Smart Smart Roadster 80BHP Auto
Registered from 2004 to 2006.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2004 0.7 petrol. 27 of 109 tests failed, 25%.
Better than 70% of 2004 cars. The typical one fails 28%, across 750 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 48% | 13 |
| Suspension | 33% | 9 |
| Brakes | 30% | 8 |
| Steering | 22% | 6 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 15% | 4 |
| Tyres and wheels | 7% | 2 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
- An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Audible warning inoperative
Where it stands out against its peers
- Steering: failed more often than 90% of 2004 cars — 22% of its 27 failed tests, where an ordinary 2004 car has 6%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 33% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Brakes — 30% of its failures
- Steering — 22% of its failures
- A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
- Exhaust and emissions — 15% of its failures
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- Tyres and wheels — 7% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 48% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning