Ron Tonkin Whines about the Smart Car
>>>>Monday, July 07, 2008
The Oregonian
Regarding your Business story concerning Oswego Luxury and its problems ("Complaints send cops to arrest auto dealer," July 3), I want to point out that we were offered Smart Cars from G&K Automotive Conversion well before anyone else. However, the price they would have had to be sold for was between $23,000 and $28,000. I felt I could never have faced a client who paid that kind of money for a vehicle that was going to be able to be sold by a franchised dealer in just a few months for $14,000 to $19,000. So I refused that opportunity.
I certainly made the right choice and I am glad I did.
Our dealerships offer clients a choice of a Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris or Nissan Versa at the price of a Smart Car. Those cars have accommodations for four people, have a usable trunk and take regular gas while delivering similar mileage and a lot more comfort.
The Smart Car has room for only two, requires premium fuel and has a trunk that holds little more than a valise. I bought a Smart Car myself just to see if it was all I thought it promised. It is not and I'm selling it. I am pleased we did not obtain the franchise.
As an aside, the city of Portland bought more than one Smart Car at an exorbitant price. I was extremely critical of the city doing so at the time and said so in an interview with The Oregonian. The city made a poor choice with taxpayer money.
RON TONKIN Northeast Portland <<<<
Driving Your Smart in Your Garage
Have you ever thought about better ways to make use of your garage? How about driving in and driving out of it? Well the smart makes things like this possible. See for yourself.
Smart Fortwo Meet at Infineon Raceway, Sanoma - Hosted by WORKS
Smart Fortwo Meet at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma – Hosted by WORKS
Who: Bay Area Smart Owners and Soon-To-Be-Smart-Owners
What: Tech Sessions, Autocross, Discounted WORKS “Smarter” performance products and Barbeque
When: June 28 – 11 a.m.
Where: WORKS @ Infineon Raceway (Sears Point) – South Shops just past the go kart track
Why: Because it is summer, there are a lot more Smarts on the road, and this is long overdue…
Cost: $30 per person - $10 to NASA, $20 to WORKS.
I appreciate the Bay Area Smart community’s patience with me in organizing this meet. It has been a lot of work getting to this point – much more than any of us originally bargained for - but by the look of things, it will have been well worth the wait.
Just to give a little sense of what has been involved. We have not only had to expedite the development of the WORKS “Smarter” line of performance parts, but also had to work with NASA to secure the driving course, secure insurance to cover our driving during the event, hire an ambulance, secure volunteer driving instructors, and ensure that engineers and staff are available, not to mention getting all the food and drinks lined up. Phew!
Smart Aznom is Hot!
Aznom’s smart creation is out to tender, or so they say. The smart fortwo Aznom Tender to Track has all the right ingredients to change a man’s mind about how feminine smart is as a car and a brand. Aznom, for the sharp eye, is Monza splled backwards, the name associated with a famous Italian race track on which dreams have been created and lost over countless years.
Now the partnership with Autodromo Nazionale di Monza has resulted in this Aznom smart, quite sporty and exclusive in its layout. Interior is laden with carbon-fiber detailing that blends in with the alcantara and leather interior. Master Rossano Brambilla is responsible of the carbon inlets that skillfully wrap around such items as the round old school clock.
Leather seats not found on the standard car feature as comfort creatures as they blend with alcantara seat interior to create a luxurious yet sporty living environment. Even the steering wheel cannot escape the alcantara/ carbon-fiber/ leather trinity, and ends up taking all three. It works though. All ten cars being dressed this way will look the same, the only difference being their serial numbers, which are hard to find unless you have binocular eyes.
See more of the smart fortwo monza at Smart Car of America.