Hey guys, just joined up... my Dad is looking to buy a new Smart Pure. Me and him both are getting tired of the Dodge Durango he has.... which is absolutely TERRIBLE on gas. Needless to say with all the short trips me and him both make, it's killing us on gas, especially when it's $20 every other day or so. The last estimate was about 11-12 city, which is terrible when 90% of trips are to the store, or places in the area. So before he goes to buy one soon, I have a few questions...
1. Are there any incentives, discounts, etc. if you are paying with cash? He intends to pay with cash, and was curious if there was any perks to doing so.
2. The smart will be driven in a bad weather area... NE Ohio. Is it a good idea to have the car undercoated, or are they already undercoated? The car will be babied though, and would most likely be washed on the underside 3-4 times a week in the winter.
3. Are there any little quirks or unusual things about them that would surprise us?
4. How are they reliability and build-quality wise? I sat in one at the auto show yesterday and found it to be very high quality for a $11,990 car.
5. Are replacement parts expensive like most other european cars? I've had (note had) 2 BMWs, and got rid of both of them due to astronomically high parts prices....there was no way I was paying $750 for tune-up parts for the 325is I had. I do have a Cadillac Catera right now, which is a Opel Omega MV6 in EU... and luckily it hasn't nickle and dimed me to death yet.
6. And finally, are there any performance upgrades to get it to scoot along a little quicker? My Dad wants it for economy, but wouldn't mind a nice sounding intake or something of the sort.
Ok This is your thread, But Lets take these one at a time
1. Right now there is cash back available. The More upgrades you get the higher the cash back. So on a base Pure it will not be as much as a Brabus Cabrio. Check smart USA - open your mind to the car that challenges the status quo for current offers.
2. The Smarts body panels are Plastic to no worries there, The Safety cell is Powder coated and it much more durable finish than most cars. Most of the rest of the bottom of the car is covered with a 2 piece sheet (made with some sort of fibreglass I think) and is smooth. This keeps the yuck from getting up under the rest of the cars body. The only really exposed area is the wheel wells engine and trany. Not much you can undercoat there.
3. Plenty of Quirks with this car. Make sure you take a LOOOOONG test drive in a Pure if that's what you want. No less than 20 MIN on all road surfaces.
Experience it for yourself and decide if it's for you.
4. Currently smart is listed as having one of the Lowest cost of Ownerships of any car on the roads today. You may hear of sticker shock from some at the dealer when it comes to an oil change. But usually there is more involved than just changing the oil. See this site for the Recommended service intervals smart USA Owners Portal - Maintenance Schedule
And
5.
How Much do you want to spend?
See a list of supporting Vendors over on the Left of this screen for details on what can be done with this car.
Plenty more will chime in soon
Last edited by forestacademy; 03-01-2010 at 08:12 AM.
. Are there any incentives, discounts, etc. if you are paying with cash? He intends to pay with cash, and was curious if there was any perks to doing so.
Aside from the factory cash back, no. Paying with cash won't get you a better deal.
Dealers get paid whether it's with cash (generally a bank check or electronic transfer) from you or a finance company. They don't get the car for less if you hand them cash. Actually, in some cases you can get a better price on the car if you finance through the dealer since they make money on the financing.
With cash transactions over $10k having to be reported to the IRS, and the potential for jail time for car dealers who cook their spreadsheets, getting a discount for cash is a myth. Unless you're dealing with a guy selling used cars out of a decrepit old gas station.
The discount I have heard folks getting is NOT letting them know you are paying cash and setting your price. If they think they will get the financing (and sometimes a kick back by providing that) they may take some off the price. Hit them with the cash at the end.
1. Are there any incentives, discounts, etc. if you are paying with cash? He intends to pay with cash, and was curious if there was any perks to doing so.
The BEST incentive for a cash deal is that you don't have payments every month and NO interest on those payments adding to the cost of the car.
I paid for my smart with cash and it's the first time I'd done so in about 40 years. It's a pretty nice feeling not to have to worry about making those payments every month to the bank/credit union.
The discount I have heard folks getting is NOT letting them know you are paying cash and setting your price. If they think they will get the financing (and sometimes a kick back by providing that) they may take some off the price. Hit them with the cash at the end.
The same advice applies if you have a trade in -- don't let them know you have a trade in until you've locked in a final negotiated, out-of-pocket price for the car.
I have A Pure and you certainly can't go wrong with one. Do keep in mind that certain options will add to that base price such as Air Conditioning which is $600.00 and should you go for a radio the basic one will run about $350.00, and metallic paint can add to the price if you get such.
I paid 13,5 for my Pure which had all those options and it was well worth it. I do advise seriously that if you live in a climate that has hot summers, id recommend getting a Pure with AC first and foremost It will add some value to the car should you ever resell the car in the future, of course i don't intend to sell mine anytime soon. ( Since i have a note on mine, wish i was lucky to pay cash for my Smart)
A pure is as much fun as the passion, and BTW i do agree that you should take a few test drives especially over bumpy roads. I took two test drives different dealerships and i was even lucky enough to have fellow owners take me for a spin in their cars. You can get power steering as an option, but you really don't need it since the car has such a short wheelbase to begin with. Some will also opt for a base passion since the starting price is near the same as what i paid for mine, but that is your call. Keep us posted and if you buy a Smart post some candids of the car.
If you are looking for an economical car, I would opt for a Pure but with air conditioning as a minimum. You can add your own custom radio installation, cruise control and all types of custom additions with out buying in to the standard add ons. If I had it to do over again, I might have chosen differently if I had not been under the gun to take advantage of the cash for clunkers program. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Brabus Cabrio that I did get.
You do have to recognize that you will be getting around, powered by a 999 cc engine that transmits power through a computer controlled clutch and manual transmission. You only request shifting priviledges. The computer has final approval and can over ride a foolish or overlooked red line event. If you like machines, you will most likely like this one. It has been quite thoughtfully engineered for the most part. There have been some glitches in supplied parts in 08 and early 09 models for which replacement parts have been provided and installed. Try it if you decide and you will most likely love it. You either love it or hate it. It does get a lot of attention wherever you go, so know that in advance as well.
Ask your questions, they will be answered here with gusto most of the time.
The name of the car: fortwo does indcate the number of passengers the car accomodates. I only mention this because another owner complained ad infinitum about the fact that the car only had two seats. That is usually fairly apparent.
Whatever your choice, I hope you enjoy your car as much as we do ours.
Rich
But yeah, he is most likely going to opt for the AC, as it does get in the upper 80s and low 90s sometimes here in the summer. That is probably the only option that will be added as I have a high knowledge of car audio and will most likely install a Nav unit into the giant hole that is there for the radio.
Oh... and is it true the 3 cylinder sounds really good? I know a lot of people say they sound better than a 4 cylinder by far.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
1 - LT N FLFY
2 - Forests ride
3 - Little Blue
4 - Big Red
2008 Smart Pure
Today
Linear Mode
