Orlando is Forcing Window Tinting for Extra Profit!

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by young-nyc

or maybe, the dealership is betting that if the owner cancels his order they can still sell the orphan with the tints...
dang...so messed up

My greatest fear at one point. Believe now if you hold up your end of the deal they have to do there part don't hesitate to call 1-800-smart-usa right from the business managers desk if you need to, see if they would like to talk to PAG themselves. Lets hope this gets better.
karl

[SmartCard]

I can't see how they would have the nerve to do that, esp after their outrageous prep fee. Its not their car to mess with - they can do that to the ones they sell off the lot if they want to, but not yours! I hope the info is wrong!

[SmartBob]

Oh, I missed that...Doc fee is absolute B.S.! I'd definitely try to call in the big guns on that rip. Grrrrrrrrrrr They know if you walk on the deal they can sell it to some sucker who's willing to pay the extra $$$$$

[rrrucke]

Notify PAG & smartHQ to report this unsavory business practice. BTW, Danny Wong at Edison told me yesterday that technically you can change dealerships (in this case, FL stealerships). Inconvenient but maybe worth while to do. This is a matter for Dave Schembli and Roger Penske to resolve right now!!

[rrrucke]

I sent the following post to smartUSA and PAG HQ just now. Here is what I said to Roger which is similiar to what I sent to smartUSA. Let's hope we get something more than a canned answer! Thanks, Regina

***********************************

Mr. Penske - Please help us!!

My name is Regina and I am a current smart car reservationist. I will be takling delivery of my cabrio at smart Center Edison on 2/5. I also belong to www.SmartCarofAmerica.com which is a US fan based smart club. Anyway, our club has been tracking by state the For Profit "Doc and/or Prep fees" that each dealership is charging. By far, Florida has the highest Doc Fees in the nation at $799. However, to add insult to injury the Orlando center is now forcing each buyer to purchase Window Tinting for $395 and they are tacking on an additional $30.50 for miscellaneous fees which are unexplained.

For your convenience, I have copied the post of SmarTIKI who is one of our members on SCOA. Please STOP these unfair business practices in Florida right now. The Orlando dealership is jeopardizing the smart Center relationship that you have meticulously invested your time and money to establish. I'll also post this concern on the smartUSA website but I'm not sure the Customer Service Rep will take this very important concern seriously and report it to management. We need your assistance, please!

Again, please help restore our faith in your guidelines that require the smart Dealerships to act fairly and in good conscience when dealing with customers. Orlando should not be allowed to conduct business in this fashion. They, like all of your other smart dealerships, need to act in good faith while representing you and smartUSA.

Thank you kindly and I look forward to your response,
Regina Rucker
Reservation# 6132111173
Work# 212-XXX-XXXX

************************************************** ******************************
Copy of the post is as follows:

www.smartcarofamerica.com
Select - Forums
Posted under: Smart Car General Discussions
February 2, 2008 - 6:15pm EST
Member: SmarTIKI
Thread Title: Orlando is Forcing Window Tinting for Extra Profit!

"In a PM from kwagar, who has already picked up his car, I was informed that the Orlando smart dealer is adding window tinting to all of the smarts to the tune of $395.00 in extra profit! How can they do this without our consent?! These are not dealer-ordered cars being purchased off of the lot. These cars were ordered directly by us, with exactly the type of options that we wanted, and are being delivered to dealers based on our zip codes. We have no choice in where our cars are being delivered...but we should have a choice as to whether or not dealer accessories, alterations, etc., are being added!"

$795.00 for "doc fee" ...
$395.00 for window tinting ...
$30.50 for something called "miscellaneous fees" ...

That's $1,220.50 in bogus charges! Lucky me for having to pick up my car in Orlando!

[skyzdlimit59]

I wouldn't cancel. I'd fight it. Tell them to take it off, you didn't order it.

[jediknight36]

I like tint, but if you dont want it, or dont want to pay $400 for it, then you shouldn't. It reminds me of the T-Mobile commercials where they charge you $300 for a $20 CD. Fight, dont cancel. If you cancel, the terrorists win.

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by jediknight36

I like tint, but if you dont want it, or dont want to pay $400 for it, then you shouldn't. It reminds me of the T-Mobile commercials where they charge you $300 for a $20 CD. Fight, dont cancel. If you cancel, the terrorists win.

YES YES YES fight dont cancel the fight is well worth it

[jediknight36]

In fact, they probably wont remove it. That would be hard I think. But you may get some free tint and thats a good selling point.

[flpat]

I am calling smart Monday morning and am begging to go with JAX. I have not been called to place my order, they said by the end of the month and I will say no tint in writing on my order. We have a local guy that would do it for 200.00 and he is perfect, anything goes wrong he fixes it.