New To Be Spyder Owner

I am thinking of purchasing a new turn key Spyder from either Beck, Vintage, or Thunder Ranch. Need current owners advice on what to look for. I really appreciate your time in replying to the questions below.

* Reliability from each company.
* Performance and Handling.
* How much should I expect to pay.
* Safety issue

Kyle

Regardless of which car you buy, be advised that ALL of them undergo sorting issues that are usually resolved after a few thousand miles. If you are building the car yourself, there are things you can do that will help with that problem, but there are always unexpected surprises.

All of them have outstanding performance. The power to weight ratio is terrific. The Type IV engines and the subaru engines offer great power and reliability. If you are truly insane you can go with a 6-cylinder porsche engine or a TURBO subaru both of which are cabable of changing zip codes immediately! Most of the suspensions are somewhat crude but offer surprisingly good grip particuliarly on smooth pavement.

Safety is an intersting question. I had a fellow at Knott's last year very concerned about "safety". He wanted a "safe" car. "Safe" means the absence of risk. No deal on these cars. They are small, light and open. You crash, you lose. Someone talking on the cell phone runs over you, you lose. Suggestions: LOUD horns, drive with your lights on all the time, keep it in gear at stop lights (to make a quick move) and drive like everyone is out to get you. If you can get a fuel cell for the front then do! Carry an extinguisher just in case.

See the cars in person and drive them. Each of us has our favorite and you will need to choose yours. Another good option is to buy a slightly used one that has already had a few thousand miles to "shake out" the new car teething problems.
hope that helps
angela

Angela,

Thanks for the insight.

Kyle

Nice one Angela. You probably preempted 3-4 pages of the usual "my brand is better" warfare. Thanks. Terry

I just want to underscore what Angela said about the desirability of purchasing an older sorted car. I didn't do that...Purchased a brand new Beck (Not built by Beck but brand new nonethe less)...It took me about six months of fairly constant work to get the car sorted and reliable (and that was after Jake Raby re-built the front suspension and differential under warranty coverage)...I actually got so fed up at one point that I attempted to sell the car.

Another thing to think about is the fact that ALL of the current constructors are notorious for not meeting delivery deadlines.

Put simply, it's a choice between spending a few months finding and purchasing a reliable Spyder or ordering one, waiting twice as long as you were told it would take to build, THEN spending a lot of time sorting the car out.

I also want to underscore what Angela said about safety...These cars are NOT safe...Think motorcycle when you get in to drive.

TMc

TMc - Thanks for the info. What if I know nothing about fixing an engine, no proper tools, and time. I am sure there are some owners out there that are in my position. One place I considered placing my order offers 1 year warranty, I will be driving it alot the first year, hopefully most of the major problems are resolved by then. This club have been great, now I know what to look out for before I sign the check. Thanks to everyone who have contributed.

Kyle

I would definitely second Terry's comments. I bought a new Vintage from a dealer in Scottsdale. The car had some issues and I am not the most gifted wrench but they are mostly sorted out now. A slightly used Spyder that was owned by a talented wrench would be ideal since the first thousand miles are a chore. Now the Spyder is more fun than any other car I own but the weather is frustrating--too cold, too wet--or work is too demanding and a week or two slip by without driving the Spyder. Good luck with your decision--2005 will be great with a Spyder in the garage. Norv

I will definitely keep everyone updated on whether I go with a used or new one. If someone is selling their spyder within the SoCal area I would like to hear about it.

Kyle