The smart car is the most honest vehicle ever built about its mission: two seats, a tiny footprint, and parking superpowers. Born from Daimler - the Mercedes-Benz family - the smart brand brought German engineering to the city-car formula, and plenty of Los Angeles drivers took the bet. With U.S. sales ended, those owners need something specific: a shop that still knows the car. Hillside Auto Repair does.
The smarts we service
- fortwo - gas-powered coupes and cabrios, every generation sold in the States
- fortwo electric drive - the EV version, covered by our high-voltage training
Not seeing yours? We service every Smart here. Call (310) 373-7676 and we will get you booked.
Small car, specific needs
A smart is not a golf cart - it's a Daimler-engineered machine in miniature, with its own service particulars: the automated-manual transmission of the earlier cars (its shift behavior tells a technician everything), rear-engine cooling that must stay healthy, the correct fluids in small-but-serious quantities, and suspension geometry where a little wear feels like a lot. We know the map.
Smart support, with Mercedes-family fluency
With the dealer network gone, parts and knowledge became the whole game. Our European-service depth (Mercedes included) covers the smart's DNA, our parts channels still stock the components, and our diagnostics speak the car's dialect. Photos of what we find, written quotes, honest advice on what an aging city car is worth investing in - and the 2-year / 24,000-mile warranty on the work.
Hearing or feeling something specific? Two taps in our Symptom Checker points you to the right page - and tells you straight when a symptom means stop driving and when it can wait.
How Smart schedules its maintenance
The Fortwo is tiny; its schedule is not an afterthought. Smart follows its Mercedes-Benz parentage: services come due once a year or on mileage, from a factory table sized to the car. Small engines work hard, which makes keeping the little schedule honest matter more, not less.
We pull your Fortwo's exact table and give the smallest car on the lift full-size attention.
Since 1984, no car too small to matter
Smart owners bought clever; keep it running clever. From Torrance to the beach cities, the little cars have a big-hearted shop. Book online or call (310) 373-7676.
The right oil change interval for your Smart Car
Every Smart Car model has its own factory interval - modern engines commonly run 5,000-10,000 miles between changes, and your owner's manual (or maintenance reminder) has the exact number. We follow Smart Car's schedule to the letter, and the free inspection confirms what's due. More on our car maintenance page.