In the News in Albany, NY

[jonnysan]

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/sto...ate=11/21/2007

Basic stuff but things are happening here....

[a2jack]

Things are happening all right. It looks like the sleepy big three are waking up to the little bad wolf at their door...The Smart car.

Note, that the anti Smart comments come from Car+Driver and Aaron Bragman of Global Insights, both captive to the big three. Global Insights has been a consultant to the big three for 30 years.

This will become a full press anti Smart campaign as time goes on. Watch for more quotes from Global Insights.

A2jack.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by a2jack

Things are happening all right. It looks like the sleepy big three are waking up to the little bad wolf at their door...The Smart car.

Note, that the anti Smart comments come from Car+Driver and Aaron Bragman of Global Insights, both captive to the big three. Global Insights has been a consultant to the big three for 30 years.

This will become a full press anti Smart campaign as time goes on. Watch for more quotes from Global Insights.

A2jack.

The acid test will come from people who have Smarts and for those who want to have them and/or other micros available in the US....and their will be more of them. Naysayers can talk all they want.

Smart will start the revolution, though, I am sure of that.

Planting 20,000+ smart seeds in this country will be the catalyst that will open up people's minds.......

[a2jack]

Jonnysan.

These guys are not just naysayers, they have lots of money and power.
With enough media coverage of their anti Smart message they can cause damage to the Smart Image. (Look what's being done in politicks).
.
There is an old axiom that says:

"Sticks and Stones will break your bones, but Words will totally destroy you".

Let's hope you are right.

A2jack.

[jwight]

I just posted this elsewhere:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21882844/

A lot of "people are worried, not crash tested yet, not really a market for 30K small cars, etc." All subjective of course but the tone sends a message.

[Old smart]

The Big-3 (and Toyota and Honda and Nissan too) and their dealers and their supporting journalists will say what they will say. But if you want to yank their chains, and once you get your smart, take some weekend time and just drive the car up and down the various "auto miles" in front of all the dealer lots. The customers will make up their minds themselves, not what they read or are told. Be nice if we got commissions on new reservations.

[kmeinhold]

Bergman's comment - for the same price a used car is a better buy.

Um - no kidding!!! you always get more for your money when buying a used car (and sometimes more than you bargained for) compared to ANY vehicle.

0% financing on some new vehicles closes the gap significantly.

[jwight]

Fish,

Good idea! I'm planning to hit the spring/summer cruise-ins and car shows around here just to let folks see what the car is really like.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by fishrdnc

The Big-3 (and Toyota and Honda and Nissan too) and their dealers and their supporting journalists will say what they will say. But if you want to yank their chains, and once you get your smart, take some weekend time and just drive the car up and down the various "auto miles" in front of all the dealer lots. The customers will make up their minds themselves, not what they read or are told. Be nice if we got commissions on new reservations.

I agree with you 100%, Fish. All the talking and politics aside, the public will decide what they want, not what this one or that one is saying (politics).....as the old saying goes...talk is cheap.

I will, by default, be traveling all round this area in my Smart once I have it. Along with the 280 other buyers from this area (that's alot more than I thought there would be!) we should be able to make a good impact. Jezzzzzz....I just realized that's more than 10% of the total alotted '08 cars! Not sure if those are all '08 reservations, though. The Albany area will have pretty good coverage then in terms of numbers of Smarts. This is good...there is strength in numbers.

Yes, commissions would be nice on the new reservations. I told the MB GM here that I may be her best salesman.....

[Carnut]

Easy johnny, thats 1% not 10%