Smart ForFour - MOT passed, a couple things needed to be repaired.

MOT, most people are afraid this, what is broken / what I need to fix to pass this and drive legally?

Well I knew my car wasn't going to pass at first try (noise from wheel) but I bought this car a half year ago and I haven't yet even looked underneath of it so there could be surprises that need to be repaired. I thought lets go fail once and do after check to pass the car with all problems fixed.

So what did I fail for? 

There was no bite on left handbrake, so over 70% difference fail. Then I got also two warnings. Wheel bearing is worn (my original thought what was going to fail but just warning) and right side lights foggy. The funny thing is I took my car to local garage to fix handbrake (left side!) and now there is no bite. So under warranty they fixed it and cause was jamming brake cylinder (rusty). Next morning took car back to MOT check and passed with previous warnings.

So the warnings

I made a video how the failing wheel bearing sounds inside your car but camera's microphone is so bad that you maybe cannot notice the difference. Basically it sounds like someone is flying a propel airplane next to you. I added text boxes to tell you can hear the sound and what is regular engine noise.

Turns out the failing wheel bearing in Smart ForFour is expensive fault if you repair it at Smart-Center because they want to change whole wheel carrier which takes long and carrier costs over half grand. Cheaper option is to use indies who have SKF 2.1 wheel bearing (hub) removal and installation tool or something similar to take out the hub and put a new one back in. The spare hub costs 60-250€ depending on what you want but the original is manufactured by SKF and its part code is VBKA 6680 which costs 100-300€ depending on seller. I ordered mine from topautoosat.fi and paid 100€ for one. I ordered two because I noticed other one was starting to get bad also. Labor cost was 120€ which I thought was pretty ok.

Other warning was foggy lights because dirt and condensation have made inside the light assembly so I have to take them off and clean them which is pretty simple job thanks to easily removeable plastic panels. (18-26) screws/bolts depending do you have sideskirts installed. After that just unbolt light assemblies and clean them and let them dry well. 

What else?

Well turns out CV-joint is in suberp condtion still and bad wheel bearing was making those clanking noises. And garage told me the other side wheel bearing is still in good condition so they didn't bother changing it thus reducing labor costs 120€ and I have a spare wheel bearing (hub) ready if it fails.

Hopefully no more costly repairs awhile.

 

Brute force and electronics don't get along so well

Okay here is a friendly reminder what happens when you rush when things are not going as planned.

Picture owned by V1N3 @ Murobbs

Ouch... That is a dead graphics card now. Busted screw and tried to use pliers and shit happened. 6 lines broken and very deep scratch on PCB. Dead card for most.

But hey because I read MuroBBS often and saw the cry for help decided to help V1N3 with this problem. He sent that card to me trough postage when I promised to fix it at work during my lunch break.

I took my camera with me but forgot my storage card on my desk so it was not really use. Managed only take one some what good picture when I finished fixing the lines

Picture owned by ME! (yeah wanted to say that, feel free to use when you mention the owner)

And after some make up

Yeah fixed them good and pretty. Nobody will notice

Sadly I wasn't able to test the card because I don't have any spare GPU cooler that fits to HD6970 so going to send it back to its original owner and hear his thanks trough email or grief how I have failed. Did it succeed or not? To be continued

A bad day it was. Front wheel bearings giving up

So dear Mercedes (Smart). WTF?

So you might think wheel bearings die naturally at some point and manufacturers know this so they make changing them a standard job with reasonable prices. How wrong then you and I were, how wrong.

Let me paste here a wall of text.

Send message: (translated for your)

Hey,

MOT inspector noticed some becoming faults and I would like to know what are the prices for the following parts:

- Wheel bearings for front right
- Shock absorber for for front left
- Brakedisks and cylinders to front left and right
- Brakedisks and cylinders to back left and right

Have a nice summer

Received message: (yeah he mixed sides)

Hey,

Wheel bearings are not available (ever) from us because we sell whole wheel carrier. Left wheel carrier (A4543300120) costs 674,99 euros and delivery time is 3 days.

Right front shock absorber (A4543204030) costs 236,00 euros and delivery time is 1 day
Oikea etuiskunvaimennin (A4543204030) maksaa 236,00 euroa ja toimitusaika 1 päivä.

Front brakedisk set (A4544200001) costs 233,00 euros and delivery time is 1 day. Left front brake cylinder (A4544200501) costs 264,00 euros and delivery time is 3 days. Right front brake cylinder (A4544200601) costs 264,00 euros and delivery time is 1 day.

Back brakedisk set (A4544200072) costs 203,00 euros and this item is on shelf. Left back brake cylinder (A4544200701) costs 341,00 euros, delivery time is 3 days. Right brake cylinder (A4544200801) costs 341,00 euros and delivery time is 1 day.

Have a nice day
Veho Autotalot (Mercedes)

So 675 euros for one wheel bearing!!! Oh my god, this can't be.

Yeah it can't be. Okay Smart / Mercedes wants you to buy whole wheel carrier when you can order original SKF wheel bearings from online suppliers. The problem is to find a garage who is willing to change them and has a special SKF wheel bearing removal / installation tool. Which costs as chinese brand around 300€ and SKF branded 1000€. Your pick.

Anyway. I ordered today two new wheel bearings from topautonosat.fi. Original SKF wheel bearings for a bit less than 100€ a piece. And I found a garage who has the special tool and they quoted 240€ for labor. 

So don't believe everything car dealer tells you. You often can get things a lot cheaper. Notice I will change both wheel bearings because usually when other side is bad the other one is following shortly. So I change both at the same time. Googling saves money