Riverside (CA) dealership to sell Smart Cars - Press-Enterprise

[spdickey]

Originally Posted by pe.com 12/20/2007

Two-seater Smart Cars -- dubbed the Fortwo and no bigger than a golf cart -- should be parked at 8505 Indiana Ave. in Riverside by mid-January.

Walter's Automotive Group, off Highway 91 at Adams Street, will be one of 74 dealerships nationwide selling the car from Germany's Daimler AG, makers of Mercedes-Benz.

Since March, more than 30,000 reservations at $99 each have been made for the U.S. version of the Smart Car. Of those 6,000 are California customers....

...About 500 live in the Riverside vicinity based on reservation counts seen by Steve Keinle, owner of Walter's Automotive Group.

"The car is essentially a novelty," said Dick Messer, director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. "This is nothing more than a golf cart on steroids."

As features like an upgraded sound system, power steering or air conditioning are added on top of a dealer markup, the price will start hovering in the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla territory, Messer said. Pound for pound, the Smart Car will appear more expensive.

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I think Mr. Messer is talking out of his hat. I don't think we forsee paying dealer markups on our cars.

[SmartShanna]

"The car is essentially a novelty," This kind of inflammatory language kills me. A novelty is plastic nose with glasses, not a car. Sheesh!

[CruisingAZ]

Glad he is not my dealer!

[spdickey]

Originally Posted by CruisingAZ

Glad he is not my dealer!

The quote came from the Peterson Auto Museum, not the dealer.

[CruisingAZ]

Originally Posted by spdickey

The quote came from the Peterson Auto Museum, not the dealer.

Thanks for the clarification!

[Smart_ABQ]

Originally Posted by spdickey

The quote came from the Peterson Auto Museum, not the dealer.

This from a person who is supposed to be knowledgeable about automobiles and trends. This doesn't surprise me as PAG who is actually bringing the smart over here had the initial demographic and preferences completely wrong. They thought everyone wanted the base Pure and that it would be for novelty mostly. Is everyone in the Auto business completely retarded? Americans don't want a base model. It may be small but it better be loaded and that is exactly what the reservations are proving out. I think this car is going to open some eyes in the industry.

[jwight]

Can we please refrain from personal attacks when posting responses/opinion? Calling somebody a moron or a dipstick does nothing to advocate a position and it embarrasses the rest of us. Please see forum FAQ for more info. Thanks.

[Carnut]

Originally Posted by jwight

Can we please refrain from personal attacks when posting responses/opinion? Calling somebody a moron or a dipstick does nothing to advocate a position and it embarrasses the rest of us. Please see forum FAQ for more info. Thanks.

What am I missing? I didn't see any such name calling? The writer of the article was off base, but no forum member that I can see said anything embarrassing.

[jwight]

Originally Posted by Carnut

What am I missing? I didn't see any such name calling? The writer of the article was off base, but no forum member that I can see said anything embarrassing.

That's because the post was apparently disappeared by one of the moderators.

[a2jack]

Guys. Doesn't this line sound fimiliar? Especially the one about the Honda and Toyota being close to the same price? Well we have been had again.

Peterson, owned and ran Peterson publications. They put out Motor Trend and three or four other car magazines. Think "Car of the Year awards".
I beleive they sold the mags, but it seems they are still towing the Big Three line.

I think this list is getting tired of carrying the big 3s water.

Enough already.
A2jack.