Driving in the city is never, or at least less of, a hassle when you own a smart fortwo. Its compact size and agility can help one easily maneuver through slow traffic, even through gaps that seem impossible to pass through.

Owning a fortwo becomes a hassle to your commutes and your pocket (for serious damage and expensive repairs) only when it breaks down because you have not taken care of it well enough. Take your car for granted, and it will no longer be as dependable as when it was new. Proper routine maintenance is the key to get the reliability, performance, and long lifespan you have always wanted from your four-wheeled road companion. Below are basic maintenance procedures you must never miss to keep your fortwo in tiptop shape:

A clogged or dirty air filter can hurt your engine's lifespan, as it allows particles to enter the engine compartment. It is bad for your fuel economy as well. So replace it regularly; it will not cost you much to buy a new air filter. Once you have a new one, perform these easy steps: remove the resonance chamber and the air filter housing, remove the air filter, clean the lower air filter housing using a rag, install the new air filter at the center of the housing, and place back the housing and resonance chamber.

Regular inspection of your battery helps you to detect early signs of damage and gives you the chance to prevent a more serious damage. But when your battery becomes dead already, replacement is your only option. To replace the faulty battery, remove first the following items: passenger foot rest insert, passenger carpet, foam insert, battery ground line, cover from the battery, clip from the bracket's positive cable, nut, bracket, vent hose from the battery, and lastly, the old battery. Then install the new battery and put back all the removed parts in reverse order.

Another tip to extend your battery life: disconnect it and use a trickle charger for it if you will store your car for more than three weeks.

Regularly change the oil and oil filter to ensure the good condition and longer lifespan of your engine. The manufacturer-recommended amount of engine oil for smart fortwo is 3.7 quartz. Going beyond or lower than this can damage your engine. Use only an engine oil approved by smart (Refer to your owner's manual for this information).

Spark plugs wear out over time, causing engine damage and poor fuel economy. So replace them regularly using the correct spark plug gap of 0.035 in. and torque specification of 13 ft. per lb. To replace the spark plugs, you have to remove first the key from the ignition, rear carpet, engine cover, and ignition coils. Then unscrew the spark plug and check if the spark plug gap is correct. Adjust the gap, if necessary. At this point, you can install the new spark plugs and place back all the removed components in reverse order.

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