I dropped by the soon to be Smart dealer in Knoxville. They were working on the tiles and wiring within the new Smart area. They said that their layout was only approved by SmartUSA last week and they would be open on Jan. 2nd. They didn't know how many cars they would get in 2008 or even how many reservations are assigned to them. They said they are happy with the current system.
The German automaker has received "more than 30,000 down payments" from customers, Zetsche said. The total is "far beyond the production capacity we have for next year," he said. The car goes on sale in January.
Kettenbeil said, "It is true, we have 30,000 people who put in $99 reservations for the car on our Web site. We're currently in the process in checking with the reservation holders. We expect some fall off, and we're confident we'll meet demand in 2008.
He said the car-reservation system shows the areas with the keenest interest in the car.
"Omaha was a surprise, so was Jackson, Miss., and Austin, Texas," he said. "Actually we did quite well in the Midwest."
He said the main interest in the tiny car was from California and other urban areas, but interest also came Kansas City, Mo., St. Louis, Tulsa, Okla., Detroit, Cleveland and Minneapolis.
He said that was the same experience in Canada when the Smart car arrived in 2004. It did well in big cities, but 50 percent of its sales came out of the more rural provinces.
I called 800-smartusa today and cancelled my reservation. Reason behind this is that i am losing my company car when i transfer to the bay area. I am still planning on getting a car in the future so keep the posts coming.
I want to see how all this unfolds before i purchase a smart for myself. For those who have an early reservation please share your experiences. We want to know the buying process, how happy you are with your car, and how it reliable it is.
good luck to you all and im very excited for you. ill be sure to give you the thumbs up when i see you happy buggers driving around in your amazing cars.
Sorry to hear your bailing, Crate. You can still get your reservation and buy your car later. BTW, I love the old Crate Blue Voodoo (or Red Rocker). I have a little Marshall 65w Valvestate right now.....just for fun at home. Stay in touch. We'll be here.
The dealer that I am keeping in touch with (mercedes of Devon pa) stated that they added 7000 cars to production expectations. Also, training for dealers is going on now.
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BTW, I love the old Crate Blue Voodoo (or Red Rocker). I have a little Marshall 65w Valvestate right now.....just for fun at home. 
Stay in touch. We'll be here.
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