Are there any new replacement batteries for a 2015 ED?

[goneglobal]

Hi ,

 

This is my first post to the forum. I live in France and a year ago I purchased a 2015 ForTwo ED from a private party.

 

I received an email from Mercedes Benz Financial Services in France that it would take up to 3 months before I received 

my first contract for the battery rental (65 Euros a month for a year) I received it after repeated phone calls in only two months.

 

I paid cash for the vehicle and there was and is no financing needed. I started to wonder...if I was purchasing a new one from a Mercedes dealer

and I wanted them to finance it....it would take a few days or a few hours for new contract to be prepared...Am I right?

 

Then I started asking questions. The seller didn't tell me that Smart was finished in France and had been bought by Geely in China and

that Diamler Benz had been losing 100's of milions on Smart.

 

I found out that the nearest Authorized Service Centre was around 100 kms away. When I drove to the dealership here's what I

was told....1) there are no new replacement batteries and if there was one it would cost around 10K euros. 

2) the salesperson that specializes in selling new and used Smarts told me he couldn't even take my Smart as a trade-in

(I told him it had close to 100,000 kms on it and he said that was too many for a Smart that was (not even) 5 years old.

3) And finally the person in charge of the dealership, when I confronted her about what I had just discovered, said " Don't worry"

 

The 12th payment on my BAP contract  was taken in from my banque account at the end of October and my anniversary date 

is 29 November, 2020...tomorrow.

 

I haven't put more than 100 kms on the vehicle during the past year...with Covid and the lockdowns in place for fear of being stranded

in the middle of nowhere with an "engine" that can't  fixed or replaced.

 

Put simply, is it true that there are no replacement batteries anywhere for a  2015 Smart ED 451?

 

Any input or advice on my situation would be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

[jwight]

If it matters, smart pulled out of the USA and Canada last year and the entire BAP program apparently went with it.  Once the ED/EQs are sold on the used market BAP seems to be a non-issue, and so far nobody has reported having a battery "repossessed" for failure to continue BAP payments.  Just my .02.

[goneglobal]

Thanks for your reply and the information.

 

Has anyone over there tried to renew their BAP within the last 12 months?

 

I'm aware they pulled out of North America. Is there anyone still paying monthly for the BAP? 

 

My 12 month contract expired 2 days ago. I initially asked for a 3 year contract and MB refused saying

that it will be renewed on an annual basis. The cancellation clause if I wanted to purchase the battery 

I would have to pay them 4013.38 Euros. That figure was reduced to 2479.10 Euros in a letter that was

emailed to me a few months ago

 

I was unaware of the sale to Geely when I bought it but I'm almost certain that the seller did....but he did a great job of convincing me that there was no problem renewing the contract every year.

 

I was also unaware of their "dieselgate" problem internationally when I purchased my Smart.

 

I was told that no new replacement batteries for 451 ED's and they are " studying my situation"

 

Again, thanks for the information.