Gave up on Orlando dealer

[r2b2007]

I was one of the first in the US to place a reservation having done so within minutes of receiving my email 3/20/07. I set up a file to save every newsletter. I confirmed and made model selection details within minutes of the opportunity... I knew something was wrong with Orlando from the first contact on 1/11/08 advising me my car was one of the first and I should have within 10 days. Only vague information provided, promises made and no follow through. Knowing that if it is not in writing it does not exist I made all requests for information by email. I could never get a stright answers. I had a vehicle to trade in and replied to all of the dealers requests for information done to the VIN number. In the end 2/7/08 I was told they did note have a used car division and so they quoted an auction wholesale price thousands below Kelley Blue Book. As a side note one Toyota dealer this weekend is offering 120% of Kelley Blue Book on trades. Despite repeated attempts I could never get from them the price of the vehicle having no idea until finding this excellent forum the games Orlando was playing on Doc Fees, Window Tinting... Penske and all of Smart USA should be truly embarassed by the Orlando Smart team. I am a car enthusiast not a car flipper and so I will wait now until the ultimate cool down occurs in demand and I will search out a qualtiy dealer even that means going to another state to find one I can trust. With many Smart dealers only charging nominal doc fees my dream of ownership of a Smart car will come true. I beleive we have only one thing of real value in this world and it is you word. When I can not feel trust and confidence in a dealer I can not do business with that dealer. Right up until the time I cancelled my order (2/7/08) with Smart USA I still did not have the price of the car from the Orlando dealer. As a note Smart USA advised me it takes 10 business days to receive your refund and they will send a check. Good Luck to all in finding a dealer you can believe in.

[SmartBob]

I was under the impression that Schembri called Orlando and got them to drop the ridiculous window tinting scam etc. A post entitiled " Orlando makes changes" is in this News & Rumors section. Still the obscene $499 Prep fee is an insult to the consumer.I feel bad for the victims of such money grabbing B.S. Good luck to you, r2b2007. I hope you find something soon.

~Bob~

[aero50zoom]

orlando was my stealer untill i learned about the outrageous fees they were
charging. so i'm having my car sent to a different dealer because his "doc"
fees are only $125 (still a rip-off).
i will have to travel aways to get it but i will save almost $400 before expenses and orlando will lose their sale.

[bobnyuma]

Ya, Orlando under pressure recinded some of its fee. Down to 495 or somethng like that and no tinting without permission. Sooooo they have been talked to, but the doc fees in all of Florida compared to other states sucks. Dont know yet what Atlanta will charge for there fees. They have been quiet. No cars yet either. I must take delivery in Jax, or not at all and that may happen too. 7.5 percent sales tax, doc fees, and other expenses may make me change my mind as well. Georgia county sales tax can be very high. We'll see what happens when my car, "arrives".

[smarTIKI]

Originally Posted by r2b2007

Right up until the time I cancelled my order (2/7/08) with Smart USA I still did not have the price of the car from the Orlando dealer.

That's because they're still in the process of "inventing" it!

I ordered a completely loaded Passion. The total with all options is $15,580.00. Add the $645.00 destination fee and the car sells for $16,225.00.

Because I wanted to pick up a bank check for the full amount of my purchase, I tried to get Julie to give me an exact total including tax, registration, etc. She ended up giving me a figure of $18,669.44, but then said that didn't include "a couple of extra charges" for things like "battery waste" and "electronic filing." She wasn't sure how many "extra charges" there were or how much they all added up to. She suggested that I get a bank check for $18,000.00 and bring in a personal check to make up the difference.

Damn! Just how much is this $15K car really going to cost me in the end?!

I got out a calculator and played with the numbers, myself, and I'll be damned if I can get the car to add up to as much as $18,669.44, and that's going with the higher $799 "doc" fee and tossing in $395 for window tinting which I know they didn't even do to my car because of all of my protests.

kwagar says he got a call from Julie informing him of their new lower "doc" fee. That's great for him, but I got no such call. I guess I'm still supposed to bring in two checks and bend over for them.

[CruisingAZ]

Take a bank check with you and your credit card, by putting the balance on your card the stealer will have to pay the 4% or what ever it is and you can consider it an offset for the doc fees.

[waughson]

I will be happy to report that the dealer fee has been lowered to $499 at smart center Orlando.

[vanslam]

Don't take this lying down. You can stop by this thread for mor information also you can use this contact information to make a difference:

smart USA Distributor, LLC
1765 Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Attn: Roger S. Penske -CEO

not to be confused with Roger S. Penske, Jr - President


Ken Kettenbeil
kkettenbeil@smartusa.com
248.648.2582


Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
2555 Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-0954

Tel: (248) 648-2500
Fax: (248) 648-2525

info@penskeautomotive.com

PAG code of conduct

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....rol-govConduct

Our Customers, Manufacturers, Suppliers and Lenders
The Company is committed to dealing fairly and honestly with its customers, manufacturers, suppliers, competitors, lenders and employees.
We offer reasonable, competitive new and pre-owned vehicle pricing; comprehensive care and protection plans; ancillary products relating to the sale, purchase, service and maintenance of new and pre-owned vehicles; and courteous forthright service. Our goal is to satisfy our customers’ expectations 100% of the time. Employees, officers and directors should gain the respect and loyalty of our customers with honesty, fairness and friendly, courteous, forthright service. We should be honest, dependable and ethical in what they say and do. Each of us must deal with our customers, lenders, manufacturers and other suppliers with integrity.
To that end, no employee, officer or director may engage in any illegal, dishonest or unethical conduct. Compliance with our policy prohibits you from making any form of misrepresentation to a lender, customer or anyone else. Forgery, false or misleading statements of any kind, failure to make full and complete disclosure of the components of a transaction, including components of qualified payment, and unfair or inequitable treatment of anyone is strictly prohibited.

[r2b2007]

Thanks for your account on your experience. I have read the posts at the "Orlando Makes Changes" post and I am amazed how anyone can feel that was a victory. How can Smart USA stand by and hide behind the notion that they are helpless. Anyone who would pay the excessive charges is just validating thier (Orlando's) actions.

[Smartcar007]

Wow, how can this go on. Great info from r2b2007 and vanslam, the contact information from vanslam should be saved by all. Keep the information coming so all can have a shot a fair deal in the future.