"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
12/14/2016 at 11:41 • Filed to: Phil! | 3 | 15 |
Good morning everyone! I made it to the service dept with 5 minutes to spare before they closed, whew. Now, we combed over my concerns one by one:
- The car’s alignment (steering got a little off center after an extremely windy day). - Dealership agrees that shouldn’t have happened, will be properly tightened up.
- Adjust passenger door’s latch (pull it in a little to prevent the whistling in wind). - Common issue, sometimes they ship them from the factory like that for some reason. Will be fixed.
- Replace faulty fuel tank/fuel sensor. - Also common issue right now with 2016s and 2017s, replace with redesigned tank.
- Fingerprint embedded in clearcoat (may have to take a pass on that because you know, ice cold and all that). - Paint guy thinks it’s embedded in wax not paint, but will fix anyway.
- Cracked bonnet latch. - It actually wasn’t cracked, but the paint was separating for some reason, will be replaced.
- Get a confirmation on what that weird hollow noise coming from the left rear wheel is. - Apparently all 453 smarts do this, no explanation as to why just yet.
While they’re fixing my issues, they gave me this little guy as a loaner...I kinda hate/love it.
This one is the bare bones base spec pure model, and there are some glaring issues that make me glad I went for a top spec model:
- No seat height adjustment. Ugggh I hate when cars don’t have this, especially in a vehicle that has amazing headroom like a smart. I’m not even short either, average height for a woman. I mean, it seriously couldn’t cost a whole lot of money making seat height adjustment a standard feature. I can’t find a 100% comfortable position in this car. Either my left leg is awkwardly perched on the dead pedal, or my arms are stretched out reaching for the wheel.
- Manual mirrors - The car is crazy narrow, yes...but it does have automatic windows...so was power mirrors just one bridge too far?
- Hubcaps - The 453's caps look like some dollar store knockoffs, they don’t go with the design at all. I like the caps from the 451:
They’re made out of aluminum and have these cool little fan blades on them.
On a 453, I’d rather take the ugly things off and just run the steelies.
Overall though, I’m rather amused at how they tried to make a smart cheap just by giving it cheap looking parts...that probably cost money to make look cheaper in the first place.
Also, there was this goober who harassed me and tried to run me off the road for 10 miles last night (in the loaner smart). Police didn’t really gave an optimistic answer when I reported the license plate. I didn’t really hear what him or his girlfriend had to say to me (they were only like 18) thanks to some awesome music I was listening to.
He had a fuller Confederate Flag on the left side too. Bet he’s fun at parties...
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 11:56 | 2 |
1. Those are some disappointing issues to have so soon.
2. That all sounds terrifying at the end.
3. Observation: “disappointment” is not the antonym of “appointment” and that bothers me.
Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 12:01 | 1 |
Wow, that’s a lot of issues on a new car. Must be nice to have a factory warranty and just be able to say “hey go fix this crap for me” and get to drive a billboard around for a while.
Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 12:03 | 1 |
Was Phil broken in before the road trip or was the road trip the break in miles?
EL_ULY
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 12:16 | 1 |
it’s still a sucky feeling either way when some anus pimple messes with you for a dumb reason like what you’re driving. It’s been a while since any goober has tried to roll coal or yell **g at me when driving the Z4 but I just have a feeling 2017 and onward will be a record year for that
spanfucker retire bitch
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 12:17 | 2 |
I love it when a steoretype comes together, as show in the last image.
crowmolly
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 12:18 | 1 |
Fingerprint embedded in clearcoat (may have to take a pass on that because you know, ice cold and all that). - Paint guy thinks it’s embedded in wax not paint, but will fix anyway.
If it’s a fingerprint in the clearcoat multiple peoples asses need to be kicked. That’s not something that’s supposed to be in the realm of possibility unless the car has had poor repair work done.
facw
> spanfucker retire bitch
12/14/2016 at 12:26 | 0 |
I think he messed up with the Honda sticker, surely it should be an HD sticker of something?
Mercedes Streeter
> Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
12/14/2016 at 12:58 | 0 |
Don’t ask, :( He had 20 miles when I got him, so he got broken in all at once. Plus he sat for about a year before I bought him (he’s one of the last limited editions still on sale) so that could be a factor too.
Mercedes Streeter
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
12/14/2016 at 13:25 | 0 |
1. Yeah...I expected it though. My car was one of the first 3rd generation cars off the production line, then sat for nearly a year before I picked it up. While I now have a rare as heck smart (probably 1 of only a few in Illinois), I have to pay the price with first year growing pains.
2. Eh, I’m used to it. I was just pissed off because I’d hate to wreck a car that’s not mine.
3. Maybe I’m spoiled :P
Mercedes Streeter
> Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
12/14/2016 at 13:26 | 1 |
It’s absurdly nice!! If I’m buying a first model year/very very very early production model of a new generation car, it better come with a good warranty! lol
And usually the loaner cars aren’t billboards...but since smartUSA isn’t doing any advertising, I guess dealers are taking matters into their own hands.
Mercedes Streeter
> crowmolly
12/14/2016 at 13:31 | 0 |
Indeed! And if something like that does happen at the factory, they usually correct it before delivering the car to the first owner. I’ve seen some smarts damaged by transport. Sometimes while the truck is parked, someone will go and key the cars, or maybe the trucker themselves will screw them up while unloading. That’s what a PDI is for lol
Frenchlicker
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 13:39 | 0 |
Wait... you still have tucker?
Mercedes Streeter
> Frenchlicker
12/14/2016 at 13:44 | 1 |
He’s my unofficial/official snow car. The dealership I traded him in to decided after signing the papers that Illinois was wayyyyy too far to fetch their new car, so they just let me keep him. :)
IanZ - limited-slip indifferential
> Mercedes Streeter
12/14/2016 at 17:56 | 1 |
If they had an InfoWars sticker, they probably believe Smarts are an attempt to introduce communism to the US. Or something about mind control, or drugs that make people gay to control the population. The real reason is probably crazier, but I don’t have a conspiracist’s mind.
jkm7680
> Mercedes Streeter
12/18/2016 at 11:01 | 0 |
Anybody who believes Infowars is reputable is a dumbass in my book....
Alex Jones is one of the most delusional people out there.