The latest from a smart car dealer

[kwagar]

I just spoke with Miguel Bartoli who will be the Sales Manager for Smart at Lokey Motors in Clearwater, FL.
I live in between Orlando and Tampa and have been trying to determine what dealer will be contacting me. There are 3 within a reasonable distance those being Sarasota, Clearwater and Orlando. The closest is Orlando but I have been unable to find out who that dealer will be.

Miguel said that the Clearwater showroom would not be ready to open till March 1, Orlando would be in the same time frame and that Sarasota was very close to being ready to open and may open on Jan 1st.

My specific question to him was if I had a very early reservation would I have to wait if I was assigned to him until March for my car. He said no. That if your closest dealer was not yet open when your car was ready to be delivered it would go to the closest dealer to you who was open and that dealer would contact you.

In other words the dealers have to wait until their showroom is completed before they can deliver cars but that the reservationists will not have to wait for their closest dealer to open if there are other dealers open within a reasonable distance .

I sure hope he is correct!!!!!

[centerxtreme]

I hope you're right too. Looks like dealerships will be opening throughout the new year. I'm not an early reservation holder but I still would like my smart in 08.

[kmeinhold]

I REALLY hope thats true. I drove by the dealership in Coral Gables twice this week and the facility looked no where close and no one was working on it. Im certainly willing to pick my car up at another dealer. Ft Lauderdale is actually much more convenient to me than Coral Gables.

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by kmeinhold

I REALLY hope thats true. I drove by the dealership in Coral Gables twice this week and the facility looked no where close and no one was working on it. Im certainly willing to pick my car up at another dealer. Ft Lauderdale is actually much more convenient to me than Coral Gables.

Yes, they plan to convert the building in their parking lot, but getting permits in CG is a bear. Being that they are MB dealers they will probably partition off part of their showroom like the West Palm MB dealer will be doing.

[SAFE4NOW]

Originally Posted by kwagar

I just spoke with Miguel Bartoli who will be the Sales Manager for Smart at Lokey Motors in Clearwater, FL.
I live in between Orlando and Tampa and have been trying to determine what dealer will be contacting me. There are 3 within a reasonable distance those being Sarasota, Clearwater and Orlando. The closest is Orlando but I have been unable to find out who that dealer will be.

Miguel said that the Clearwater showroom would not be ready to open till March 1, Orlando would be in the same time frame and that Sarasota was very close to being ready to open and may open on Jan 1st.

My specific question to him was if I had a very early reservation would I have to wait if I was assigned to him until March for my car. He said no. That if your closest dealer was not yet open when your car was ready to be delivered it would go to the closest dealer to you who was open and that dealer would contact you.

In other words the dealers have to wait until their showroom is completed before they can deliver cars but that the reservationists will not have to wait for their closest dealer to open if there are other dealers open within a reasonable distance .

I sure hope he is correct!!!!!

I can confirm what he said as correct ( As of yesterday )
I asked that exact question in class.... and was told that if a dealership is not ready when the first allocation comes, the cars will be given to the next closest dealers to distribute!

Steve

[Alan_Hepburn]

Originally Posted by SAFE4NOW

I can confirm what he said as correct ( As of yesterday )
I asked that exact question in class.... and was told that if a dealership is not ready when the first allocation comes, the cars will be given to the next closest dealers to distribute!

Steve

Here's a thought (let me see if I can describe the scenario):

Let's identify 2 dealers as Dealer A and Dealer B. Both dealers have a list of customers with the same reservation number - i.e. the customers all registered the same day. Now a shipment of cars is scheduled to arrive at Dealer A, but Dealer A is not yet ready to receive the shipment so that shipment goes to Dealer B for distribution. Does Dealer B distribute that shipment to Dealer A's customer list, or to his own customer list?

[24-42]

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Here's a thought (let me see if I can describe the scenario):

Let's identify 2 dealers as Dealer A and Dealer B. Both dealers have a list of customers with the same reservation number - i.e. the customers all registered the same day. Now a shipment of cars is scheduled to arrive at Dealer A, but Dealer A is not yet ready to receive the shipment so that shipment goes to Dealer B for distribution. Does Dealer B distribute that shipment to Dealer A's customer list, or to his own customer list?

I'm afraid Mr. Hepburn is too accustomed to the ways of American car distribution.

Assuming (and I do) PAG will attempt to hold dealers to their planned method of distribution. I certainly would.

Within reason, just about every car has someone's name on it. In this case dealer B better be careful with a shipment of cars scheduled for dealer A's customers.

[SAFE4NOW]

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Here's a thought (let me see if I can describe the scenario):

Let's identify 2 dealers as Dealer A and Dealer B. Both dealers have a list of customers with the same reservation number - i.e. the customers all registered the same day. Now a shipment of cars is scheduled to arrive at Dealer A, but Dealer A is not yet ready to receive the shipment so that shipment goes to Dealer B for distribution. Does Dealer B distribute that shipment to Dealer A's customer list, or to his own customer list?

Those cars would go to the clients of Dealer A, no question. This is not assumption, this is the way it has been laid out in the dealer agreement.

If someone backs out of a car, then and only then, would that car become open to sell , to a person on an internal list of some sort or offer it to the next person on the list. It will be up to the dealership making the delivery of said car, who it goes to.

Steve

DISCLAIMER: I asked these same questions over the past few days and this is what I was told from the instructors. ( Powers that be )

[paul c]

Originally Posted by SAFE4NOW

If someone backs out of a car, then and only then, would that car become open to sell , to a person on an internal list of some sort or offer it to the next person on the list. It will be up to the dealership making the delivery of said car, who it goes to.

Steve

DISCLAIMER: I asked these same questions over the past few days and this is what I was told from the instructors. ( Powers that be )

First, thanks for being so helpful and up-front with us. Could you expand a little on the above? Is this "internal list of some sort" limited to those with reservations, and will those people be offered the car in reservation order? Is the unclaimed car only offered to the "next person on the list"? I wouldn't think they would be interested since their cars would be arriving shortly. I guess what I'm really asking is this: Will unclaimed cars still be sold only to those who have gotten in the long line, and will those people be dealt with in reservation order?

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by SAFE4NOW

Those cars would go to the clients of Dealer A, no question. This is not assumption, this is the way it has been laid out in the dealer agreement.

If someone backs out of a car, then and only then, would that car become open to sell , to a person on an internal list of some sort or offer it to the next person on the list. It will be up to the dealership making the delivery of said car, who it goes to.

Steve

DISCLAIMER: I asked these same questions over the past few days and this is what I was told from the instructors. ( Powers that be )

I interpret that to mean that the dealer has the option as to going down the reservation list OR simply selling the car to whomever they wish to.