The problem is they are Mercedes Benz cars. As I understand it, Mercedes is in business to design, manufacture and sell cars and the parts and service to keep them running. When they refuse to do that then there is a problem.
The German management fought the idea of bringing the smart to the US because of whatever misconceived image they have of the American car buying public. Guess what, they still are fighting the idea as Roger Penske imports the car, not Mercedes.
Mercedes is certainly allowed to sell whatever they want as is GM and Chrysler and I will agree or disagree with the thing that they want most-my dollars.
Wrong! It is only Mercedes Benz of America's policy. MB in other countries, north and south of the USA, don't have this policy. Several posts back, someone called the 450 "unique." Wrong again! There are many more 450s in the world than there are 451 models, which have only been produced since 2008. The 450 model was sold for ten years prior to that; just not in the USA. Here, in Mexico, we have the 450, the Roadster, the ForFour and, since late 2007, the 2008 451 model. MBA doesn't welcome any of them in the USA, even though we come as tourists, and refuses service or parts. How arrogant. I can assure you that won't happen to you when you drive your Smart to Mexico. You'll find courteous and helpful dealers with the usual expensive service, as well as an active nationwide Smart Club and after market service shops in DF. We're hoping for one in Guadalajara soon.
Interesting post to me as I have longed for a diesel and many times almost attempted to purchase a used one from Canada.
This same lack of parts and service is exactly what stopped me, however having spent over 50 years in U.S. corporations working in engineering, marketing and manufacturing for fortune 500 companies gives me an opinion as to the root of the problem.
I have sat in the witness box many, many times as an engineer explaining why we selected what we did, why replacement parts are inferior and why trained mechanics should be used to repair products. And in the end the uneducated, unexperienced jurors always came back and said; "give them the money, the big company can afford it". And when my employers products started competing against foreign products and encountered the same liability issues we wondered; "why don't they fight the system and prove their designs were right, why do they just open their wallets at the start and settle?" And over time our insurers encouraged us to do the same. So what did we do; as engineers we made it harder and harder to change parts, to do backyard service and to reduce the exposure of the parent companies. Many, many times these discussions went on in design review meetings as engineers sat across from safety and product liability experts.
My opinion is that the MB decision is based partially on these same facts. There is a terrific risk to a U.S. manufacturer if they do almost anything that hasn't been run through the systems; safety, emissions, warranty exposure, etc. because if they violate these practices there is an army of lawyers out there to pounce on them. And I don't see that in the jewelry business! And what do we do: we keep putting more and more lawyers in office - it isn't going to get better unless we stand and change it and I'm too old for that fight.
I have been in the auto business in one form or another for 38 years and for the life of me I don’t understand why an auto dealer will not sell a fuel tank for a US specked car, I can understand the dealer won’t sell or can’t get parts for non-US specked cars.
Who cares what you want to do with the part, you could put it on a lawnmower or in a boat!
But then I read Russ Barnes post and I remember we live in lawsuit happy USA!
I have also seen first hand logic doesn’t matter in a court of law.
I have a “Gray Market” Ferrari and I bought it for the same reason you bought your smart car.
Simply because it was not available in the USA at the time and I can also tell you it can be a challenge but it’s the nature of the beast.
I tried MY VERY BEST to stay out of this (previous melt down history in a thread I put 4 years of my life into), but there is some reading that all should do to understand this problem.
Because I don't want to be quoted OR a minor error brought to my attention I will not state what I believe is the actual problem, I would suggest a Google search for ZAP, MB, G&K.
After awhile that search will show all 3 had a quickly souring relationship, MB isn't supporting the Gray Market cars because they are pissed (actually being a child).
So when a MB dealer tries to order a pre 08 Smart part, it's not that the dealer isn't willing to help (nor that they can't get it via the normal supply chain), it is because the MB home office punishing us for the soured deal between them and ZAP, G&K .
I knew this before I bought my 06 Passion, I accepted the fact I would have to buy my parts from the EU, I knew I would have to rely on the Ford dealership that had a G&K trained mechanic (dealership owner who insisted they had to offering this car in the U.S.).
So relax, the dealerships would help if they could (for parts) but they too have been locked out in supporting these cars (that is why some will do diagnostics, yet when it comes to repairs (because they can't get parts) will tell you you are on your own).
In the end, contact G&K they have GOOD source for parts, they also know the dealerships that have their trained mechanics (some of these guys have back door routs into the MB parts bank (no import tax, business to business transfer))
We are only 1,027 strong (the # of G&K conversions but estimates could be 3 X more in unconverted), regardless, we shouldn't be *****ing about who doesn't support us, we should be posting about the services we can get from what dealers.
In addition to agreeing with Asmartman, I'd also like to point out that this conversion of over 1000 smart cars made it the single highest one-source conversion of any car in US history. That makes it a bit more unique and one more reason on the "positive" side to be a part of this amazing little car.
contact your insurance company, you did mention it to the dealer and they refused to even look at it. this is a safety item and needs to be fixed. i think theres a time limit on accident repairs that werent repaired correctly, contact your insurance today.
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