Time for a new family car.

[MikeT]

Well our car's birthday should be between September 10 and 20th....It's only the second new car I've got, so yeah I'm a little excited. Bear with me/cut a little slack ;)I have noticed in most of the B-Class reviews from around the world, the car is described as nice, solid, well made etc but way overpriced, which is the major knock against it. Then there are the "Mercedes should all be RWD luxo-barges" reviewers....yeesh. Even in Canada it's a little off the high end of the price scale, but what the hell you only live once, in western religions ;)I was reading in Benzworld about a guy from Canada with a B 200 who drove at 125 down to NY and back, averaging 7.1 L/100 km with a loaded car. That I find to be encouraging. I can't wait to see what it'll do, L/100 wise. And once broken in, km/h wise, maybe on the Coq Can speedometer photos - on the right side of 200 - be expected? We shall see.

[smartcruzin]

I'm really thrilled for you too Mike. I've always liked the B class. We have one in our building and I find myself "spotting" these on the street. There is another class of MB's that look very similar only larger. If the BlueTec CDI ever arrives on our shores I'd be tempted.The Smart has been my only new car factory ordered. My only other new car off the lot was a Hyundai Pony, which was a lemon. The dealership took it back and gave me a deal on a higher model. Still not much of a thrill by todays standards!The reports I've read have been favorable. Canadian Car Guide was quoted as saying that the base 2.0 litre engine is underwhelming. How did you find the performance when your family rode in the car? It's not like you're used to strong acceleration anyway. What's the 0-100k time again?BTW, can a single person fold down the rear seats and sleep completely stretched out? The car is attractive, has all MB's safety features, gets decent mileage, and has a great dealer for servicing. I'd be more than pleased to own one. Good choice Mike

[MikeT]

Thanks for indulging me

Well the standard engine has 136 HP, so the car is faster accelerating (and in top speed) than my 405, which itself feels like a racing car after the smart.

These days, auto journalists think that if a car does 0-100 in over 7 seconds, the car is unacceptably slow. This one is 10.1.

I did a test drive in one blunted by the CVT automatic, which adds some time to 0-100 and lowers the top speed. With five aboard it was fast enough to get an on-the-spot driving ban. That kind of power and torque is more than enough for a family car. I would be VERY comfortable driving this car on the Autobahn, to give you a sense of what I mean.

Back in the 1970s, my Dad had a Peugeot 504 that would cruise all day at 85-90 MPH without strain, with four of us and luggage aboard, and it had 92 HP. 136 in a car that is lighter and more aerodynamic than that old 504 is pure gravy.

Folding the seats is a one person job and with the front seat all the way forward there is probably about 1.75 m of available room to "stretch" out in if you are lying down. I am 1.90, so it's close. My wife could do it. Maybe I should take a tape measure to TPM on Thursday when the smart goes in for its fourth B service (already!!) and verify that, it could be a little longer. Not that I plan to sleep in the car.

Over 5700 are in Canada as of later this week, and another 100 or so will probably be en route this Thursday, when the next shipment leaves Bremerhaven. By the time the B-Class' third anniversary in Canada rolls around, there could be 9000 or more of them, so they're not far behind smart in the rate of sales, nation-wide.

I too have been noticing the B-Classes a little more often in traffic, and there are more than a few around now. They're not as distinctive as the smart in appearance but I do thend to notice them, especially when they are not the usual M-B colours of silver, black or dark grey!

Edited September 3, 2024 by MikeT
spelling

[smartcruzin]

10 seconds for 0-100 is quick, especially for a four cylinder. Remembering the late 70's when I got my licence and all of our parents drove Chevrolet Monte Carlos, Pontiac Lemans, Buick LeSabres and Regals, etc. Of course that's all my peers were talking about- how fast our folk's cars could get to 60 mph! Seems 10 seconds for a 350 V-8 4 barrel was considered the norm, and it did throw you back into the seat but at a a maximum of 18-20 mpg, there was a fuel penalty to pay. But, who cared, Mom and Dad paid for the fuel and extra tire wear! I did get all my points in those cars- 9 in '79. Nothing since.Did you consider the turbo and at what price premium? Same engine with/without? I asked about sleeping in the back 'cause if I ever bought another vehicle it would have to be something I could camp in(how un-Mercedes like!).

[MikeT]

The turbo is nice I am sure (I haven't driven one), but it costs 4 Grand more (some goodies are included like heated seats), but....One of the attractions of this B 200 to me was its mechanical simplicity: no turbocharger, no intercooler, no multi valve head with variable valve timing (not that the Turbo has THAT!)...just a good old long stroke SOHC engine, pure and simple, sort of like the 405, except with a timing chain instead of the 405's timing belt.I guess I also mean that the turbo's extra turn of speed is unnecessary for us, and furthermore, the fuel economy penalty is there: officially about one L per 100 km in the city, but in all likelihood a lot more if driven hard (turbocharged cars are notorious for that, especially ones with gasoline engines).The turbo is the same engine, with a lower CR (9:1 versus 11:1), so it's sort of like a remapped smart - if the B 200 makes 400,000 km, the B 200 Turbo might make 300,000....and maybe a turbo or two might need replacing if I were unlucky.....well, that extra 100,000 km (or whatever it might be) means something to a cheap guy like me!So we saved 4 K on the base price and got what we wanted plus a few options that we would have felt more guilty about buying with the higher-priced car: sunroof, alarm, metallic paint (which is nealy $900 - outrageous!).Yes, 10.1 seconds to 100 km/h (probably 9.6 or so to 60 MPH) in the 1970s was considered to be very quick; I had a lightly modified Renault 5 TS that would do 0-60 in about 11 seconds and I beat Monza Spyders in drag races all the time. I got 9 points in that car. I've had a few since, but none since 1990. Anyway, the B 200 has plenty enough torque (185 Nm) and speed for us, even with a full 550 kg load (isn't that impressive?) it should still be plenty.

[smartcruzin]

4 G's more for the turbo? Wow, I wouldn't spend that either, especially for potentially shorter engine life. You taught me something- I always assumed having a turbo meant a more efficient engine and intake since it's driven off the exhaust without a horsepower draw off the engine.If it's 1 L/100kms+ for fuel penalty then that's fairly significant. I would've chosen the same car exactly. One of the coolest sunroofs I've ever seen. All that open air will be as close as you could come to a convertible. Sweet car. We'll miss the Peugeot stories

[MikeT]

Hmm I have a lot of them....been driving them for 30 years now.....heh heh

[MikeT]

I got the word that my car is built!The serial number is 301566! It is the 301,566 th B-Class made!And now the wait begins....oh how this reminds me of November 2004......

[smartcruzin]

Perfect! Does this move your delivery date up a few weeks? The more I watch for these cars the more I really like them.It's the "R" class that looks like a larger version of the "B". Do you think? I know it's disgusting but I've fallen in love with the "ML" CDI SUV in all black. They're around 70k. So much for retiring at 55. So much for the environment. I guess I'm a fake and phoney after all

[42Kruiser]

Appears that I may be a little disgusting also then. That is a nice looking/working means of transportation to get from point A to point B. I would never just cruise around in one. How long a wait for the 'B' Mike?

[MikeT]

The wait should be about what I was told when I ordered it - end of October. It probably won't get on a ship for a week (if I'm lucky) then it'll be on the water for nearly two weeks, arriving in Halifax on say the 3rd of October, then a few days on the docks, then onto a train, then a week or more across Canada, then into the New Westminster yard.......then a truck, then a ferry, then a PDA. Yep, end of October, IF it gets on a ship next week.Those huge vehicles with the CDI engine are fine, they get way better FE than the usual suspects. I don't hate them.

[NJV]

That's great new on the new car Mike. We are looking to get a second vehicle as my wife is working out of town 4 days a week now.Right now we are looking at a 2001 Subaru Forester that a family friend is fixing up after it had a small incident in a ditch, (he bought it cheep because ICBC wrote it off, then he does the work himself to repair it, that's his job anyway).I too like the ML 320CDI, or the Grand Cherokee CDI. Problem is, the Jeep is almost as much as the Merc, and has way fewer options.

[MikeT]

Well it's not on shipment ED738, which left last Friday......but over 100 other B-Classes are.I will hope for it to be on the upcoming one, which leaves in three days.The end of October is looking most likely right now, for a delivery date. This waiting reminds me so much of the smart.....

[MikeT]

For the record, there will be 6017 B-Classes in Canada as of October 1st. So that's over 3000 a year on average, very close to smart fortwo import rates!

[smartcruzin]

Mike, are you totally without a family car at the moment? I remember you saying the Peugeot needs a driveshaft, new exhaust, and a wheel bearing?You also said you may "fix it up" for your son. Anyway, I just needed to hear another Peugeot story. Haven't heard one in so long I'm going through withdrawal!

[MikeT]

We drove the 405 to Victoria on Saturday, when we had the 451 Turbo test drive! So it is driveable, it just has a failrly long list of things that should be done to it, soon.I am driving it to work as a matter of fact, as I am trying to keep my smart under 80,000 km until the RF wheel bearing is replaced on October 4th. The LR bearing in the Peugeot is gone (noisy) at ....362,000 km The others are all FINE!I think we will keep the 405 after all, repairing it, for my kids to use, as well as to bail us out when a more modern car might decide to have an unscheduled rest

[smart65]

Mike: I presume your reference to the 405 should have been the Peugeot 404, as indicated in your signature line. The smart model 450 could be 405 with a transposition of digits. Funny how all these model numbers have clustered around these values.

[42Kruiser]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Mr. Numbers

[smart142]

Mike: I presume your reference to the 405 should have been the Peugeot 404, as indicated in your signature line. .

I believe Mike also owns a 1988 Peugot 405, used to be in his signature line.

[MikeT]

Mike: I presume your reference to the 405 should have been the Peugeot 404, as indicated in your signature line.

No, as Glenn said, the 404 C and 405 are both in my possession still! I don't drive the 404 C much as it needs a major restoration and is not insured at all. Last trip in it was Castlegar to Ladysmith in 1999.....when we moved.

[smartcruzin]

Keith, we can't take this AGAIN!! You're not going to impress your woman without a car!Don't let her see this side of you until after you're married!!

[MikeT]

You will need some sort of a car.....maybe a FAMILY car

[MikeT]

I believe Mike also owns a 1988 Peugot 405, used to be in his signature line.

OK now I feel guilty, so it's BACK in the signature line!

[MikeT]

Our B 200 is on the Undine, headed to Halifax as of this afternoon, and will arrive there on October 9th. I hope to be able to drive this car to Seattle on Nov 3 or 4, for the Auto Show......

[mattdaddy]

A google search for "1966 Peugeot 404" has Club smart Car showing as the third most popular result. You're quite the evangelist!