Hi Nick -
Thank you so much for the info and clearing up the confusion on 6k vs 10k. Can you please tell me where and how I can get a license plate holder that screws into the tow hole? I saw it on this web site once and unable to get further info. I would realllyyy like to use that type rather then drilling. All your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks again!
Suzanne
Corona, CA
Tuflgal
Quote:
Originally Posted by nickinsacramento
I am a smart 'salesman' aka brand specialist, and read the forums. I spoke to our Finance Manager, who stated to me that smart used some forms for the extended warranty that said 6months/6k miles. They will be phased out soon. The new forms will reflect the 12months/10k miles service intervals, which also will be mailed to the folks that opted for extended coverage. I am happy to research any of these... idiosynchrasies... for anybody. My name is Nick, contact me by phone at smart center Sacramento, CA at (916) 484-5994.
PS Upon close scrutiny of the new forms, the following is stated:
You MUST folow the Manufacturer's scheduled maintenance guide (In the car stating 12 months/10,000 miles) OR maintain the vehicle in the folowing manner: (Every 6 months or 6,000 miles). They included the word OR on our forms that we just received
PS Upon close scrutiny of the new forms, the following is stated:
You MUST folow the Manufacturer's scheduled maintenance guide (In the car stating 12 months/10,000 miles) OR maintain the vehicle in the folowing manner: (Every 6 months or 6,000 miles). They included the word OR on our forms that we just received
here is a scan of my extended warranty and it also says "or" but keep reading and it also states "whichever comes first."
Feel free to change your oil as often as you like, but follow the service manual included with the car and your warranty will still be valid. I understand the trouble with interpreting the language of the warranty, but the suggestion of 6 mos/ 6k miles is only on there in case the service literature was not included with the car. In that case, the vehicle's owner would have recourse if they never ever serviced the vehicle, then tried to make a claim against the warranty somewhere down the road. So, they dished out the "OR" portion of the warranty to cover that from happening. This has been discussed at length with our Finance and Insurance professionals, and I would not relay this information unless we were 100% confident. Any other questions or concerns you can email me directly ngilleste@niello.com
It also tells you to change the power steering fluid.
By the way there is no power steering fluid, it's all electric if you order it.
Please don't change the power steering fluid.
You're only obligated for what's in the manual included with your vehicle, which is 12mos/ 10,000 miles.
Thank you to everybody for noticing the details and actually paying attention and be proactive in the maintanence of your vehicles! I'm finding that owners of smarts are pretty proactive in regards to maintaining their vehicles properly, which is important for a car like this just getting introduced to the US. Kudos!
Feel free to change your oil as often as you like, but follow the service manual included with the car and your warranty will still be valid. I understand the trouble with interpreting the language of the warranty, but the suggestion of 6 mos/ 6k miles is only on there in case the service literature was not included with the car. In that case, the vehicle's owner would have recourse if they never ever serviced the vehicle, then tried to make a claim against the warranty somewhere down the road. So, they dished out the "OR" portion of the warranty to cover that from happening. This has been discussed at length with our Finance and Insurance professionals, and I would not relay this information unless we were 100% confident. Any other questions or concerns you can email me directly ngilleste@niello.com
nick,
a little background. my dealer had zero documentation on the extended warranty (other than cost) when i picked up my smart. i was told that the extended warranty was a smart factory warranty extension of the 24 month/24k. when i received the paperwork on the extended warranty (a week after i bought it), it clearly stated that 1) it is not an extension of the factory warranty (in fact, it is a "service contract") and 2) it is not administered by smart usa or p.a.g..
but the real major issue (and i'm quote directly from my contract):
"in order to keep your service contract valid, you must follow the maintenance proceedures listed below. if your failure to follow these proceedures causes a breakdown, you may be denied coverage.
your vehicle must be serviced receiving all scheduled maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer in the owners manual, or you must have your vehicle serviced in the following manner every six (6) months or six thousand (6,000) miles, whichever comes first:"
now i know you and your finance & insurance professionals feel you are 100% correct but the problem is that a written contract always wins over a verbal one. and just to be sure, section "viii. general provisions, number 11" states (again i quote):
"entire service contract -
this service contract represents the entire agreement between you and us. no person has the authority to change this service contract or to waive any of its provisions. no other written or oral statements apply to this service contract."
now, the real reason i've made a big deal out of all of this is that penske auto group and smart are not strangers to the automotive game. yet they offered the worst warranty in america on any new car (please correct me if i'm wrong) and then justify it by saying they are just offering choices for people to pick the length they want. now this sounds fine except they offer a "service contract" administered through a third party and obviously did not even fully investagate the verbage on the contract. as you state elsewhere, there is no power steering fluid to change (there are many other instances where this contract is way too generic). i really find it hard to believe that smart and p.a.g. could go through all this trouble and expense to set up this service contract and not be able to have it written correctly (they did at least get they service contract folks to put the "smart" name on the front page).
I understand your feelings on the whole issue. Please keep in mind that this is the initial launch of a car company in America like there's never been. It is great to hear and to respond to everybody's opinion on the issue. I am confident that this thread will be over in the near future with the adjustments that are being made, and that there will be more threads about the positive parts of having a smart car. Thank you everybody so much for the response! I'm always available by email: ngilleste@niello.com
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