when buying I could have easily haggled another £100/200 of the price. Press down on all corners of the screen and if you have movement then you will have a leak!

I only mentioned the exhaust noise as when carrying passengers they are prone to moaning. i didn't notice on my test drive as it was more spirited and definitely involved no cruising. Just listen out and see if you would be happy drive down the motorway listening to it humming away, i personally like the sound of music...

Sure the mirror is only loose due to someone knocking when parked but could again knock a couple of quid of the asking price.

Hope you find one in the right spec and for the right price, good luck and good hunting!

[Problemchild]

Copy/paste my post from smartz and hello to you here

Hello guys....

The reality of buying a forfour is simple really.

Hardly anything goes wrong and no one knows what they are so a buyer you can benefit from this

Points to note when buying...

1. If its done mileage, check to see if the intermediate oil changes have been done (panel on the drivers door telling the owner to change oil every 6000miles) but bear in mind that some owners like me dont even do 6000 miles a year.

2. Cam belt needs replacing about 60k miles (don't let a dealer tell you it's a chain - BRAB is the only one of the range to have a belt)

3. Rear shocks can be known to seep.

4. Wheels will corrode and will dent easy so haggle on this but don't let it put you off

As for other bits, the standard roof is a non-opening panoramic... Option was a £1k electric sunroof but you loose a bit of the panoramic roof. Leather and climate are standard. 3 types of radio... Single din radio5, double din radio6 and a double din nav unit. All are great radios but the 6 and nav look better IMHO. You should also have 6 speakers and sub under the passenger seat. The other main option is headlamp washers and auto lights/wipers..... I hung on for sunroof, auto lights and auto wipers and that's a v v rare mix.

Silver does seem to command a slightly higher price but people are paying around £4-5k for good examples with ok mileage. They go v cheap on eBay!!

Anything else, just ask. I bought mine without ever even driving one... Including the one I bought. The car is beyond compare!! You will not be dissapointed by the BRAB

JJ

[CrazyG]

..... at some smart specialist in Guilford, i'm sure he said Sachs & something....?

It's actually Sash.....and he is a Smart indie....so it should be being done properly, whatever it is.

UPDATE:-
Here is a link to JJ's original post about buying a Brabus...  http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=137.0

[lawrence]

Thanks for all the info so far chaps, i've since located one with the same spec, similar sort of distance away, however a fair few quid cheaper, worryingly Smart Manchester told him the Brabus had a Camchain, i did say it had a belt though!
The mileage is circa 45,000, 2006 plate, what age should the cambelt be changed if having not been done already on mileage?!
Also what is the cambelt interval change?

[lawrence]

Also, does anyone have the service intervals & what should have been carried out at each?

[mr singh]

the service intervals are A,B,A,B
A = small service (oil, oil filter and pollen filter)
B = big service (as A service + air filter (spark plugs are an extra on request))

there is NO fuel filter on any of the petrol versions, i have enquired at smart of leeds and an independant motor factor and both said there isnt one and iv looked underneath the car on the ramps at work when iv serviced it and havent been able to locate it.

on the non brab version petrols (diesels in unsure) the servicing is every 9000 miles and the brab should be less, 6000 miles if i recall correctly, cam belt should be changed at 6 years old or 36000 miles, which ever comes first, so the one you've seen should be done now really if it hasnt already

have you a link to the other brabus so we can see it and let you know what it has and hasnt got? adverts can be incorrect as we have seen a 'supercharged' diesel forfour brabus... there were several things wrong in the ad!