What pains me is the wait...what kills me is the parts.

[theworldover]

Ok, lets just say that I decide to be completely insance and wait my smart to come here in November 2009 as the DDE told me. That's one thing. But to wait a month and a half for parts afterwards is what kills my enthousiasm for the smart car. Two different dealers in MA told me that for at least the next 2 years, there will be a very limited parts inventory list for smart owners, barely enough for warranty work. The average time for a part to arrive, they said will take approx a month to a month and a half. That's just wonderful. So if my smart will need a new starter and its out of warranty, do I wait a month? Or even 2 weeks?

I guess it is the price to pay to drive a smart here, and it's the same price I am paying for the Vespa I own of which every time it needs parts I have to wait at least 1 week to 10 days to get it. My husband's Piaggio needed a part and he waited 1 month for it to arrive!! And Vespas have been here for years! Imagine how it's going to be with Smarts! I'd be having a heart attack every time I would be driving my smart from fear it would break down and have to wait a million years to get a part.

Suddenly, a Yaris (or potentially an Aygo as rumors have it might arrive in the US someday soon) seems a better prospect for a new small car. At least to me.

[SmartCard]

I questioned the accuracy of the DDE so far out in the future in another thread; likewise I would question the accuracy of parts availability 2 years from now....especially from a dealer! (they really don't seem to know too much yet!)

[msjohnson1974]

It should eventually be better than the situation with your scooters but with anything new there are growing pains and this is one of the prices you pay to be an early adopter. The dealer could also be giving you a worst case and/or their standard delivery time for parts ordered for stock. Anything can be expedited in this day and age.

Since it is a Mitsu motor starters, plugs, alternators, etc. should be findable from other sources if you're not in warranty. Needing any of those parts in the near term should be rare as they shouldn't wear out in 2-3 years anyway. If those parts are wearing out in 2-3 years then smart has bigger problems.

[msjohnson1974]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

I questioned the accuracy of the DDE so far out in the future in another thread; likewise I would question the accuracy of parts availability 2 years from now....especially from a dealer! (they really don't seem to know too much yet!)

I'm gonna bet that the DDE is giving worst case dates... seems to be a trend with SmartUSA. They seem VERY risk adverse.

[spdickey]

I question what the dealer told you about parts. I needed two emission control parts for my smartie last month. Dealer called out for them around 3 pm, they came in the next morning. They said the two parts were standard MB items, so they didn't have to wait the usual 24 hours to get them from the central warehouse in the mid-West, rather they came in from the normal MB channel.

Now my smart center is a MB dealer, so that may help, but don't fret about the parts.

[2mutch]

Originally Posted by spdickey

I question what the dealer told you about parts. I needed two emission control parts for my smartie last month. Dealer called out for them around 3 pm, they came in the next morning. They said the two parts were standard MB items, so they didn't have to wait the usual 24 hours to get them from the central warehouse in the mid-West, rather they came in from the normal MB channel.

Don't fret about the parts.

I also agree with spdickey here...don't be concerned about what it will look like next year at all.

I've had the chance to look in my local smart center's parts 'store room' a couple times now and each time (most recently about 1-1/2 weeks ago) they have more in-stock - with more items arrriving weekly. It's a 'ramp-up' thing and different dealers will get more than others as well based on demand/location/special orders, etc. I also believe that if your local dealer has 'ties' to the local Mercedes dealership (many do) the likelyhood of greater access to parts will be in place sooner than later.


- FRED "2 MUTCH"
Is it a car? Is it a mind set? It's BOTH!