Agree PAG distributor assignment doesn't make any sense - but I would happily drive to ANY dealership within say 500 miles of my home to GET MY SMART! Trying to be patient....... Also waiting for after-market cruise control anyway.
Just to give you an idea of speed and delays in the Washington DC local market:
Reservation: May 5, 2007
Configuration: December 14, 2007
DDE: April 10 - July 9, 2008
VIN: ...137374
ETA (port): May 8, 2008 (Baltimore)
Through smart center Alexandria
My wife and I picked up 'Smartie' last Saturday 3/29 from CF VA Beach and drove it back here to the Richmond area. It was the 1st customer car to arrive (along with 3 demos) however we couldn't come to pick it up for a couple of weeks so I think we were the 4th or 5th party to take delivery.
Passion coupe - Silver/Black tridion/Red interior with heated seats, hi-fi stereo package, fog lamps, and dash pod instruments plus cloth floor mats (rubber mats not in stock at time of delivery).
Just got a result with the VIN:
LOADED ON VESSEL BREMERHAVEN 11/04/2008 14:26
RECEIVED AT TERMINAL BREMERHAVEN 11/04/2008 14:24
Yeah JPaul :woohoo
In a few days you should get a call from Gary or Raj to get your car.
Make sure to get the retractable luggage cover, Mark has plenty of them.
I think they are still short on the rubber floor mats.
Make sure to get the retractable luggage cover, Mark has plenty of them.
I think they are still short on the rubber floor mats.
Thank you strider. You're right, plenty of covers, no mats, already asked for them. I also asked Gary not to put holes for the front license. I gave him your name and he answered: "it cost me a bundle". He said he had made holes, and had to replace the front pannel. Thank you for your tips, etc...
See you on the road soon! The «Courage» in in Holland today, due in Baltimore the 24th.
Thank you strider. You're right, plenty of covers, no mats, already asked for them. I also asked Gary not to put holes for the front license, gave him your name. His answer: "it cost me a bundle". He said he had made holes, and had to replace the front pannel. Thank you for your tips, etc... See you on the road soon! The «Courage» in in Holland today, to arrive in Baltimore the 24th.
I told the Manager and Gary back in February that they may be folks that will not want their front bumpers drilled.
Did you get the No Wholes License bracket?
Not sure how fast do the send the car from Baltimore once it arrives. I now they first are inspected then taken to the Daimler port facility to make sure things are ok and fix any factory issues.
I would advise to have a small number of printer hand out with the general info and smartusa website. Some times you just don't the time to talk to inquisitive passerbys about the smart car.
Any way waiting to hear your arrival announcement and pick up.
As more smart cars are delivered in the Mid-Atlantic region we could soon have our first owners parteee!
Enjoy the wait.
http://www.gominigo.com/NHLPB-Smart.html is fast in delivery. I'll order when the car is here. Gary wouldn't make any promise because he has "no control over what they do to the car in Baltimore".
In the mean time, I'll put the temporary tags and the "Temporary Residential Parking Permit" for my street (close to the new Nationals Stadium) under the windshield.
When the frame arrives, Gary will get the permanent tags and the permanent parking permit.
Pamphlets have been ready since... a long time.
I checked the Delivery Estimated last night it indicated 3-18 ~ 6-16. This afternoon Virginia Beach Smart Center called and said my white Passion just arrived. I scheduled a pickup for Saturday. It was almost exactly 11 months from when I ordered it till it arrived at the dealership. I am too old to get excited about a small car, it has been a long wait, I am looking forward to making it my daily driver.
I picked up my car Saturday at Virginia Beach Smart. It was a very smooth operation. Everyone was very courteous and considerate. No flim flam or trying to sell me anything I didn't want. A extended warranty was offered and I declined. I have bought many new cars over the years, this one was the best experience. Gary told me he had 116 names on the Orphan list. His first shipment was; 2 showroom Cabriolets, 2 Demos and 1 customer car. My car was one of the 7 cars in the second group to be delivered. He said he had more cars in Baltimore waiting shipment.
The trip home was 102 miles in medium traffic on Interstate 64. The car handled great and proved to me the car can run 80 MPH with no problems keeping up with traffic and passing the big rigs.
We put about another 50 miles on it Saturday night Sunday running around town, lots of looks, smiles, questions and a few who just looked at the car and shook their head in disbelief.
The transmission in the drive mode is not exactly zippy when starting from a dead stop, once moving it is just fine. Using the shift paddles puts the zip back where you can be first away from the light, unless a kid in a Mustang is in the other lane.
My wife is not a car person, but in just one day she can tell someone more about the Smart than she can about her full size Mercedes.
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