Smart's New Search Tool

[greatsign1]

"smart USA is currently developing a tool that will give each reservation holder a 90 day delivery window for their smart fortwo. This tool is expected to be ready for use at the end of March."

ABOVE IS THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED FROM SMART WHEN I SENT AN E-MAIL ASKING WHY MY DEALERSHIP NOR SMART USA CAN TRACK MY ORDER AND TELL ME WHEN I CAN EXPECT DELIVERY. Am I the only one that thinks its ridiculous that FedEx and UPS can track hundred of thousands of packages but Smart can not track a CAR. I think a 3 week window would be reasonable but not impressive, a 3 month window is ridiculous.

Its really simple math, if Smart is delivering vehicles from the reservation list on roughly a first come first serve basis all you need to know is how many vehicles the factory produces per week and where you are in line on the list adding in time for transportation, but Smart can not tell me where I am numerically on the list, how many vehicles are produced per week or how much time it would roughly take for transportation.

I am a 1205 that confirmed Dec 1st if anyone can give me some insight as to when I might expect delivery, I would appreciate!

[iwantmysmart]

I am a 1189, reserved 4/4, configured 11/17 from NJ. I did not get an email saying that my car would arrive in the US within the next 30 days but I talked to someone from headquarters and they told me my car was in transit. I called the dealer after to see if they had any more info. They did not have my full vin # yet (they were not able to access the database with the incoming orders yet) but told me my car would definitely be in by the end of Feb! They also told me that the date you receive your car is based more on demographics, allotment to your dealer and how many orders there are specific to that dealer.

When the cars are ready to be shipped to the US, they leave from Bremerhaven Port in Germany. Once on a ship, it takes about 2 weeks to arrive in the Port of Baltimore, depending on which ship it is on. Most are 15-17 days. I'm not sure how long it takes for them to discharge the car from Baltimore and get it to the dealer.

My car is also being delivered to Smart Center Edison. I would take a guess that your car would be coming sometime in March but there are no guarantees. The dealers don't even know their own allotment or total reservations. They get a list of 30 reservations at a time and have no idea when their next shipment will be. I agree that it is unbelievable that all they can tell you is that your car is configured and cannot track the status of your order until it is shipped (and even then they don't even know the date it was shipped!). It seems to me they didn't plan out their approach to reservations and delivery well enough as well as the computer system to keep track of the status of reservations.

Hope that helps! And your hear from them soon!

[propes]

Originally Posted by greatsign1

Am I the only one that thinks its ridiculous that FedEx and UPS can track hundred of thousands of packages but Smart can not track a CAR. I think a 3 week window would be reasonable but not impressive, a 3 month window is ridiculous.

Actually this is pretty easy: UPS/FedEx/whoemever is able to track a physical object from one point to another. They have it in their possession from the time they first scan in the bar code to the final delivery scan.

Smart USA has no concrete objects until they're notified by MB that the car is on its way. So if certain cars get delayed in France because of oversupply, undersupply, or even furry elves dressed in jumpsuits singing Merle Haggard songs, then both they, are you, if you're affected, are out of luck.

Smart USA is a distributor, not the manufacturer. The best they can do is pass along the information about a car's construction and delivery as they get it themselves. If you want to blame someone for this, place it at Daimler.

[Smartdavis]

German engineering.....

[gamernotwatcher]

Originally Posted by Smartdavis

German engineering.....

Exactly, MB is a engineering and manufacturing house business as is Smart. However they now want to appear to be a CPG business (consumer packaged goods) We the customer are becoming accustomed to RFID tracking and instantaneous information. If smart wants to continue down this path they need to open their eyes to one of the worlds most demanding markets. That would be SCOA.

[greatsign1]

Thanks, that helps!