Smart Car toad (towed?)

[Pahaska]

This morning, I sold my diesel pickup that had towed my Classic 28 so many miles. The money was burning a hole in my pocket.

This afternoon, I bought a 2014 Smart car to tow behind my 2014.5 IA. Mercedes, or at least Daimler, all the way!

The Smart is white with a silver band that nicely matches the silver IA. It has Leather upholstery. The Smart has 14,500 miles on it and one owner, the City of Austin, as it was used as a "Car To Go." Very clean and very few signs of use. Clean Carfax report. Because so many Smarts were freed up in Austin all at once, the price out the door was $3000 under the Carfax national average price for the year and model. Still under Mercedes warranty and all service has been done by Mercedes.

Only signs of hire-car use are two cables exiting at the base of the windshield that hooked up the credit card machine.

Next step is to get a base plate installed and buy tow bars.

[txntravlr]

I hope you have better luck in the baseplate install than I have! However, judging from your sofa to bed replacement in your AI, I'm guessing you're going to tackle that project on your own, too. If you want to take on another project, let me know -- I can be in Austin in about 4 hours!

[tevake]

You could touch in with Smartstream, he has been towing one for some time and seem quite happy with his rig.

Cheers Richard

[Smartstream]

Congrats on the purchase of your smartie. As you might guess from my forum name I am a fan of smarties. I have a 2005 and 2006, both European versions with the Mercedes turbo charged engine and 6 speed trans. If you look closely at my avatar picture you will see one of them pushing my 280 classic moho.

Anyway best of luck with your new smartie. It will look great pushing your Interstate.

Actually I tried to post this earlier but the site wouldn't let me for some reason. We'll see if it works now.

[Lily&Me]

I think Protagonist towed a smart car behind his, and was very happy with it.

Congratulations!


Maggie

[Jbray333]

We loved our Smartie for two years before it was turned into an 1800 lb. wrecking ball behind our Tiffin Class A when side swiped by a truck. We used the BlueOx Aventa LX baseplate and towbar. Loved it and so easily connected. It came with directions for a truck hitch company to install. You will need a rubber bungie cord to loop through your steering wheel and attach to the driver seat. This will keep the front wheels from flopping back and forth due to the short wheelbase. We also had the Roadmaster 8700 brake assist system installed under the passenger seat. Total hands off after correct setting and no need to store the R2D2 style brake system on the floor of driver's seat. We also used a check list to ensure everything was done, particularly the NEUTRAL on the shifter. Don't ask me how I came to this reality. Good luck and enjoy your Smartie. We loved ours but no need now that we have our AI.

[FCStreamer]

I thought that the 451 Smart cars could not be flat towed. Something about the transmissions and there no being enough lubrication if the car engine was not running. I know that was fixed with the 453 Smarts (I own one) but you still need to install a battery disconnect to make it work.

[comprose]

We've been towing a 2013 Passion for a couple of years now, with absolutely no problems. We found an excellent shield for it at Coastline Manufacturing in California, 909-484-6592 for $399 including shipping. It covers from grill area right up over the windshield and very easy to put on each time. Ask for Valerie or Mitch.

We wouldn't be without the smart, and being blue and with a French origin, aptly named "Blue."

Oh, yes. our small Bichon fits in well behind the seats. It's the perfect dingy.

[toskeysam]

The Smart is a blast to drive! My baseplate goes on next week. Already bought an assortment of bungees to see what works best. My Smart dealer has had a couple of horror stories of ones that did not use a bungee. One was drug into service department with front wheels splayed in opposite directions. Poor car.......

[agingraceful]

In addition to using the blue ox tow system, I installed a battery cut off switch in the foot well area of the passenger side in order to protect the transmission. By completely isolating the electronic system and using a harness for the brake lights on the Smart, you will find it it is an excellent flat-tow vehicle. The great thing about a smart car being towed by an Interstate is that you hardly know it's there. It's a great set up. I have the same combination a 2014.5 Interstate and a 2014 smart.

[toskeysam]

Wish I could've used Blue Ox.....unfortunately for me, they don't have a baseplate for the 2017 Smart....as yet. Could have driven/trailered it to the Blue Ox plant, to have one made, but did not want to do that... Went with Roadmaster instead. Have a silver Interstate and the Smart is silver with black Tridion.....looks great behind the AI.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by toskeysam

Have a silver Interstate and the Smart is silver with black Tridion.....looks great behind the AI.

My Smart is white with a silver Tridion. Should look good with my silver AI.

[Smartstream]

I'm so glad to see so many happy smarts tagging along with their Interstates. Mine are both 450 Passion coupes so I don't have to play with the transmission and fuse problems. However Blue ox and Roadmaster didn't make base plates and tow bars for the 450s so I built my own. Not a big problem but it's probably a lot heavier than needed. Happy travels.

[StillRod]

We owned a 2001 Smart Passion for 11 years in Germany. 599cc of turbocharged fun. I would occasionally follow my wife across the winding road that led into our village, she in the Smart, me in a 2003 BMW 530i...the stock BMW with z-rated tires couldn't keep up with her flying through the curves at 100+ kph. We drove the Smart 10,000km annually and replaced the exhaust manifold and integrated turbo once due to a crack, otherwise rock solid vehicle. Absolutely loved the pop-on, pop-off body panels. Easy repair in the event of a crunch, or just to indulge a whim for a new color. Fun fun fun....

"Smart car" is an odd Americanism. One of many, I suppose. Just "Smart," thank you. Enjoy the experience!

[unifreck]

Coastline Manufacturing has changed names and locations.
New Name same great people:

RV and Off Road
16151 Main Street
Hesperia, California
(800)216-1664.

Had to do detective work to find them---GOOGLE HAS NOT KEPT UP ON NEW INFO

AEW

[Pahaska]

My Blue Ox base plate and my Ready Brake tow bar arrive tomorrow afternoon. My wireless lights are in hand.

I was at a rally all week until noon today. I had carefully timed my orders so that would be at home when the parts arrived. Guess what! They both shipped on Wednesday and I received an email that they would be delivered Friday. I fought a poor internet connection to get the delivery changed to tomorrow for $5 an item. I didn't want $1500 worth of stuff on my doorstep for two days.

[Lotus54]

I see you are here in PA also- since those are Euro models, did you have issues getting them in the country?

Mark

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Congrats on the purchase of your smartie. As you might guess from my forum name I am a fan of smarties. I have a 2005 and 2006, both European versions with the Mercedes turbo charged engine and 6 speed trans. If you look closely at my avatar picture you will see one of them pushing my 280 classic moho.

[Air99]

Originally Posted by comprose

We've been towing a 2013 Passion for a couple of years now, with absolutely no problems. We found an excellent shield for it at Coastline Manufacturing in California, 909-484-6592 for $399 including shipping. It covers from grill area right up over the windshield and very easy to put on each time. Ask for Valerie or Mitch.

We wouldn't be without the smart, and being blue and with a French origin, aptly named "Blue."

Oh, yes. our small Bichon fits in well behind the seats. It's the perfect dingy.

You meant Bleu ;-)

[Pahaska]

It took me about an hour this morning to remove the front of the Smart. Then I hit a snag! The lug nuts were put on so tightly (probably with an impact wrench) that I broke my one and only 15mm socket on the 4th nut I tried to loosen. I had to use a 20" breaker bar to even budge the nuts. I'll have to hit the hardware store later for another socket.

I went ahead a few steps and removed the bumper and made some required cuts in the plastic to make room for the base plate, but I can't remove the wheel well liners until I can get the wheels off.

I followed the Blue Ox instructions to open up the Smart. The hardware removed at each step is sealed in an individual baggie with a masking tape strip labeled with the step in the instructions. That will provide me a check when I reassemble the car that everything is back in and at the right places.

I have a party to go to now, so the saga will resume tomorrow..

[Pahaska]

Here is the current state of my Smart. I need to get another 15mm socket to replace the one that split trying to get the wheels off.

Next step is to unbolt the wheel well liners and peel them back for access to the frame.

Note the instructions on the windshield with the tape that is used to identify every piece of hardware I remove.