Who's gonna' sell the SmartCar ?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MisterLarry · #1 01-10-2005, 10:58 PM

There's an outfit in California called ZAP that has an exclusive contract to handle the conversion and sales of the small, two door SmartCar for 10 years. As you read this, they are looking for dealers to sell the car.

We can be pretty certain that "mother" Mercedes will not sell them since she will be bringing in the bigger versions of the SmartCar in 2006. So who's going to sell them?

Have any of you in your travels run across a car dealer that has signed on to sell the small SmartCar??

I would love to get one if reasonably priced. I could use 60+mpg while commuting around our little college town.

MTI · #2 01-11-2005, 01:58 AM

Mercedes better sell a lot more Smarts . . . they're in the crosshairs for being a drag on Daimler-Chrysler profits.

Ara T. · #3 01-11-2005, 02:03 AM

There's a place downtown (Santa Rosa, CA) that sells them. I don't know if I'd want to be in an accident in one of those go carts

MisterLarry · #4 01-12-2005, 02:12 PM

Hey Ara - yeh, the place in Santa Rosa is the outfit that is licensed to sell them throughout the U.S. Although the State of California has NOT OK'd the european to U.S. conversion. 47 of the other States have!!!

Besides the gas mileage, I think the fun thing about this car is it's modular approach. The body panels snap off so you can change them in a hurry if you need to. Also, I believe the rear sub-frame (engine, tranny and all) just unsnaps from the car for sevicing. I'd love to see this.

But who and where are they selling them in the rest of this big country???

boneheaddoctor · #5 01-12-2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

There's a place downtown (Santa Rosa, CA) that sells them. I don't know if I'd want to be in an accident in one of those go carts

See a lot of those in europe...............you don't want to run over any city rats..................its likely to lose. Around town it would be nice but it would take world class gonads to drive it on the Highways around here.

SHYNE · #6 01-12-2005, 03:56 PM

They are very popular in town here. My parents even ordered one to take around to run errands with. Delivery date is sometime after Valentines Day.They ordered a base "pure" trim with added air conditioning. In Canada here, they only import the diesel CDI engined smarts with all of 40 bhp. Even with such a small amount of power, the 70 someodd lbs/ft. of torque enable the little things to keep up with traffic in town quite smartly. Driving "to and from" for the average short commuter, it is actually possible to only fill the little buggers once a month!

-Mike McKinney

GermanStar · #7 01-12-2005, 04:04 PM

Tell 'em to go to MBCanada.com. The smart forum up there is getting outta control.

mark cummins · #8 01-12-2005, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

There's a place downtown (Santa Rosa, CA) that sells them. I don't know if I'd want to be in an accident in one of those go carts

The Smart Coupe has Been Tested By DB and the Smart did Better than a W210 E class!....Looks like it Just bounced off..lol

G/K has done the DOT and EPA/Carb release here in So Cal...

Parking is Sweet..Just back it in to the curb..Here is a Pic of My Smart
http://smartenthusiast.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38

coldwar · #9 01-12-2005, 06:04 PM

I thought all Mercedes dealerships were selling them.

blackmercedes · #10 01-12-2005, 06:23 PM

The foretwo is not available in the US. In Canada, the Smart is sold alongside MB products at MB dealerships.

boneheaddoctor · #11 01-12-2005, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark cummins

The Smart Coupe has Been Tested By DB and the Smart did Better than a W210 E class!....Looks like it Just bounced off..lol

G/K has done the DOT and EPA/Carb release here in So Cal...

Parking is Sweet..Just back it in to the curb..Here is a Pic of My Smart
http://smartenthusiast.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38

Car survived, but the contents were rendered scrambled eggs.............

Fine city car.................as long as there are no bigger cars near it.

Which around here is everything. And half the motorcylces too.

kerry · #12 01-12-2005, 10:26 PM

There was a sporty version of the Smart coming out in Europe. Is that available in the US also?

mikemover · #13 01-12-2005, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ara T.

There's a place downtown (Santa Rosa, CA) that sells them. I don't know if I'd want to be in an accident in one of those go carts

Pretty scary, eh? I hate to imagine what colliding with a big Lincoln Navigator or Hummer H2 would do to one of those things! Think of the last time you stepped on a bug, and you'll probably have a pretty good idea of what would be left of the little go-kart.

Mike