Dealers Atmosphere

[DFDureiko]

We are soon to buy a smart, perhaps slightly used, prefer yellow but white and last years red metallic are nice.
We have been to a couple of dealers and, quite frankly find them to be rather snobby for a 15 thousand dollar car. What gives with this. Also find it hard to find a Pure, as everyone wants power windows? what's up with that, when you can reach two feet across and roll it down?
I think the SMART is adorable, and somewhat a modern 2CV.
Quite frankly if anyone asked me, I'd say, it's a SMART, it's French (ie built in France)
but the dealer tells me the customers consider them Mercedes?
That's like saying a Dodge Caliber is a Mercedes as it was built under Daimler Benz ownership.......
am I missing something here......?? ))
is SMART usa , which is a two seater economy/commuter, car, trying to build some sort of cache????
very sincerely
Dan

[The Rigger]

My dealership experience, by contrast, was excellent. No snootiness in evidence at all, and the Sales Mgr. and another floor agent were more than happy to spend all the time I needed with me. I don't think they're any different than any other marque's dealers; some are more human than others.

As to your other comment, smart is indeed a subsidiary of Damlier AG, so it's technically a German car built in France, just like GMs and Fords built in Windsor, Ontario are still considered American cars and not Canadian.

[forestacademy]

So you are trying to find a Pure in 08 Colors. That will not be easy at a dealer. You will most likely have to find a used one to fit the bill.

You may not think it is all that big a deal to reach over to roll up a window but then you have a seat belt on it is not all that easy, in fact I don't think it is possible if you are trying to drive the car at the same time.

As far as the Mercedes issue goes, im most markets around the world and quite a few in the US they are sold out of Mercedes dealerships.

It has a lot of the technology and safety engineering of a Mercedes, and that makes us smart owners feel a lot better.

[Cooper]

The name smart came from Swatch Mercedes ART- Car

[gbryers]

Originally Posted by DFDureiko

We have been to a couple of dealers and, quite frankly find them to be rather snobby for a 15 thousand dollar car. What gives with this.

Dan, sorry about your experiences with the dealers - mine has been great, however, so it has little or nothing to do with the car, just the folks at the dealerships you have been to.

Originally Posted by DFDureiko

What gives with this. Also find it hard to find a Pure, as everyone wants power windows? what's up with that, when you can reach two feet across and roll it down?

Many people like the convenience of being able to adjust the "open-ness" of their windows without the rather intrusive actions needed for a manual window. Though I am not committed to electric windows, I have recently driven some vehicles with manual windows, and the inability to roll down the passenger-side while driving is a distinct disadvantage to me (and apparently to many others). If you can't find a base-model Pure, you can always order one, though not in Yellow, though you may be able to pick up some yellow panels somewhere.

Originally Posted by DFDureiko

Quite frankly if anyone asked me, I'd say, it's a SMART, it's French (ie built in France)
but the dealer tells me the customers consider them Mercedes?
That's like saying a Dodge Caliber is a Mercedes as it was built under Daimler Benz ownership.......
am I missing something here......?? ))

If you look at the history (10 years last August!) of the smart, it actually carried the Mercedes emblem until relatively recently ('05, I think), while it still sported an MB engine. They have since changed things a bit, and gave it its own logo. So there is some validity to the "smart is MB" claim - about the same as saying a Chevy is a GM product.

At any rate, no matter what the claim, the car is a great piece of machinery, loads of fun to drive, and economical as well. Whatever you decide - Pure, Passion or Cabriolet, you won't be sorry.

[gstreetcomic]

You never know what can happen when you seek an orphaned Pure. I was encouraged to open up to a Passion simply for the fact that Pures are very hard to come by orphaned, especially with Air condtionoing. I had told the guys at Tysons i was open to all the colors, but was very direct when i mentioned my spending limits.
After some waiting, i got an email from one of the guys there that a Pure had become orphaned one minute ago with AC and the base radio, and is blue, shell unknown. After a mad dash to the dealership, and having a very cool boss who was really kind to let me leave early that day, i was the "adoptee of that Blue pure, but with a sliver shell. The AC i wanted for sure, the radio i had to have, but i was debating over which third option i wanted to spring for. At first wanted the black , but after a short debate, the sliver looked better than ever. BTW i did order blue on the reservation form. My experience there was really great, so much so that i wrote the guys at Penske If you really stay presistent, and let the dealership know what you prefer, you never know the plesant outcome.

[DFDureiko]

ok, so, we looked at an '08 Red Passion a few days ago, 5,500miles, tan interior, 12,800
called back today, my partner negotiatied to down to 11,800. Customer just came in, hated 2009 Red wanted 2008 red traded body panels.
Then we we said really want a YELLOW Smart.
putting on panels, gettining it for 12,800
is this a good deal?
Also do you all recomend the extended warrenty!
Very happy to have gotten our color and interior slightly used.
Meanwhile yellow/black is in the local paper with 9500 miles for 15,995.
I guess the local dealer in Tampa is not that bad.
Next advice, will be leaving it from May till Oct in FL under carport.
Shall I have someone drive it once a month? More? Less?
Dan