I am very close to throwing in the bag on the US launch as all the excitement is a bit much for me to take and I can not wait for the car... I am looking in to potential gray market sellers as we speak!
IMHO I wouldn't buy the grey market Smartcar. There is a dealer less than 5 miles from me he's got 4 or 5 2006's, he wants 24 to 26 thousand for them. I think that is outrages, you are basicallly going to end up with a 2 year old car that by the time you get it out the door you've got 28 thousand dollars in it. Smartcar just isn't worth that kind of money, if I can't get my 2008 out the door for 18 then I'll get my 99 bucks back and go elsewhere. That's not even to mention the support system for the grey market cars once the 2008's arrive, I don't think there will be any. Bottom line 24 to 26 for a Smartcar no way.
Regarding a transport company to ship your cars, contact JMN Transportation in St. Louis. They contract nationwide. We pay $700 to $800 for individual shipments from California to St. Louis. Use that as a pricing guide for distance, but call them for a specific quote. Took us a while to find them. Hope that helps. Their number is 314-849-5595.
Yes, but the smarts just LOOK better than all the others. Let's not forget vanity as a motivating factor.
Face it, 90% of the people who want one want one because they look good. Let's hope the comfortability of driving one matches the aesthetic.
IMO, I don't think gas mileage is yet a very serious consideration to most Americans yet, otherwise people would be driving slower, carpooling and planning their driving routes and errands more efficiently (like they did in the 70's). And we still pay only 1/3 the price Europeans do for a gallon of gas.
I just closed a deal on a "Gray" Smart yesterday from a reputable dealer 20 miles from my home.
Granted I paid 10K more than the supposed SamrtUSA price and it is a 2006, BUT I will get it on Tue. I too was on the "Reservation" list, but when I found out the list exceeded 20K a week after I placed it, I figured I would have to wait a year + to get 1.
I could end up being the laughing stock of this forum, paid 10K more, got less of a warranty, got a lower powered 2006 model, BUT I am figuring on these facts.
SamrtUsa was only planning on getting 16K sent to the US for the first year (so anyone after that may have to wait), the 1000 CC motor seems to only get in the low 40's for MPG (we'll have to wait for the EU reports in the fall to be sure), while I will get into the 50's (already established) and ADM (Additional Dealer Markup), if the Smart is as HOT as it seems to be, the dealer will find a way to hit you with EXTRA charges, that I am sure of.
But in the end, ALL I know is, as of Wed morning I'll be commuting back and forth to work in a vehicle that more than doubles (truck 19 MPG, Gray Smart 50 MPG) my miles per gallon.
Granted @ a cost that I will never break even with, but with results that are priceless, smaller CO2 foot print, saving all those gallons of gas for your children.
I'm very lucky, I'm in a position where I can spend a few extra dollars for a car that in the end may help conserve for others.
So don't discout the Grey market, remember all GREY cars were done buy ONLY 1 company (regardless of who you buy it from) G&K conversions ( the ONLY cretified converter in the US), and if you chat the the Grey commuity members, you will see most are having GREAT luck with their car.
In life, our memories provide the basis for our ongoing moments of joy. Whether it was those vacations with family, that year on the farm in the summer of 78 with Uncle Joe and Aunt Jan, or just those wonderful years growing up on your street as a kid. Memories are priceless, as Master Card correctly promotes. Using that background, ASmartMan, your next year of driving your smart will provide you with hundreds of pleasant memories that will be with you the rest of your life. As every one of the nearly 800,000 worldwide smart owners have known, and the 900 or so in this country now know, driving a smart is unlike anything they've ever driven in their life. You are now a smile creator. Not only in yourself and family, but in every passerby, every driver that witnesses your little work of art. The camera phones will click. The thumbs up gestures will occur. The head-turning effect of the pedestrian will be commonplace. You have just invested in your memory box, ASmartMan. That box will fill rather quickly. Watch closely the eyes that follow you. Return the smiles and the thumbs up gestures. Participate in the welcoming experience. Enjoy each moment. Enjoy each memory. Provide, in this forum, the days of Future Present to the rest of the forum. Welcome to the wonderful world of smart ownership. Your money wasn't wasted. It was a choice in speeding up a clock of opportunity. You will see that the money was well spent. However, it will be equally well spent by those that buy in 2008. A matter of choice. A matter of timing. Each of us is different in our goals. None of us are wrong in our goals.
I have learned you can not get parts for a older model non usa smart at the dealerships. I ordered a car then saw one just like it on autotrader that was priced much below what most were marked up to. We bought it and love it. I would like to see the european fuel economy installed in our versions. I also think the best think we can do for resale value is be a good ambassador. I have let many people that noticed it sit in the drivers seat and learn a little about the car. Everyone has been surprised and pleased to get to really see the car. I live in rural Iowa far from the big city and people are seeing the car enjoyed in a different place than they pictured in their minds.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Today
Linear Mode
