[wglee]

Heard it's RM68k now for the 1.5.

[deepinme]

I'd like to know from the Smart forfour owners...

If you are using auto gear, the 1st to 2nd gear shift will kinda pull you
back, right? It does not shift smoothly?

Correct me if i'm wrong.

Thanks.

[charkt]

hi guys,

I am buying my gf a car, something nice. A smart maybe? Is it reliable?
Any advice?

[bobchoo]

Yeah, dun think the shifting from 1st to 2nd gear is sweet. I think it's
far from sweet during my test drive.

Perhaps using the paddle shift or manual mode will help during then.

[w123]

my wife just got a F4 and the auto gear is not something I or any other
driver (I believe) would be familiar with.

For e.g. when you need to pull out from the crowd during the green light
or when coming out after a roundabout, when you need to pull through, it
just pulls back before it moves forward. Passenger pening lalat lah!
Driver feels the pull front n back for a few moments. Any driver in any
car from the rear would probably see that momentarily pull back!

Sorry mate, for a Smart car, it ain't so smart after all.

[Magna]

W123

Its not really a pull back in real situation, its just a sensation that
can be easily address with M Mode or lift off your gas before its upshift.

Also the Forfour is a hot hatch and I would classify it as a Kart with
creature comfort.

Join us at www.smartcarsmalaysia.com so we can show you how to get the
best out of this car. I have driven it for a month now and I can
understand your situation especially if you do not understand how it
works!

For me it brilliant and absolute blast that still give 14-15km even when
we charging up genting/fraser hill. Heck, I even get 17-18km/l everyday
on my office route.

W123, you essentially got yourself a hot performance hatch for a bargain!
The car like to be driven hard! For lazy day driving, I take my wife Myvi.

[Magna]

Deepinme

As per what I reply to W123, its a different system from ATF slush box.

M mode is more smooth because you in control of the entire shifting.

On Auto Mode, just lift your throttle as you feel the car upshifting or
you can induce the upshift when you are on speed by lifting your gas.

[w123]

My apologies for my ignorance. When there is dissatisfaction, 2 parties
to look at; driver or car. I like to think the car (with association with
MB) cannot be faulted entirely.

As for the driver, possibly so but then no one teaches the driver how to
use the machine properly. We tried using the "manual mode" to overcome
this "headache" or release the accelerator when we think the gears
changing to a higher one.

However, my biggest issue is when you need the "push" just when you try
to pull from the crowd i.e. roundabout or joining mainstream road from
the left or even when you just gone over the hump.....

I'll certainly visit the website for more tips for me and wife.

As for my daily ride, W123 forever....

[Magna]

No apologies needed!!

Huh! You have been pampered and spoilt by the W123, ... :)

The feedback about the gearbox has been one of the main complaints and
MB/DC of not telling the consumer on what to expect out of this car ie
how to drive one making it even worst! The Forfour at the end is a highly
niche car and not for common folks as what the Swatch Inventor envision
on! DC has made it too hot of a hatch for common folks. You will see the
eccentricity of the smart owner during the outing and TT. BTW, we all met
at the Aman Suria Dikayu mamak every friday 9pm onward.

Actually the "pull back" is more prevalent on auto mode from 1st to 2nd
on hard or sudden acceleration. On bumper to bumper traffic, I go for M
mode because barely the A mode upshift from 1 to 2, the traffic stop
again causing the ECU trying to hunt the correct gear. This is the same
as your W123 slush box but its less of a feel because the slush absorb
this "sensation" but it is also this sensation that cause fuel wastage,
power slipping etc compare to manual box. Thats why the manual box or AMT
are so much more fuel efficient. CVT is entirely different stuff, so lets
leave it at that!

If you have rode a kapcai before, its easy to teach. On kapcai without
the clutch you always need to let go the throttle before you upshift,
right? The Forfour is the same. You can upshift with the stick or the
paddle. Some like stick, and some other like the paddle. I prefer the
paddle on city, and stick in the mountain and twisty.

So on the need to push, its superb on the forfour. No problem to keep up
or outrun. The acceleration rate is very strong for a 1.5 car. We(not me)
tested the century dash and its hit 9.8sec. Very good for it size!

At the end, you and wife need to understand that the Forfour is an AMT ie
a clutch based car and it will never never be as smooth as the slush box,
but it make it up for you by giving you great fuel mileage and instant
response.

[chocolate]

Hi chrischia,
Wonder the offer still valid now and is there any more stocks available?