Originally Posted by
Yoram
Is there a preferred/recommended dealer to work with?
Some dealers do participate on this forum but those postings are not always a complete picture of what a dealer really brings to the customer. USA7s is a club at its heart and so there is no tie in or preferred relationship for a specific manufacturer brand or individual dealer. The forum is intended to be neutral ground and an informed place for buyers so you can make the best choice. I would encourage you to do your research and make the informed choice that works best for you.
Things that you should consider in selecting a dealer:
- after sales/after build support - if you think you will need it then maybe local presence is better. If not then this gives you more dealer options. There is no requirement that you purchase from your closest dealer. You can choose a Caterham dealer anywhere in the US you want despite what some might tell you.
- knowledge - do you want out of the box standard or maybe something a little special or custom? Some dealers are better set up for the custom type orders/builds
- currency - different dealers have different ways of dealing with FX variability on the order. Higher price/less FX risk or lower price but higher risk of FX variations in end cost - the end result can be very different under the different methods
- spec - In addition to customer orders, dealers will also have an order pipeline of kits that they spec'ed based on what they think they can sell. If you dont want a very specific order but can be flexible on color or interior style then maybe see what different dealers have on order but not assigned to a customer to find something you like quicker than starting a fresh order. Email them all and see what they have unsold on their upcoming order books.
- feedback - Have a read of various posts of new cars being featured on here in the member rides section or build threads. Who did they use? Maybe PM a few to ask them about their experience.
- parts - some dealers have a sizable inventory of parts and some do not. Personally, I tend to order direct from the UK so this is a non-event for me. But others prefer to have someone in-country to purchase parts from so it could be a factor for you.
Have not encountered a more esoteric hard core enthusiast in a long time.... but why Holdens??
Thats nice of you. Most of my friends would use words other than "esoteric."
I raced Holdens in Australia in the late 80s/early 90s. Cars went into storage and I never sold them. They are still really fun to drive and quite fast.
Last edited by Croc; 01-01-2021 at 03:23 PM.
Mike
2021 Caterham CSR "CatKong"
2010 Caterham CSR with Cosworth 2.3 Duratec
2018 Caterham 420R with 2L Duratec 210hp at Donington UK
1972 Lamborghini Espada GT
1975 BMW CSL Group 4 (restoration finished - track set up time)
1977 Holden Torana "A9X" (awaiting restoration)
1985 Holden Commodore SS Group A (suspension restoration)
1985 Holden Commodore Group A (suspension set up)
1982 Ferrari 400i (radiator replacement)
1965 Ford Mustang Fastback "Holman Moody"
1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth WRC (dyno time)
1990 Range Rover 2 door Classic
. Spring will be here soon, no more back issues for me, which means I too will be on the hunt for my next "7". Maybe a new scratch build is in order, we can share the cost of a container
...Only time will tell.
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. Still not sold on a new, scratch build, I'll be watching the used market into the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2021 to see if anything catches my fancy , for more of an instant gratification, spur of the moment type purchase. With me, you just never know.
I am looking forward to the entire process -- learning about the car, speccing it, choosing the dealer, placing the order, preparing the space for the build, receiving the kit, building it, registering it and of course driving it, chasing down everything that's wrong, tweaking...