Why are people selling their Ultimas?

[ULTIMALOVER]

I'm curious as to why I see people selling their Ultimas on Pistonheads and the US Ultima forum. Why? I mean, these cars are amazing machines and if I had one, I would not want to get rid of it. So what is the reason why people sell their Ultimas, financial reasons, tired of an extreme sports car, looking for something new, marriage, the wife forces you to be done with it, child on the way or what? I'm baffled, because once I build one with my own blood, sweat, money and tears, I will not get rid of mine.

Edited by ULTIMALOVER on Thursday 24th May 15:44

[GTWayne]

I used to feel that way but now that I have my car on the road I can understand why some are prepared to sell. They are not an everyday car for everyday use. You really do need to have a specific purpose to be using the car for ie. show, event of some kind, track day etc. as driving for driving sake soon becomes a chore and as the cars like to be driven fast, on to days roads it is getting more and more difficult to achieve without landing yourself in strife. Also, I feel that it is a sign of the times that we live in where folks are always looking for something new and exciting and lets face it, once you have put the car through its paces a few times, what else is there?
For me, the joy of owning an Ultima is so much more than just driving it; The fettling, fine tuning ( however good it is it can always be improved upon ) modifying and honing. It is just that this kind of car lends itself more to owner input than any other car of its type and like you, I do not think that I will ever want to sell the car.

[ULTIMALOVER]

Oh by the way, GREAT JOB on the GTW Wayne!

[GTWayne]

^ Thanks very much, glad that you approve

[Thevet]

People sell for a variety of reasons. I sold my original self-built dream car, a Gardner-Douglas Cobra, a year after making it to build another car, the GTR, as I wanted to get a more extreme machine and I had really enjoyed building a car the 1st time. I expect to sell my GTR one day when dementia has finally meant I can't control the beastie, but the ultima suits my aims just now. Some builders/buyers might find it is just too much of a handful and are scared into selling, or your financial situation can change and an ultima is a big investment/asset to keep. Family expansions are an ever present danger to continued Ultimaownership, ask Stig.

[TuxMan]

our Can-am is up for sale at the moment , the main reason being money , it cost a hell of alot more than the 35k we were told we could build it for and i have lived a breathed it for 5 years. i feel its time to move on to something else .If i won the lottery saturday i would never sell it but when you live with a ultima you never stop working and tweeking it since i put ours up for sale i have spent over 500£ on it doing what i have no idea ...labour of love i suppose .i will miss it when its gone thats for sure !!!!!!!

[Steve_D]

Building and selling is a common kitcar thing.
For many the build is what it is all about. Owning and driving it are secondary and do not have the same emotions.

Steve

[Scuff]

For some of us it has been a dream to own, drive, service and tinker with an Ultima. Would have loved to have built one but the other half drew the line at that, so buying and owning was the next best thing. As for the selling the money is now required for other things, a new project. When I have enough money again (if my project is fruitful) I will be building another GTR to my spec with an LS7, Will be the GTS (GTScuff) and possibly White again.

I have so say also that I have not found a more friendly bunch of people than on this forum, with loads of advise and help and a good bit of banter, of which GTW is a strong contender for the prize. What a great bunch the Ultimans are.

S

Edited by Scuff on Friday 25th May 08:40

[SplatSpeed]

Scuff said:

For some of us it has been a dream to own, drive, service and tinker with an Ultima. Would have loved to have built one but the other half drew the line at that, so buying and owning was the next best thing. As for the selling the money is now required for other things, a new project. When I have enough money again (if my project is fruitful) I will be building another GTR to my spec with an LS7, Will be the GTS (GTScuff) and possibly White again.

I have so say also that I have not found a more friendly bunch of people than on this forum, with loads of advise and help and a good bit of banter, of which GTW is a strong contender for the prize. What a great bunch the Ultimans are.

S

Edited by Scuff on Friday 25th May 08:40

keep up like that and waynes head wont fit in his ultima any more

[joaovc]

I have yet to own an Ultima. Probably I'll buy an used one. I'm not very skilled at building stuff, so I am thankful that there is a choice of used ultimas for sale. For me the community that gathers around a car is a major factor in how much I like that car or not. One of the things that draws me to Ultimas is the great community around them.

[chris73]

Chap i bought my GTR from needed the cash to pay for his new DB9....

Its not a bad life then, eh...

[shithotfast]

TuxMan said:

i have spent over 500£ on it !

Well £500 isnt a lot, but £500k is a lotI I guess you mean £50k - which sounds right, and a lot of money if you dont have it "spare"

There is no doubt if you dont have the money spare, or think you will make money out of an ultima, dont buy one , but I think a second hand one is good value? You could get one for say £30k, sell a year or two later for about the same amount I would guess. Thats good value!. All cars lose money in the first 3 years or so even the big boy toys.

I would say mine cost me £40k in total, had it 9 years, might get £20-25?? so thats 2-3k a year.... not bad. I think in another 5 years still would get £15k - probably wont be any petrol left to put in it and so will be converting it to a washing machine electric motor!

I am fortunate in I have paid for the kids, wife and house so I can keep mine..... if fact .........I will be buried in mine!

[TuxMan]

paul not £500 in total £500 in the last month !!!!! about 53k in total a bit more than the 35 i was told i could build it for !!!!!

[GTWayne]

[quote=Scuff]I have so say also that I have not found a more friendly bunch of people than on this forum, with loads of advise and help and a good bit of banter, of which GTW is a strong contender for the prize. What a great bunch the Ultimans are.[quote]

Aw, shucks......, that is a really nice thing to say Scuff ( generally about all on here but the bit about me, thanks ).
For me, PH's was an unexpected result that accompanied Ultima ownership ( I know you don't need to own an Ultima to be on here but it certainly gives you alot of credibility ) and I must say that although I know all good things must inevitably come to an end, for the short term at least, I am here to stay and now that the GTW is at last mobile ( ish! ), I will be doing my best to get out and meet folk in person that I have found myself conversing with on these pages for the last 12 months or so; LET BATTLE COMMENCE! ( that last statement means nothing in particular to anyone, I know, but just to let you know this is my 'new' war cry. BLACK IS BOSS has been laid to rest in honour of Scuffs planned departure: The King is dead, LONG LIVE THE KING!

Reading that lot back to myself I can see how some may think 'That bloke's a nutter' but remember, I work outside for a living and the sun has been beating down on me all day and I forgot to wear my hat!

[jschwartz]

Every one for sale in North America that I've heard of was for sale due to financial reasons, not for lack of love for the car.

[shithotfast]

TuxMan said:

paul not £500 in total £500 in the last month !!!!! about 53k in total a bit more than the 35 i was told i could build it for !!!!!

Hi Simon, yep ouch! Must admit I have always had a bit of a thing about this, when I started my build the factory brochure said (and still does I think) something like "kits start at £3,000 (or such like) - yeah for the first nut and bolt! Also they say "finished cars built from £25,000" again yes if you use a crap motor, don't paint it, crap wheels, second hand bits etc... I do think its a bit misleading. A few guys have asked me in the past the "real" cost and I always say £40k plus - but they rarely believe it unfortunately.

Still, guess we should have done the real total sums first, but we can all be guilty of not doing that. Still its only money!

[GTWayne]

We often see feedback like this and yes, it is a bit of a joke NOW we have spent the money but this highlights two key facts if nothing else; 1/ Ultima Sports ( and by this I mean Ted in particular ) have done an excellent job as far as marketing and selling their product to the customer and 2/, the customer that this kind of project appeals to has more money than sense as once the target budget has been reached and exceeded, we all of us justify and press on until completion. Ted is the clever one here as he was able to identify his customer early on and we are like moths to a lamp.

Edited by GTWayne on Sunday 27th May 03:03

[TuxMan]

Hi Paul , we did do detailed acounts before we started ,using the ultima price list ,it was all the hidden cost that caught us out like a wiring loom that did not have any relays in it ect , sorry Wayne but i think its wrong to miss-lead people how many ultimas sit out there half done with a spent budget,the problem is once you start you cannot afford to stop then when you have to sell it you do so at a loss ,never had the issues with the westfields i built there pricing was spot on and sold both for a profit !!!!

[GTWayne]

That was the point that I was trying to make Simon. Had many of us known how much money we were likely to spend on a project like this ( truthfully ), would we have done it?

[TuxMan]

sorry Wayne too much red wine last night !!!! would i build if i new what i know now ??????????? hell off a question ........probably not !!!!!thats the sad reality of it all .