Had a visit from Miss Mercedes tonight

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
10/20/2019 at 22:43 • Filed to: The Death Car

I sold her the tow bar/safety chains/magnetic lights from the RallyMetro, as well as the snow tires I had on it.

We can all look forward to seeing a Smart car flat tow a Festiva. You’re welcome everybody.

My oldest daughter christened it The Death Car, and admonished her for driving such a vehicle. She says she wants to be a cop, and frankly ... It fits her personality.

DISCUSSION (49)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > shop-teacher
10/20/2019 at 22:52

No doors can you even do that?

CTSenVy > shop-teacher
10/20/2019 at 22:54

That hood scoop.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > shop-teacher
10/20/2019 at 22:55

Those truck mirrors are excellent. Might not survive the woods but they're still great.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > shop-teacher
10/20/2019 at 22:55

Wow. OK, so assuming I was stranded in a remote desert with the Smart Car... where would I go to figure out the Tow Capacity for a Smart Car to flat tow something ?

Assuming of course that I didn’t order the Fifth Wheel Towing Option with Integral Braking Controller and Engine jake Brake Package for my Smart Car?

— Asking for a friend wanting to tow his Offroad Race Raptor with his Fiat 500

Longtime Lurker > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/20/2019 at 23:03

I believe she is using the European tow capacity.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > shop-teacher
10/20/2019 at 23:04

Oh dear

Clown Shoe Pilot > shop-teacher
10/20/2019 at 23:05

is that an aerobie?

facw > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/20/2019 at 23:15

There’s some discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1j6lkl/got_ticketed_for_having_no_doors_on_my_truck/

Sounds like she probably could be ticketed.

shop-teacher > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/20/2019 at 23:27

Well, she did it... So... Yes?

shop-teacher > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
10/20/2019 at 23:28

Agreed.

shop-teacher > Clown Shoe Pilot
10/20/2019 at 23:28

I have no idea.

shop-teacher > CTSenVy
10/20/2019 at 23:28

Its attached properly.

And by that I mean with sheet metal screws.

shop-teacher > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
10/20/2019 at 23:29

Yep.

shop-teacher > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/20/2019 at 23:29

I believe the answer is 12.

smobgirl > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/20/2019 at 23:34

Fiats in Europe have tow ratings! Actually a neighbor of mine has a pretty decent trailer for his and used it to move here from the midwest . I can try and ask him the next time I bump into him.

CB > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 00:10

Your daughter is spot on, but I suppose as long as it's registered, has lights, and the one mirror, it's road legal enough?

Boxer_4 > Clown Shoe Pilot
10/21/2019 at 00:13

It certainly looks like one.

vicali > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 00:16

Lol- She should probably wear her helmet just to be safe.

vicali > facw
10/21/2019 at 00:17

Unless they come of oem that’s a nope..

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > smobgirl
10/21/2019 at 00:38

Oh, I’m being Tongue-in-Cheek, but TIL that Smart Cars are actually rated to tow. I’d have never guessed.

Thanks!

Future Heap Owner > facw
10/21/2019 at 00:59

Just Jeepin’ rolls sans doors as much as he can (albeit in a different state ).

Future Heap Owner > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 01:01

That sure does look like a hoot!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 01:03

I thinking the better towing set up might be the other way around, but the Oppo hookup here is awesome.

facw > Future Heap Owner
10/21/2019 at 01:20

The difference would be that those doors are designed to be removed from the factory. Sounds like Illinois law would get you for removing a non-optional factory safety component. It’s a bit stupid, but then honestly letting Jeeps have removable doors is honestly something I’m a bit surprised is still allowed given modern safety concerns.

Mercedes Streeter > facw
10/21/2019 at 02:01

I could probably be, though I passed by at least 5 police cars on the way home, none cared.

Mercedes Streeter > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/21/2019 at 02:04

Nowhere. No second gen smarts have a tow rating of any kind in any country. But that hasn’t stopped hundreds or thousands of Europeans and Americans from towing with them. In my experience with my specific car, it’ll do 1,600 at highway speed easy peasy.

*Check local laws and your insurance before you tow with something not rated to tow!

facw > Mercedes Streeter
10/21/2019 at 02:06

Well I hope your good luck continues. Seems like it could make you a target for them.

Mercedes Streeter > facw
10/21/2019 at 02:11

No doubt! It's not uncommon for Gambler cars to attract law enforcement. lol

Mercedes Streeter > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/21/2019 at 02:13

Legally? Not unless the car is designed to be run that way. Practically? Depends on how bored the cops are.

Mercedes Streeter > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 02:15

The Death Car is stupid fun! I think more people took pictures of the car today than the smart has gotten in its entire life!

Just gotta wire up a licence plate light so I have just a little better chance at not attracting a bored cop in the middle of the night. lol

atfsgeoff > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 04:18

The proposition of flat towing a Festiva with a Smart, reminds me of the old Roadkill episode where they flat towed a Prius with a Gremlin (and predictably spun it on the highway after a tire blowout).

Be careful!

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 05:43

I feel like it needs some webbing mesh in those door holes...

Kiltedpadre > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 05:55

I look forward to seeing that. I think I’d modify truck tailgate nets to go where the doors were.

She should have no issues with blind spots between the huge mirror and massive visibility hole.

Cé hé sin > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/21/2019 at 06:50

Not necessarily. If you have a Roadster there’s no tow capacity nor anywhere obvious to fit a bar. Towing with a For Two isn’t recommenced but it’s done.

shop-teacher > Kiltedpadre
10/21/2019 at 07:02

Yeah, visibility is definitely not an issue.

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
10/21/2019 at 07:05

I’m not the least bit surprised :)

shop-teacher > CB
10/21/2019 at 07:06

She needs to add a tag light for nighttime driving, but once that is done, I doubt any cops around here will care.

shop-teacher > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
10/21/2019 at 07:08

I don’t know if the transmissions on a Smart will let them be flat t owed . Manual Festi vas definitely can be.

SiennaMan > Kiltedpadre
10/21/2019 at 08:30

Visibility would not have been above average even with the doors in place..

I agree about the tailgate nets , at least on the driver side. (I think in my case it's the Dad in me talking.. those seatbelts are not likely to give up, and to get that thing leaning enough that it'd be an issue would be right as it rolls.. which seems unlikely, they're not exactly top heavy even with the doors and interior in place..)

smobgirl > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
10/21/2019 at 10:00

I’m just amused that Fiats appear to be rated to tow in Europe but not here (officially). But I was also pretty amused to see the trailer on my neighbor’s. He’s ex-military, pretty handy and actually owns a truck, so the fact that he drives a Fiat was surprising enough. The fact that he’s turned it into a workhorse was impressive.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Mercedes Streeter
10/21/2019 at 10:32

10/10 you should get a corvair.

Kinja'd!!!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 15:57

No offense intended...but is removing the doors from a vehicle not designed to have removable doors not illegal there...? It definitely is there.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/21/2019 at 16:09

Honesty, I don’t know if it is expressly illegal. I’m sure a cop who wanted to give her a ticket, could find something to ticket her for. Going from some of the total crap wagons I’ve seen running around this state though, I don’t expect it to be a problem.

I tried to talk her into keeping the doors on, but the kid does what she does :)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher
10/21/2019 at 19:35

I can understand the other mods, but having no doors seems like too large a safety issue to me...especially when offroading on something like the Gambler . Your vehicle shifts a bit driving through a muddy ditch at an angle and you could get an instant branch-spear to the thigh...

Mercedes Streeter > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
10/22/2019 at 16:34

Oh, this hasn’t even nearly been the first open vehicle I’ll offroad in. There has been a Miata death kart (no roof, no doors, no rollbar, no body), a Honda Elite, a Montero with a bar on the back, a Jeep or two, another Festiva, a Focus, a Subaru death kart, and others I’m forgetting. You’re not going to get a branch to your thigh on a Gambler unless you aren’t wearing a seatbelt or do something completely stupid.

As insane as these rallies look, the organizers aren’t choosing routes that will kill people.

Mercedes Streeter > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/22/2019 at 16:37

Hmmm...lifted Corvair with MTs and an eBay turbo?

Mercedes Streeter > Kiltedpadre
10/22/2019 at 16:38

That’s actually genius. Probably get one for the tailgate too just to please any cops.

Mercedes Streeter > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
10/22/2019 at 16:39

Someone else had that idea. I like it, if only to please the local authorities. lol

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mercedes Streeter
10/22/2019 at 17:17

Well, just be careful! We wouldn’t want to lose one of us!