Sales Slowing? - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

fastball · 10-31-2008, 09:53 AM

I see the Portland Oregon center has TONS of orphans. It appears the economy is catching up to the smart market. I suspect prices are dropping as well. Good for those who are shopping. Bad for those who have speculated in smart cars.

Within one year, the market should come close to the Euro market.

Personally, I love the little buggers, but my common sense tells me to wait for pricing to firm at about MSRP or lower.

Thanks for all the info I have gained from all of you on this site.

JOHNSTEICHEN · 10-31-2008, 09:59 AM

I PICKED UP MY Smart Cabrio Orphan On Oct 30 2008 yesterday. I was told that about 30% of the smarts in chicago are going out the door as orphans, and the orphan list is starting to get long also. I gave my name to the list in August, and got the car in October. Not bad.
js

BigWarpGuy · 10-31-2008, 10:13 AM

I guess for those who still want a Smart Fortwo, the wait is down? especially if one does not mind buying an orphan. With gas prices going down (I bough premium at $2.85 per gallon at Shell), some might not see the need for a small car. When gas prices start to go up again (eventually they will), the need for small cars will also go up. I bought my little car since I like small cars and wanted to drive a street legal cool looking car. The great mpg was a bonus.

**jediknight36** · 10-31-2008, 10:24 AM

It is dependent on the area I am sure. Here, its been steady, except for last month with the vacation catching up to production and delivery.

gurps · 10-31-2008, 10:40 AM

If the dealers stopped adding grossly marked up junk to the orphans, they would move faster. I tried to get orphans from Devon and Cherryhill but there was a $2000 + markup on stuff like Chrome mirror covers and LowJack. As bad as I want one I have waited and have about 3 weeks more to go until my reservation arrives.

vwW12 · 10-31-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigWarpGuy

With gas prices going down (I bough premium at $2.85 per gallon at Shell), some might not see the need for a small car.)

Since gasoline is relatively cheap again (not as cheap as can be, as 24% of the price is taxes you pay), people are driving more.

Just as people drive more and care less, there will be, for many, less of a reason to drive a smart car.

John_H · 10-31-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastball

I see the Portland Oregon center has TONS of orphans.

You might not be seeing what you think you're seeing. SC-pdx just got their month's worth of cars a couple days ago and they're supposed to move them all in the same month(?!).

With few exceptions, the multitude of cars have owners attached to them. There were around 4 cabrio orphans - one with very few additions - but the only passion orphan they had recently got loaded up and sold pretty quickly.

If you want a cabrio, drop by Smart Center Portand! You might find something that's not priced out of reach.

JD10367 · 10-31-2008, 12:03 PM

I think gurps hit the nail on the head. With the economy slowdown, and loans harder, more people are bailing on their reservation, and the dealers kept stuffing the orphans with add-ons but discovered too late that people don't want them.

Our dealer has (or had) about 7 orphans on the lot for weeks now, including ONE that was a Passion in the color combo we wanted... but, they stuffed the orphans with LoJack and GPS and chrome rims and whatnot. If that car had been offered to me, I'd have been driving a Smart for a month now and they'd have one less car on the lot.

I've read in other threads that some dealers are learning the lesson, and probably won't be stuffing them with options as much as they had been.

However, I don't think sales are slowing because the waitlist is still long and supply has not yet caught up with demand. Perhaps, at some point in mid- or late-2009, you might see some Smarts finally sitting on a dealer's lot for walk-up sale...

C-SMART-C · 10-31-2008, 08:04 PM

Is your orphan Red Carbio with all options(~$18700). They called me and I turned it down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOHNSTEICHEN

I PICKED UP MY Smart Cabrio Orphan On Oct 30 2008 yesterday. I was told that about 30% of the smarts in chicago are going out the door as orphans, and the orphan list is starting to get long also. I gave my name to the list in August, and got the car in October. Not bad.
js

tivoboy · 11-04-2008, 08:06 AM

A friend of mine was at the san jose dealer last week, said they were calling "everyone" on the orphan list to try to find takers. Could be lots of orphans there maybe?