I sent this to Penske

meaux61 · 01-27-2008, 06:26 AM

Dear Mr. Kettenbeil,

I am writing first and formost for some help with my smart configuration. I reserved on March 26th and I configured on October 20th.
I had wanted fog lamps and the alarm system, but when I picked leather seats and comfort package, I thought I got them in the comfort package
because they were not listed separately. It was much later that I realized that they were not included. I have since learned that there was a bug in the configuration system that is just now being corrected. I have contacted smartusa by email and phone several times
to get the fog lamps and alarm system added before delivery. I have been told that it is too late. I have not recieved notice that the car is in transit on land yet, so I am thinking that it is in the dock or on a boat on the way over. My big question is...why cant they add the fog lamps and alarm on the dock in the service area before they deliver? Can you please tell me where my car is and help me with my add-on dillemma??

Secondly, I have been alarmed at the information I am receiving about add on fees above and beyond what we were promised by reserving. They are called "doc fees" or dealer prep fees and vary accross the country from 50.00 to 799.00. Can Penske contact the dealers and tell them to stop this practice? Since you mandate where we pick up our cars, you also mandate that one customer may pay 750.00 more for the same car than another simply by virtue of thier address. If you cannot tell the dealerships to stop this unfair practice, at least you should allow us to go to the dealerships that are reasonable to pick up our cars. In Indianapolis, where I THINK I am picking up my car because it is closest to my address, they delivered one car at 95.00 doc fee and then raised the fee to 150.00. I believe that there should be no doc fee since we are stuck paying full MSRP. Please address this for myself and for other smart fortwo buyers.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,

Meaux

SMARTnTiny · 01-27-2008, 08:28 AM

I'll be excited to hear if you receive a reply, what their stance is on the dealer fees. I'm betting they'll say it's out of their control, but I'd really like to see them publicly go there.

Thanks Meaux!

bmx43 · 01-27-2008, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meaux61

Dear Mr. Kettenbeil,

I am writing first and formost for some help with my smart configuration. I reserved on March 26th and I configured on October 20th.
I had wanted fog lamps and the alarm system, but when I picked leather seats and comfort package, I thought I got them in the comfort package
because they were not listed separately. It was much later that I realized that they were not included. I have since learned that there was a bug in the configuration system that is just now being corrected. I have contacted smartusa by email and phone several times
to get the fog lamps and alarm system added before delivery. I have been told that it is too late. I have not recieved notice that the car is in transit on land yet, so I am thinking that it is in the dock or on a boat on the way over. My big question is...why cant they add the fog lamps and alarm on the dock in the service area before they deliver? Can you please tell me where my car is and help me with my add-on dillemma??

Secondly, I have been alarmed at the information I am receiving about add on fees above and beyond what we were promised by reserving. They are called "doc fees" or dealer prep fees and vary accross the country from 50.00 to 799.00. Can Penske contact the dealers and tell them to stop this practice? Since you mandate where we pick up our cars, you also mandate that one customer may pay 750.00 more for the same car than another simply by virtue of thier address. If you cannot tell the dealerships to stop this unfair practice, at least you should allow us to go to the dealerships that are reasonable to pick up our cars. In Indianapolis, where I THINK I am picking up my car because it is closest to my address, they delivered one car at 95.00 doc fee and then raised the fee to 150.00. I believe that there should be no doc fee since we are stuck paying full MSRP. Please address this for myself and for other smart fortwo buyers.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,

Meaux

good idea, but my opinion is that you kind of white-washed the fees issue by including it secondarily to your config issue. probably would have been better to send the letters separately.

i can tell you what the response will be: "we are aware of the dealer fees issue and have relayed the "Smart way" to the dealers. unfortunately, this practice is not illegal so we have no control over it...blah blah blah

good luck though..

jonnysan · 01-27-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meaux61

Dear Mr. Kettenbeil,

I am writing first and formost for some help with my smart configuration. I reserved on March 26th and I configured on October 20th.
I had wanted fog lamps and the alarm system, but when I picked leather seats and comfort package, I thought I got them in the comfort package
because they were not listed separately. It was much later that I realized that they were not included. I have since learned that there was a bug in the configuration system that is just now being corrected. I have contacted smartusa by email and phone several times
to get the fog lamps and alarm system added before delivery. I have been told that it is too late. I have not recieved notice that the car is in transit on land yet, so I am thinking that it is in the dock or on a boat on the way over. My big question is...why cant they add the fog lamps and alarm on the dock in the service area before they deliver? Can you please tell me where my car is and help me with my add-on dillemma??

Secondly, I have been alarmed at the information I am receiving about add on fees above and beyond what we were promised by reserving. They are called "doc fees" or dealer prep fees and vary accross the country from 50.00 to 799.00. Can Penske contact the dealers and tell them to stop this practice? Since you mandate where we pick up our cars, you also mandate that one customer may pay 750.00 more for the same car than another simply by virtue of thier address. If you cannot tell the dealerships to stop this unfair practice, at least you should allow us to go to the dealerships that are reasonable to pick up our cars. In Indianapolis, where I THINK I am picking up my car because it is closest to my address, they delivered one car at 95.00 doc fee and then raised the fee to 150.00. I believe that there should be no doc fee since we are stuck paying full MSRP. Please address this for myself and for other smart fortwo buyers.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,

Meaux

Meaux...
You'll just have to get the dealer to put them in for you or if you are good mechanically, just buy the items and put them in yourself. I am sure it is not that difficult. I may do that myself if I decide later on that I want other things after the fact.

John

sharonlee · 01-27-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meaux61

Dear Mr. Kettenbeil,

I am writing first and formost for some help with my smart configuration. I reserved on March 26th and I configured on October 20th.
I had wanted fog lamps and the alarm system, but when I picked leather seats and comfort package, I thought I got them in the comfort package
because they were not listed separately. It was much later that I realized that they were not included. I have since learned that there was a bug in the configuration system that is just now being corrected. I have contacted smartusa by email and phone several times
to get the fog lamps and alarm system added before delivery. I have been told that it is too late. I have not recieved notice that the car is in transit on land yet, so I am thinking that it is in the dock or on a boat on the way over. My big question is...why cant they add the fog lamps and alarm on the dock in the service area before they deliver? Can you please tell me where my car is and help me with my add-on dillemma??

Secondly, I have been alarmed at the information I am receiving about add on fees above and beyond what we were promised by reserving. They are called "doc fees" or dealer prep fees and vary accross the country from 50.00 to 799.00. Can Penske contact the dealers and tell them to stop this practice? Since you mandate where we pick up our cars, you also mandate that one customer may pay 750.00 more for the same car than another simply by virtue of thier address. If you cannot tell the dealerships to stop this unfair practice, at least you should allow us to go to the dealerships that are reasonable to pick up our cars. In Indianapolis, where I THINK I am picking up my car because it is closest to my address, they delivered one car at 95.00 doc fee and then raised the fee to 150.00. I believe that there should be no doc fee since we are stuck paying full MSRP. Please address this for myself and for other smart fortwo buyers.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,

Meaux

Meaux,

Maybe we should count ourselves lucky that we are "stuck paying MSRP" since Penske has forbidden markups. Did you read about the auction? They took two Smarts to a well known auction...one went for $31,000 and the other for$25,000. I expect to see price increases if this car continues to be popular. I agree that doc fees seem unfair and maybe they can help with that issue.....just my 2 cents worth.

meaux61 · 01-27-2008, 10:18 AM

John...I think I can put the fog lights in myself, but not the alarm. I am trying to get the factory..(or dock)...installation...if I cannot, then I will punt.

Sharonlee...Those were 07 smarts, not USA smarts. There were only two in the country. I think since we will have at least 20k 08s in the country by the end of this year...sure there will be price gouging...but not that much.

Meaux

bmx43 · 01-27-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharonlee

Meaux,

They took two Smarts to a well known auction...one went for $31,000 and the other for$25,000. I expect to see price increases if this car continues to be popular. I agree that doc fees seem unfair and maybe they can help with that issue.....just my 2 cents worth.

those weren't our cars. those were last years model (conversions), pre-Smart USA. apples and oranges.

doenut · 01-27-2008, 10:43 AM

I found the configuration a little confusing. I was specifically looking for a few things (I want every possible option), and I had to go back to get the fog lights and the alarm. Also, does anyone know if the "eyballs" (clock, tach mounted on dashboard) are an aftermarket item?

bmx43 · 01-27-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doenut

I found the configuration a little confusing. I was specifically looking for a few things (I want every possible option), and I had to go back to get the fog lights and the alarm. Also, does anyone know if the "eyballs" (clock, tach mounted on dashboard) are an aftermarket item?

yes. if you mean aftermarket from your dealer. i plan to pick up a set this week. somebody posted instructions on how to install on here yesterday i think. looks pretty simple. i believe retail is $249. i wish you could only install the tach. i think it looks kind of mickey mouse with the two ears but i need the tach.

**Old smart** · 01-27-2008, 11:06 AM

FQ101 has an installation procedure to install the pods on a 450, and this conversation concerns the 451. But, if things are anything similar, the two pods are installed separately, and more importantly, they are wired separately. So, only one aftermarket pod (tach) should have to be installed and wired, and conversely, one factory pod (clock) should be able to be taken out.

Perhaps someday something better can be done with the redundant clock pod.