Chuck Williams Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Link to article. MSN Reporting - In a sign of the times, the gas-powered version of the nation's smallest car is about to disappear from the U.S. motoring scene, Mercedes-Benz said Monday ((2/13/2017)). The Smart car, introduced into the U.S. about the time that gasoline prices were hitting record highs, won't be sold in the U.S. and Canada after the 2017 model year. ___________________________ My 2010 Smart has 105,000 miles on it, I was hoping to replace it in 2 or 3 years. Maybe this is fake news or alternative facts. 2006 Freightliner M2-112 Sportchassis 2015 Keystone Raptor 412-TS Lots of motorcycles and toys Murfreesboro, TN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billr Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Seems real http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/amp/smart-going-all-electric-u-s-market-n720781 Bill and Joan and 3 Collie pups 2001 Volvo VNL 770 "The Doghouse" Singled short, "ET" hItch VED12 465HP Gen 1 Autoshift 3.58 ratio 2005 Mobile Suite 38RL3 2011 Smart Passion loaded piggybacK Weigh-It Portable RV Scales http://www.weighitrv.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Thoughts on future parts and service availability? 2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding" 2017 DRV 39DBRS3 2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty" "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imurphy907 Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 time to add another KW of solar and self charge. 2016 Road Warrior 420 2001 Volvo VNL 660 Alaska Based. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabbie Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Dang it all, now I will have to buy 2 and keep one for parts .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buscrusher Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Booooooo Hissssssssss! I was looking forward to trading up too...maybe time to reexamine the priorities... DougFrequent "lurker"Occasional posterFirst step towards the RV setup complete: 1 smart car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis M Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Definitely true http://fortune.com/2017/02/14/daimler-smart-electric/ Only 6,200 sold in the US in 2016. Disappointing, but not worth the effort for Daimler. The US market just cannot seem to get away from the "bigger is better" syndrome - oh wait ... which forum is this? Dennis & NancyTucson, AZ in winter, on the road in summer.1999 Volvo 610 "Bud" 425 HP Volvo, Super 10 spd.2005 Mountain Aire 35 BLKS2013 smart fortwo CityFlame riding on Bud(Replaced '05 smart first loaded in '06 and '11 smart that gave it's life to save me!)Our Travel Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Thoughts on future parts and service availability? Mercedes will always provide service and parts are only an ocean away. We have planes making that trip daily. MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hone eagle Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Not the end at all ,only in north america.They will soldier on in the rest of the world ,parts will be out there like big5er said. Remember its a big world out there perspective required 2005 volvo 670 freedomline singledNewmar Torrey Pine 34rskswoot woot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Wonder if you'll be able to order 1 for importing to US standards? Alie & Jim + 8 paws 2017 DRV Memphis BART- 1998 Volvo 610 Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hone eagle Posted February 14, 2017 Report Share Posted February 14, 2017 Wonder if you'll be able to order 1 for importing to US standards? of course - remember "America is great again" everything is possible again. 2005 volvo 670 freedomline singledNewmar Torrey Pine 34rskswoot woot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Williams Posted February 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 Not the end at all ,only in north america.They will soldier on in the rest of the world ,parts will be out there like big5er said. Remember its a big world out there perspective required The thread title "End of the gas powered Smart Car" was taken from the original report posted on MSN. Lack of perspective is from the poor journalism of the media writers. RV owners possess proper perspective at all times... 2006 Freightliner M2-112 Sportchassis 2015 Keystone Raptor 412-TS Lots of motorcycles and toys Murfreesboro, TN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Hmmm. Now I'm wondering how much trouble I should go to to modify our bed for the car. We can load the car in the toy hauler and put the bikes on the bed, with no mods. However, it's a lot harder to clean the bikes. The toy box is long enough for a larger car, if need be. KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hone eagle Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Media up here stated "may" be discontinued, of course just saying maybe could doom it .(from being imported) the rest of the universe will carry on building and buying them. 2005 volvo 670 freedomline singledNewmar Torrey Pine 34rskswoot woot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Saw a Fiat today. 2 seater. Not as short as a Smart but loaded at an angle might work. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 I'm going to test drive a 2017 in the next couple of days. May have to order one. Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke-E Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Wonder if you'll be able to order 1 for importing to US standards? As in ordering from Smart? No. You can federalize them, but it's generally incredibly expensive (as in smash 3 or 4 to show it's safer than a Pinto, then do EPA drive-cycle and emission testing). You might be able to convince the Registered Importer that the crash testing isn't necessary so long as the body isn't changed, and Smart will provide documentation to show that there's nothing different that would affect the crash. Then you get to deal with swapping out components that are different between here and Europe--headlights are different, US requires side marker lights and reflectors, turn signal and DRL requirements are different, the odometer has to show miles, etc.--and you're paying the importer to do and document all that work. It's not insurmountable, just not practical to do one for just yourself. Thoughts on future parts and service availability? Mercedes will always provide service and parts are only an ocean away. We have planes making that trip daily. For the 451s, little at all to worry about. It's no different than right now--the body style is out of production, and there are enough out there that most parts will be available from Smart for a while, and there are recyclers after that. It's not a unique problem, and there are probably a number of parts that you can no longer buy from Smart now. Even for an established brand, parts availability is never a guarantee--my Taurus SHO's speedometer cable was out of production and only available at 2 dealers in the country by the time the car was 5 years old. It's a catch-22 for stuff that fails but doesn't fail often enough and soon enough. The current model will probably be a lot more dicey, at least for anything not common to the electric version. Most of that should be able to be imported though, as the engine and transmission are common to the ECE version. But for how most of these cars are used most of the time, the electric version actually makes al ot of sense. Any time you're at a campground, you've got a high-speed charging capability, often included in the site rent. If you need to go further than its range, you rent a car. Glenn - That Fiat is a rebadged Miata, and has gotten pretty good reviews. Last I saw, you can actually get it a little cheaper than the Miata too. 45' 2004 Showhauler -- VNL300, ISX, FreedomLine -- RVnerds.com -- where I've started to write about what I'm up to Headlight and Fog Light Upgrades http://deepspacelighting.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Thanks. It looked promisinion. I fine with our Smart but looking ahead. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeyres Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Over a year ago I read they were seriously thinking of discontinuing Smart Car sales in the US because sales were so low. The article I read seemed to imply that RVers were about the only people buying them. 2007 Arctic Fox 32.5 rls for full-timing, now sold. 2014 Sunnybrook Sunset Creek 267rl for the local campgrounds now that we are off the road2007 Silverado 2500 diesel Loving Green Valley, AZ (just South of Tucson) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke-E Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Over a year ago I read they were seriously thinking of discontinuing Smart Car sales in the US because sales were so low. The article I read seemed to imply that RVers were about the only people buying them. They'll keep the BEV version so long as Daimler doesn't have one under the Mercedes banner in order to meet the California mandates. Not too different than the line in the 90s that every Silverado was priced with a Geo Metro included to meet CAFE standards. 45' 2004 Showhauler -- VNL300, ISX, FreedomLine -- RVnerds.com -- where I've started to write about what I'm up to Headlight and Fog Light Upgrades http://deepspacelighting.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAutom8r Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Over a year ago I read they were seriously thinking of discontinuing Smart Car sales in the US because sales were so low. The article I read seemed to imply that RVers were about the only people buying them. There is a rental car sharing company up here in Canada that uses only smarts. It was neat to see them all lined up on the streets of Calgary. They seemed to be everywhere you looked. Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAutom8r Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 No. You can federalize them, but it's rally incredibly expensive (as in smash 3 or 4 to show it's safer than a Pinto, And what is wrong with a Pinto? Lol. I drove one for many years before I sold it to my brother. Maybe the fact that is was bright orange avoided any rear end accidents and pending explosions. ? Steven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavyduty Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Dose anyone have any predictions on smart car value with them comming to end. Would like to buy a new one but little skeptical as to what prices will do both new and used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirakawa Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 I predict the price will go up. Everybody wanna hear the truth, but everybody tell a lie. Everybody wanna go to Heaven, but nobody want to die. Albert King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuke-E Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 And what is wrong with a Pinto? Lol. I drove one for many years before I sold it to my brother. Maybe the fact that is was bright orange avoided any rear end accidents and pending explosions. I was actually poking fun at the fact that you wouldn't be able to import a Euro-market 2018 Smart, with airbags, crumple zones, etc. because we don't know it's safe enough. But a Pinto could be imported with absolutely zero modification. In other words, the government says your 40-year old Pinto is still safer than a state-of-the-art French car! 45' 2004 Showhauler -- VNL300, ISX, FreedomLine -- RVnerds.com -- where I've started to write about what I'm up to Headlight and Fog Light Upgrades http://deepspacelighting.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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