I wanted more up-to-date car reliability information that included actual repair rates. So in late 2005 I started getting people together to make this possible. TrueDelta now updates actual repair frequencies, not just dots, four times a year, to track cars closely as they age.
We recently updated results for the smart fortwo to include owner experiences through December 31, 2009. In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:
2009: 54
2008: 52
Both model years started out worse than average, and have now improved to average. These cars appear to have some initial problems, then few additional problems once those are fixed.
We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds," to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop.
In the case of the 2008 fortwo, the percentage with no repairs is about 65, and the percentage of lemons is about 3.
We'll have further updates in May and August. The more participants we have, the better the information we can provide.
[url=http://www.truedelta.com/car-reliability.php?stage=pt&bd=smart&mc=389]smart fortwo reliability comparisons[/url]
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Herb Bell on -
Mr. Karesh;
I used to gather Reliability Stats for Exxon Office Systems on the failure rate of their office machines while employed by Exxon Office Systems.
It appears to me that you are doing the same thing on Smart cars. My question is this - who is paying you to do this? Your IQ (insistence quotient) is far too high for someone simply wanting to help us poor Smart Owners.
If I surmise correctly that your data-collection is simply a scheme to enrich yourself by asking others to supply free labor for your personal benefit, then I suggest that you should be shunned by those who contribute their time for the benefit of all, and NOT for themselves.
If this is an income-producing nickle-machine for you, then I suggest that you go somewhere else and stop profiting from the labor of others for your own personal benefit.
-
Herb,
In one post you criticize journalists for their shoddy reporting of reliability information, and in this one question my motives even though I've put in six years of 60+ hour weeks, the first four years at a loss, to provide better information. Which I provide for free here and on my site to anyone who provides a few minutes a year to help.
It seems that no matter what someone does, you want to criticize them for it.
I'm in the eastern time zone, and am still working at 2:28AM. This should give you some idea of who is providing the great majority of the labor.
Where's the money? Just the usual, ads on the site and such, just like this forum. A very small percentage of visitors click on the ads, but it's enough because my costs are low.
-
Permalink Reply by Herb Bell on
-
Michael;
If I have imputed an incorrect motivation to you based on your activities on this forum, I apologize and ask that you chalk up my harshness to you last night to the current political climate, where no one is what they seem.
Let me explain:
I had just come back to checking e-mail after a rather ferocious political discussion involving those who like to play with OPM (other people's money) for personal gain. When that money is lost, the brokers go "oh well, that's the market", and these people are seldom held accountable, even when the public discovers - too late - that the game has long been rigged. We are now in the middle of the biggest world-wide heist in the history of mankind because people have been too innocent, too trusting, too helpful and too kind toward con-men, crooks, and psychopaths.
People who use OPT (other people's time) and place themselves at the top of the pyramid of the labor of others don't look too different to those who are angry at a system of "doing business" that has more to do with thieves and con-men than with those who have given honest value over the years. I sincerely hope that you are the latter sort of person.
My view is that financial crimes such as Madoff's should be treated with the same penalties that child molesters and rapists receive, that murderers most foul receive. Are they not guilty of killing hope in their victims? Are they not guilty of living in super-luxury while their victims end up with less than nothing for their money or labor? Why should they be allowed to steal life savings and hard work with impunity?
These poster-boys to greed and venality, especially the politicians, have engendered far more than pure disgust in many Americans. Many now vent their spleen on the internet. Even the appearance of wrong-doing and greed is now taken as established guilt by many. Perception is everything.
Personally, I work even longer than you, but I turn over rocks and look under beds in an effort to expose the greedy, the thieves, the careless and the psychopathic to the glare of exposure. Please look deep in your heart and say to me "I am none of the above".
In conclusion, I perceive that you regularly ask for OPT on this forum, in exchange for which you claim to be providing a valuable service to those who volunteer their time to you. You've been doing this for over six months, yet Consumer Reports Magazine still runs the same poor reviews of SMART cars. Have you contacted them with your statistics?
Since I can't see into your heart, I still see what looks like a pyramid scheme, based on the evidence of your activities, where your boat will float on top of the apex. Been there with the insurance sales types, didn't like their schemes either. Maybe I'm just another voice in the wilderness, maybe not. Maybe my stories will help educate people so they don't make my mistakes in life. For this service I receive nothing, nor do I post ads. Believe me when I tell you that I would like to be proven wrong.
-
Permalink Reply by mr bad example on -
i only had one problem with my smart after 3 years. the brake switch refused to send a signal to the tranny below 0F. dave schembri called me personally and got this fixed. how many other companies have their presidents contact the owner to get a problem fixed? later, i met mr schembri later in 2009 at the dells at the 2009 smart meet, he remembered me from a year before. chevy told me to EFF OFF when my catalytic converter crapped out at 22,000 miles, which is a mandatory 80,000 mile warranty item.
dave was only president of smart usa, he didn't design the car or make it, he just agreed to sell it in the USA. he cared more for smart owners than GM did, now it's "Government Motors", so GM buyers/owners are really fooked!
i don't really care for the smart center in my area, they're an asshole mercedes dealer in chicago. i avoid them like the plague, get most service locally or do it myself. it was bad enough when i had a mercedes the year prior to getting my smart.
-
That he called you personally is impressive.
-
Just wanted to say 'Thanks' for all the work you do to keep us informed and connected in the smart world, and Happy New Year!
-
Permalink Reply by Tony on -
Really... thank you. It is a pity that there are some that feel it is necessary to hold everyone to the fire for the misgivings of another. I hope that through it all, you do keep up the good work. Furthermore, I hope the day comes when this real data is able to show that this niche' car has done itself proud. Like all cars, there are issues, it is just as much how those issues are handled as any other aspect that determines the stay power of the car. Thanks Again.
-
I picked up my smart at the end of May, 2008. It is a Passion coupe. It currently has 49,750 miles. I’m averaging 44.78 mpg. I have had ZERO problems.
-
Hey Diehl, looks like you know how to drive and how to take care of a car. Must run in the family. I only average about 38mpg, but I'm mostly short trips around town, but no problems either. 34,000 miles since April '08. Jack Diehl :-) (My boat is named "THE REEL DIEHL")
-
I can't get your link to work. I had issues with the defroster on the back window and they hassled me about fixing it. That ticked me off. Other than that, they had to replace the blower motor (should be a recall on that!) and I all of a sudden I am replacing light bulbs one after another (2 headlights, 1 left rear directional and the right rear directional needs fixing now).
Overall, I always expect a few tweaks with a new vehicle, even my Toyotas. My car has 26K+ purchased in July 2008. I average 37 mpg.
I recently saw an article that slammed the transmission. I admit that it sometimes balks, however, I think the fact that you can feel it go through the gears, gives it more pep. I like that alot! I drive it like a hotrod.
-
Sorry, I forgot that this forum doesn't recognize BB code like nearly all others do. Corrected post:
We have updated results for the smart fortwo to include owner experiences through December 31, 2010. Other sources of car reliability information won't cover the months since last April until the summer or even fall of this year.
Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:
2009: 41, better than average
2008: 47, about average
We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds," to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop.
In the case of the fortwo, the percentage with no repairs is about 67 for the 2008 and 66 for the 2009, and the percentage of lemons is about 4 for the 2008 and less than one for the 2009.
http://www.truedelta.com/lemon-odds.php?stage=pt&bd=smart&m...
Thank you, once again, to everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August.
To see how other cars compare, and to sign up to help:
http://www.truedelta.com/car-reliability.php?stage=pt&bd=smart&...
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Welcome to
451 smart fortwo
Latest Activity on 451s
smartCar on Facebook/Twitter
