Beck vs Intemecanica??

Im looking to buy a replica. Can anyone give me their point of view on the Beck vs the IM? They look the same but the IM is more expensive. Is it worth the greater price? Pros and cons of each. Should I hire someone to help me select one so I do not get a bad deal? Thanks.

Mike--welcome to the site. You will see all sorts of info concerning your question if you will do a search here---just click on the "forum" tab at the top of the home page and look down towards the bottom of the list of forums and you'll see one for "search"

Also, click on the "makers" tab at the top and visit the websites of the various makers.

Good luck with your quest---you are going to enjoy whichever Speedster you choose.----Jack

Mike, they both look like a real 356 Porsches. Why get a fake when you can get a real one. I saw a real one just yesterday for $168,000, but I think the owner would take less! I'll advise you for a $10,000 retainer plus $250.00 per hour. Or you could search the forum for all the information on this subject. Or you could ask Vince what he thinks.

Looking new or used? Why would you need agent to buy new - we'll make option selections for you depending on your desires and budget. Did you read the sticky on buying a replica? Spend some time reading here and you'll get idea of what's out there. Ya left VS and SAW (JPS too) off your list.

Check out Howard Bobrow's 6 cylinder IM for the ultimate Speedster - its for sale a few ads down. It is truely awesum!

I'm a big fan of both Becks (obviously) and IMs as they are great cars. So are most of the other brands. With the exception of the Beck 356C Cabriolet, they are built to different price points and the IMs will offer some features that the Becks don't, like roll-up windows. It comes down to your reasons for wanting the car along with how much you can afford. As long as you're not looking for a 2009 Porsche in an older looking body, you could be happy with either.

Make sure you read "Ready for a Speedster replica?" at the top of this forum. I also recommend that you try to see (and drive, if possible) examples of each manufacturer that you are considering. Come to one of the annual gatherings so you can compare them to each other face to face. Don't rush in and buy the first thing that comes up. A little research goes a long way.

Lane said, "As long as you're not looking for a 2009 Porsche in an older looking body, you could be happy with either."

He can buy Howard car and get that. Well, almost a 2009. That thing is schaweeeet!!

Mike,
Give us some more info and we'll walk you through. What are you going to use the car for? Where do you live? How much are you looking to spend? Do you want a car for looks or performance, or both? And as already mentioned, read alot! This forum will answer all your questions.

So Mike, how big is your bank account...you could buy Howard's IM for a mere 75K. it's a lot of car, and according to Angela (our resident expert) worth every dime, or you can buy a new VS for in the low 20's, maybe not quite the same in any regard, but worthy of running with the high end boys any day of the week...
The difference between any of the makers is MONEY....
SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEND BIG GUY.....

Mike,

I'm having Henry build me my own IM-6. I find it hard to think Howard is selling his IM-6. Not sure any other owner/builders of a IM-6 has ever sold one. Howard must have a reason and no telling what he will build next.

My father once told me son:

"you can have 90% of the fun for 10% of the money, it's the other 10% of the fun that will cost you 90% of the money".

After 5 1/2 years building a nearly perfect 1960 356 Porsche Sunroof Coupe I was not satisfied with what I had even though it was a beautiful car.

Henry is building my dream, yours will be different.

My vote, go with the 50 Year old company.

Dream on my friend........;-)

Mike, as you are new to the forum, I hope you know I was, as Dusty puts it, "pulling your chain" with my previous post. Welcome to the Madness, and good luck on finding a car that meets your dreams. If you live in SoCal, I would be happy to show you my IM Roadster and tell you why it is better than everybody else's car. Imtermeccanica builds a wide range of cars, mine is the most basic. The 911 powered versions are a completely different ballgame. Used older Im's on VW pans are quality built cars at very good values. Used tube frame IMs are a little more than Becks with the same engines, but are very nice cars. It all depends on how original you want the car to look or how fast you want to go.

Early IM posted just today in this site for 15K.....;-)

Still wondering which way to go with this? Both look good to me.. maybe I will buy American! Any more thoughts?

Mike,

It totally depends on what you want for a finished product. I know folks that have different types of cars. Each in its own way is unique. It has to be something you dream of and haw close you are to a specific builder could have something to do with it. Price v Quality v ROI, its all your call.

Good luck.....

Mike, it's your dream, so only you can decide. In my case, I wanted a nice car to drive for fun on nice days. That includes enjoying the trip to Home Depot. I want to enjoy this car for the rest of my life and not even be tempted to use it as a daily driver in bad weather. Also, I wanted to be as close to the original as possible, and, I like the Speedster looks better than the roadster. My Beck is being built as a winter build for spring delivery. I live in Michigan about 4 hours from Special Edition and I visited them this summer during a trip to Chicago. Being able to drive a car, meet the owners, see the shop and see and discuss options in person was huge for me. Unfortunately, I can't comment about the car yet, but the customer service from Carey Hines, so far, has been phenomenal. I have obsessed over every detail and made several tweaks in the build as I learned more about these "wonderful little cars" to quote Carey from the YouTube video. Carey has been most patient with me a very fair on price for the customizations that I requested. I'm absolutely convinced that I made the right choice in a Beck.

Being close to the builder is important. I chose IM to build my dream car, even though its a continent away. Why, for one simple reason. The build quality is unsurpassed. So is the final$$$$$ bill. Its a trade off. For me it was worth the extra coin, because you could SEE and FEEL the difference. Trust me I compared them all. Beck makes a good machine no doubt. Henry made sure that the dream came true. Have FUN!