I agree.
Nolan I sure don't see things speeding up...... Steve O's car took 8 months and yours and mine will be 32 to 34 months each... where is the speeding up? Sorry but after seeing pictures of the shop it looks bleak for all of us.....my car went to paint last year and the bumpers still haven't been painted.....I see 6 more weeks at least...and he's only doing one car at a time...
I've been following this thread a bit and I must say people must be on somthing thats makes then so extrodinarily patient. To have to wait over 2 yrs for a car to be built is totally absurd! To have to wait over 1 yr for a car to be built is just plain absured. Sorry but thats my opinion. SAS may do great work but I don't see how they can continue to stay in business this way. I guess my problem is that I'm a newby who does not own a Porsche replicar but find them beautiful.However there are other companies out there that can produce them in less time(including IM).True you don't get a Subi engine but you get to perhaps enjoy your car. I would suggest that no one over 45 order a car because you could be dead and buried before its done.If they cannot speed up their production time then I can't see them in business in the next 5 yrs.(I would like to be wrong).How much do they ask for up front money? They have got to making decent interest on their deposits taken.Again I'm sorry for being a little harsh but I find this thread unreal. I feel badly for the people that have put in deposits for cars. This is simply not right.
Paul, There are so many ways to respond to your comment. I suppose it depends on one's situation. Many of us that have specialty cars are not waiting on the car to get to work in the morning, but looking for something truly special to enhance our life. As for SAS, they have been in business for over 25 years and produced over 400 specialty cars. Unless Steve chooses to retire soon, I would bet that SAS will still be making unique cars in five more years. I have a car from SAS and a car from IM as well. They are each special. In summary, different strokes for different folks.
Charles
Charles
Charles-I appreciate your response.I guess I was a little over the top in my comments and for that I apologize. However even for a weekend car that you want to enjoy it really just seems to be so long to have to wait. How many cars do they finish per month I'm wondering? I assume they must get enough down to support operations. My only educated guess is that they produce a lot fewer cars then most competetors per month thereby creating this huge back log.
Paul, I think I can say that VS, JPS, and IM are somewhat different operations from SAS. Each has its methods, strengths and weaknesses. In the case of IM, the down payment was very modest and my car was delivered eight months later. All offer a very large range of options. SAS tends to push the technology and therein lies some of the SAS difficulties. The SAS contract is roughly a third upfront, a third as a progress payment along the way, and a third at delivery - give or take a bit. If you have say $25K tied up for a lengthy period of time, it can indeed make you testy. Shops of this type remain somewhat rare and the buyer often has little recourse but to hang in with the assembler. Most of these shops work on time and materials and that can be very expensive. If SAS drags the project out for a variety of reasons, he is not hitting you up weekly for more money. I have had shops drag out a project because they could not overcome some of the technical challenges but billed me every week until I finally withdrew the car and, in one case, gave it to SAS to finish. SAS had no problem with the same challenges and billed me much less.
Charles
Charles
James, why don't you join on the Dragon run (see thread under events) on October 12th - 13th. I guarantee you there will be one there, numero uno Tubaru.
Hoss
Hoss
I am planning on it...making my reservations today.
James
James
Wow... this is an interesting thread. I have to say that I am impressed with the loyalty with which you guys talk about SAW/SAS. I personally am WAY too OCD to wait for 2 or 3 years for a car, but it must be one hell of a product as people don't seem to stop ordering them even with this knowledge. If you run a profitable business and are taking order you KNOW you can't get done for 2 to 3 years, and if you are honest about your delivery dates, then you should be damn proud of yourself, your people, and especially your product.
One thing this thread has done is to give me a serious desire to see one of these cars in person. I have seen maybe 10 different verisons of these replicars in person including my own, not one was a Specialty Auto Sports. The idea of all that modern technology is tempting though....I would love to have fuel injection on my car.
James
One thing this thread has done is to give me a serious desire to see one of these cars in person. I have seen maybe 10 different verisons of these replicars in person including my own, not one was a Specialty Auto Sports. The idea of all that modern technology is tempting though....I would love to have fuel injection on my car.
James
James, I am 68 and still in the specialty car game. My Mother is still alive at 98. My problem is that I don't drive so good on the Interstates but I'm mean on the back raods and byways. My wife is a bit younger and handles the Interstate stuff and loves the cars as well. I can assure you that SAS gets flak from us 'loyal' customers as well. Many of us are retired corporate officers that ran successful companies and pontificate frequently on the SAS management style. Having done the replica/recreation thing for a number of years, one begins to realize just how sincere, unique and rare that SAS is. Each customer is a bit different and has different objectives for his SAS car. I have never had a dream car vision but just enjoy cars that look old but run reliably like newer cars. Like many of these assemblers, SL at SAS is a unique character, very knowledgeable, and sincerely likes to please. But, everyday is the same to him, including Sunday sometimes. Saturday is a given. He just works on creating cars, so while we customers may be fuming, he is just building cars. I am hopeful that the 2 to 3 year wait for Suby tubs will shorten dramatically over the next few months but will not hold my breath.
Charles
Charles
Paul Grant's comments have drawn me back into this thread. I assume that the overwhelming majority of us in the specialty car world, while not necessarily Bill Gates types, are blessed with more than we need. If anybody out there is living paycheck to paycheck with racked up credit cards AND ordering up a novelty sports car that they don't really need, their mama raised a fool.
Since the day that I ordered a speedster from Specialty Auto Works, I've sold an M3 and bought an old Porsche 914-6, and I'm having a swell time while Steve Lawing slowly but surely builds my car. At 49 years old, I appear to be one of the youngsters waiting for my SAW car. It'll get here one day, I'll enjoy life (and other cars) in the meantime, and there are plenty of miles ahead.
"Patience is the greatest of all virtues." Cato the Elder (234 BC - 149 BC)
Since the day that I ordered a speedster from Specialty Auto Works, I've sold an M3 and bought an old Porsche 914-6, and I'm having a swell time while Steve Lawing slowly but surely builds my car. At 49 years old, I appear to be one of the youngsters waiting for my SAW car. It'll get here one day, I'll enjoy life (and other cars) in the meantime, and there are plenty of miles ahead.
"Patience is the greatest of all virtues." Cato the Elder (234 BC - 149 BC)
We were all youngsters when we placed our order with SAS
Hey, check out the new customers car addition to Specialty Auto Sports website. Now that's what you'd call Fire Engine red.
Attachments
Images (1)
WOW. That's john's car clone.
http://www.specialtyauto.com/randy%27s_356a_cabriolet.htm
http://www.specialtyauto.com/randy%27s_356a_cabriolet.htm
Many detail differences if you look closely, but at quick glance definitely a clone Gonzo. Now if we just knew who the heck Randy was....
Just saw Guthrie's response four above. Mike's sarcastic wit is becoming the stuff of legends. I predict all will be forgiven and forgotten once he's screaming down the road with a roaring turbo a few inches behind him...
Yeah, baby, yeah!!!
Hey this IS a place to vent or hang dirty laundry. If we can't complain here where can we complain? I have waited for 30 months and my car is finally almost complete so believe it or not I'm happy. I even received some pictures. Life is good.... just ask Vince.......
Holy sh!#... Michael, you must really be very happy this is the first positive post in a loooong loooong time. LOL
Michael -
That's good news about your car. Remember, the longer you wait - the sooner it'll get there! LOL
When you get that bad-boy Speedy, you'll be throwing out some SERIOUSLY COOL VIBES when you're cruising State St.
Peace - Out!
That's good news about your car. Remember, the longer you wait - the sooner it'll get there! LOL
When you get that bad-boy Speedy, you'll be throwing out some SERIOUSLY COOL VIBES when you're cruising State St.
Peace - Out!
Sorry, I didn't answer your question, kind of forgot the original question.
I have a Cabriolet, in just under two years, I put about 21000 miles on it. I personally have been very happy with my purchase. The car has accomplised what I wanted it to do, which was simply give me the look of the original with the convenience of a modern drivetrain.
Of course my car isn't perfect, as I have never seen one that really is, but what I have noticed are little refinements since my car, that prove to me that SAS is really interested in the longterm development of the car. What my car is, is an emphasis on what is most important to me, and what I care about, but may not be that for everyone.
I recently visited SAS, and was left with the impression, that given some time, they won't have some of the delivery issues they currently are resolving. While if you asked me a year ago, I would have told you just the opposite. On the same thought, I don't think they will ever be producing much more then 20 car's a year. But if they are happy with that, who are we to say what they should or shouldn't be doing.
It's a great car for a great price for the right person....I can say that of all of these car's....evaluate the differences and decide what is important to you.
I have a Cabriolet, in just under two years, I put about 21000 miles on it. I personally have been very happy with my purchase. The car has accomplised what I wanted it to do, which was simply give me the look of the original with the convenience of a modern drivetrain.
Of course my car isn't perfect, as I have never seen one that really is, but what I have noticed are little refinements since my car, that prove to me that SAS is really interested in the longterm development of the car. What my car is, is an emphasis on what is most important to me, and what I care about, but may not be that for everyone.
I recently visited SAS, and was left with the impression, that given some time, they won't have some of the delivery issues they currently are resolving. While if you asked me a year ago, I would have told you just the opposite. On the same thought, I don't think they will ever be producing much more then 20 car's a year. But if they are happy with that, who are we to say what they should or shouldn't be doing.
It's a great car for a great price for the right person....I can say that of all of these car's....evaluate the differences and decide what is important to you.
How many speedsters and cabriolets does SAS have on the road?
There have been 7 cars that I personally know of delivered to owners. I don't count the protoype as it is no longer a vehicle. I think only 2 of them were speedsters. They have been both flared and non-flared cars.
I know of about 8 cars that have been ordered....probably an equal mix of speedsters and cabriolets.
Next one due out is the "Black Beauty" Michael's Cabriolet Flared Turbo STI....the first and probably the last STI.
Several owner's are not active on the internet whatsoever, but I have seen the cars. A couple have popped in here, but were pretty much run off and lost interest in posting on this site.
I know of about 8 cars that have been ordered....probably an equal mix of speedsters and cabriolets.
Next one due out is the "Black Beauty" Michael's Cabriolet Flared Turbo STI....the first and probably the last STI.
Several owner's are not active on the internet whatsoever, but I have seen the cars. A couple have popped in here, but were pretty much run off and lost interest in posting on this site.
One owner that is listed on this site as a 2005 is actually an older VW aircooled car. The person put in when they got the car, not when it was built when they registered.
I hope some will come back, I think things will get better in the future.
I hope some will come back, I think things will get better in the future.
Ralph, is your steering column the "original color" column paint? Did you have your knobs and eustacions done in the same color? It looks great!!!
Steven: The steering column and knobs are an original color that Henry offers as part of an upgrade to his std. IM interior.
Yea, that is a killer look.