Letter to Orlando smart center

[KP4 smart]

Ken, excellent letter! You beat me to the punch, but those were the same points I was about to tell them when I pick up my smart in Orlando next week. I was also going to tell them that in my case I had the option of taking delivery in Atlanta, which I would have done in a heartbeat if I had known sooner about their exorbitant documentation fee. When I found out about the magnitude of the fee, I was locked into taking delivery in Orlando.

As I mentioned in my PMs, I've had to constantly beg both Julie and Judson for information. They seem to be more concerned with setting up their temporary smart center at the Chrysler location, than providing their customers with minimum feedback and hardly any customer service. Strange, isn't it? Smart said they would not allow delivery at a temporary location; however, smart center Orlando was given the go-ahead, and they're gouging their customers.

Anyway, they are delivering my smart this time, but have lost me as a customer. From delivery on, the rest of my business will go the the Atlanta and Jacksonville smart centers. My neighbor has one on order and after hearing about our dilemma, he will change delivery address to elsewhere. Ill be sure to spread the word about the fees anytime someone stops me to ask about the car... and believe me, they will. I had one of the first 350Zs in Central Florida and I had everyone asking questions, giving thumbs up, and even being pulled over by cops to ask about the car. I'm sure it will be similar with the smart, but this time they'll also hear about the $799 documentation fee.

I'm also sending a copy of my letter to the State Attorney General's office. I know I'll just get the standard reply saying they are aware of the problem and are evaluating what "future" measures to take; however, they also need to know that smart USA's ads did not make mention of the added fee and we had no control of who we signed a contract with.

Best of luck and enjoy your new toy!

[flpat]

I am going to ask smart when they call me for my order if I can please go with JAX since I live below Daytona beach. I would so rather have the Brumos mercedes dealer.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by Nicholas

Good luck with your new car and thank you for your letter. If and when our SMART arrives, I understand our dealership is to be Jacksonville, Florida. Our expected delivery is suppose to be the second half of 2008. I blame the dealerships as well as our elected officals for this farce...

in Florida have given the car dealers a loophole insofar as what they can charge, that doesn't mean that they HAVE to charge it!!!! That's like the oil companies telling everyone that they don't set the prices for gasoline....the market does...even if it does that doesn't mean they have to set their prices as they do!
Typical GREEDY BS!!!!!!!!

[mattlimbaugh]

I dont care what the DOC fee is....get me my smart car now and I will pay as much as $999 Doc. I just want the damn car now!

[FWOIII]

Ken- I understand completely. The good part is, that this little car is a hoot, and all my excitement of ownership for the last 28 hours is cleaning away all of my months of trauma. I have a long history of being the first one on the block to get something and have allways paid through the nose for that honor. Funny thing is, this has been one of my less expensive ventures, but the most stress..go figure.

The important thing is...you got it, so enjoy it...Congrats !

[Pivosmart]

Any "Doc Fee" is a total B.S. rip-off! If the owner of the dealership lets me take his wife out (or daughter, if she is old enough and the two aren't too heavy for the car), then I'll pay. That's what he is doing to us!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by kwagar

With any luck I will take delivery this afternoon or tomorrow morning of my smart from the Orlando dealer. While I am resigned to the rediculous "prep fees" they are charging I have decided to give them the following letter upon completion of the deal. While I doubt it will have any impact it made me feel better to write it. If any other Orlando customers want to provide similar comments to the dealership I don't see what it can hurt.

February 1, 2008
To: Smart Center Orlando
Cc: Smart USA

From: Ken *******-Smart Purchaser.

Julie, Judson et al:

By the time I give you this letter I will hopefully be a proud and excited smart car owner and some of the pain and frustration of the long wait and poor communication from smart USA and from your dealership will begin to fade away.

However, I would be remiss if I did not express my strong objection to the dealership prep fees of $799.00 you charged me as part of the purchase of the car.

I have heard your reasons and justifications for this charge which I consider to be a rip-off and would like to share why I am upset with the fee.

1. The cars are being sold at MSRP. While it is good news that the dealerships are forbidden to sell above that level it is normal in the car buying process to be able to negotiate the price of the car to a point below MSRP and this opportunity does not exist with the smart car.
2. The Orlando smart center is charging the highest fees of any smart dealer in the USA and all dealers face the same limits on MSRP and profitability that Orlando faces. Your fees are more than $200 higher than Palm Beach and $300 above any other dealer. In many cases your fees exceed other smart dealers by amounts in excess of $500.
3. I had no choice in the selection of you as my dealer. I was assigned to you based on my zip code and was unable to choose a dealer based on the overall best negotiated deal, service etc. I was forced to use you and am therefore being forced to pay a non-competitive dealer prep fee.
4. To this point in time your service to early reservation customers and your communications to us regarding the status of your dealership opening and the availability of our cars has been average at best. So in my opinion you have done nothing for me to justify my paying you more than I would pay another dealer.
5. You have me “by the short hairs�. I want the car and I want it now so I have no choice but to pay your exorbitant fee.

My hope and I believe your obligation is that you will demonstrate over time a commitment to customer support, customer service, follow-up communication and smart car service that substantially exceeds what is normal and expected from a dealer. The only possible return for me for the fee is to receive service above and beyond that makes me feel better about your operation and in some small way justifies the difference in your fees versus others.

Frankly I don’t hold out much hope that this will be the case but feel that you should clearly understand my frustration and know what you might be able to do to justify your fees and move me from a buyer who feels he has been taken advantage of to a customer that feels good about his relationship with his dealer and speaks well of them to other potential buyers.

I have listed the fees charged by smart dealers around the country below for your review and consideration. I hope you feel good about being first on the list!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,

Ken ******
Winter Haven, FL


From Highest to lowest dealer rip-off add on profit. Most are called "doc fees", some are called prep fees....even a notary fee!!!

Orlando Fla- 799.00
Palm Beach Fla- 595.00
Louisville KY- 499.25
Ft. Lauderdale Fl (Westin)-499.00
Orange Park Fl- 479.00
Chandler Az.-400.00
Va Beach, Va- 399.00
Carey, NC - 398.00
Hartford Ct- 299.00
Edison NJ-295.00
La Vista NE-259.00
Bedford Oh- 250.00
Columbus Ohio- 250.00
Bloomfield Michigan - $180
Both Chicago dealerships-150.00
Indianapolis-150.00 (raised from first delivery which was 95.00)
Cherry Hill NJ- 95.00
9-10 Ca dealerships-55.00
Seattle Wa.- 50.00
Roundrock Tx- 50.00
McKinney, TX- 50.00

[c25andeb]

The "dealer" in Knoxville charges $395 and you can pay or not take delivery. Smart USA says you have 30 days to take delivery after a mutually agreed upon price is set, in my opinion we never agreed on this doc fee. I called Smart USA every day this week to complain, always told the region rep would call me right back. So far I have not heard from him.
Bob Wilshaw, if you read this forum give me a call since Smart won't give me your phone number!

[CruisingAZ]

Originally Posted by BeSmart

Nothing stops them from refunding excess charges to earlier purchasers, to achieve a lower doc fee, and keep their customer base. (There was one forum member who received a refund for being overcharged)

Nothing except greed?

Their policy seems very short-sighted.

And since smart is a new dealership, they have only sold approximately 20 cars, they do not have that many customers to refund.