Who is going to have to wait til 2009?

[Gortok]

Originally Posted by Willy

... I bought a new car in 2006 when I thought the smart was not coming here...

Same here, only I bought an '05.
Only difference is: I plan to keep it. That means I have to pay it off first.
SO...I HAVE to wait...until at least late '09.
But, that's OK. It leaves me LOTS of options...

[propes]

Originally Posted by spdickey

Nope, I've all ready put in 196 days before you even registered. Not to mention I've been trying to get one here since 1999.

Some of us didn't even know the care was coming in until late in the year.

Eh... it's all a game of patience. It would nice exciting for my car to come in the first half of 2008, it would be practical to have it come in the second half, and it wouldn't be a huge deal if it came in the first half of 09.

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by ok_smartie

Like email is known to do - you have missed my point. i was just saying; does anyone have any idea if everyone who has reserved to this point will get a car in 2008 and if they don't how will those effected take that news.

Several on this board seem to bit a bit high strung about all of this...for example; someone posts that they are res #12XX and were invited to confirm on Dec X everyone lower than that starts having chest pains and calling smartusa to find out why they skipped their number.

yes, I do think too much information (ie, the internet) does make matters worst sometimes, ....unlike to old days if you had to order a car, you'd just sit and wait for you dealer to contact you when it came in. You had no idea if Joe Blow is getting his car before you despite having ordered it after you. By and large, I think the whole process has been about what I've expected - no complaints on my part.

Getting back to the original question - unless there is a miracle, those ordering recently (ie, reservations beyond 35,000; pretty much since October) will not get a 2008 - there's just no way around it! How they'll take the news, well ....that will depend on the individual.

[spdickey]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

...unless there is a miracle, those ordering recently (ie, reservations beyond 35,000; pretty much since October) will not get a 2008 - there's just no way around it!

No way around it? We need to factor in attrition, it could be up to 20% or more of the $99 reservations. That's 9,000+ orders at current reservation levels. I think smart is going to look very closely at close rates for the next few months before putting out sales projections to the public.

If you're impatient, you could always buy a gray market 450. There are still a few unsold ones around. And used ones come up from time to time. If you really want a 451, mine is available for a price... (just kidding).

[canon1753]

As someone who waited 'til July 31 to reserve, I know I'll have to wait. My Neon is in good shape. And their no reason for me, personally, to get out of shape. (Though I'd love to be doing donuts in my parking lot tonight with all the fresh snow)

[rerruf]

Tonight I just sold my fourth and fifth smart car. I reserved first in April, within ten days I sold two more. At a New Years eve party two friends just back from Italy commented on the smart cars they saw there, I then told them I have one coming, they both got online and reserved Passion coupes, and I think they were sober. I told them they may have to wait till 2009. It is amazing how few people know about them, once the word gets out I think they may really start to sell.

[08-4-2]

Hey, the 2009 Smart might have different options or tweaks. It will be good whenever it arrives.

[Fredvon4]

Fred's 2008 predictions and observations*

I think SpDickey is flat wrong if he thinks there is gonna be a high attrition rate...... I predict that for every one who drops out from frustration or need for a new car now, there will be two or three replacing them in line

My dinky area has Copperas Cove, Killeen, Lampasas, and Harker Heights,
is predominantly Military supporting Ft Hood Texas that has two Divisions and a Corps HQs and a very high Government contractor population...

Many of us travel too and from Europe on Military orders or on Government business...

I stopped talking up PAG and the Smart car debut in America several months ago... Way to much interest and too many hours answering questions...

Of the 24 Invitees I can account for, only 3 have dropped out. However each of the 24 can also account for several Friends or family that they schooled on the process and yielded new reservation holders, most of them aware that they signed up for 2009 MY Smart Car

I suspect on SCOA there are dozens of us with similar experiance... I think that conservatively I can account for over 100 Reservation holders, just from my talking about a car many have seen in Europe and were not aware it was coming over here.

Look for 2009 MY Smart cars to be available through AAFES overseas Military sales in Germany, UK, Italy, and Korea---;)

Look for several Big city German MB dealers to offer US spec Smart car to US forces Europe in 2009.

Now that MB manufactures the 451 to North American specs, look for increased imports from conversion companies (only change will be head light assy and Speedo cluster and this is very inexpensive)

In our area there is one new(ish) 450 Smart car that started pounding the pavement about a month ago.... This owner has gone to arriving to work early, hiding the car, or driving the other car to work...

SmartUSA aka Internet Brands has seriously dropped the Ball
PAG has seriously dropped the ball
Dealers are going to play games.....bank on this fact

I say many folks who dropped the $99 before October are probably going to see a 2008 Smart Car... depending on how deep Dr Z can divert from slow sales countries will determine how many of the 30~45 thousand reservation holders actually get a 08 Smart car (as promised by PAG/IB)

I say secondary sales are going to be very profitable

I bet at least 10 Smart cars offered on E-Bay for over $20K in next 30 days (and as usual, many here at SCOA will go nutz about it)

I say anyone holding a supply of used converted 450s is going to have to significantly lower the price to move the units right now--- BUT 30 days from now they will be able to actually raise the prices

By the end of January the first 2000 Smart cars will be turning heads, exponentially increasing $99 sent to PAG. We have already seen some dealer based advertising...look for more of this. Their angle will be to get people into the dealership and out the door with ANY new or used car

I predict that within 90 days sub par sales in 36 other countries will be diverted to USA but the total 2008 import of 30~35 thousand will not be enough for the United States (reservations were over 45,000 a month ago and still rising)

PAG need not lift a finger... the PRICE and MPG sell this car

I predict many many of us will end up being unpaid advertisers and spokes persons for PAG/UAG and MB.....

Americas big three will be significant losers this year... Toyota and Honda are well positioned to have banner sales in this category... Thanks to PAG/MB underestimating American consumers

I predict at least one of the Big three will beg for Government help or file Chapter 11 in next 18 months

I predict summer 2008 starting at Spring Break will see US gasoline at $3.25 average and by end of summer over $3.50 and never to come back below $3.00 even if price per barrel falls to under $70

Smart MBs experiment in the USA with an Hybrid or Electric Smart will be a giant success and by 2009 30% or more of the new Smarts will be this power package ... Turbo and Diesel probably will never make it here..

I hope one of PAGs bigger mistakes (no Pulse version) will be reversed and the Sportier Pulse version will make it across the ocean

I say by end of 2008 there will be over 90 separate Smart dealers and at least three E-bay motors entities specializing in the Lil Bugger

I predict Smart sales in 2009 to exceed 40,000 in the USA

Happy new Years every one! ;)

*No one is ever 100% but later this year some of you can determin if I hit 80~90%

[SmartBob]

Several on this board seem to bit a bit high strung about all of this...for example; someone posts that they are res #12XX and were invited to confirm on Dec X everyone lower than that starts having chest pains and calling smartusa to find out why they skipped their number.

Amen to that. Very soon some of us will have their cars and we can feed off that for a while. I'm excited and happy for them. 6 months to a year of stressin' over the above is too much to deal with. So much can change in that time. Let's just wait and see.

[Carnut]

My one prediction is that actual USA deliveries will EXCEED 40K during 2008. Based on VINs posted on Canadian site Hambach has already produced over 100K 451s!