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198 Posts
I'm about as eager to drive (and buy) a Smart Car as anyone, but the road tour stop in Buffalo was about as disappointing an experience as I could imagine.
All they had set up outside the Mercedes dealership was the Smart tractor trailer and a small canopy supposedly to promote Sirius Satellite Radio. Then there was the safety cell and an open Smart car to look at. But no one was out to welcome you in, to tell you about the cars, to get you excited, or to even tell you where to go. Eventually we wandered into the dealership where they had a few baskets of chips and a bin of water along one wall, a table set up for Sirius, and a table with two Smart girls where you sign up for the test drive. There was no excitement, no interest, no energy in the room. (Even the Sirius guy sat away from his table and didn't talk to anyone, even those who looked at his display.)
So I signed up for a test drive and waited in line in the air conditioned trailer. There weren't many others there, but two Mercedes guys were in line behind me. If I had to wait in line, as a reservation holder, behind two guys who were obviously just bored and wanted a test drive, I would have been upset. The guy who rode with me in the car couldn't have been less interested in his job and told me practically nothing about the car. The drive itself was no more than 5 minutes, with time waiting at lights, and was essentially around the block. After you got out, you filled out a little survey about the car (not the dealership or the experience), and that was it. Nothing else to do, so go on home. The whole thing was about 1/2 hour, with line time.
That being said, the drive itself exceeded my expectations. The car handled great, and the paddle shifting was very easy and smooth! The car felt much bigger on the inside than it should have, and it was fun to see everyone staring when we stopped at a light.
In short, the car is great, and I'd love one. But the whole experience was terribly disappointing and an obviously wasted opportunity. Why not get people excited, especially reservation holders? Ah well...
All they had set up outside the Mercedes dealership was the Smart tractor trailer and a small canopy supposedly to promote Sirius Satellite Radio. Then there was the safety cell and an open Smart car to look at. But no one was out to welcome you in, to tell you about the cars, to get you excited, or to even tell you where to go. Eventually we wandered into the dealership where they had a few baskets of chips and a bin of water along one wall, a table set up for Sirius, and a table with two Smart girls where you sign up for the test drive. There was no excitement, no interest, no energy in the room. (Even the Sirius guy sat away from his table and didn't talk to anyone, even those who looked at his display.)
So I signed up for a test drive and waited in line in the air conditioned trailer. There weren't many others there, but two Mercedes guys were in line behind me. If I had to wait in line, as a reservation holder, behind two guys who were obviously just bored and wanted a test drive, I would have been upset. The guy who rode with me in the car couldn't have been less interested in his job and told me practically nothing about the car. The drive itself was no more than 5 minutes, with time waiting at lights, and was essentially around the block. After you got out, you filled out a little survey about the car (not the dealership or the experience), and that was it. Nothing else to do, so go on home. The whole thing was about 1/2 hour, with line time.
That being said, the drive itself exceeded my expectations. The car handled great, and the paddle shifting was very easy and smooth! The car felt much bigger on the inside than it should have, and it was fun to see everyone staring when we stopped at a light.
In short, the car is great, and I'd love one. But the whole experience was terribly disappointing and an obviously wasted opportunity. Why not get people excited, especially reservation holders? Ah well...
