Issue 11 - The smart Club

Transcription

thesmartclub ltd … be part of the world’s largest independent club for all things smart
r
www.thesmartclub.com
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‘4site’ : Issue 11
May 2009
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May 2009
Welcome
to Issue 11 of your international smart magazine
‘4site’. We are now well into 2009 and the
months of planning during winter now means
multiple Events and activities getting underway.
If you are reading this magazine having acquired
it in full colour, professionally printed format, you
are one of thousands of people in multiple
countries around the world benefitting from a
magazine with truly international input and
readership – it’s your smart magazine and
details of how you can submit articles and
images are included within these pages.
In this quarter’s issue of ‘4site:
Club News
How to join thesmartclub
Our ‘Privilege Card
Handover Packs
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smart USA
smart of Exeter
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smart of Brighton
smart centre Saarbrucken
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Events Review
Smarts at Ace Café, London
Local Meetings
Supplier Features
Features
Roadster rebuild
Pin badge collection
Forthcoming events
Smart Event - London
Brooklands Special Meeting
Smart times Austria
Mods & Maintenance
Roadster Power Steering
Roadster Bonnet Pop
Roadster Bulkhead Seal
Dealership News
This issue of ‘4site’ even has special offers
offering you savings on Insurance, servicing and
cars – see pages 10, 20, 22 and 27. You will
also see we have some exciting events coming
up in London, smart Brooklands, Austria and, of
course, multiple local meetings.
Of course, the smart range continues to expand
with the cdi, mhd and ev derivatives – plus the
hugely exciting concept from BRABUS of their ev
cabrio, details of which you can also find in this
issue of ‘4site’.
News from Hambach
Submit an Article
News from smart
News from BRABUS
Advertisers
It’s sure to be a very full year for smart owners
and enthusiasts and our August issue of ‘4site’
(Issue 12) will bring additional previews of the
smart event in Austria, a preview of our rally
prepared Roadster and it’s forthcoming
international Event plus a new section in the
magazine reflecting ‘Letters’ we have received
from our Members and Readership.
Thank you for your continued support
Daimler Insurance Services UK Ltd
Half Moon Bay (Leisure) Ltd
smart Brooklands
Smart Car Specialist
Smart Car Superstore
smart of Cardiff
smart of Swansea
Smarts-R-Us
Wellsmart
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Al Young
Chairman & Managing Director
thesmartclub ltd
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May 2009
Club News
How to join thesmartclub
Joining thesmartclub could not be easier and we
have a number of options available to you.
Online
If you have access to the internet, simply log on
to our web site at www.thesmartclub.com and
click the ‘Join the Club’ menu option. Here you
will find two options, one giving web only
access, the other giving you web access plus
four copies of ‘4site’ and a Privilege Card!!
Offline (postal)
We are very aware that many people do not
have regular access to internet services and as
such, we offer an ‘offline’ membership service.
You receive a copy of ‘4site’ delivered to your
door each quarter, Event information and
application forms by post and automatic
entitlement to our ‘Privilege Card’. Of course,
you also benefit from full telephone and fax
support. Simply write to us at:
NEW: Members of thesmartclub can save Money
on Airport Car Parking by booking with
Park and Go
You can make savings of up to 60% compared to
the drive-up rates, when you pre-book your
airport car parking online with Park and Go. You
can use the secure online booking facility to prebook your parking at over 70 car parks at all
major airports across the UK. When your booking
is complete you will receive easy to follow
directions via email straight away.
thesmartclub members who hold thesmartclub
Privilege Card can save a further 10% off the
cost off their airport car parking by entering a
discount code when making a booking.
Contact thesmartclub for full details!
thesmartclub ltd, PO Box 28549
Edinburgh, EH4 5WB, UK
Our Privilege Card – smart saving!
Now in its 7th year, our ‘Privilege Card’
continues to go from strength to strength
bringing you discounts on servicing and parts
from multiple smart centres in addition to
significant
discounts
from
third
party
organisations. Plus you receive discounted
pricing in thesmartclub’s Online Shop and better
still, benefit from significant discounts on our
Major Event prices.
Full Membership of thesmartclub includes a
Privilege Card as part of the ‘Pack’ and we also
have a number of UK smart Dealerships
providing Membership Packs with every new
and use car purchased – contact thesmartclub
for more details!
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May 2009
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May 2009
Events: Review
Smarts at the Ace Café,
London
For the uninitiated, The Ace Café is an old biker’s
café in West London, that was re-opened a few
years
ago,
after
undergoing
a
major
refurbishment in the retro style of its heyday in
the 50’s and 60’s. The Ace Café was actually
built in 1938 as a roadside cafe to cater for
hauliers, using the new North Circular Road. With
its handy position and the fact it was open 24
hours a day; The Ace Café soon began to attract
plenty of motorcyclists. In World War II, the
building was badly damaged during an air raid
and was rebuilt in 1949.
After the war there was a major increase in road
traffic, teenagers and motorbikes and trade at the
Ace boomed. The British motorcycle industry was
at its peak, and along with this came the arrival of
the "Ton-Up-Boys" and Rock´n´Roll. The Ace
Café soon became the place to meet. From this
powerful fusion of motorbikes and Rock´n´Roll
came the legends of record-racing, one of them
being - drop the coin right into the slot, and race
to a given point and back before the record
finished.
The Ace Café was the launch pad for many
famous racers and the birthplace for many bands.
Unfortunately, places like the Ace often received
bad press from the tabloids, which carried many
articles portraying cafés as ‘the places where
decent people didn’t go!’ Changes in the social
order, the growth of the car market at the
expense of the motorbike industry, and the
expansion of the motorway network literally saw
the Ace Café being by-passed, and sadly it
served its last portion of egg and chips in 1969.
All was not lost however. In 1993, driven by a
passion for motorbikes and Rock ‘n' Roll, Mark
Wilsmore began planning to re-open the
legendary Café. Twenty-five years after the
Café closed, the first Ace Café Reunion was
held in 1994, attracting 12,000 people. The
following annual reunions, known as "Ace
Days", took place on historic ground: Brighton's
famous Madeira Drive, (the very place the first
London to Brighton run organized by
thesmartclub ended), as the original Ace site
couldn't accommodate the steadily rising
numbers of visitors. Over 25,000 enthusiastic
riders celebrated Ace Day in 1997.
From that day major steps were made towards
the re-opening of the Ace Café, including
securing the original site and launching the Ace
Café Club. Based on the rich heritage and
traditions of the 50's and 60's, the Ace Café still
embodies the same values as when the original
Rockers called it home. The bikes, the music,
and perhaps the whole world have changed,
but the spirit remains the same: Nonconformist, rebellious, individual and authentic
– a bit like smart owners really! Eight years
after the first reunion day the famous biker’s
haunt had its Grand Opening in September
2001.
However, not since 2004 has there been a
proper smart meet at The Ace, when just eight
of these iconic little cars met at the venue and
parked in front of the famous windows of the
Café.
Two of those original eight, myself and Tom
Crawford, who have been heavily involved with
the smart scene for the past six years and
instigated that first gathering, decided to
organise this much larger event as we had
such fond memories from before.
On Saturday 21st February smarts of all
descriptions made their way from Essex,
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May 2009
Nottingham,
Peterborough,
Gloucestershire,
Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex and
London for this daytime congregation. This time
we had the whole of the Café car park to
ourselves with not eight cars but seventy three,
including a mobile ‘smart’ doctor on call and there
was still plenty of room for more! Such is the
small footprint these cute cars make, you can fit
two of them nose to tail in one normal car parking
space, not that we needed to on this occasion.
Seen from above, the forecourt surely looked like
Joseph’s coat of many colours, a multi-coloured
patchwork quilt of smarts.
From 11am until 5pm over a hundred smart
owners met up with old friends and new, chatting,
taking photos, testing out the great food in the
café, comparing their newest modifications and
gloating over the latest ideas.
the event in collaboration with The Ace Café
and kindly made for us by 2minits.
Most of the people that attended the event
belong to the website forum Smartmaniacs
(www.smartmaniacs.co.uk) with a few from the
thesmartclub (www.thesmartclub.com). These
websites and clubs reach owners nationwide
but there are of course locally based clubs
around the country to which many of the
owners go to on a regular monthly basis.
Several of these clubs made appearances at
the Café including the Essex Smarties Smart
Car Club, East Kent Smarts, South Coast
Smarts, Cambridge Smarts and DAFT smarts
to name but a few.
One of which was a stunning carbon fibre boot lid
for the roadster, cleverly designed and recently
produced by Ian at Big Performance. The guys
from Fudgesmart.co.uk, Fudge and 2minits were
also on hand to help out with a few mechanical
problems folks were having on the day. They
both worked their magic on several cars,
including mine; they really have the Midas touch
those two!
We were also blessed with the special guest
appearance of David Ward – Winner of the
European Cannonball Run 2008 and his
amazing Brabus smart. David along with his codriver Adrian won the rally by a whisker by
incredibly keeping to an average of 61mph over
the entire 3000 mile dash across Europe in only
five days. David has just published a book
about his experience in the Cannonball Run
called ‘The Smart One’ in which he describes
how he won without any major sponsorship.
Like any car club, and maybe surprisingly to
many new to smart ownership, these little cars
are often customised and modified to within an
inch of their lives and invariably sport big wheels,
spoilers, side skirts, dump valves, sports filters,
air scoops, neons, panel wraps, custom paint
jobs, graphics and copious amounts of very shiny
bling. They are tinkered with, tuned up and talked
about for hours on end. They may be small but
many are certainly unique, and there were plenty
of examples for all to see on the day and no
doubt helped give many people a few ideas to go
home with, along with the stickers I designed for
The positive feedback both myself and Tom
have had from everyone that attended this
meet has been amazing and we cannot thank
Carl Garner, the events manager at The Ace
enough for making us so welcome and for
being so enthusiastic about having us all back
again. We have already booked the next meet
for Saturday 24th October, and are hoping to
continue the presence of ‘Smarts at the Ace’ by
organising a regular quarterly meet.
Written by Julie Saltmarsh ©
Photography by Tom Crawford ©
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May 2009
Regular Local Meetings
If you regularly meet with a group of local smart
owners and enthusiasts (wherever that is in the
world) and you would like your meeting included
in
our
future
listings,
please
email
[email protected] or telephone us
on +44-845-299-0332 with details for inclusion
in the next issue of our ‘4site’ magazine.
Milton Keynes smart meet
Every 2nd Monday, 7.30 p.m. onwards
Check Meetings Section of thesmartclub
MessageBoard
Navigation Pub, Stoke Bruerne
DAFT Mansfield meet
1st Wednesday of every month at 7.00ish p.m.
The Snipe Pub, Alfreton Road, Sutton in
Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 1JE
Local Meetings
Shepperton meet
1st Wednesday of every month
1930hrs to 2200hrs: The Thames Court,
Towpath, Shepperton,
TW17 9LJ.
East smart Cambridge meet
2nd Monday of every month
Grantchester
St. Albans Meet
4th Thursday of every month from 7:30pm
The Three Horseshoes, 612 Hatfield Road
Smallford, St. Albans, Hertfordshire,
AL4 0HP
East Kent smarties
2nd Wednesday of every month, from 8.00 p.m.
Dukes Head Pub, Sellindge, nr Ashford, Kent
Essex smarties meet
2nd Tuesday of every month, 7.30 to 8.00 p.m.
The Essex Cricketers, Notley Green, Great
Notley, Braintree, Essex, CM7 7WW
NWsmarties meet
3rd Thursday of every month from 6.30pm
The Riverside, Warrington Road, Acton Bridge,
Northwich, Cheshire
Please note that as many of the following meetings are
outside of the direct control of thesmartclub, details and
dates may change.
Contact thesmartclub
We have a wide range of contact options available to you enabling you to have questions answered:
Email Enquiries
General: [email protected]
Membership: [email protected]
Privilege Card: [email protected]
Events: [email protected]
Technical (car related): [email protected]
Technical (web related): [email protected]
Advertising: [email protected]
Club Merchandise: [email protected]
Phone
+44 (0) 845 299 0332
Fax
+44 (0) 131 312 6167
Post
Thesmartclub ltd
PO Box 28549
Edinburgh
EH4 5WB
UK
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May 2009
Supplier Features
smartmods.co.uk - only recently launched,
this company has started to produce a range of
parts for 450/451 fortwos, Roadster and forfours.
We are confident we’ll have a product review or
two in future issues of ‘4site’. Meantime, as a
starter, the Company advises us that they are:
“Purveyors of the unusual. The original and best
MP3 to smart stereo connector leads,
angel eyes, uprated earth leads, security wheel
bolts and many other curiosities.”
For Members or Readers of ‘4site’ with no
internet access, please contact thesmartclub
directly for additional information.
Half Moon Bay Leisure Ltd, well known
effective brake pedal. Once engaged, SmartBox
DUO replenishes the vacuum in the car's power
assisted servo brake system. By replenishing
the vacuum, gentle smooth pressure is applied
to the towed vehicle’s brakes. With the power
assisted servo brakes active, only 10 - 12
pounds of pressure is required to apply the
brakes effectively and provide a gentle smooth
stop.
SmartBox DUO is a progressive system that
automatically applies the correct brake effort.
You set the sensitivity once and SmartBoxDUO
does the rest. The harder you are stopping the
harder the towed vehicle brakes, automatically.
Because SmartBoxDUO utilizes the power
brakes, a proportionate balance between the
Motorhome and the towed car is built into the
SmartBoxDUO.
for their Smart-Trailers range of dedicated small
vehicle trailers for towing Smart, Toyota iQ and
other small cars behind Motorhome’s is adding
to its specialised range with the launch of SmartTow.
One of the key problems with ordinary AFrames, that use a manual overrun system to
apply the towed vehicle’s brakes, is that it is
invariably operating on a “Dead Pedal” and
therefore may not meet the braking efficiencies
required by law. If your towed vehicle has power
assisted brakes, energised by vacuum from the
engine inlet manifold to the master servo, then
when the towed vehicle’s engine is not running it
is not providing vacuum to the brake’s servo and
is therefore unlikely to meet an effective braking
capacity without applying excessive force to the
“dead” brake pedal.
Smart-Tow + SmartBox Duo electronic braking is
different.
First and foremost, Smart-Tow towing frame
utilises the vehicle manufacturers built-in towing
points to attach the Smart-Tow. This eliminates
the need to cut and change the front panels of
the vehicle thereby avoiding any adverse effects
on the crash management system, air bag
deployment and resale value of the towed
vehicle.
Secondly, SmartBox DUO electronic braking
provides both vacuum and air pressure. The
SmartBox DUO system energizes the towed
vehicle’s power assisted servo brakes without
the engine running, so you have a soft and
SmartBox DUO uses two separate signals to
activate the towed vehicles brakes, it combines
both brake light activation and inertia to instigate
a braking event.
This provides an unmatched ability to eliminate
unwanted or unnecessary activation of the
towed vehicle brakes. "Two signal" activation
avoids the need for delay (terrain sensing
technology or surge suppressers) found with
inertia-only systems.
With the SmartBox DUO, you must have
sufficient deceleration inertia (controlled by you)
AND brake light activation. Once met, with NO
DELAY, the towed vehicle brakes are gently and
progressively activated
For further information, see the smart-tow advert
in this magazine or contact thesmartclub.
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May 2009
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May 2009
Features
Turning a Roadster from upside down
We were contacted by one of our Members
(Robert McDonald) regarding an impressive
rebuild he had done on a damaged Roadster.
Whilst we hope to include a full article of the
work done, we thought it may be useful to
provide a quick summary now along with some
images in advance of a more detailed
explanation in our next issue:
I did this using a mild steel and a welding kit I
bought from Halfords and once finished I used
silver smoothrite to paint all the new work and
the colour match was as near as damn it! Once
this work was complete and dry I spent about a
month getting all the parts needed to re
assemble her.
Most of these came from
Mercedes direct, but some I got from breakers
around the country, then I took her down to a
body shop and had her sprayed for £500.
Robert takes up the story:
The car was purchased a couple of years ago
from a breakers yard in Norfolk for next to
nothing including delivery!
I managed to get her started even in her sorry
state and move the car off the back of the truck
and get her into my small yard, although the
security system stumped me initially!.
She arrived on a weekday so I had to wait until
the weekend to strip her and make a parts list.
You will note that I had the headlight cowling
and bumpers done in the same colour as I
believe this looks much better!
As you can see from the pics the front end
needed a complete rebuild including the remanufacture of front end chassis and struts.
My wife and I are so pleased with what I have
done and have already spent much time in the
car travelling around Europe with smiles nearly
as wide as the car. I hope you enjoy the
pictures
Submitted by: Robert McDonald
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May 2009
Forthcoming Events
smart Brooklands - July
smart Event – June 10th
NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW! NEW!
We are delighted to announce the first of a
series of regular quarterly Events at smart
Brooklands in association with thesmartclub ltd.
This will be a truly exciting inaugural evening
Event with a range of activities, information,
technical help and opportunities.
A superb and unique opportunity for members of
thesmartclub in conjunction with smart and
Members of the media.
The venue is Rochelle School, Shoreditch, only
five minutes walk from the achingly cool
Shoreditch House.
There will be the mhd and cdi models available
for members to drive on pre-planned test routes.
You will also get the chance to drive the electric
smart and making their UK debut (on static
display) will be the new shape smart ed concept
from the Paris Autoshow 2008 (with lithium ion
battery) and the Brabus ed concept from this
year's Geneva Autoshow.
There will be brand displays on topics including
"history", "environment", art & design as well as
a number of smart experts on hand to answer
any questions you may have.
This is an
exclusive opportunity and there's obviously a
limit on overall numbers given the test drive
opportunities.
Anyone who wants to drive will need to have a
clean, current driving licence and have to sign
smart’s disclaimer, which essentially means they
are responsible for any parking & speeding fines
incurred and the acceptance that drivers will
undertake to drive responsibly.
The
proposed
‘slots’ 20
places each
at:
In addition to many offers and opportunities
during the evening, and in advance of what is
hopefully a long hot summer, there will be a
‘once only’ chance to have your air conditioning
recharged at a superbly low, not to be repeated,
price. More details soon!
Of course, there will also be Members of the
smart Brooklands sales team on hand to assist
with any queries you may have regarding any of
the range of smarts available for purchase.
The exact date in July will be confirmed shortly
via thesmartclub’s web site and thesmartclub
will also post details to all ‘offline’ Members.
This really is the start of a regular quarterly
‘special’ meeting of smart owners and
enthusiasts who can make it along to smart
Brooklands. The venue makes this one of THE
smart locations in which to gather, meet and
discuss ‘all things smart’ on a regular basis.
Best of all the event is FREE and as we expect
significant interest, numbers may have to be
limited. Full details of how you can express an
interest in attending this inaugural meeting will
be advised during May (both via thesmartclub
web site and by post to ‘offline’ members).
See smart Brooklands advert in this Magazine
for further details of location and more special
offers including discounted servicing or discount
of Approved used smarts (see advert for T&Cs).
5.00 pm - 6.00 pm
6.00 pm - 7.00 pm
7.00 pm - 8.00 pm
The Event will close by 9pm and there will be
refreshments during the three sessions.
Contact thesmartclub for further details or to
reserve a place for your test drive.
There will be a ‘Prize Draw’, snacks, beverages
and competitions.
Plus, we’ll have smart
Brooklands technicians on hand to answer any
technical questions you may have and there will
be a range of STAR checks available to you.
If you have any questions meantime, please
email [email protected] or
contact thesmartclub on +44(0) 845 299 0332
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May 2009
Community gefragt. Denn smart times 2009 ist
unser Treffen - ein Event der smart Community
für die smart Community. Noch nie zuvor war
dieser interaktive Bestandteil des Events so
ausgeprägt wie im Jahr 2009.
Forthcoming Events
smart times 2009
Willkommen in der smart Klasse
smart times ist das größte jährlich stattfindende
smart Treffen weltweit. In den letzten 3 Jahren
fuhren über 5.000 smart Fahrer und smart
Enthusiasten aus allen europäischen Ländern
nach Österreich, um sich persönlich kennen zu
lernen, sich auszutauschen und gemeinsam drei
Tage Top-Programm im Zeichen unseres
Kultflitzers zu erleben.
Selbst die oft lange Anreise wurde zum Erlebnis:
Bei den vielen Sternfahrten - zahlreiche smart
Fahrer machten sich gemeinsam auf den Weg
nach Zell am See - herrschte stets eine
mitreißende Stimmung. Denn smart times ist
nicht mit herkömmlichen Autotreffen zu
vergleichen. Hier machen wir, die smart
Community, den Unterschied: Unterstützt von
smart, lassen unsere Clubs, Fans und smart
Besitzer aus ganz Europa das 3-Tage-Treffen in
den malerischen Bergen von Zell am
See/Kaprun zu einem unvergesslichen smart
Erlebnis werden. Wir wollen nun einen ersten
Blick hinter die Kulissen werfen um zu erfahren,
warum das diesjährige Event uns smart Fans
besonders ansprechen wird.
Die smart Community gestaltet smart times 2009
Die zentral gelegene Region Zell am
See/Kaprun wurde auch für 2009 (21.08.23.08.09) als bewährte Bühne der Veranstaltung
bestätigt. Bereits im März/April sind hier neue
Locations
besichtigt,
Veranstaltungspartner
getroffen und Verkehrssicherheits- sowie
Rahmen-bedingungen für das aktionsreiche
Programm besprochen worden.
Nach diesem bürokratischen Teil sind jetzt
Mitsprache und aktive Mitgestaltung der smart
Für Mitgestaltung und Mitsprache bietet sich neben unseren eigenen Homepages, Foren und
Blogs
vor
allem
die
Homepage
www.smarttimes.at,
die
wichtigste
Informationsplattform zum Event. Die Plattform
präsentiert sich ab Mai 2009 als interaktives
Tool für die Community (auf Deutsch, Englisch,
Französisch und Italienisch). Programmpunkte
und spannende Wettbewerbe können über
diese Homepage aktiv mitgestaltet werden.
Drei Tage lang smart erleben
Apropos Programm, 2009 werden wir auf dem
alten Flughafengelände von Zell am See einen
klaren smart Schwerpunkt erleben - die smart
Klasse in all ihren Facetten: Tunings,
Accessoires, Neuigkeiten, kreative wie rasante
Wettbewerbe, den unvergleichbaren smart
Corso und vieles mehr. Als zusätzliche
Abwechslung bietet sich die Region rund herum.
Bergab und bergauf, rund um den See, mit AlmStop oder Knödel-Pause können wir unseren
smart in den lauwarmen Spätsommertagen
jenseits des urbanen Lebens richtig genießen.
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May 2009
Attraktive Übernachtungspakete sind ebenfalls
auf www.smarttimes.at zu finden.
Party time in der Burg
smart ist neben Autowelt, Innovation und
Funktionalität auch pure Lebensfreude, so darf
2009 unsere smart Partynight nicht fehlen.
Atemberaubend ist die einzigartige Kulisse: die
mittelalterliche Burg Kaprun mit imposantem
Blick auf das Zeller Tal wird am Samstagsabend
exklusiv für smart zu einer magischen Party
Location.
Bei diversen Musikrichtungen und Live Auftritten,
in Dancefloor- und Relaxbereichen fühlen sich
alle smart Fans wohl. Ein Tipp? Akkreditieren
können wir uns ab Mai ganz einfach online auf
www.smarttimes.at
smart times 2009
smart times is one of the largest annual smart
meetings world-wide. In the last three years
drivers and smart enthusiasts drove from a
number of European countries to Austria, in
order to get to know each other, exchange ideas
and experiences and to experience three days
of a superb program of events with over 5.000
like minded people.
The journey itself is part of the experience, with
multiple meetings en route ensuring that the
journey is much more than a routine drive to the
start. Indeed, the smart times event is like no
other automotive meeting. It’s the smart
Community that makes the difference.
Supported by smart, the clubs and smart fans,
the smart owners across Europe make this three
day Event, set amidst the picturesque
mountains next to the lake, an unforgettable but
completely smart experience.
We want to give you a first view behind the
scenes about the whole experience and why this
year’s Event is one that will really appeal to
smart fans.
Ein Abschlusswort zu diesem ersten Blick hinter
die Kulissen von smart times 2009 kann nur
unsere herzliche Einladung sein, Ende August
2009 den Koffer zu packen und mit eurem smart
ab nach Österreich zu fahren: smart times 09
wird ein fantastisches Gettogether der smart
Community sein, wir freuen uns drauf!
The main venue for this year’s event will again
be next to the lake from 21st to 23rd August
2009 continuing the proven success from
previous years.
In March and April this year, new locations were
visited, Partner meetings took place and
discussions around the meeting requirements,
road safety as well as the requirements and
conditions required to make the Event a rich,
action packed program.
Look out for full information about this years smart times Austria Event via the smart times web site at
www.smarttimes.at and via thesmartclub’s web site. Our Members with no internet access will have
full event details posted to them. For any enquiries meantime, email [email protected]
Page 14
May 2009
Having completed this formal part of the
arrangements, a decision was taken to have the
smart community act as ‘co-designers’ because
smart times 2009 is ‘our meeting’ – a smart
community event for the smart community.
This is the first time an interactive component of
the Event has ever been undertaken. It will be in
addition to the homepage, forums and blog
already available at the smart times 2009
website (www.smarttimes.at). This co-design
aspect will use an online poll and this will be one
of the most important information platforms
available to the Event design.
The poll starts May 2009 and is available in
German, English, French and Italian.
Features
Oscar Fernandez from Schwieberdingen,
Germany contacted thesmartclub in April to let
us know about his impressive collection of
badges. Oscar started collecting badges from a
whole range of cars 19 years ago (!) and for the
past ten years he has specialised in collecting
Daimler and Porsche badges only.
His collection already boasts than 2600 badges
from Daimler and DaimlerChrysler with a further
480 badges from Porsche. Of course, his
Daimler collection include a hugely impressive
collection of smart badges, now boosted by
badges sent to him by thesmartclub.
Key areas of the Event program, in addition to
exciting competitions, can be co-designed by
means of this poll.
The three day long smart experience will take
place on the old airport area next to the lake with
a clear emphasis on ‘smart experiences’. There
will again be many facets to this event including
Tuning, Accessories, latest news, rapid ‘creative’
competitions, the incomparable smart Corso and
much more besides.
Attractive overnight accommodation packages
can be found at www.smarttimes.at. In addition,
it will be ‘party time in the castle’ with a breathtaking backdrop: the medieval castle with an
impressive view of the Zeller valley on the
Saturday evening. ith a wide range of music and
live performances coupled with the superb
dance floor mixed with equal relaxation.
Online Registration for this year’s Event starts in
May and is available at www.smarttimes.at.
If you’d like to contact Oscar, you can do so by
email at [email protected].
If you have a smart related collection you’d like
to share with our international readership,
please contact thesmartclub.
Page 15
May 2009
The top connector in the picture is the power to
the power steering motor, the lower of the 2
connectors is the column rotation sensor.
Mods & Maintenance!
Task: Fixing intermittent power steering
problem (Roadster)
Supplied by: www.evilution.co.uk
This should sort out the intermittent nature of the
steering fault.
Open the bonnet and remove the boot bucket
from the front of the Roadster.
On the left hand side of the battery are 4
connections,
2
earths
and
2
plugs.
Circled below shows 1 of the earths and the
motor power connector.
If it Still Doesn't Stop The Problem
Check the cables coming away from the
steering rack, you are looking for splits in the
sheathing ,chaffing and obviously cables that
have been cut through totally.
Check for water under the carpet.
The PAS controller is attached to the centre
console, underneath the dash, in the footwell,
hidden by the carpet. Although it is unlikely,
there is a small chance that this controller could
become water damaged. While you are looking
at it, ensure the connections to it are OK and
pushed in tightly.
On a disassembled PAS (power assisted
steering) rack you can see the connections more
clearly.
Circled in yellow are the 2 earth connections.
These corrode which can affect the connection.
Pull the connections off of these earth tabs and
clean with sand paper or wire wool.
A spray of contact cleaner on the tabs and
connections will also help.
Reconnect these 2 earth connections.
Pull the fuse for the power steering and replace
it with a fresh one, make sure it's tight when
reinserted as a loose fuse could cause
intermittence through the vibration of the engine.
If the Problem Is Still There
There is a possibility of debris getting into the
steering rack.
Check the rubber bellows on each end for splits
and make sure the clips are holding rubber
bellows in place.
If your rack has become contaminated there
isn't much you can do apart from replace
it or try to take your existing one apart to clean it
out, if you do attempt that, good luck.
Contact Cleaner
Also called switch cleaner. It can be bought from
places a range of electrical, diy and electronic
outlets such a Maplin.
The final 2 main connectors should be sealed
but it is always worth the time to disconnect
them and give all parts a quick spray in contact
cleaner before reconnecting all
of the
connectors.
If you are an online buyer then Google or Ebay
search for contact or switch cleaner.
Servisol and Ambersil both do such a product
and neither are expensive.
Page 16
May 2009
You will need various Torx and standard
sockets. Note there are small headed Torx
screws holding the brace onto the front bumper.
Mods & Maintenance!
Task: Roadster Remote Bonnet Pop
Supplied by: www.evilution.co.uk
Ever get to your Roadster with your arms full of
shopping only to have to put it down, unlock the
car, open the glove box, pull the bonnet release,
clamber back out and finally open the bonnet... it
soon becomes tedious.
There are after market remote access options
but these are very expensive (often in the
hundreds) and you would have a second remote
to carry around just to open the bonnet!
So here's how to do it with a central locking
servo that you can pick up from ebay, brand
new, for just a few pounds.
The bonnet is not originally fitted with an
electronic release in case it were to malfunction
or be accidentally triggered whilst driving. The
inclusion of a small, flat push to make button in
the grill recess acts as a fail safe.
This also allows the central locking servo to get
it's power (or signal if you prefer to add
a relay but it works ok without) from the front
driver's side indicator. When 'unlock' is pressed
on the remote the indicators flash once. If this
happens while the button in the grill recess is
pressed the motor is powered and the bonnet
pops! It may not be as technical as it could be,
but it works!
Did I mention it costs about £5?
What You Need
Lift out the cross brace (It can be tricky to get
the bonnet catch through the gap). Attach the
central locking motor in the position shown with
screws (drilling may be required).
The position might be slightly different
depending on the unit you have but you must
ensure that it will fit in the gap above the radiator
when the brace is replaced. Circled in yellow
below is the 2 new fixing screws for the new
solenoid.
A suitable servo or central locking motor like the
one pictured (ebay is your friend), a good quality,
exterior grade flat 'push to make' switch (push
on, release off), around 1 metre of wire,
Fuse/Relay (Optional), a basic set of tools.
Fitting The Bonnet Opening Solenoid
Open the
bucket from
bonnet and remove the
the
front
of
the
boot
car.
Remove the Torx bolts from the forward cross
brace and those which hold the bonnet catch.
Page 17
May 2009
Cut and insert the linkage (should be supplied
with unit) in such a way that it will operate (push)
the bonnet catch open when it is back in place
(you may need to hold it in place to do this). Also
ensure that the linkage can move freely when
back in place.
Refit the cross brace being sure to first place the
bonnet catch through the gap. The negative wire
(in this case green) from the servo should also
be attached to a good earth at this point via one
of the large torque headed bolts (ensure that you
have the wires the correct way round to make
the servo push, NOT pull when powered).
Reach down to the lower light cluster (it is
possible to reach it without removing
anything) and release the indicator connector.
You can feel a clip, lift it and pull the connector
out. You may also need to remove the sidelight
(twist) as they are taped together.
Ensure the other end of the wire you have just
attached is not earthed or
connected to anything else.
Install the switch by using a
dremel tool or similar to cut a
hole in the underside top of the
grill recess or where ever you prefer.
Alternatively you could use a drill and a file.
Take care not to make it too large so the flange
of the switch slips through! It may be necessary
to attach the wires to the switch and feed them
through the hole as there is not much space to
work with. Getting the nut on to hold the switch
will also be tricky.
The switch breaks the circuit between the feed
from the indicator and the central locking motor
servo. (You may wish to use a relay here too so
the servo has its own power source but it works
fine without one). Attach the other side of the
switch to the other wire (blue in this case) from
the central locking servo. At this point you can
test that it works. Press and hold the button and
then press 'unlock' on your remote. The servo
should 'push'. If not try manually pushing the
servo into itself and try again to see the servo
push back out. If nothing happens you've got a
dodgy connection, most likely the earth.
Put it all back together. Nothing should be
visible except perhaps part of the linkage bar
that acts on the bonnet release
.
Cut the positive wire on the indicator (green)
allowing for enough length to reattach them
together along with a length of wire which you
should run to the switch. You could use a scotch
lock but I find twisting them together and taping
them up more reliable. Ideally you should use
heatshrink to protect the joins. Once the wires
are connected back together replace the
connector onto the indicator and check it still
works (press your key).
Page 18
For more information, parts advice regarding
these modifications and additional help, visit
www.evilution.co.uk
May 2009
Mods & Maintenance!
Task: Roadster Bulkhead Leaks
Supplied by: www.fq101.co.uk
Many smart Roadsters leak - some worse than
others. Soggy ‘SAM’ units, wet feet, wet
shoulders, constant windscreen misting and a
nasty damp smells are all symptoms commonly
reported by Roadster owners as effects of water
ingress.
With nowhere to drain, the wiper tray will fill up
with stagnant water. This water can penetrate
the wiper motor mechanism causing it to
operate laboriously. It can also stop the wipers
altogether. As the wiper tray is mounted to the
underside of the tridion, the water can only
overflow into the car if the low point is blocked. It
will then trace the wiring leading to SAM unit
failure. You may choose to ensure this doesn’t
happen by sealing the joint between the tray
and the tridion as indicated below.
In this guide, we will address one of the leak
sources: the front bulkhead. The effects of this
leak can be expensive if water ingresses into the
SAM unit (fuse box). Symptoms include wet
feet, erratic operation of electrical consumers
including the horn, wipers, lights, etc. and slow
wipers (wiper motor failure)
The cause:
With the bonnet, wipers, scuttle and wiper motor
removed, you can see how the internal fan air is
drawn into the car
The internal air intake is protected from falling
rain and spray by the scuttle. Air passes over the
wiper motor as shown. As a result, leaves and
other debris collect in the wiper tray. Water will
run into the wiper tray normally during rain /
washing. However, the drain hole is very small
and can get easily blocked. With nowhere to
drain, the wiper tray will fill up with stagnant
water. This water can penetrate the wiper motor
mechanism causing it to operate laboriously. It
can also stop the wipers altogether.
However, regular checking of the wiper tray and
removal of debris should prevent any
catastrophic effects.
The drain from the wiper tray connects to a
rubber pipe that exits through the front bonnet
bay. It is sometimes worth squeezing this along
its length to ensure that there are no blockages
here as well.
For more information, parts advice regarding
these modifications and additional help, visit
www.fq101.co.uk
Page 19
May 2009
Page 20
May 2009
which is dedicated to planting native trees in rural
and urban ecosystem restoration projects across
the United States and around the world. To learn
more about smart USA, please visit our website
at www.smartusa.com. To stay connected to
smart fortwo owners in the United States, please
visit www.smartusainsider.com
Dealership News
Smart USA
Celebrates Its First Anniversary.
After only one year in business, the smart fortwo
is now part of the landscape of American
highways from coast to coast. The smart fortwo
experienced a robust first year of sales in the
United States, crossing the 26,000 sales
milestone in January – just 12 months after
going on sale. Over 30,000 smart fortwos are
on the road to date. As the 37th country to sell
the smart fortwo in the world, the United States
has already become the third highest sales
market of the smart fortwo, trailing only
Germany and Italy. In celebration of the smart
fortwo’s first year anniversary in the United
States, smart centers across the country are
hosting several anniversary celebrations. These
events are held at local smart centers and they
include a range of activities for smart owners
and smart enthusiasts such as road rally’s,
raffles and service specials. Several cities also
have active owners groups who will be taking
part in these celebrations.
The smart club community continues to grow
across the USA and below are some images of
the latest smart gatherings:
Tyson’s Corner, Virginia
In addition to these celebrations, smart USA will
also plant a tree in honor of every vehicle sold in
2008. In partnership with American Forests and
Daimler Financial Services, smart USA will plant
approximately 25,000 trees in the Cache River
State Natural Area, located in southern Illinois,
about 150 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri.
smart USA plans to continue this initiative for
every vehicle sold in 2009 as well. This
partnership not only celebrates the smart fortwo
owner, but also helps the environment, much
like the environmentally friendly smart fortwo.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Simply by purchasing this vehicle, smart fortwo
owners have already played an active role in
supporting the environment. In addition to great
fuel economy, the smart fortwo is up to 95%
recyclable, and is certified as a SmartWay
vehicle for its low air pollutant and greenhouse
gas scores by the Environmental Protection
Agency. The smart fortwo leaves a small carbon
footprint on the American landscape.
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
smart USA will be planting the trees as part of
the American Forests' Global ReLeaf campaign,
Clearwater, Florida
A full series of images will be included in Issue
12 of ‘4site’, August 2009
Page 21
May 2009
Dealership News
Smart of Exeter
Offering a smart start to learning are members of the
Munchkins Day Nursery team (left to right): Graham
Bryant, Deputy Manager Amanda Hawkins, Manager Kate
Smith and Chris Bryant
Taking delivery of a vibrant yellow smart car has
certainly turned out to be the ‘bright’ move for an
Exeter nursery. Munchkins Day Nursery is using
the car for day-to-day transport duties around the
city but also to promote the facilities that it offers
for up to 150 youngsters from the ages of eight
weeks to five years.
Purchased from local retailer smart of Exeter, the
yellow smart fortwo passion coupé is the latest
innovative feature to be introduced by the St
Leonards-based business started by brothers
Chris and Graham Bryant four-and-a-half years
ago. Munchkins’ facilities include sensory rooms,
French tuition, organic menus and nurserycam – a
password-protected webcam system which
enables parents and guardians to watch live
footage of their children at any time.
“We strive to offer a unique standard of care and
create a reputation that is different to any other
nursery in the city and our new smart car is very
much part of this ethos,” explained Chris Bryant
Page 22
May 2009
As a business vehicle, the smart is economical
and easy to park around Exeter so it is extremely
efficient to run. However its bright yellow
colouring means that it really does turn heads
and sticks in people’s memories – hence, as an
advertising device, I’m confident it will make
parents think about Munchkins when they are
considering which local nursery to put their
children into.”
Smart of Brighton
Cost-conscious motorists seeking the ideal
transport in the current financial climate and
beyond could be interested in the arrival of the
world’s most efficient production car in Brighton
later this month.
‘It’s a smart world’ took place at smart of
Brighton on Saturday 18th April, when the retailer
launched the acclaimed smart fortwo cdi model
with an action-packed ride and drive day. The
new model returns a staggering 83 miles per
gallon on the combined cycle, whilst CO2
emissions of just 88g/km means that owners are
exempt from requiring a road fund license.
watch or £200-worth of accessories and there
was also a motorhome and trailer exhibition.
“Our ride and drive day provided the perfect
opportunity for people to pop in and see just
what the latest smart cars have to offer and the
benefits that they can deliver in the current
economic climate,” said Samantha Masters,
smart of Brighton’s Sales Manager. “What’s
more, members of our service team were also
be on hand to answer any technical questions
that visitors had”
Smart of Exeter
smart of Exeter is hoping its annual convoy will
be the biggest yet and is inviting owners from all
over the region to attend.
The event takes place at 10am on Sunday 17th
May and is expected to involve participants from
throughout the South West. smart owners from
Cornwall and south Devon will be able to meet
at Mercedes-Benz of Plymouth before travelling
northwards on the A38 together, whilst there will
be a similar rendezvous in Somerset at
Mercedes-Benz of Taunton.
Once all the cars have arrived at smart of
Exeter, the convoy will travel on a pre-arranged
route around the city before returning to the
Marsh Barton site for a pig roast and
entertainment. This will include competitions for
the best decorated cars and performances by
the Street Heat samba band.
“The most cars that we have had in previous
convoys was around 80, so we’re hoping to set
a new record this year,” said Joe Hurrell, smart
of Exeter’s Senior Sales Executive.
Another recent arrival at the Portslade
showroom was also be available for test drive.
The innovative smart fortwo micro hybrid drive
utilises an automatic start/stop function, which
operates during the engine idling phases, to
achieve significant fuel and emissions savings
compared to previous 61hp and 71hp versions.
“The smart community in the South West is
growing and drivers are very enthusiastic about
their cars and the smart ownership experience
which includes events like ours,” he added. “We
look forward to welcoming as many of them as
possible on the day and also creating quite a
spectacle for the Exeter public too.”
Visitors to smart of Brighton’s exciting event
were able to sample coupé and cabrio versions
of both models and enjoy a host of other
interesting attractions. These included a “colour
a car” competition with the chance to win a
Any smart owners who would like to be part of
smart of Exeter’s convoy are invited to register
their participation with the retailer’s event team
on 01392 822701 or via e-mail at:
[email protected]
Page 23
May 2009
Smartville News
Smart Centre Saarbrucken
As part of the framework process for the
electric drive project, 12 ‘Glider’ (vehicles
without an engine) were manufactured during
week 11 and 12 at smartville.
The smart Centre Saarbrucken
has teamed up with the famous
‘Hooters’ Restaurant chain now
open in Neunkirchen, Germany.
These ‘Glider’ vehicles then will be delivered to
‘Zytec’ in the UK for electric tests and
endurance tests.
As many Members of thesmartclub know,
Saarbrucken features heavily in our annual
European visits, particularly this year’s event to
Hambach and the BRABUS factory in Bottrop.
With smart Center Saaurbucken always on our
agenda, it’s superb to see the new association with
‘Hooters’ offering a superb range of food from
Chicken wings, burgers, salads and a wide range of
sports on the many display/TV screens in the
restaurant – not forgetting, of course, the beautiful
Hooters girls.
So next time you are in the
Saarbrucken region combine your visit to smart
Centre Saarbrucken with a visit to the amazing
restaurant.
True teamwork – final assembly and support services
Hooters is located at Saarbruckerstrasse 16 / Am
Wassertum, 66538, Neunkirchen and you can find
more information at www.hooters-neunkirchen.de.
You can also contact Daniel and the team at smart
Centre Saarbrucken via www.smart4saar.de
Page 24
May 2009
Submit an Article to ‘4site’ - We want to hear from you!
With a truly international audience, ‘4site’ provides you with an ideal additional channel to tell smart
owners and enthusiasts about your ‘smart’ filled holiday, vacation, modifications, tours, competitions
and ‘smart’ lifestyle.
We make it easy for you to submit articles to us, 24 hours/day, 7 days per week.
You can submit articles directly
to us via a dedicated page on
our web site.
You can email articles, images
and graphics to us any time,
any day.
Visit www.thesmartclub.com
and select the ‘Forums & Info’
menu option, then ‘4site’ and
‘Submit an Article’.
Your text can be created in an
email, pasted into an email or
sent to us in any file format.
Emails should sent to:
You can type your text directly
into the page we provide or
paste text you have created
elsewhere.
We understand that not
everyone has access to the
internet or email services.
You can send us typed or
handwritten letters along with
any pictures* and we’ll
transcribe your text.
[email protected]
Letters should be sent to:
‘4site’ magazine
thesmartclub ltd
PO Box 28549
Edinburgh
EH4 5WB
UK
Click ‘SUBMIT’
and you’re done!
We’ll acknowledge all submissions received and advise you when/if your article is being included.
* Note that any pictures posted to us cannot be returned.
‘4site’ is an international magazine for smart car owners and enthusiasts – your magazine and your
opportunity to share your smart life with others! "
‘4site’ magazine
‘4site’ is an independent quarterly magazine produced, published and distributed by thesmartclub ltd. The magazine is not for
resale or commercial redistribution. All content © thesmartclub 2009 and global Daimler media © 2009 Daimler AG. All rights
reserved. The welcome distribution image © Franckito, submit button © Kiankhoon, email image © Tomislav Stajduhar, girl
writing © Showface | Dreamstime.com. Front and rear magazine cover design and composition by Oliver Whittaker.
thesmartclub is a brand of thesmartclub ltd, Company number SC259434, registered in Scotland, UK. Whilst every effort is
made to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, no legal responsibility is accepted by thesmartclub ltd nor its
associated third party companies for any errors, omissions or misleading statements. Views expressed in ‘4site’ are not
necessarily those of thesmartclub ltd. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the firms whose advertisements appear within
this publication however thesmartclub ltd cannot accept responsibility for the offers made by the advertisers even when making
specific offers to Members of thesmartclub ltd.
Page 25
May 2009
News from smart
News from smart
Stuttgart – February 27 , 2009
Geneva – March 3rd, 2009
Effective April 1, 2009, Marc Langenbrinck
became the new Head of Sales and Marketing
smart. In this capacity, he will also be heading
the management team of the smart brand. He
will succeed Anders-Sundt Jensen, who has
been heading the Brand Communications
Mercedes-Benz Cars unit since November 1,
2008.
smart fortwo BRABUS electric drive
th
A near-series smart-BRABUS show car
featuring electric drive and a state-of-the-art
lithium-ion battery celebrated its world premiere
in Geneva.
Exclusive matt green paintwork gives the vehicle
a very elegant and trendy appearance. A white
cabriolet soft top and LED daytime driving lights
round off the harmonious appearance of the
exterior. The matching interior features leather
and fabrics in the colours green and white.
The
sports
suspension
with
BRABUS
"Monoblock VII" alloy wheels in a five
double-spoke design and matt white exterior
and interior applications convey a sporty and
functional impression.
Since joining the company in 1995, Marc
Langenbrinck has held a number of senior
management positions. For example, from 2000
to 2004, he was a member of the planning staff
of the Chairman of the Board of Management.
After that, he was active as head of corporate
strategy
for
Sales
&
Marketing
and
DaimlerChrysler Services. From 2005 to 2007,
Marc Langenbrinck was responsible for
managing and reporting on sales-relevant
activities as part of the CORE program at
Mercedes-Benz Cars. Since April 2007 he has
headed the Fleet Sales, Direct Sales and
Remarketing unit at Mercedes-Benz Cars.
In his new position, he is reporting to AndersSundt Jensen.
The smart fortwo BRABUS electric drive is
additionally equipped with a BRABUS sound
generator which generates a sound specially
developed for the smart electric drive via the
power output.
The show car provides a look ahead at the
series production.
Page 26
May 2009
Page 27
May 2009
Page 28
May 2009

Issue 11 - The smart Club

Transcription

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