Potential new Ultima Owner.........Questions........HELP!!!

[ILuv4REs]

Hello,

I have found a pre-owned Ultima Can Am that I like VERY much. However, I have some concerns before pulling the trigger on it. I would appreciate some comments and opinions......

1) How difficult will it be for me to sell the car if/when I want to sell it in the future? Is there a real market for these, or is it something that will take a year to sell and get financially clobbered??
2) Ownership experience - how/what has everyone liked or disliked about the Ultima?
3) I plan to pay cash for it, but I have been having some trouble obtaining insurance due to the 'non production car' pedigree. I read the thread on insurance options and I will call those companies tomorrow. But, what about financing? Is financing a car like this feasible or is it difficult like obtaining insurance? - I ask again to gauge what my experience will be if/when I decide to sell it in the future.
4) What should I look for, or stay away from on a car like this?
5) Anyone have some REAL and recent statistics on pricing in the pre-owned marketplace in the US? I haven't found any for sale, nor any recent sales in the US to guide me on what the real market price is for a transaction. I say REAL because I am not interested in hearing about how people wouldn't sell theirs for less than 'x', asking prices, or other opinionated chatter on this piece without some actual sales facts.
6) I considered replacing my Lotus Elise with either a Lotus Exige S240 or a Noble M400 prior to considering an Ultima. Anyone have actual experience behind the wheel of each of these cars to give a honest comparison?
7) Any other information you feel would help??

BTW, I am in the US, so that is the market I am most interested in.

If you'd prefer to PM me, feel free to do so.........

Thank you very, very much in advance!!!!!

[craig7l]

i can take 6) - after going from lotus elise to ExigeS that difference on "feeling" on the road was noticable...after a test drive in the ultima the difference on "feeling" from exigeS to ultima was massive. - scary massive..
With regard to circuit lap times my radical "blizzed" road cars on track/test days and suprisingly the ultima felt faster than the radical (gulp)....my prior experience on the radical to ultimas on tackdays was ripping the crap through them when i went past out of corners...

conclusion - straight line acceleration....the "feeling" of fast.....circuit lap times.....can be mutually exclusive sometimes...

[Steve_D]

Have you been to the US Ultima web site at http://www.markkoch.net/ultima/home.asp ?

Whilst we could answer some of the questions I feel that most are market or location related so the guys over there may be able to offer more.

Steve

[andygtt]

I can answer Q6... I had build a 500bhp canam and it was an awsome piece of kit, stupid fast and flattering, I loved it and used it a lot, I followed it up with a VX200 (lotus elise with different body and 2.2L engine) and it handled like the Ultima but was a total dissapointment in all other ways. I sold it after 3 mths.
Ive now got a noble and other than straight line speed its superior in ever other way IMO (mines a GT03 not an M400 tho which is closer on performance).... its not a convertible though so its not an alternative to a canam IMO.
If I hadnt needed the money I'd still have the canam, bloody loved that car lol

[San Diego GTR]

I just sent you a PM. The market is strong for used Ultimas, even in this economy. The reason: there aren't very many of them.

I built and have driven this GTR for about a year now. Amazing car! You'll love it.

Paul