darren

Sad to hear this news.

Having the technology in our phones is only half of the equation. The car has to support the technology in its systems to be able to communicate with the phone.

Yeah, I've seen a lot of early Daimler-era Sprinters that were rusted all to hell. Don't see many of those first-generation vans on the road much any more. The second-generation ones seem to hold up a little better, which a 2012 would definitely be, but I have no first-hand experience with them, just what I observe out on the roads here in and around Toronto.

That is stunning, Dave! Congrats!

I did this a couple of times on my old 451 ED in the winter (my hand span is big enough that I could easily do it with a wide stretch). SO MUCH FUN!

This is an ongoing problem with the smart ED. If the 12v battery dies, the car's software goes into "salvage" mode and it drains (and bricks) the HV battery pack. It's supposedly to prevent electrical fires in vehicles that have been scrapped, but it's been an issue for those who only drive their cars seasonally. I'm surprised there hasn't been a lawsuit about this.

Even seeing a new "MINI" next to an original Mini, you'd be amazed at the size difference. Modern power, comfort, and safety comes with a size and weight penalty.

Looks like a student project.

Holy moly... MOST AMAZING TRANSFORMATION! MILD TO WILD! 9 SEC SMART CAR! WORLD'S FASTEST! RT66!

My original 450 was also blue/black, and although it was not the car I originally ordered, it grew to be my favourite colour combo. I sold it to a friend, and he sold it on, and I don't know where my little guy ended up. If you ever see a black and blue 450 coupe with the sliding sunroof, it might be my old one.

There's barely anything left of the donor Mini in the end. You could probably do something similar with a smart, but… why?

I’m curious how the car was legally titled and registered there… the CDI wasn’t legal to import into the USA, if memory serves.

It's on page 85 of the manual. https://www.smartusa.com/resources/downloads/manuals/2015/ev_owners_manual.pdf

Most people replace the fronts with LED discs, and never worry about replacing a bulb again. There are elliptical LEDs that are a fit for the rears as well, if I'm not mistaken. I had to replace my rear fenders after some body damage, and I opted to not replace the "pods".

The next time we're over visiting my brother and sister-in-law on Salt Spring Island, we definitely plan to do more driving and hiking around Vancouver Island, up to (and beyond) Nanaimo. We'll have to swing by and say hi!