Smart Dealerships closing - 451 smart fortwo

I love your ad copy Julie! I…

2010-06-27T23:02:13.316Z

I love your ad copy Julie!

It seems to me the smart car can not be sold like the other cars on the market for several reasons:

1) Economics - with smart cars limited to 10,000's per year in US the cost per car in the smart USA markup would be significant (reay to add $1,000 per car just to pay for advertising costs?)
2) Niche market - this car is not for everyone because it really serves a small part of the market - advertising to more people who won't buy it is a waste - it is a commuter/city car for the most part and most Americans don't need that
3) It is a 'foreign' car - bad time right now to sell a car which is not made in the US
4) It takes getting used to - 30 second spots don't go very far that way
5) The smart ED - beautiful car but it is not ready for prime time which is why they are going for Fleet Sales and limited leases ($600 per mo!!!). I will wait until they get the bugs out, get the price down, and add a small generator to extend the distance.

I am confident that smart USA will find ways to market the car in a way that is cost effective given the limited inventory available and the need to control costs.

One more note... 2 dealership…

2010-06-26T17:14:02.580Z

One more note... 2 dealerships in the Southern California area have closed their doors. I will let you know that unfortunately, those 2 dealers were the ones that did the least outreach to sell. The newest dealership in our backyard is Cerritos. Since that dealership has open for about 15 months now, it has become #1 in the country in sales. The reason being, is because they are proactive in education, reaching out and spreading the message, they get involved. Every community event that there is, they are there. Every car show, they are there, sharing and educating. The dealerships are not owned and operated by Penske, it is up to the owner of the center how they generate sales and having Penske or banks bail them out is not the right answer. The Cerritos owner in less than a year beat everyone else in the country in sales. I know the reasons why and it's a good formula. Universal and Laguna were the only 2 dealerships in SoCal that were the least acknowledged within the SoCal smart community, various reasons I won't go into detail here...

Every dealer in SoCal is proactive in maintaining sales, it's evident through their business models and from what we hear on the streets. We have outside of FL, one of the highest concentrations of smart Centers in the country. With 2 closing and the newest in best of sales in the country, what does that share... it's not the brand. It's up to the individual owner of the smart Center. It's not easy but if one is good at what they're doing, they can succeed in a downturn for a new brand. Cerritos smart Center has done it successfully and with a pretty darn good formula.... Just a tidbit of an FYI :) It's not always the brands fault, some of that responsibility is up to the dealership too... Remember, the dealerships are not corporate owned, they are private. Right now, smartUSA has a hold on opening up more in certain areas. The hold is the correct decision...

OK, off my soap box! Sorry!!!

Rachel, aka SmartGurl :)

Hi All, Rachel (aka SmartGur…

2010-06-26T15:12:02.847Z

Hi All,

Rachel (aka SmartGurl) here of SMART MADNESS. Over the past few months I would come into this thread and take a perusal of the latest insight to drivers and how Penske or the team in Bloomfield are being perceived.

I don't know how many of you in this thread made it smart Nationals in Kansas but for what's it's worth, hopefully from January to now, everyone will see that smart is dedicated to staying in the US. We have to remember, when one comes on board (like Jill did, right at the EOY) there is a window of assessment to see what was done right and what wrong. She has done this properly and came to KS to reassure drivers (and of course this was only hours after flying direct from NYC after a week of being "on" from announcing the electric) that smart is here to stay. She is dedicated like no other in the past, feel free to quote me. Let's just say there are reasons why there was a re-org by Penske, he saw what needed to happen and the changes are SO REFRESHING! They also have a fantastic new marketing team that knows what they're doing!

6 months later from her coming on board, there has been an incredible turn around. I will let you know that we (SMART MADNESS) have had conference calls and meetings with smart USA and will tell you that Jill and the team are dedicated. They have come to us in this short time to ask "what's word on the street"? Penske is NOT going to invest into a brand and take the high road to dump it. He personally believes in the brand and yes owns a smart too. Yes, it really is his daily driver! Try to remember, Mercedes didn't want this car to come to the states, they felt it would dilute their parent brand. Penske, personally dedicated himself to the brand, stepped up to plate and made us drivers have the window of opportunity to own one :) That's a big risk and he's not about to let it fail.

Here's the thing, the whole automotive industry is hurting. Few if any are on top right now and everyone is trying to trim fat to float long enough make it through the strong current. I know what smartUSA is doing and they are doing it right. They just launched the electric smart and have already sprinkled some of the changes that are coming to 451 in the coming years. They just announced, oh wait, sorry! Just understand, they are dedicated. They are putting their dollars in the right place. smartUSA is NOT a huge organization like the KIAs, Ford, Honda, Toyo, etc... They don't have the pre-existing marketing budget like other companies. If an organization wants to do a marketing campaign it has to be done right. Doing it right costs millions, not 6 digits. Proper and effective radio and TV time is not inexpensive. But not just that, the right marketing agency to put together the proper message isn't inexpensive either. So until we get out of this slum, viral marketing, having drivers share the love to non owners is the best thing smartUSA could ask for. RachelN? Your site ROX with Roxi :) That is exactly what I'm talking about. Come find us on FB and we'll share your story with thousands! The best sells-man is the one that is already sold- remember that. My daily bread depends on this car and I with you want this brand to succeed. smartUSA is dedicated, I will tell you this.

Rally behind your smart and the brand, be a voice because you are already sold. Testimonials are the best that corporate can ask for during these tough times. And for what it's worth as you may already know, they just opened up a center in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Go smart, go smart, get busy, we support you! Now where are those cards for my door pockets, I've seem to run out... hhmmm.

My very best,
Rachel, aka SmartGurl of SMART MADNESS

I got tired of telling people…

2010-06-21T06:12:57.212Z

I got tired of telling people about my Smart.

Now I tell them I won it on ebay and I don't know what it is.

would you post your link to y…

2010-06-20T22:55:24.070Z

would you post your link to your youtube video please.

Great website. Thnx

2010-06-18T19:24:36.145Z

Great website.

Thnx

And that is why I made lovemy…

2010-06-18T14:49:12.585Z

And that is why I made lovemysmartcar.com. I wanted to have a site that told about what owning a smart was like, to help scoop up people googling for things like "can a smart car handle winter weather?" (yes, that's an actual search term by which people have found posts on my site).

I do it out of love for the car and the brand. I want to show smart how it's done.

An additional $.02 You got t…

2010-06-18T14:39:42.216Z

An additional $.02

You got that right!,

It is up to SMART owners, to offer publicity, because SMART, Penske, Daimler, etc . . . is not interested in informing the public. - - Or even supporting those who have purchased SMARTs.

Welcome to the "Cold Shoulder" called SMART.

Interesting comment on the in…

2010-06-18T13:58:34.204Z

Interesting comment on the insurance company.. when I got financing for my car - despite perfect credit and a great score... many banks were like "a what? who makes that.. is it an import?" - my temper was very frayed at the end of the process! Was just frustrating..

Yes indeed I have people all around "thats not safe.. blah blah" - I always tell them.. go on youtube and look at a crash test for a Ford F-150 you w ill be surprised... go and see a smart.. - some I have even shown myself!

Indeed it is partly up to us, the Smart community to do more events with our cars and get publicity!

Just my .02

Yep, and they are taking all…

2010-05-27T20:28:13.694Z

Yep, and they are taking all of their customers with them. I guess you can have an idea how mad I will be if I am able to get my new fortwo fixed or to even get parts. My blood is going to be BOILING! Why did Penske even bother to bring these cars here if he's not going to finish the job? Did the man even go to business school? Why do Hyundai, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi and GM all advertise like crazy and not smart?