Michigan Owners Group Meeting Sat – 3/9

[mismart]

WHO: All Michigan area smart owners, reservationists, and interested persons

WHAT: A meet and greet meeting to form a Michigan smart Owners Group, followed by a smart tour of approximately 40 miles on enjoyable two lane roads ending at a restaurant with close access to I-96 near US23 for your return home.

WHERE: smart center Bloomfield. 1765 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302. Rick Cortwright, brand manager of scB, has been gracious enough to allow us to use the training room at the dealership for this initial meeting.

WHEN: Saturday, March 8 at 2:30pm. At approximately 4:00pm, when the dealership closes, we will leave on the smart tour to the restaurant.

WHY: Fun, camaraderie, and general enjoyment of our smarts.

There has been a lot if feedback expressed in the Michigan Owners Group Interest thread, so we are going ahead with these organizing efforts. Discussions will include what type of events hold the most interest, the best means of communication for the group, the opportunities to hold meetings/events in various areas of the state and generally what everyone would like to get from and contribute to this group.

Please post questions, comments, and plans on attending to this thread.

Hope to see you there,
mismart


Attendees responding so far:
mismart
tnt604
Bob_Parr
TeeBone
SharonRB
Billo
Claudia & MR Claudia
Stuberman
a2jack
Ralph Finneren
*** PLUS
Several new owners who are not forum members, but were contacted by the dealership and responded to me by e-mail

One item may need clarification - the 'smart tour' to a restaurant after the meeting is NOT limited to those lucky ones who have already taken delivery. All are welcome.

[SharonRB]

Originally Posted by mismart

WHO: All Michigan area smart owners, reservationists, and interested persons

WHAT: A meet and greet meeting to form a Michigan smart Owners Group, followed by a smart tour of approximately 40 miles on enjoyable two lane roads ending at a restaurant with close access to I-96 near US23 for your return home.

WHERE: smart center Bloomfield. 1765 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302. Rick Cortwright, brand manager of scB, has been gracious enough to allow us to use the training room at the dealership for this initial meeting.

WHEN: Saturday, March 8 at 2:30pm. At approximately 4:00pm, when the dealership closes, we will leave on the smart tour to the restaurant.

WHY: Fun, camaraderie, and general enjoyment of our smarts.

There has been a lot if feedback expressed in the Michigan Owners Group Interest thread, so we are going ahead with these organizing efforts. Discussions will include what type of events hold the most interest, the best means of communication for the group, the opportunities to hold meetings/events in various areas of the state and generally what everyone would like to get from and contribute to this group.

Please post questions, comments, and plans on attending to this thread.

Hope to see you there,
mismart

I think I can make it to the dealership, but not sure if I'll go to the restaurant. I don't have my smart yet and may have other obligations later in the day.

On another note, I'd like to find out what people are being quoted for insurance in Michigan. Based on another thread, I thought I'd be saving a ton, but I just got a quote from AAA and was quoted $1140 for the year for my cabriolet, which I think I should be getting next month. I'm paying $1195 on my Lexus! I really thought there'd be a bigger difference. We have multiple car and homeowner discounts on our policy. I wonder if the prices other people have been posting have not been for the cabriolet. I'd hate to leave AAA after so many years, but I wonder if I need to quote it somewhere else.

[Billo]

...for the meeting, anyway! My wife and I have a prior engagement in the evening. Plus, we don't have our smart, either.

One question: Will Rick Cortwright be there?? It would be great if he could take a few questions...or address us in some way.

See ya' there!

[SharonRB]

Originally Posted by Billo

...for the meeting, anyway! My wife and I have a prior engagement in the evening. Plus, we don't have our smart, either.

One question: Will Rick Cortwright be there?? It would be great if he could take a few questions...or address us in some way.

See ya' there!

I look forward to meeting you, Billo. I'm trying to convince my husband to come with me, but I don't know if he will. He's not a big smart fan and thinks I'm nuts for getting one.

[mismart]

Originally Posted by Billo

...for the meeting, anyway! My wife and I have a prior engagement in the evening. Plus, we don't have our smart, either.

One question: Will Rick Cortwright be there?? It would be great if he could take a few questions...or address us in some way.

See ya' there!

Billo - Thanks for the response, and glad you can make it.

I don't know what Ricks plans are. We will be there during business hours so I assume that he'll be on site. I have invited him and any of his staff to attend the meeting, but they are running a business and have been generous to offer us a place to meet. As far as questions go, I would think he'd be happy to give his thoughts and ideas on our Owners Group, but personal questions might be better asked privately by phone call, e-mail, or a one on one meeting.

SharonRB - glad you can make it. Hope I can help with your insurance / lease questions

[Bob_Parr]

My wife and I will be there for both the meeting at the dealership and the ride afterwards.

Mark

[a2jack]

Long Live SMOG! (Tip 'O' the hat to Billo
A2Jack.

[Harleyduo]

I'm disappointed that I won't be able to make today's meeting. I will do my best to be at the next one. I have an engagement going on for most of the day in the opposite direction of the state.

One of the ideas I was hoping to propose was that the dealership start trying to offer up regular 'specials' on their website as there is a space to do this built right in. For instance, if they would be agreeable to promote particular things, such as 20% off on shirts, or hats for a particular time frame, or in another month feature a discount on other accessories for a limited time.
I'd also like to see affordable keychains of a rubber or leather nature with the store's name or smart car outline on it.

I convinced my Harley club to have a 'drawing' of a potential give away of a gift certificate at each club meeting . We had a container of all the people that were members or who had expressed an interest and each meeting we drew out a name of ONE. If they were present at the meeting they won the certificate and if they were not, the gift certificate would go back into a pot to accumulate until somebody's name was drawn that was present. We talked the dealership into donating a $10 gift certificate per month. I recall how I thought I was in seventh heaven the time I won $40 worth of certificates because they had drawn my name. I think it was a great Win/Win situation for everybody and was good P.R. for all and made the meetings more fun.

[mismart]

Yep. Us too.

Glad to hear from you jack. Look forward to meeting you. Sounds like you're rollin' up the miles on Smartie

[Ralph Finneren]

see ya all dere