service change

[frankbova]

On Monday my reverse lockout would not go in. This prevented the car from being placed in park and also locked the key in the ignition. I call 1-800-smartusa. No immediate solution was found. I had to drive the car home and lock it in my garage since the key could not be removed.
I live in Gainesville Florida and the nearest Smart dealership is 90 miles away in Jacksonville, FL. SMART had the car moved via flatbed truck. I was told the car would be repaired and brought back. Today I got a call saying that SMART has changed their policy and would no longer deliver the car back to me in Gainesville and I would have to go to Jacksonville to pick up the car. The dealership said that they did not know the policy had changed until they called to get authorization to ship the car back. They said that the best they could do was to get SMART to agree to pay for half the flatbed transport back to Gainesville. They told me to call SMART and see what I could do. I did so and after choosing option #2 on the menu was told to recall and choose option #1, roadside assistance. I did so and explained this to the rep. This new policy was news to the rep and to the rep’s supervisor. They posted a complaint file and were supposed to get back to me but never did. My car is still in Jacksonville. I find that changing such a policy is unacceptable and especially in the middle of a repair. I was a proponent of the car and the company but this has rapidly changed my mind and I would not buy a vehicle from a company that changes policy in this manner and treats customers like this.
Is anyone else having these problems?

[donnyonee]

triple A, tow service, 100 miles

[ronstaug]

I'm in St. Augustine area & picking up my Smart Car Thursday @ the same dealership in Jax. I'm going to inquire about this as I'll be spending some time with Randy, the Sales Mgr. That just doesn't sound fair to me. I had to wait 13 months to the day for my Smart Car, I hope it's lives up to it's billing. Good luck, Ron;)

[SuperGeek]

I hope smart will not reverse that support of two-way towing. I was promised that by my sales person when I bought it, and so were thousands of other buyers. That makes an implicit contract, even if it's not in writing, because Smart can't claim that 25,000 people are all sharing the same lie.

All it would take is one yahoo to file a class action lawsuit, and the lawyers get 50 million dollars while we owners get a $50 towing allowance. Corporations that back out on an agreement to save money are at high risk of exactly that.

I hate class action lawsuits; I've been a party to a dozen simply by purchasing a product or service and have never once received anything of value or benefit. The lawyers are the only ones that benefit.

[Smart pizzaguy]

Sorry to hear of your Smarts problems Frank. Smart USA as well as Smart Center Jax should know that you have been a great proponent of their product on our TV and newspaper and their lack of service will bite them in the long run. Why is Smart USA trying to cheap out of paying their share of warrenty work for us early adoptors. We'll be thier advertising for years to come, good or bad.

[frankbova]

Today I called up 1 800 SMART USA again and talked to “Ron” who said that he had a letter dated three weeks ago with the change in policy. He was contacting the dealer and the dealer would get back to me. This evening I had not gotten called back as yet and called again and this time Jason told me that this was never the policy and that he would again contact the dealership. Finally I got a call back saying that they would deliver my car back to Gainesville, not charge.

I would be very careful to ask about the policy next time you use the roadside service. The story changes with every phone call.
Frank

[Old smart]

The smart customer service portals (peopled by Internet Brands), phone or email, are foul with disinformation and obfuscation. Don't deal with them - ping on Ken Kettenbeil (248-648-2582 or kkettenbeil@smartusa.com). If he or his secretary try to pass you off to IB, ask for Schembri.

This deal will be forever hobbled as long as IB is smart USA Distributor LLC's blanket of insulation.