Damage Report: Nothing is Broken!! Now Have Some Topless Photos. ;)

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart) 04/21/2018 at 12:12 • Filed to: Restoration, Miss Mercedes  smart Car Girl, Smart

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I went out to my storage unit this morning. No new oil on the floor (the oil currently on the floor is from my 451’s leaky oil pan), so it’s safe to assume the “leak” I observed wasn’t my car. The car also fired up and drove normally for a test drive. Well, the worst case scenario didn’t happen! :)

I think my constant disconnecting and reconnecting of the battery was also a factor in my cascading failures last night. In reality, I should have let it sit disconnected for a while instead of being impatient.

My next steps will be learning how to use my STAR machine to do an actuator reteach and checking out the brake switch. I’m just happy the car didn’t have a catastrophic failure.

And I’ll let this be a further lesson that I shouldn’t daily drive a project 450. :) It’s a $150 lesson, but a lesson nonetheless!

TL;DR - The car is still in better than advertised condition.

Note: Yes it also needs new tyres, it is a project, after all. :D

Now without further delay, have the top down photos I took before all hell broke loose!

boredalways > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 12:27

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How’s the rear visibility with the top down?

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 12:34

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I fixed the garage picture for you

Mercedes Streeter > boredalways 04/21/2018 at 12:39

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The best I’ve had in any car! The only blind spot (directly behind and under the tailgate) is so small that it’s sort of irrelevant.

Mercedes Streeter > BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo 04/21/2018 at 13:09

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Yaaas! 

SmugAardvark > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 13:19

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How bad is the wind buffeting with the top down?

Dark chocolate > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 13:23

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was looking for topless pics.. :)

Mercedes Streeter > SmugAardvark 04/21/2018 at 13:40

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Not bad at all! The windscreen has a little wing on top of it to combat buffeting. :)

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 13:50

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I thought about this when I wrote my Mercedes towing retrofit comment, and the cars aren’t wired for it nessecarily, but have you thought about trailer brakes?

Kiltedpadre > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 13:57

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Do the side rails come off on later models? I’ve seen several with the top down, but the bars have always been in place.

Is there room in the car to store them, or once out are you SOL if caught in an unexpected storm?

Mercedes Streeter > Kiltedpadre 04/21/2018 at 14:05

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They do! Most people don’t bother though because it takes getting out of the car, then maybe a minute to remove them and store them in the tailgate.

Mercedes Streeter > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 04/21/2018 at 14:07

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Not really necessary for the loads the car could handle. In my testing, the car still basically stops on a dime. The bigger issue is transmission cooling. I haven’t yet invested any time into getting a trans cooler.

Kiltedpadre > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 15:07

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I won’t lie after seeing the topless photos I may have to see what they sell for around me. I really want a cheap convertible.

That’s assuming 6-4 and somewhat round me would be comfortable in one. I’ve never sat in a Smart, but the Scion iQ I sat in felt like I was trying to sit in my sons old Cozy Coupe.

Oh yeah, then there’s talking the wife into car number four.

Mercedes Streeter > Kiltedpadre 04/21/2018 at 15:11

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451 versions (2008-2015 in the US) in good condition (infinitely more reliable, more automation in the convertible roof, and cheaper) can be had for as low as $3k nowadays!

Plus, the newer ones have more room. I’ve never had a passenger I couldn’t fit, from nearly 7 feet tall to 600 pounds.

Show the wife convertible photos, she’ll totally be into it. lol

Kiltedpadre > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 15:15

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To Craigslist!!!

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 16:31

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I think you need to go a bit crazy and get some super sticky autocross tires like RE-71Rs for it.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 18:00

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I was just unaware if you had thought about it but if braking isn’t an issue, i’m really impressed by the Smart brakes.

xc90v8/I4 :( > Mercedes Streeter 04/21/2018 at 18:26

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I googled “smart topless” not too many similarities.