This I don't understand at all - Page 2 - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

Smartdavis · 02-10-2008, 07:07 PM

A possibility occurs to me that maybe that was part of the plan all along. Get everyone to make a very modest deposit to gauge interest and then start up the marketing, and start shipping cars. They figure "who cares if they are orphans or not, someone will probably buy them". It was a simple concept. When enough reservations came in you start to sell the fact that the list was long and the cars would be scarce, and you better hurry up and get in there and buy one now. Nothing like a little anxiety to help things along. Then you leave the rest to the dealers who know how to take it from there.

Smartdavis · 02-10-2008, 07:09 PM

I enjoyed that movie "Conspiracy Theory" that stared Mel Gibson a few year ago.

bmx43 · 02-10-2008, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPDYII

I think the reservation system that we were all sold in the beginning is now broken. Reservations don't seem to mean much to anyone any more. Even if you have a reservation the confirmation process seems to have bogged down. We don't get any information from smartUSA. We are all left to fend for our selves. SmartUSA did provide us a wonderful list of dealers that we can spend our spare time every week contacting to see if the have an orphan that fits what we want. If you wait to confirm your reservation you run the risk of getting your car in 2009. This isn't the way is was suppose to be.

the system is no more broken now than it was when it started. it's a new system with lots of bugs. people are frustrated because their assigned dealer is clueless and in many cases knows less than the consumer. those us who have taken delivery didn't get any more or less info than the people who are still waiting. i didn't hear a word until i was notified that my car was on the way.

SPDYII · 02-10-2008, 07:38 PM

Let me put it this way. This is like a big event comes to town that most people want to see. It is stated early on the only way to get into the event is to buy a ticket on-line. They won't say how many tickets that they will sell for the event but it will be a lot. They also say due to the demand they will have a system set-up that will contact you when it is time to get in line for the event. If you purchased a ticket on-line you have a guaranteed seat but they can't tell you where it will be. The day of the concert comes and everything is going fine. Then all of a sudden. They unofficially open six doors around the arena. The people in line don't know what to do. Do they give up there spot in line and take a chance at one of the unofficial open doors? They don't know if they will get in or what seat they will get. If they stay in line they also don't really know if there will be any seats left by the time they get in. The people that are waiting at home for the call to go stand in line hear about the six unofficial open doors. Do they just go ahead and go and take a chance or do they wait at home for the call that may or may not come in time? What does a person do? Maybe you just stay home till next year and hope they learn how to run an event better next time. I don't know.

smarticus · 02-10-2008, 08:04 PM

Check this on EBAY.....item # 190197863010 . There are several listed and all from the same source in Dallas. Guess they found out how to move cars around the list.

bmx43 · 02-10-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPDYII

Let me put it this way. This is like a big event comes to town that most people want to see. It is stated early on the only way to get into the event is to buy a ticket on-line. They won't say how many tickets that they will sell for the event but it will be a lot. They also say due to the demand they will have a system set-up that will contact you when it is time to get in line for the event. If you purchased a ticket on-line you have a guaranteed seat but they can't tell you where it will be. The day of the concert comes and everything is going fine. Then all of a sudden. They unofficially open six doors around the arena. The people in line don't know what to do. Do they give up there spot in line and take a chance at one of the unofficial open doors? They don't know if they will get in or what seat they will get. If they stay in line they also don't really know if there will be any seats left by the time they get in. The people that are waiting at home for the call to go stand in line hear about the six unofficial open doors. Do they just go ahead and go and take a chance or do they wait at home for the call that may or may not come in time? What does a person do? Maybe you just stay home till next year and hope they learn how to run an event better next time. I don't know.

that's a good analogy except that you never have to get out of line. so, in your scenario, you can clone yourself and send your clone to the open door to see if you can get in quicker. if not, you still have your same place in line.

bmx43 · 02-10-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smarticus

Check this on EBAY.....item # 190197863010 . There are several listed and all from the same source in Dallas. Guess they found out how to move cars around the list.

that would not surprise me at all. without any mandate from PAG on how to deal with the orphans, you can't blame the dealer from doing whatever they can. this, i blame soley on PAG.

actually, after reading the listing, he is selling a reservation. this is clearly against PAG policy. he even says you are bidding on his reservation. let's see of PAG shuts this one down.

SPDYII · 02-10-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmx43

that's a good analogy except that you never have to get out of line. so, in your scenario, you can clone yourself and send your clone to the open door to see if you can get in quicker. if not, you still have your same place in line.

Sorry, but I think you will find if you read it again you will find that it says you may not have a seat if you stay in line because all the seats maybe gone once you are able to get inside.

jaxbchSmart · 02-10-2008, 08:17 PM

i saw what appeared to be 6 smarts cars on autotrader.com 2 weeks ago from a dealer in conn. i called and the sales guy said all were spoken for and then asked if i wanted to put in my $99 reservation. kind of reminds me of when you see a "for sale" sign in front of a house, call it and they say its under contract..."but can i show you another house in the area?"

Nicholas · 02-10-2008, 08:17 PM

Seems to be a rather piss poor way of running a business thru PAG. No real information even though we are "insiders". Think there was a few too many ideas on how this show was suppose to have been run. After almost a year in the planning, someone should of had a better system in place by now, or at least I would of thought so. Or is it just me???