When is someone going to take control of orphans

[CruisingAZ]

Originally Posted by Carnut

Actually, if they sell their allocated "demo/floor model" they will be breaking their dealership agreement with PAG. They can only sell those cars at the end of the model year. Perhaps this was a customer reservation that cancelled? Take the VIN number and send it to PAG with your story.

Where did you read they were selling thier "demo/floor model"? just because it is in the showroom does not make it one of thier 3 show models. My dealer has more then the 3 in the showroom on several ocassions.

[smarttony]

Originally Posted by CruisingAZ

Just curious, what is the daily interest you are charged on a smart while you wait for us to come and pick it up?

I saw one future owner in here whos car has been at the dealer for 30 days and he cannot take delivery as the dealer paperwork is not completed.

Every dealers deal with his bank is different it depends on current interest rates. I haven't roken it down on the smarts yet, but on an inventory averaging at 20k per car it's about 400 per month per car. Not all dealers floor plan their cars. I'm sure some own them all or a portion of them.

As for a dealer not being able to finish the paperword in 30 days, there is more to that story than you are being told.

[smarttony]

Originally Posted by CruisingAZ

Where did you read they were selling thier "demo/floor model"? just because it is in the showroom does not make it one of thier 3 show models. My dealer has more then the 3 in the showroom on several ocassions.

As a dealer we can sell the display models and demo's at our discretion as long as we have a comparable replacement car. If we get an orphan and someone would rather purchase one of the demos we can do that. As long as we replace a passion coupe for a passion coupe it is fine. Also they do not want us to wind up with more than one of the same colors in the showroom.

We also keep the sold, waiting for delivery models in the showroom
locked. We have the customers drive them right off the showroom floor, people seem to get a kick out of that.

[smartxs]

smarttony,
Thanks for the frank discussion. Your method of selling the cars, and using your orphan list is not only the honest way but the honorable way. It is dealers like you that encourage us to come back to the brand.

Unfortunately, the others that we are reading about on this forum are the dealers that give everyone the bad image.

Keep it up, you've already earned my respect, unfortunately I'm not in your area.

[SmartBob]

To summarize, dealers are going to do what they want with their cars. It'd be less of a hassle if reservists would cancel before their car goes to be built. If you want an orphan it's been posted here over and over....go to the dealership and make yourself known...get on the list.....smile a lot...buy your salesman a cup of coffee....blah blah blah you get the point. You snooze, you lose.