My only real concern is about build quality of the smart. At the road show, the doors did not have a solid feel when opened and closed, and one of the doors creaked loudly when opening the door. On the road test, the car had quite a few rattles. Smart attributed these things to extensive road show wear-and-tear, but I was in a city near the beginning of the tour. I'd like to think the car would remain solid with continued use. There have been several well-publicized reports that mentioned good build quality. I'm so spoiled by Japanese cars. I don't want a flimsy car that feels like a golf cart on steroids. Then there is the pitiful 2-year warranty... the worst car warranty in the USA. No confidence by the manufacturer? Love the smart concept... now just wondering about the reality. Any others with real-world experiences to share, positive or negative? By the way, don't take offense by my concern. I'm still very hopeful that this will be a great car and a major long-term success.
My only real concern is about build quality of the smart.
Was that a Euro pre-production car you were driving at the road show? If it was that should answer some of your quality concerns. The fit and finish of the production USA spec cars is far superior IMHO.
The reasons smart stated for the 2 year warranty have been discussed fully in other threads.
We drove three different Euro 451's. Both wife and I agreed, build quality is as good as our Subarus. I also looked carefully at the new 2008 USA 451s at the dealer yesterday and they looked perfect.
I don't think MB will tolerate shoddy construction on this USA launch. This Smarty is going to be in the limelight for months in 2008 and must be able to stand up to major scrutiny. OMHO
The reasons smart stated for the 2 year warranty have been discussed fully in other threads.
I bet that MOST of the reservation holders (not on this site) feel chumped by the warranty since they plopped BEFORE Penski announced the uh... "streamlined" warranty. Not a few will bail out because of it.
It won't affect MY decision but I think it will cause most Americans to stay away in droves.
Some PAG PR guy was asleep at the stick when he should have been beating some PAG bean-counter over the head with it.
The quality issue is important. Although I have not seen a smart in person yet, I've watched a lot of utube videos and I'll be checking out the test cars in January. My second choice for 08 was the Toyota Yaris, but the quality of that car is questionable. Relying on the "Japanese" dependability doesn't always come to fruition. My friends' Yaris has an interior that is plasticy and feels cheap. She had to take the car in for air-conditioning problems early on, but covered in the warranty. Not a bad car, but the price comparison with various options leads me right back to the Smart. I think we will ultimately be happy with the quality of the smart!
Was that a Euro pre-production car you were driving at the road show? If it was that should answer some of your quality concerns. The fit and finish of the production USA spec cars is far superior IMHO.
The reasons smart stated for the 2 year warranty have been discussed fully in other threads.
A 451 is a 451, Rosie the riveter is not going to say to herself, hey I am going to work on a 716 model for PAG let me spend a bit more quality time on this for the yanks. The entire model year was changed for compliance to US regulatory needs. Although the change over from 2007 model year to the 2008 model year may have brought last minute changes, don't think for a minute that we, Americans, are going to get better quality. The world is flat and this car is made for a worldwide market.
Last edited by gamernotwatcher; 12-23-2007 at 12:38 PM.
A 451 is a 451, Rosie the riveter is not going to say to herself, hey I am going to work on a 716 model for PAG let me spend a bit more quality time on this for the yanks. The entire model year was changed for compliance to US regulatory needs. Although the change over from 2007 model year to the 2008 model year may have brought last minute changes, don't think for a minute that we, Americans, are going to get better quality. The world is flat and this car is made for a worldwide market.
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