Vintage Speesters are the worst Crap ever BUILT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought one of these and met a few other owners THEY ARE CRAPPY STRUNG TOGETHER GARBAGE!!!!! bet you i get thrown off this website as its really run by VINTAGE!!!!

If it were my website I'd throw you off! What kind of person just blurts out a statement like that with no reason or justisfication to indicate their reasons for saying so? That's the same thing as me saying you're a jerk! Some might ask "why would you say that Mickey?" The again, some may not.

No it's not; the website was sort of started by VS and then it took on a life of its own. I for one bought a turnkey from them and am satisfied with what I got. Remember these are not factory manufactured cars so you need to be fair and realistic on your expectations.

Carl, no one here gives a shit what you have to say, when you say it the way you do....but I vote to keep you around, I'm sure it will make for interesting reading, the site has been boring lately....
Knowing Kirk, I'm sure he could give a shit also, and by the way, this site is not run by Vintage....Its run by Intermeccanica...

Carl,

You're rude and immature to say the least, hence I'll step up the to the plate and be the be the one to say ....

" Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out" ...toot-a-loo

Vince you crack me up!!!!

popcorn!!
where is the popcorn
im sitting down to enjoy this show :)

by the way as Warren White tells me Vintage customer service is excellent

We thought you were looking to buy an Intermechanica? They seem to have a good buyer rating here and have been in business for years. What your beef? Doesn't attract enough chicks? Maybe ya need to check you deodorant! Maybe a replica of a 30 year old car is not for you?

I rarely post anymore. Been here forever. Let me say that, to my knowledge, VS builds more Speedsters than anybody. Makes a big contribution to keeping the line alive and the volumes up. Since VS started producing affordable cars, the price of spares has come down, while the availability has gone up. There may be some bad experiences out there. Sorry you are in the midst of one.

I believe if you work through whatever problems you are having, you will be back to happy motoring. I know, I have worked through many over the years. Good luck, and thanks Theron for SO dot Com. Too bad GB is not around to stir stuff up.

Jack

Oh jeez, I guess I'll have to get rid of my own personal piece of crap. Heck, my "Mexi-junk-crate" motor has been treating me sooooo bad that I've already doubled my annual insurance company driving allowance. But, what do I know: I only started driving VW's almost 40 years ago..... Maybe I should blame Kirk for my extreme enjoyment of his inferior product & make him pay for my added coverage costs..... Go figure.

Carl Davis is Osama Bin Ladens gay bum buddy. NUF said!

Who can argue with such eloquent logic?
There are 2000+ very UNhappy VS owners today. They were relatively happy yesterday, they've learned the truth.

Anyway... Great revelation, I now see the light and thanks for making it personal, since I built the site. I'm not sure how I managed to secretly work for Vintage while keeping my normal 40 hour work week. The 400 mile morning commute sucks too. Oh and don't tell Special Edition, SAW, Intermeccanica, Platinum Speedsters or JPS. Because, I've also done work and accepted advertising for them. Oh god. Now that the truth is out. You might as well know that I have also done work for Vintage Spyders, Landrunner, umm... Also, HP, Varian, PG&E, Comcast, Etrade... Wow my client list is really long and by your standards, since I contracted work for them, THEY MUST OWN A PIECE OF THIS SITE!!! I've also had drinks, dinner with many in the industry. Even went to Mexico with Kirk from Vintage to visit the fiberglass plant, but John at JPS is having the coupe made in the same factory. Got to see it and the layup process. Crap, now John owns a bigger piece of the site.

One thing though, your articulate argument left out something about my mother?
-=theron

Wow...we need this more often!! Jacks posting again (glad to see ya!), Vince wakes up, and Theron uses his hotsage negotiations skills!!!!

Michael

Maybe Carl can go buy a hummer. Oops; Hummer.

Carl - You OK? Looks like you've taken a couple of left jabs, but I haven't seen the knockout punch yet. You brought it on yourself with what you said. You must of known you would get this treatment by your comment regarding the web-site. Come on, that is totally unfair and not true. Where did you get that crap, from the guys you were talking to? Well, maybe you don't care if you are that disollutioned with your VS purchase. I just bought a VS car and had problems with it, but Kirk has made everything right. It would only be fair to know if you bought a used car that someone else had thrased or if you ordered a new one like me. Did you call Kirk and discuss problems with him? I suspect not. In any case, VS puts out a good, reliable, affordable Speedster. They've been doing it for over 20 years. It is not your showtime looker, but that is where the labor comes in, hence the afforability. If you just want to drive and have fun, they are a great ride. I guess the question is, if your car is such crap, why did you buy it?

Ricardo actually nailed what I believe to be the real problem in the very beginning.

Frankly, if you buy a handbuilt car and your expectations are the same as a new Honda Civic, you are in for a real dissappointment. If you compare the upkeep and maintenance required on the average Civic to the average replica, built by any of the manufacturers, then yes you could come to the conclusion that they all build crap.

But that frankly is your own fault, you didn't listen to the right people who tell it how it is, versus a few people are completely willing to let you believe they have magic cars built by some wizard who has some how figured out how to make a handbuilt car, as reliable and maintenance free as a good production car.

Oh, you are right, there is definitely bias on this site, but it is equally shared by all of the owners, who represent all of the manufacturers. I would say if anything this site is not a good promotional tool for Vintage at all. You see, Vintage has more cars out there then anyone, so if you look at the mechanical problems people are having there is naturally going to be more people with Vintage cars having problems. It is just a statistical fact. If you look at SAW cars, you will see almost no mention of any problems, but that is also because just the opposite is true, SAW has relatively few cars out and only a few posts. Also, SAW literally has NO used cars, owned by people who didn't buy the car from SAW. They don't really need the same kind of support or answers to questions, because they just call SAW. It's for the same reasons you see very few Intermeccanica questions, how many people on this site own an Intermeccanica bought used? Not very many compared to Vintage.

You will also see NO, ex Intermeccanica owners on this site. Why? Because people who own an Intermeccanica never sell them....oh god your not going to fall for that one are you? It's because for years and years people have been willing to pay the extra money for an Intermeccanica to get what they have decided is a better product for their needs and expectations, and is within their budget. But, if they still were unhappy with an Intermeccanica, they sold it, and went on to something else rather then buy another 356 from a different manufacturer and post on this site. This makes sense, if you bought what is commonly thought of as the very best 356 replica and you still weren't happy, why would you buy one from someone else? I think, I'm the only person who once owned a used Intermeccanica and now owns a 356 replica built by someone else, and that's because I made a very personal choice on what was important to me, and what was not. Someone else could and many times should come up with a completely different decision. But, if I dare to disagree with any specific opinion or question regarding an Intermeccanica, I am quickly and in an organized fashion attacked. In this way Vince is correct, this is an Intermeccanica site, because there is no one around to say anything negative about an Intermeccanica. That's why I don't bother, screw it, it is not my job to tell people the benefits or disadvantages of owning one or the other.

But if you want to call a particular manufacturers car crap instead of taking the time to actually say what you do or don't like on the car, then no one is willing to listen. Take me for example, if I just said, my used Intermeccanica was crap, that would be completely useless information and wouldn't even be accurate. I instead would say, that my problem with the car was the drivetrain reliability and the ease of getting mainenance done in my area. Don't get me wrong, even for saying that you will get attacked by people who feel they need to fight any negative things said about their manufacturers cars. The difference in approach is important, because if you live in a different area or like working on VW drivetrains these may be completely non-issues for you. Don't get me wrong, you can give your opinion on this site in this manner, based on your experience, and some people will still come running to the defense of their manufacturer even if you aren't trying to attack the manufacturer, but at least other people will listen.

Oh, just to clarify, I'm NOT saying my Intermeccanica was crap. In fact I thought it was a great car, but the things I didn't like about the car could only be solved by buying a different manufacturers car. So just relax, interpol.

You ALSO crack me up Steve!!!

Since Carl has yet to respond, perhaps he has turned the other cheek... then again perhaps he has been well spanked.

Steven, reading your post although acurate was terribly boring, If Carl didn't commit suicide reading it then he is stronger than I thought....
I sure hope he comes back with another stupid comment, this is the best thread currently going......

Now that he's pumped up his VS - I'm suspecting to see it for sale here! Wonder what he'd want for the piece of crap. I'll trade my highly dependable '85 Yota PU even-steven (but I want a full tank of gas!).

This post by Carl is STRANGE. If you review his last 50 posts - he states has owned several IM's. He has also bought alot of parts as he is building a custom speedster.

Now he is evidently very unhappy with his current lot - a Vintage. All of his posts are within the last THREE months.

So Carl - what is it? Do you have a speedster? What kind? If you built it yourself (as you'd mentioned in an earlier posta few months ago) is that the car that's a piece of crap? Hey, if you're building it, then its YOUR crap, not Vintage's crap.

angela

I for one own a Beck, I bought the car for a tinker toy, and that is just what it is.. I drive the wheels off it and I have problems just like every one else who tinkers with them. But Hey, I don't go around belittling someone's car. These cars are fun to drive fun to tinker with even in my own limited fashion. I have corrected some issue and I have created some. My car keeps me from going nuts. I have been crazy most of my life, but not nuts, so

who ever makes a statement like that without thinking or reason is nuts. Just my two cents. I think Carl was just playing with his nuts.

I have had a problem with my Vintage speedster...and guess what. They are standing behind it 100%. I feel that there are some very smart guys on this site that have been speedster maniacs for a long time. You better do your homework or have a good reason to bash a builder or they will let you know that you are full of crap. Second, again, vintage is taking care of my speedster and making me a happy customer again...and a happy customer will protect what they feel is...good people building cars. Thank you Vintage for taking care of me...can't wait to ge my car back to cruise around before the bad weather comes. Numerous of the maniacs on this site really stepped up and helped me out behind the scenes...I hope to repay them someday.

So,instead of popping off...be an adult and explain your problem and let the pieces fall where they may.

I am really starting to see that...some people really think these cars should run like a new car...nice try..your new car has a computer fixing every little sputter at the blink of an eye...carburated old timers are just that..old timers...I was lucky enough to have a couple old show cars laying around the garage and know they don't drive like new ones!! so don't expect your speedster to drive like one...anyway..explain yourself and you may get help...if you don't you will get help out the door

rock on

Paul Fullerton

I am a Vintage owner for 3 years and I drive my car all the time. The only problem I've had is with carbs, that were mine to begin with. The car is very solid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



CARL WERE ARE UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU?

Vince, maybe that's why he isn't responding, maybe he got halfway through the my post and ended all of his troubles.

Carl:

I would like to talk to you. call me at my office 800-277-4653

I'm glad posts like Carl's pop up every once in a while, despite my off-the-cuffness earlier in the thread. I've noticed the same things Steven mentioned over the last few years, and it's pretty reasonable to expect good things when you buy a new toy.
The plastic Lionel train you took out of the box at Christmas when you were five worked just fine, and other, bigger toys ought to work the same way.
Building and modifying, tinkering and cussing at your Speedster is a pretty good metaphor, though. You spend a goodly chunk of money on something you don't have to count on -- in most cases -- and when that perfect weekend comes along, you want to just hop in and turn the key. When it doesn't work, you get a little hot. Understandable.
If you buy it from a person who says something about "Got to sell it, baby on the way," you'd reasonably expect that they took care of it, right?
Or if you built it yourself, how could you possibly have put that wire on so loosely? Y'all know what I mean. Then you come in here bee-bopping along and asking for a little help, and SURPRISE! You're not the first one with that problem.
Look at Lane's hood latch thing, for example. Everyone on his build had his best interests in mind, and something simple bit him. He was probably frustrated and more than a little warm under the collar, but he had a resource and didn't come in here carping about "VW hood latches SUCK!"
Point is, manners matter. I built it, I screwed it up and I could use a little help. I think that's an admirable approach and I'm happy to dig in and turn a wrench alongside that person. Make a blanket statement about how dorked up MY toy is, just by association, and I'm not very likely to even learn your name.
I'm not saying we all need to sit around a campfire and sing kumbayah about how great this hobby is, but geez! I like these little cars. And I really like this resource.
Posts like Carl's just reinforce to me how much courtesy matters.

You know Cory, you are not only a builder and an enthusiast, you are also a mannered gentleman. This site is lucky to have you chime in.

angela

Hey Angela, what about me????

Carl is a troll. Definition-Somebody who visits sites and posts something inflamatory just to get a reaction. Carl probably posted something like "Suicide is for people who shouldn't be around anyway." on the suicide watch line.

Could be Jennifer's roommate.
ed

he never called me... but then again, it's not my number. So perhaps he did and it gave him a "rise"

...ED, I like your logic (Jennifer from past thread, I really enjoyed that one), but perhaps more accurately it might be Jennifer's BEEYATCH!!

OK, this might start a whole string of them, but that's cool. I always think a bit of levity is good, especially when it's at a child's expense.

Q: How many Carls does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: One. Carl holds the light bulb in place and waits for the whole room to revolve around him.

OK, here's another one, but everyone here has to pony one up, too.

Q: How many Carls does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Carl doesn't screw in light bulbs, he just types sh!t in all caps and rubs people the wrong way.

Q. How many people like Carl does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. (I get it! This is one of those light bulb jokes, right?)

Q. How many Jennifers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Like oh, no! The bulb's out? Sell my GE stock NOW!!

Q. How many Merklins does it take to change a light bulb?
A. May I suggest you read the manual?

Q. How many SoCal MusBe Pimps does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two, one to hold the bulb, and one to drive the pink Speedster in tight circles.

And my personal favorite:
Q. How many down-on-their-luck Hoopty projekt engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Two. One always leaves in the middle of the projekt.

Q. How many people does it take to change a German light bulb?
A. If it's a German light bulb, why does it ever need changed!?

Oh, and Vince, you already know you're one of my favorites! You're either pis$ing somebody off or making them laugh their as$ off - a very entertaining combination!

angela

Hey Cory, my brutha from another mutha!

I think what you meant to say was;

Q: - How many project Hoopty engineers does it take to change a light bulb?

A: - The same number it takes to hinge the garage door and man-door to the lightbulb base that's triggered through a custom fabricated magnesium-alloy switch-plate from a prototype P-car engine!!

You got it all wrong, I think Carl works for Vintage, man look at all that publicity!!!!