Question about the gas tanks

[Wdhitch]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

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.

You're logic is flawed... but thanks for playing.

[brett2658]

I worked at a ford dealership we had a ford truck from mexico come in for a starter problem. We had to call a dealer in mexico to get the part over nighted to north texas and fixed his problem.

[jwight]

Originally Posted by Wdhitch

You're logic is flawed... but thanks for playing.

Not sure about flawed - apparently things in Mexico work differently than they do here in the USA. That appears to be a good thing. However, it doesn't change the fact that neither a smart USA or M-B dealer (with few exceptions) will work on a 450 smart. Should they? Doesn't matter - they don't. One obvious question here is why are we buying European parts for our smarts when we could probably get them easier and cheaper from Mexico?

[smart2]

easier and cheaper from Mexico? [/QUOTE] I have already tried to get a gas tank from Mexico in 06 , i called a dealer in nova leon and was not sure of the price, so i found a Mexican, easy to find one here , had him to call, the price shipped to my house was around $900, US dollars, i got one from a dealer in Frankfurt Germany for $430 with shipping , took almost 30 days ,i guess its possible to get parts cheaper in mexico, maybe they had to order it and that included over night shipping!

[RVGRINGO]

brett2658,
That's the way it should be done, even if the dealer can't expect more business from that traveler. The traveler will speak well of the dealer and everyone benefits; simple courtesy, that's all.

Smart2,
Parts for Smarts are expensive here in Mexico because they have already been imported and duty paid. To send them to the USA entails a second importation duty and additional freight. Also, there is probably no dealer-dealer wholesale price accomodation. However, if you have a 450 in the USA, it is an option; or, an excuse for a Mexican vacation.

[goldseekur]

My question is still, "WHY" why would a company refuse to sell parts to fix their product?" There is nothing illegal about the 450 smart car. It was bought and brought over to the US, brought UP to US EPA standards, all on the "up & up". These modifications were done on the car by professionals and the US approved them and issued them new VIN #. So what is the problem?

No one asked the dealership to work on the car, only to get the part!

How many other companies would do that to a customer? I own a jewelry store and what if you came into my store with an item that you purchased while on vacation overseas and needed to replace a broken stone in your ring. I told you Yes, I can get the replacement stone for you, "No problem. Then after you paid and waited for over 4 weeks for the stone, you called and I told you, "Oh, I won't get you the stone because you bought the ring somewhere else!!!!!" You simple refuse.

I completely understand about things like rarity of an item, I understand that the Mercedes dealership may not and probably would not stock parts for the 450 smart car. I only asked them to special order the part in for me. I was OK with a 4 week plus wait time for the part. This is my issues with the situation.

I also do understand that it is what it is. It doesn't do any good to continue to talk about the issue. But this forum and others that I posted on did have several people who were very helpful in trying to help me with means to get the parts from other sources.

I will say that I am very thankful for those of you on this and other forums that did offer some suggestions as to means to get my car fixed. Thanks to all of you that offered your help.

Goldseekur

[jwight]

I think the issue is with the phrase "their product." From the M-B perspective, the 450s imported and converted by G&K were and are not M-B cars. M-B had nothing to do with the original sales, importation, conversion, certification and resale to consumers. Same with smart USA; the 450s were brought in before smart USA even existed. We may feel we're not being treated fairly by both companies, but from their perspective it makes perfect sense. And they are not going to change.

[smartie yank]

jwright, I have to take exception to your statement that my 450 is not a Mercedes car. My G&K 450 conversion was picked up directly from G&K along with a "certificate of origin" from Mercedes Benz. It was built in the smart factory at "Smartville" Hamburg, France. It was sold by Mercedes Benz. It was imported to the US and modified by G&K. That does not mean it is no longer a Mercedes product.

Many on this forum have modified their cars with aftermarket exhausts, intakes, and electronics. There are also many remaps and power enhancing products available.

I bought my car fully understanding that it was grey market and do not expect local dealers to carry parts or have specially trained mechanics on hand to service my vehicle. I do have a problem with their refusal to order a part or to attempt to help with a problem. My local independent foreign car repair has smart on his WIS program as does the un-official WIS program that I have. I know that the Mercedes dealers have smarts in their programs, they are just not allowed to use it.

I stood in a Mercedes dealership while the parts man called Germany with the part number that I provided, read directly off of the part, and was told that he was not allowed to order that part. It was available and they had it but he could not get it. That is where my problem lies.

I love both of my smarts dearly and I hope they last a long time because you can rest assured it will be a very cold day in he!! before I would ever buy another Mercedes product.

[goldseekur]

I'm with you Smartie Yank! This is EXACTLY what my "beef" is with the problem.

It is very sad about how the 450 smart owners are being treated. I also LOVE my smart car. That is why I searched the car out and bought one before they were brought out for regular commercial resale here in the US. I had my car for about 6-8 months before they were available through smart USA dealers.

"I love both of my smarts dearly and I hope they last a long time because you can rest assured it will be a very cold day in he!! before I would ever buy another Mercedes product."


That is what is so sad but true. GREAT car! Lousy company policy!

Goldseekur

[jwight]

jwright, I have to take exception to your statement that my 450 is not a Mercedes car.

smartie yank, I understand what you and goldseekur are saying; what I said was:

From the M-B perspective, the 450s imported and converted by G&K were and are not M-B cars.

If Mercedes considered them to be "their" cars they'd service them. I certainly consider them Mercedes cars, but that doesn't count in this situation.