The joy...erm...terror of a rear engine, lightweight car.

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
11/16/2015 at 14:01 • Filed to: Tyres

I discovered something very surprising about the little smart: When your (admittedly cheap Kumho Ecsta AST) tyres get close to needing replacement, they become absolutely terrifying awesome when you attempt to corner at speed.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been hitting the go pedal hard on green lights, and not only will the car now actually do a very tiny (satisfying) burnout, but if I turn a corner while doing this, the rear end tries to swap with the front.

On clover junctions (admittedly, I often see what’s the fastest exit speed I can hit on one), it’ll actually kick the rear end out for a good duration of the curve.

On wet surfaces, this gets amplified by 10x. Like, I can pull epic drifts or long burnouts in abandoned parking lots...it’s like the car suddenly got a whole lot more than its 70 bhp.

Obviously, this is very unsafe, but thankfully my tyres waited until before winter to wear out.

That said...I won’t be going with this tyre when I replace them next week. The rears only lasted 30k, while the fronts are still soldiering on with 70k. Having the drive wheels and all of the weight on the rear tyres is the cause of this.

Not only that, but those Kumhos are so darn uncomfortable, loud, and useless in the snow. Not again.

Also, with 91k, my 2012 smart remains the highest mileage post-facelift smart in the country!

DISCUSSION (25)

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 14:09

I imagine that smart drifts look hilarious.

JGrabowMSt > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 14:10

Kinja'd!!!

Necessary

64Mali > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 14:13

Kinja'd!!!

Can this car really tow anything past a Styrofoam cooler carrying a banana?

Rainbow > 64Mali
11/16/2015 at 14:17

It can tow a whole plantain.

64Mali > Rainbow
11/16/2015 at 14:20

But what about a “Lovely Bunch of Coconuts”

McMike > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
11/16/2015 at 14:23

cazzyodo > 64Mali
11/16/2015 at 14:26

With the appropriate trailer.

Kinja'd!!!

64Mali > McMike
11/16/2015 at 14:27

I am speechless... But does show how good snow tires are.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > McMike
11/16/2015 at 14:34

...and just like that I want a Smart with a plough.

BeaterGT > McMike
11/16/2015 at 14:36

Hilariously awesome.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 14:38

You should throw a ‘busa motor in there when you get new tires just for shits and giggles

Cé hé sin > 64Mali
11/16/2015 at 14:42

(asks Mr Google). Yes

64Mali > Cé hé sin
11/16/2015 at 14:51

So about 735 Bananas or 517 Coconuts. Not too shabby.

Or 1 large adult Water Buffalo if we want to get weird.
Slow day at work I’ll start calculating tow capacities in random animals.

Mercedes Streeter > 64Mali
11/16/2015 at 14:57

Europeans tow up to 1k lbs with them, Americans and Canadians seem to only go up to 800lb. So like jetskis, small utility trailers, mini campers, etc. :)

Mercedes Streeter > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
11/16/2015 at 14:59

Some people put ATV plows on smarts. They aren’t as cool as the plow in the video (because that one is custom) but they’re still effective AND hilarious. :)

64Mali > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 15:00

Personally I would be scared, Isn’t a 4x8 trailer bigger than the car?

Sneaky Pete > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 15:01

Are you not able to rotate tires on Smart cars?

Mercedes Streeter > 64Mali
11/16/2015 at 15:02

The car would be only a few inches longer than the trailer. :D

With most of the weight in the rear, smarts seem to pull trailers well. Just keep it within a reasonable weight (under 800lb if you’re in the States) with a tongue weight under 200lb and the car works with it just fine.

Mercedes Streeter > Sneaky Pete
11/16/2015 at 15:04

Nah, they come with staggered wheels (to induce understeer). I have four tyres of the same size, but on staggered wheels...so while it handles like a dream and has crazy fun oversteer, I still can’t rotate the tyres.

Sneaky Pete > Mercedes Streeter
11/16/2015 at 15:08

Ah, thanks for the info.