Warranty

[Carnut]

According to an article detailing the silicon valley introduction of smart this past week the factory is only giving a 2/24000 bumper to bumper, with an option to extend to 3/36000 for a price.

If accurate, this would cause many prospective buyers second thoughts.

It just doesn't make sense for them to kick off a new brand showing such lack of confidence in their product.

This could point me in the direction of a 36 month "test drive" via a lease.

;)

[propes]

Which article was that? That's a very disappointing number; hopefully it'll come with something to counter-act it, like free towing if necessary (since for some of us it'll be quite a haul to the dealer for warranty work).

[Chassol]

This is interesting - as the 2008 Canadian Smart 451 has:

New car warranty:
48 months or 80,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first.

Adjustment period:
12 months or 20,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first.

Emission warranty:
24 months or 40,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first.

Surface corrosion:
48 months or 80,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first.

Perforation:
60 months unlimited kilometres.

BUT check this out too - http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/mbccusto...cecard_eng.pdf.

Any educated guesses??

[rgaus]

I read the same thing in a St. Louis newspaper on 10/28. Thought the guy had in wrong, but it appears to be fed from the smartUSA folks. Maybe its just a way to put a feeler out there to see the reaction. My suggestion: call 1-800-smartUSA to express your concerns. Voice opinions now. This car deserves a much better warranty.

Ron Gaus, aSmartcar.com

[lhoboy]

Originally Posted by rgaus

I read the same thing in a St. Louis newspaper on 10/28. Thought the guy had in wrong, but it appears to be fed from the smartUSA folks. Maybe its just a way to put a feeler out there to see the reaction. My suggestion: call 1-800-smartUSA to express your concerns. Voice opinions now. This car deserves a much better warranty.

Ron Gaus, aSmartcar.com

The last time I saw 2yr/24k on a warranty was on my '74 Mustang II. Sorry, not buying anything with that short a warranty anymore. All the problems on my MINI occurred in years 3 and 4.

I'm hoping the reporting is in error.

[jwight]

In the USA at least, the emission system is required by the EPA to be covered for 5 yrs/50K miles. Hopefully smart usa and MB will realize you can't offer something as a "premium" automobile with only a 2 yr/24K mile warranty. If this turns out to be correct I think many of us will look elsewhere.

UPDATE: Just had a reply from smart customer service (pretty fast!):

Dear smart Enthusiast, Thank you for your interest in smart USA. The warranty on the smart fortwo is yet to be determined. Complete product definition will be available as we get closer to the market launch of this exciting vehicle.

[gimhoff]

Smart is introducing itself to the American market, and it is going to run into a lot of skepticism in the market (beyond its initial enthusiasts) because of its small size and relatively low cost. A car brand that wants to show confidence in itself and instill confidence in its potential buyers will offer a warranty that is longer and more comprehensive than the average. That's what Hyundai did when it offered a ten-year warranty to signal that South Korea was now producing quality cars that drivers could depend on.

A 2-year/24,000-mile warranty would send the message to American car buyers, including the initial enthusiasts, that Smart thinks its cars are going to need a lot of service and aren't going to last long on the road. It would be penny-wise and pound-foolish for Smart to undermine the brand in order to save a few dollars on service for the (hopefully) small number of cars that will need extensive service in their third or fourth years.

[Old smart]

The 2007 UK 451 warranty is also two years, with no mileage stated. (Surprisingly, so is the service interval: two years or 25,000 miles, with an oil service at one year or 12,500 miles.) Could the short warranty info have been wrongly taken from Europe? Maybe the 2008 N.A. smart will be different; apparently the Canadian sector is.

[lhoboy]

Originally Posted by jwight

In the USA at least, the emission system is required by the EPA to be covered for 5 yrs/50K miles.

I thought the emission system in the US had to be covered for 10 yrs/ 100k, but here is the real scoop: EPA warranty Requirements. It depends on the component.

[jwight]

I like the 8 years or 80K miles better. Thanks!