[emailchrishall]

I have been concerned about keeping my Smart for very much longer. Here in Dayton, Ohio, the nearest Mercedes dealership that can work on Smarts is 60 miles away. I know there are others that drive further.

My concern is, I’m wondering how much longer it will make financial sense for those former Smart Centers/Mercedes Dealerships to keep their shop set up to work on Smarts in areas of the country where there just aren’t that many of them. Will there come a point where it just doesn’t make sense for them to stay operational? I assume New York and California will have service centers for a lot longer than here in the middle of the country.

What are your thoughts? Am I over-thinking the issue or is it something to think about?


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[jwight]

Good point. Another real concern is the turnover in smart trained technicians. Even if the dealership continues to service smarts, once the experienced technicians leave it's a crap shoot as to what level of service will be available. Owners of ICE cars can probably get by on independent shops that have a Mercedes background, but the ED/EQ owners are probably out of luck there.....

 

[jzchen]

My smart center seemed to give more reasonable service pricing as long as they understood I would bring it back in a year. The last time I brought it in and noted I may be working on it on my own after the warranty went up, so did my bill, or so I felt.

The Star Machine that they use to connect to the computer is the same as that which they connect to even the most expensive Mercedes, so I wouldn't be worried about that. Maybe 20 - 30 years along parts may become scarce....

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[rfernatt]

It's kind of a crap shoot even with Nissan dealers and the Leaf for similar reasons - turnover, training, 'that tech only works 3 days a week', 'we don't service the Leaf', yada, yada.

So, yeah, I would say in low smart density areas away from the coasts it's a legit concern.

 

[smark]

If it’s a ICE smart car. You can get them service anywhere. Software, might be a issue? If you own a EV one, good luck.

I’m located in the middle of the country.

 

[jzchen]

Even if the dealership continues to service smarts, once the experienced technicians leave it's a crap shoot as to what level of service will be available.

At least with older Benzes, the shop foreman would still know how to work on them. Hopefully in smart case too.

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[Hasker]

I have been concerned about keeping my Smart for very much longer. Here in Dayton, Ohio, the nearest Mercedes dealership that can work on Smarts is 60 miles away. I know there are others that drive further.

My concern is, I’m wondering how much longer it will make financial sense for those former Smart Centers/Mercedes Dealerships to keep their shop set up to work on Smarts in areas of the country where there just aren’t that many of them. Will there come a point where it just doesn’t make sense for them to stay operational? I assume New York and California will have service centers for a lot longer than here in the middle of the country.

What are your thoughts? Am I over-thinking the issue or is it something to think about?


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I'm in the dame boat. Nearest dealership is 55 miles away and only one tech. It is by far the most expensive vehicle I have ever owned. In each trip to the dealership i spend a minimum of $150. Love the little car, ut just too expensive to own.

 

[Gberkel]

You got me thinking this as well 2015 ICE I have had for 3.5 years. Never a problem. Service center is a hour drive, but now I wonder. How much longer. What will I do for Service when or if.
As much as I love this little car, I am thinking of the risk of keeping it much longer, should I sell while she is running good, I can point to a Service Center and there is still a market because the word is not out that the big M has dumped us. Making me think of this almost daily.

 

[wlmory]

sorry to digress/change topic, but its not unrelated. Who still has the ED with Battery Assurance Plus?? I traded my 2014 ED (which I traded my 2008 ice for) for a 2017 cabriolet ED. The '14 had the BAP (at $80/mo), but my '17 doesn't. It's a lease and up in November of '20. I would really like to keep driving one, but anything I see for sale still has the BAP and I'm not convinced I need to continue that to completion (10 years when I had the '14). I've heard stories about non-benz/smart dealers who have them on their lots selling to uninformed buyers and only after the sale does the new owner find out BAM.....here's a bill EVERY month for $80. I can wait for '17's to show up for re-sale, but what are the 'BAP owners gonna do? Thanks!

 

[Hardybob]

you are lucky. i don't think there is a smart service center within several hundred miles of me, but i bought my brabus 6.5 years ago and it has never seen a service center since i showed them my tail lights. still love my little smart and hope it keeps on humming.

 

[Yinzer]

sorry to digress/change topic, but its not unrelated. Who still has the ED with Battery Assurance Plus?? I traded my 2014 ED (which I traded my 2008 ice for) for a 2017 cabriolet ED. The '14 had the BAP (at $80/mo), but my '17 doesn't. It's a lease and up in November of '20. I would really like to keep driving one, but anything I see for sale still has the BAP and I'm not convinced I need to continue that to completion (10 years when I had the '14). I've heard stories about non-benz/smart dealers who have them on their lots selling to uninformed buyers and only after the sale does the new owner find out BAM.....here's a bill EVERY month for $80. I can wait for '17's to show up for re-sale, but what are the 'BAP owners gonna do? Thanks!

In this forum, we have seen no cases reported of what you described - someone buying a used ED and MB hunting them down and sicking them for the balance of the BAP fee. Instead, what MB seem to have done is quietly walked away from the mandatory BAP becasue they found it to be unenforcable. The BAP continues as a month-to-month exrtended battery warranty starting in 2017 or so, but now even that does not exists.