What is disturbing is that we own a 2007 450 Passion, Purchased new from a MB/Smart dealer in Guadalajara. It is unmodified in any way. If we were to need help from a MB/Smart dealer in the USA, I would expect them to offer any assistance they could, including ordering parts from Europe, Canada or Mexico by air. That's how a guest should and would be treated in any other country. Sadly, the USA is not a welcoming country full of people who are happy to be helpful.
Not sure I'd go that far, plus your 07 is 450. smart USA dealers do not service 450 models period (I believe there may be one or two exceptions to this.)
Update: The car isn't fixed yet. Going to go the route of "repairing the tank. There were several helpful people who gave me some advice as to what product to get and the fact of the location of the crack, it should take care f the problem. I figure that I can continue my quest to find a new tank after the car is up and running. It has been over a month since this has happened. Glad I have other transportation!
The "love is gone" and the car will probably be as well once this matter is solved.
There are other car options out there with fewer issues. I have been reading a few smart car forums for some time now and frankly, there is NO WAY I would buy another smart car [new]at this time after reading about ALL the issues that so many of you have with your "NEW" smart cars and the very POOR treatment from the dealerships. There are too many problems. It seems that at least with most of the issues with the 450 models, the problems are more related on cooperation from Mercedes to purchase parts.
I have been reading a few smart car forums for some time now and frankly, there is NO WAY I would buy another smart car [new]at this time after reading about ALL the issues that so many of you have with your "NEW" smart cars and the very POOR treatment from the dealerships.
Remember, forums are here for people to complain and get a solution to a problem. Nobody wants a forum full of happy bunny smarts that are all sunshine and rainbows. We read what's interesting and different from our daily routine. 40,000+ owners and 100 problem reports may not be so bad after all.
... Going to go the route of "repairing the tank. ... The "love is gone" and the car will probably be as well once this matter is solved. ... There are other car options out there with fewer issues. ...
A 450 is unique among the unique (smarts in general). I would say, give it a little time. If you have confidence in your repair, drive it and have fun with it as opposed to the expense of replacing it with, well, something to replace it with. "I coulda' had a Harley -- but I spent the money on aluminum siding."
Maybe seek out a cooperative M-B dealer who might be able to order parts directly through a Canadian or UK M-B dealer (who also deals in smarts of all ages; Canada since '04) rather than a smartUSA smart center. Or wait it out until the independants get access to the tech info (my independant has some already). Part numbers that begin with A450 are for your car; part numbers beginning with A000 are general M-B stock items and some may be useable.
"Some dealerships are a joy to work with!" Not if you have a 450 smart!
I refer you back to the risks of buying a grey-market car. That's what "grey-market" means: no dealer network support. You should have known that when you bought your 450. I hope you get your car fixed soon, but that's what happens when you go grey-market.
As far as your never buying another fortwo, bear in mind there are many thousand more 451 owners than are in these forums, and I'll wager there are a ton who just lurk here and don't sound off about problems. If ten people out of a thousand say a car is rubbish, and all you read are those ten peoples' comments, you'll never know about the 990 good opinions.
My Cabrio, for example, has had absolutely *none* of the problems others here have had with their cars, and I'm far from being the only one. But we don't jump in everywhere and say, "Gee, my car doesn't do that; it works fine" or anything like that. But you don't know my car works tip-top because I don't talk about it all the time.
Forums are meant to help find solutions to problems. It's the nature of the beast that you read more bad stuff here than good. It's true of *every* forum out here for *every* make and model of car, truck, motorcycle, aircraft, boat, horse, bicycle, or whatever.
Just something to think about.
Last edited by The Rigger; 06-13-2009 at 09:23 AM.
Some of you seem to think it is OK for a MB dealer to refuse to help a 450 owner from another country, or the USA, out of hand. With that attitude, you should never drive your "US Car" into Canada or Mexico, even though they may have been made there. If I am a 'tourist' in the USA with my Smart and need advice or a part, I'm quite aware that the dealers won't have 450 parts in stock but that they do have the ability and mechanisms to get those parts overnight from Europe, Mexico or Canada. Installing them wouldn't be 'rocket science'. I can tell you that if you were a tourist in Mexico with any vehicle from any manufacturer, and broke down, we have "Green Angels" (cruising repair trucks with bilingual mechanics and free service to travelers) who will rescue you. If they can't get you going, they will tow you to a service facility. If parts need to be ordered from the USA, for example, they will be and you will be treated very hospitably in the interim. Just one of the many civilized reasons we live here and not in the USA any more.
, we have "Green Angels" (cruising repair trucks with bilingual mechanics and free service to travelers) who will rescue you. If they can't get you going, they will tow you to a service facility. If parts need to be ordered from the USA, for example, they will be and you will be treated very hospitably in the interim. Just one of the many civilized reasons we live here and not in the USA any more.[/QUOTE] How much can You or the "Green Angels" get a gas tank for? I need one also! Do you think they would ship it to the usa? Thanks
Some of you seem to think it is OK for a MB dealer to refuse to help a 450 owner from another country, or the USA, out of hand.
US Benz dealers are not set up and equipped to service 450s; they were never sold here, nor do US Benz dealers have the parts distribution network access for euro parts.
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