VA Beach Smart Center?

bradgarbus · 11-29-2008, 06:07 AM

Looking for all those smarties that use the VA Beach Smart Center....

Can any of you tell me what your first oil change cost was?

Any other service you had done, like the 10,000 or 20,000 mile work cost?

I just wanted to get a few ideas of what it is going to cost to maintain my smart at this specific dealer.

BTW - I am down to about 3 weeks until delivery! The ship is off the coast of Maine as I type this post...

Thanks for your input!

-Brad

bradgarbus · 11-30-2008, 05:58 AM

Okay - someone posted "Poor" but didn't explain... Bunch of rebels I tell ya... LOL This is to help those people that use the dealer - does everyone have to be a comedian? or if some one really did have a poor experience they should share it so we all don't have to suffer the same experience or at least we can be prepared for it...

Old smart · 11-30-2008, 07:25 AM

I haven't had any occasion for "service" at scVAB, so I can't specifically comment. I can say that sometime before delivery I had the opportunity to sit down with the service tech between service opening time (0830) and showroom opening time (1000). He answered all my questions and did not try to wing it in areas he was yet unfamiliar with. We talked about the sticky shifter cam and the sticky sunshade. He acknowledged that they were both known issues. Also that some early auxiliary air valves were bad and were quietly redesigned under the same stock number. We talked about engine and transmission oils. He gave me a copy of what was in the maintenance system (the '02 M-B 229.5) and said that scVAB has Penske's permission to use bulk Castrol SynTec 5W-30 vs. what appears in the computer.

My shifter cam was lubed at no charge as part of the PDI, and the note I left to not drill my front bumper was adhered to. They also pre-ordered and installed the additional fanfare horn before delivery, and sold me one of the few new air valves they then had in stock. Later I called down for an oil drain plug washer and they sent it up without charging postage.

bradgarbus · 11-30-2008, 10:26 AM

I wonder what Razorback's beef is with VABSC? They didn't bother explaining....

bradgarbus · 11-30-2008, 11:05 AM

DELIVERY ETA???

Can anyone tell me once the ship hits Baltimore about how long your wait was before it was ready for delivery (you got the call to come pick it up)???

**JPaul** · 11-30-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradgarbus

DELIVERY ETA???

Can anyone tell me once the ship hits Baltimore about how long your wait was before it was ready for delivery (you got the call to come pick it up)???

Since you're asking about Virginia Beach, I won't tell you that, last May, it took a week for my car to make it from Dundalk Md. to Alexandria Va. And that was at the earlier days of delivery. Furthermore, when I got the car, a week after it got statside, it was already all prepped up, bright and shiny, all filled up and in front of the Dealership, just waiting for me with (almost) open doors... Just a short little week. But of course, you're not interested, being so far further South...

You're almost there!

Old smart · 11-30-2008, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradgarbus

DELIVERY ETA???

Can anyone tell me once the ship hits Baltimore about how long your wait was before it was ready for delivery (you got the call to come pick it up)???

As I recall it was nominally 10 days. In my case I took delivery 5 days after scVAB got it during which time they did the PDI, installed the fanfare horn, repaired a faulty passenger air bag connector and sat out a weekend. I had the car in hand 31 days after Paige Bias' 30-day standby email.

BELJO · 11-30-2008, 12:43 PM

My Est. Del. Date is 12/26/08-03/36/09. I have not heard form the dealership directly. Ordered a 2009 silver Brabus Cabriolet. Any pointers on the pickup routine would be appreciated.

Have your Smarts been everything you expected? Any second thoughts?
I'm excited about getting mine but every now and again heve doubts as to whether I'm doing the right thing.

Did anyone else have simular thoughts?

BELJO

bradgarbus · 11-30-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BELJO

My Est. Del. Date is 12/26/08-03/36/09. I have not heard form the dealership directly. Ordered a 2009 silver Brabus Cabriolet. Any pointers on the pickup routine would be appreciated.

Have your Smarts been everything you expected? Any second thoughts?
I'm excited about getting mine but every now and again heve doubts as to whether I'm doing the right thing.

Did anyone else have simular thoughts?

BELJO

LOL... Thanks Beljo. I was guessing a week to two weeks max. That would be roughly the 15th... Keeping my fingers crossed....

bradgarbus · 12-13-2008, 06:19 AM

Well,

It has gone beyond the ETA I was given of "middle of last week", I can confirm that my smart arrived in Baltimore on 12/5 (Spoke with the Custom's agent)...
Yet, they have not shipped the car to VA Beach yet!!!!
How long does it take to load the thing on a truck and drive it down here?
The DDE keeps moving out one day at a time - the dealer is clueless - the latest is it should arrive on Monday 12/15 and at earliest they will have it ready for delivery on Tuesday 12/16...
Sorry to vent, but my old car has finally died and the repair cost is too high to justify.
I used to work for part of a group that shipped the Ford trucks out of Norfolk, VA - and it NEVER took this long to move a car. Makes me wonder if there is something wrong they aren't telling me or what?!
Any thoughts or experiences???
Impatiently waiting for my smart, (LOL)
Brad

I see the irony in all this - other dealers can't sell their cars, yet we can't seem to buy ours fast enough! LOL