Service Problems !!!

[Fredvon4]

mdfortwoguy

sounds to me like you are condoning, or excusing, personal attacks and name calling...

can you provide an example of same level of behavior from me?

[msjohnson1974]

Originally Posted by Bruhutch

Smart Car owners/drivers beware. Service for your car is minimial !!

My Fortwo is only six days old and already it has spent two of those days in the repair shop. I'd only driven it 400 miles when a "check engine" light came on. Called the 800 number for service (it was 9pm at the time) and I was told not to drive the car. Since I'm nearly 200 miles from my dealer, they arranged to have it towed to the dealers shop.

So far after two days of playing with it, the dealer's tech guy can't get a good idea what is "setting the codes". Something in the emissions control system. Techincal Support from Smart USA (from what I've gathered) is minimial. The tech support network is not really up and running very well (new car blues).

The shop has been unable to tell me when my car will be fixed, nor can they tell me if the parts needed to fix the car are available.

Meanwhile, I'm without transportation.

If that weren't bad enough, my local newspaper did a front page story about my Smart Car. Everyone is asking about it and everyone wants to see it. Too bad its 200 miles away in some dark, damp, scarely garage !!

Bruhutch

So, your problem is basically with 1 dealer and the fact that you live 200 miles away from said dealer... Call the dealer out if you're getting the run around but don't indite the whole of the smart dealer network. From what I've read some dealers are good and communicate well and other well, suck. You are an early adopter and there are good things (attention) that go with it as well as bad things (no dealer choice and at the mercy of the mechanics available).

[SmartCard]

OK...I don't see how a legitimate post has gone off target by some (...well actually, re-reading the thread I do ). Let's keep the posts relevant to Bruhutch's problem.

[anthony94114]

This post is turning into a joke. Could we please just try to HELP Bruhutch instead of acting like children?

I suggest Bruhutch instructs his dealer to call the service rep at my dealer -SF Smart.. they've dealt with similar problems in my smart and perhaps they can share something constructive. Currently I'm having a new ECU installed due to a possibly faulty one. So far so good. I'm lucky I've got two other cars to drive, but it's a SINCERE problem when one of our smart-forum owner is out of a brand new car for days on end. It's not fun. Sorry to hear about your challenges.

Best of luck.

[meaux61]

I have had no problems with my smart in two months, 3000 miles. That being said, I figure that Murphys law states that the moment that I sell my Avalon, the smart will break down.

Uh....Sorry son, Mommy needs to take the Camry to work today, you will have to ride the bus.

Meaux

[mdfortwoguy]

Originally Posted by Fredvon4

mdfortwoguy

sounds to me like you are condoning, or excusing, personal attacks and name calling...

can you provide an example of same level of behavior from me?

No, I am not. All I am asking is if you are putting on on here, or if this is how you are in real life.

It doesn't take a lot of "huevos" to make a seemingly threatening post from behind a keyboard.

Fact of the matter is that you have been known to harp on a few issues incessantly in the past, as well we presenting yourself as somewhat of a know it all to some people... ya gotta expect backlash over things like that on a forum. You have a lot of respectable knowledge... but sometimes your delivery comes across as being abrupt or grating. Retorting with "I bet no one here has the huevos to call me a dingleberry to my face" on a forum is something I would expect from a 12 year old logging in to the board, however.

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by SnakeFarm

Everybody relly likes my car until they see the big black mark on the hood

??? More detail?

[Fredvon4]

mdfortwoguy

fair observation

I agree the spit was in anger, detracts from the topic and authors important problem.

My apologies to all

Bruhutch

You will just have to be patient while the new technicians work through the problem.

We here get to see only a small percent of all the new car problems. That said, we see many many more of these problems then the dealers do because their "in service" car base is still very small. I do not believe they, PAG, have set up a regional or national "clearing house" for lessons learned.

Many of our National car brands have web sites like this but they are set up to be a free exchange between Flat Rate Techs. And the manufactures have periodic continuing education classes and seminars where they all exchange ideas on how to trouble shoot and solve strange or weird problems. SmartUSA is too young to have this cross pollination of knowledge yet.

They are motivated to solve the problem as soon as they can, hang in there

[SnakeFarm]

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

??? More detail?

From SmartPaintDefectIssue.txt


Friday, 18 April 2008 @ APRX 07:10 PM: I Took delivery of a red and black smart fortwo passion

Saturday, 19 April 2008 @ 10:30 AM: In the daylight I noticed lots of ugly bubbles in clear-bra but research says these go away in two weeks or less. Will call scsa Monday.

Monday, 21 April 2008 @ 11:45 PM: Examined one of the bubbles more closely because it appeared to be full of some dark fluid and red particles. I pulled back the bra material to examine it and noticed the defect was actually in the paint. Returned to my office and sent email to JH at Smart Center San Antonio.

Monday, 21 April 2008 @ 4:30 PM: I had not herd back from JH so I took the car to the dealership. JH was busy with customers so I spoke with info desk person who indicated I should go to service center across the street but JH and RP came out and looked at the car. JH seemed alarmed and went in to get the clear bra installer but came out with a sticky note with the guys name and phone number (Dale Borkasomething) saying the guy should look at the problem and might be able to fix the paint but would not be back in town until Wednesday or Thursday. RP stated that they would take care of fixing it. I said that I did not want to drive around with the flap of the bra hanging off and that it might do more damage to the paint so RP cut off the flap with a pocket knife and I left the dealership.

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 @ 08:15 AM: I called 1800smartusa spoke with "Michelle". I wanted to get advice on the issue but Michelle indicated that they were just a call center and she would speak to her supervisor when he got in. I asked her to have him call me and she stated that he was "very busy". Very odd interaction. Seemed CSR lacked basic communication skills which led her to say several things I am sure she did not intend to say ... (ESL?)

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 @ 09:09 AM: Spoke with Dale and arranged to meet tomorrow at 4:00 PM.

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 @ 10:07 AM: Michelle returned my call and informed me that I should return the car to the dealership and that smatUSA would not be able to do anything about it. I informed Michelle that I suspect the flaw was an underlying manufacturing defect and that I would like to lodge a formal complaint to which she replied that they "had not had any complaints so far". I replied "You have one now" and she stated that she would forward the message to her supervisor so the matter could be investigated. Maybe it's just im disappointed to have a problem like this with a brand-new car but it really seemed like the CSR was being combative here.

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 @ 04:48 PM: Preparing to leave office and just noted I had not received the promised phone call from smartusa.

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 @ 04:59 PM: Call to parts desk at smartcentersanantoniotexasusa indicated hood panel in "red-orange" sells for 175.15 painted so, I may just order it and let little Ernie get on with screwing the next guy in line.

Wednesday, 23 April 2008 @ 02:19 PM: Dale and his friend Matt came by to examine the damage and seemed to think it was a paint defect. They stated that it was not on the car when they put the film on and I just told them that it developed and I thought it was in the clear bra but when I lifted it up to examine it the defect was actually IN the paint (not the clearbra). Dale informed me that all dealerships have touch-up guys that could fix the paint and he could just put a new piece of clearbra over the whole panel. I said that that was fine as long as the touch-up could not be seen and also that I had priced the panel at $175. He asked if that was the painted price and seemed kind of surprised when I told him that it was. Dale stated he would talk to "John" about it this afternoon and see what he wanted to do. I asked abou the bubbles and Dale said if they did not go away they will come out with an "insulin" syringe and remove them. Sounds tricky and I'd worry about putting pinholes in the paint.

Thursday, 24 April 2008 @ 11:15 AM:Still have not heard back from anybody.

Thursday, 24 April 2008 @ 03:16 PM:No, still nothing.

Friday, 25 April 2008 @ 09:19 AM:NOPE. Nada.

Friday, 25 April 2008 @ 09:24 AMecided to send the following email to JH and RP...
<**

Gentlemen,

Just wondering if you guys had come to any conclusions on my smart car's paint problem.

Thank You,

<ME>

**>

Saturday and Sunday: JACK SQUAT!

Monday, 28 April 2008 @ 09:52 AM:Just spoke with "Michelle" (I had to call)at smartusa again. She put me on hold for a brief time and then informed me that her supervisor had informed her that the matter was "under investigation" but she did not indicate that there was any goal for resolving it or indicate any time I could expect to hear from them.

Tuesday evening after work: I tried not to call but could not stand it any more. I called and spoke with "Jason" who stated that his super was not in but that they were looking into the matter. I just do not understand what they are "looking in to" It seems really simple to me.

Wednesday, 30 April 2008... you could hear a pin drop.

Thursday, 01 May 2008 @ 02:36 PMidn't call all day yesterday but called smartusa this morning and girl said she would forward it to her managers. Called JHs cell to see if he had heard anything and it seems that Dale never even talked to him. (WTBF!?)

Thursday, 01 May 2008 @ 02:42 PM: JH called me back and said for me to bring the car in to their service department so they could look at the damage and decide what to do! He said he would set up an appointment with me for tomorrow at noon. Dammit! I should have just gone to the friggin service desk MONDAY BEFORE LAST!



Fears
They will try to blame it on me like the Suzuki people did when the paint came off C's bumper
Dale will do someting Dale-ish with some fingernail polish or such and try to tell me to be happy with it...
They will stretch it out so long it becomes a silly issue and I appear to be nit picking.
If I try to pull the ugly assed bubble plastic off the car there will be more defects.
The Service department will want to schedule a time when they can examine the car so they can order some touch up paint that I can pick up at the parts counter for 39.95 in three months.


What would make me happy?

0. Smartcentersanantonio invites me over to leave my car overnight while they swap out the panels for new white/black or yellow ones (without wonder-film). Throw in the alarm system just for good will, offer me a Cobra to drive as a loner ( I don't expect this will happen but hey, a guy can dream right? ...)

1. In three or four days someone drives over with a new hood (with or without wonder-film) and trades me for my damaged one.
2. Same thing but I have to go there.
3. They can repair the paint quickly and PERFECTLY so that it is beyond detection with a jewlers loop.
4. ... beyond close scrutiny
5. ... REALLY hard to notice...

[Dunerunner]

PAG, and smartUSA need to get these issues under control but fast. There are plenty of issues with these cars to push prospective buyers into the Toyota and Nissan lines already. No spare tires, strange noises, loose side view mirrors, tiny engine, wierd transmission, well we've been here with the list. If these issuse were quickly addressed by the dealers we would be singing their praises here, but they are not. If readership of this forum is largely guests, and from what I've seen of the numbers they are; I am thinking they are considering a smartcar and are searching to see if anyone is complaining about them. Does anyone doubt these issues will hurt sales?