JD10367 while cracked windshields are not a smart specific issue, I doubt $900 is a typical replacement cost for other cars. My previous experience is several hundred dollars, which was paid 100% by my insurance. I am thinking they'd balk at $900.
My windshield replacement was close to $900 (And I live on Portland where the average house cost is no where near $850,000 ) - but that included the rain/light sensor. I would think in a few years the cost would go down. But for now, you gotta go to the dealer, right?
My windshield replacement was close to $900 (And I live on Portland where the average house cost is no where near $850,000 ) - but that included the rain/light sensor. I would think in a few years the cost would go down. But for now, you gotta go to the dealer, right?
Nope didn"t need a dealer, I think it was safelite that came out and did mine...took'em 1 day to get the glass and about an hour or so to replace it in our lot at work.
Nope didn"t need a dealer, I think it was safelite that came out and did mine...took'em 1 day to get the glass and about an hour or so to replace it in our lot at work.
when I called safelite they said they'd have to get the glass from the dealer. Oh, well. These things will get easier. (mine was back in January)
Well, this thread sorta got hijacked right away. I'll start another with 'actual' problems (as opposed to oil change prices and why you should pay for windshield replacement for a car that looks like it's 85% windshield!).
I had already typed a couple short paragraphs in your thread, which you started because you felt this thread had been hijacked. I was writing about some things I consider to be issues with the car. But, you might decide they're not problems at all. So, forget that. Besides, there are people on this forum who will slam anyone who reports less than perfection with their car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bum-bling-B
Friday I dropped my car off and picked it up yesterday (June 27, 2009) with a NEW roof paid in full by Smart. They recognized there was a problem and fixed it.
I'm glad to hear you got your roof replaced. A bit surprised they did it for free, post warranty. But, that's great!
4. still don't get the mileage everyone raves about. In fact, no one in our Houston smart car Club got anything over 43 mpg all highway.
3. That's a problem with the car but still not a problem because of the car. I can see how people might be complaining about replacement costs of the windshield.
4. Houston - traffic just downright sucks there...everywhere. At least everywhere I go there whenever I head through. 43mpg is commendable there, seems like people actually check their mileage in the Smarts they now own and go off of what they had in their "old car" because of that one time they calculated their mileage they feel that is what they always got.
I'm glad to hear you got your roof replaced. A bit surprised they did it for free, post warranty. But, that's great!
Roof could be a safety hazard considering the small cracks with the crazing. If something were to make it shatter into a gazillion little pieces that could be a liability. Had that happen as I drove past a wreck in action when I lived in Germany. A Toyota Previa rear ended a Opel Astra wagon, non-tempered glass shattered on my car taking out my paint job, windshield AND tiny shards made it through the one inch crack I had my window lowered and nailed me in the face.
I know that is real glass but it could have the same effect. Tiny slivers of plastic. Not good from their standpoint which is why it was wise to replace it. I was ready to paint it and put a headliner in place of the shade so I'm extra happy they fixed it.
Last edited by Kermit; 06-28-2009 at 07:31 AM.
Reason: tons-o-typos
I picked up my Smart in Houston. Traffic there's horrible. Highaway mileage only counts if you're driving at 2am when nobody's around or between cities, steady speeds. If you can't use cruise control, you should expect closer to the city mileage figures because of all the speed changes that simply burn energy. This is where hybrids shine.
If you manage to go a year in Houston before breaking a windshield, you're driving very carefully or very lucky.
And the annual service is the first oil change, and includes a few other things. With a $90+/hr labor rate, it adds up quick. You can perform your own service for less, or even take it to a local mechanic for about half the price, if you think he would spot any problems in the inspection process rather than just shrug and say "I dunno what I'm looking at so I can't tell if it's broke." As time goes on, Smart owners should be able to find mechanics that have worked on a Smart. Until then, I assume my dealer has all service bulletins in a computer and knows the quirks and problems reported by 30,000 other owners. I pay $150/mo on my cell phone bill. I'll spend an extra $6/mo on my car so I can get to work on time.
You were talking in here about it being a bargain because you only have "one a year." Are you referring to an oil change? It's recommended that the oil be changed just once a year in this car? I have only had mine two weeks and I am taking it in next week to get the oil changed - I always run synthetic blend and I want to make sure that it has that in it - which I doubt it does.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JD10367
That's not a "problem". It's a byproduct of owning a car, and isn't unique to Smart.
Well, that's obviously broken. Have you had it back to the dealer? If so, and they didn't fix it, go to another dealer and/or complain higher up the Smart food chain.
It's a synthetic oil, so it will cost you a bit more than a regular oil change. And you only have one a year, as opposed to every three months with other cars. And you probably paid twice as much for your Acura.
I had already typed a couple short paragraphs in your thread, which you started because you felt this thread had been hijacked. I was writing about some things I consider to be issues with the car. But, you might decide they're not problems at all. So, forget that. Besides, there are people on this forum who will slam anyone who reports less than perfection with their car.
I was merely pointing out that the thread had veered away from its intent, which was to discuss problems with the cars we've had. Getting oil changed is NOT a problem with the car. And altho the windshield is huge, having it break is not a fault of the car but of bad luck, at least arguably (I'm assuming smarts don't have a disproportionate incidence of windshield breakage, but I could be wrong). And as you might have seen from my later thread, I have had some moderate problems with my car.
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) - but that included the rain/light sensor. I would think in a few years the cost would go down. But for now, you gotta go to the dealer, right?
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