Inconsistency of Reservation/Configuration/DDE Dates

raytmercer · 05-02-2008, 10:10 AM

As I read the various postings about delivery dates, I question the inconsistency across the country between the initial reservation date, configuration date, and DDE. An example:

Zip: 06880 (CT)
Reserved: 8/31/07 #1337
Configured: 2/01/08
DDE: 5/17/2008 to 8/15/2008

Zip: 31904 (GA)
Reserved: 06/14/07 #1260
Configued: 02/14/08
DDE: 11/08-01/09

I asked smartUSA Customer Support and received this response:

"Vehicle delivery is still first come, first serve, but within each dealer's designated market area. Delivery dates across the country may vary based on vehicle allocation and total production."

Since we are reserving the vehicles, not the dealers, and we are assigned to dealer, should not the allocation to the dealer be based on the reservations made by the customers within the dealer's "designated market area"?

The system smartUSA has contrived gives the appearance of unfairness and inequity to the customers.

Ken Boothe · 05-23-2008, 01:12 PM

You’re correct it’s not fair to the customer. But you have to also consider
the dealers who have a large investment they most likely wouldn’t have made
unless they would get equal amounts of cars. It would have been nice if we had
been told this in the beginning so we could have ordered from a different dealer.
Also the location of dealers leaves a lot to be desired for instance the Dallas-
FtWorth metroplex is the largest concentration of population in Texas yet Houston
has two dealers and Dallas only one. Had I ordered my car in Houston I would
have it by now the DDE shows my delivery Dec.08-Feb.09 I ordered 5/23/07

dd1 · 05-23-2008, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Boothe

You’re correct it’s not fair to the customer. But you have to also consider
the dealers who have a large investment they most likely wouldn’t have made
unless they would get equal amounts of cars. It would have been nice if we had
been told this in the beginning so we could have ordered from a different dealer.
Also the location of dealers leaves a lot to be desired for instance the Dallas-
FtWorth metroplex is the largest concentration of population in Texas yet Houston
has two dealers and Dallas only one. Had I ordered my car in Houston I would
have it by now the DDE shows my delivery Dec.08-Feb.09 I ordered 5/23/07

Ken,

I agree with you on this. If we would had known that are DDE is 2 years out, like mine and i reserved only 2 months after you. My reservation zip would be East Coast and probably be an by owner now.

fpage77 · 05-23-2008, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raytmercer

As I read the various postings about delivery dates, I question the inconsistency across the country between the initial reservation date, configuration date, and DDE. An example:

Zip: 06880 (CT)
Reserved: 8/31/07 #1337
Configured: 2/01/08
DDE: 5/17/2008 to 8/15/2008

Zip: 31904 (GA)
Reserved: 06/14/07 #1260
Configued: 02/14/08
DDE: 11/08-01/09

I asked smartUSA Customer Support and received this response:

"Vehicle delivery is still first come, first serve, but within each dealer's designated market area. Delivery dates across the country may vary based on vehicle allocation and total production."

Since we are reserving the vehicles, not the dealers, and we are assigned to dealer, should not the allocation to the dealer be based on the reservations made by the customers within the dealer's "designated market area"?

The system smartUSA has contrived gives the appearance of unfairness and inequity to the customers.

I don't want to come off wrong but this being my first post I have a question. I would like to know what DDE stands for and where do you get this DDE date. I was at my dealer in Cary, NC and was told 2 years was the wait time.

Update: I found the link on smarts site but have a question. I was wondering how long after you reserve can you use this to get your DDE.

smartiePrincess · 05-23-2008, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fpage77

I don't want to come off wrong but this being my first post I have a question. I would like to know what DDE stands for and where do you get this DDE date. I was at my dealer in Cary, NC and was told 2 years was the wait time.

Update: I found the link on smarts site but have a question. I was wondering how long after you reserve can you use this to get your DDE.

You can use it right away. It probably won't give you any dates right away though. It took almost 2 months before I was seeing an estimated delivery date.

Reserved: 4/3/08, #1554
Configure: Not yet
DDE: October 2009-December 2009
Red/Black/Red Passion Coupe

smartiePrincess

tjmodz · 05-24-2008, 11:20 AM

I made my reservation almost a week before a co-worker last May and he has had his car for over a month now. I was just told that my delivery is due sometime in June. We were assigned different dealers due to our zip codes.

The best theory I have heard is that the shipping process is by space available on both the ships and the car carriers. Since Smart doesn't have it's own distribution set up, the cars are shipped with Mercedes, which obviously have a much higher price tag and profit for the dealers.

So on the ships they are squeezing the Smarts in what empty space has not been taken up by an S600. And once the cars reach port here in the U.S., they load the car carriers with the Mercedes and if there is room left over, they load Smarts. If not, you are waiting until there is a small order of Mercedes and they can get a bunch of Smarts on.

This sounds logical, and can explain why people assigned one dealer are getting cars quicker than others assigned another dealer. If one dealer is busier, getting more deliveries, there is a better chance there are Smarts in those deliveries. And since everyone is programmed that you will get your car when Smart decides to sell it to you, I don't see any reason Smart would change their methods for now.

Schmimbo · 05-25-2008, 02:47 AM

I read a lot in this forum and I don’t say much but here are my feelings tonight.

I'm really sick of the whole thing on how this deal has worked out. First come first come my ass. If you live in the wrong city/area your F'd. If its based on what Smart USA says and its up to the dealer. My dealer for some reason is overbooked with reservations or they are slow as Sh$% at moving smarts. 40 smarts per month delivered for an area covering 3 milion people. I will celebrate my 1-year reservation anniversary this Wednesday the 28th of May reservation #1243 and haven’t heard squat. According to the ALMIGHTY DDE I am still at a 16 to 18 month wait from reservation to delivery. Thought I reserved early enough when this started but not early enough apparently for my local dealer and my zip code etc. Really sick of the whole process. If it weren’t for this site I wouldn’t know anything about what is going on in the country with deliveries. I still want my smart. Have others waited longer yes, were others ahead of me in line and still waiting as I am yes in deed. Sure I could have had a orphan 3 months ago. Just couldn’t justify the $3500 mark up to "Have It now". That’s a lot of fuel for my smart and accessories I could have had for that price. I am willing to wait my turn just like everybody else. However if I would have been told at the time of my reservation I would probably be waiting almost a 2 years. I would have reserved and forgot about it. Been disappointed, bummed and moved on. Problem is we were all told first quarter of the year 2008, at least I was from the smart road show to the news articles to the magazines and promotional things I ran across over a year ago. Didn’t think my dealer would only get 40 smarts a month. Didn’t think that you didn’t need to be reservationist/insider to get the smart ergo the Orphan gouging program.

I don’t like how it all unfolded and how non-reservationist/insiders benefit and how slow this process really is for the “insiders”. Those who were wise enough to reserve in March and April you beat me to it fair and square. Those who reserved 6 months after me and have taken delivery or close to it your lucky and I’m pissed about it. Just being real honest.

I have to spill the beans here because my family, friends, and business associates laugh and snicker at me. They shake their heads in disbelief at me and this whole process when they ask about “How’s Your Smart?” “Where’s Your Smart?” “How Come I See Smarts and You Don’t Have Yours?” “Can’t You Just Go Pick It Up? “Cant You Just Fly Out State and Pick One Up?” “Cant you Change Dealers?” “Why Such A Long Wait” They don’t want to hear about it. They think I whacked in head and with a capital (S) SUCKER for waiting almost 2 years for this smart car. Sure it will be nice to drive and own once its here. My smart will be my daily driver. Just hate this whole process and how it’s working and not working out. My 3 cents.

Tim

doenut · 05-25-2008, 06:13 AM

Shimimbo:

I get the same questions from my co workers. I told them about reserving one nearly a year ago (June 25, 2007) and they keep asking "When are you getting it? How come it's taking so long? I see lots of them on the road. Are you sure you're really getting one?" Etc. etc. I sympathize. I believe I'll get mine in the next six to eight weeks, but no guarantees. At least I know mine is in production, per my dealer. Good luck and keep the faith.

Doenut

MPrice2984 · 05-25-2008, 06:13 AM

I could not agree more with what you say. The communications from smart US to the reservation holders is terrible at best. I signed up as an 'insider' in March 07 and reserved May 11, 2007. The only way I have found out anything is by bugging my dealer and that is because I hunted them down. smart USA quit sending me emails after about the 3rd news letter. I'm told my car is built, shipped, etc but won't see it until mid July. Like you, I don't understand the low dealer counts in some high population areas (I'm in Chicago - 2 dealers and they cover a lot of the midwest). This is very frustrating when reservation to delivery on Long Island is 6-7 months.

raytmercer · 05-27-2008, 08:20 AM

The only power that we really have is that of the checkbook. Are we willing to cancel our reservations and leave all those "orphans" for the dealers to add $10K worth of extras and try to sell? Are we willing to wait until FourTwo (V2) comes out with enhancements that fix the current model's shortfalls? If the answer is NO, they got us by the "short hairs".

However, having reserved so long ago, if I see one in my city, I will pull the plug. Driving something unique is only important if you are the first.