My car is broken down again :( I hate my ForFour!

[Hulababy]

Yet again, my Smart ForFour has broken down. DH is currently sat with my car outside DD's school, awaiting Smart Assistance, having taken over from me. DD's friend's mum, who came to collect her DD from after school club, has brought me and DD home.

And I think it is the same problem. Yet again the gears have stopped. You can now longer select any gear. Exactly same symptom as last time, so looks like clutch and/or fly wheel again.

So cross

First time my car had done 10000 miles and was about 7 months old.

The new clutch has now done 10000 miles - coincidence?! and it was replaced 7 months ago - another coincidence?!

I do mainly motorway driving, to and from work, and not that much town driving. I am not a bad driver. I drive normally, and I have had no other car have these problems in the past, and I have own quite a few cars!

Last time Smart claimed it was wear and tear and said it wasn't covered on the warranty. It took us months to sort it out and for them to refund us the costs, and almost got to court. Only went this far as we don't have to pay legal costs so we could afford to take it this far. What will there response be this time?

A clutch should last longer than 10000 miles shouldn't it?!

I know it should. I got about 100 responses last time I asked on MN, with just 3 where they'd had probelsm and most after several 000s miles.

I am furious, so furious

for you. I'm sure soem thigns are just preprogrammed to malfunction after so long. Engineering should be improving but that doensn't line the pockets of the manufacturers does it ?

£800 last time. So, where do I go and find another spare £800 in less than year? OK, last time we did get it back but only after about 4-5 months! Have just paid for my holiday as it is. Good job I never did book that op privately now.

AA now with DH. They reckon gear box this time. Who knows?!

Oh, Hula, I remember your last thread about your car.

Have you contacted Honest John, on the Daily Telegraph website? It won't help today but he seems to be a fount of all knowledge when it comes to car weaknesses.

No I never got round to it.

DH has called and apparantly the AA man has fixed whatever the problem was this time. Apparantly there was something come loose in the gear box, which he has managed to reconnect. So hopefully that is that, and all is okay.

Trouble is I now have no confidence int his car. The little bit I had remaining has gone.

I want rid.

What are you going to get next time?

I think you bought a right 'lemon' Hula
On top of that - the driver's door wouldn't shut either would it?
Gwan, buy a mini - you should have gone for one instead of the 4.4 !

I have no idea! At present nothing major though. Once DH starts quity next April we are going to get a new big bar, we have decided we need a bigger car after all. But will wait till April for that.

But DH thinks the Smart is valued at 6000-7000 at present, depending on how we sell it and who too. Will check properly this weekend.

So something along that price will be good for now.

GB - mini will come in a year or two all being well. Want the Cooer S The car door has apparantly been fixed Strange how it still does it every so often. No idea what is going on there. And the driver's seat position constantly slips and has to be repositioned each time.

It is a definite Friday afternoon car!