CAV in UK

Rick Chattell · 11-26-03, 04:15 AM

As the UK distributor of this car, I have read with interest some of the comments arising from Frank Catt's post. I would therefore like to make the following points:

1. A lot of comments have been made regarding the price of the CAV (which is fair enough) but a lot of them are also inaccurate. Firstly, when comparing like for like spec between the US and UK (and ignoring the fact that the US sales tax in CA is I think 7% and ours is 17.5)the UK model is about £3k more expensive which covers the work leading up to and including the SVA process. Both Bob Lacey (US) and I would be very happy to provide more information on request.

I was also interested in the quote from the guy with the invisible MDA ( [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]) I am very much looking forward to seeing this car, which I am sure I will admire (as I do most GTD's that I see) The facts though are this. A turnkey SVA'd CAV on a 350hp 302 with Getrag, Leather, Aircon and full carpeting is £62,275 inc VAT and delivery. A rolling chassis (turnkey minus) of the same high spec is £49350 in VAT and a comprehensive kit package starts at £22k. If someone goes down the home build route, they would easily get a very high quality CAV on the road for a lot less than £40k all in. Seems a lot less than an estimated £65k for a car that isnt yet delivered.

It is easy to say that the CAV is expensive, but it is worth remembering that it is an extremely high quality car, on a stainless monocoque and I have been told many times that the fit and finish is the best available (not my words) It is not the intention of CAV UK to price itself out of the market, nor are we able to provide the cheapest option out there. It is simply that you get what you pay for and in this case I believe it is well worth the investment.

I also saw one comment about the CAV not being a "proper kit" What does this mean? It is available in various options and stages, with a quality build manual and UK phone line support. Am I missing something?

Finally, there are many extremely high quality GTD's/MDA's/Tornados etc available. CAV has now joined the UK party with another high quality replica which differs in certain ways to the others. Surely this is good news for a burgeoning worldwide club?

Rick Chattell

Robert Logan · 11-26-03, 06:05 AM

Rick,

Good on you.

You are just another car on the block. You have decided to market in your own way and I for one wish you luck.

Interesting comments about the MDA. Are there many / any on the road in the UK,.

Best wishes,

Robert

JP · 11-26-03, 07:26 AM

[ QUOTE ]

Interesting comments about the MDA. Are there many / any on the road in the UK,

[/ QUOTE ]

No there are none, but the best things in life are worth waiting for!

Regards,

J.P

Rick Chattell · 11-26-03, 08:22 AM

Robert,

Thanks for your best wishes!

I have not managed to see an MDA yet, but I am obviously looking forward to it. It seems that they are about the same money as a CAV (on balance) but I think they are on a spaceframe rather than a monocoque.

I am sure they will be a good quality item and as I said in my earlier post the more good quality GT40's about - the better as far as I am concerned.

On the cost subject, I think it is easy to buy a cheaper car initially and then spend a lot more money than you meant to by the end of the project! Therefore one of the CAV UK options is a complete rolling chassis in a box, down to the last nut and bolt. You may pay a bit more initially, but then you know where you are from then on. I also feel that it is worth a bit of extra money just to get a stainless monocoque.

I dont suppose you want to talk about the Rugby do you?

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

All the best!

Rick

Brett James-McCall · 11-26-03, 08:56 AM

Rick,
As a suggestion, you may want to update your pricing download on your site. You currently do not say that a comprehensive package can be bought for 22K, as your post suggests, this may help generate interest or answer peoples' questions upfront.

Brett

Rick Chattell · 11-26-03, 10:09 AM

Brett,

Thanks for that. The website has not kept up with developments! You are absolutely right and my secretary (who has a Luddite for a boss) is on the case.

Cheers,

Rick

Ron Earp · 11-26-03, 03:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]

1. A lot of comments have been made regarding the price of the CAV (which is fair enough) but a lot of them are also inaccurate. Firstly, when comparing like for like spec between the US and UK (and ignoring the fact that the US sales tax in CA is I think 7% and ours is 17.5)the UK model is about £3k more expensive which covers the work leading up to and including the SVA process. Both Bob Lacey (US) and I would be very happy to provide more information on request.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, since I'm the guy that posted the conversion to pounds I feel like I should respond to this since I opened it. I like the CAV cars (when things were bad at home and I thought there was no way I'd ever get mine finished I considered getting one, but now things are much smoother at home so I'll make it) and I don't really care too much about exchange rate differences, but the above info claiming only a 3k pound difference is wrong.

I compared CAV US prices, before tax, with UK prices, before tax. I converted the UK prices, before tax, into USD so they do compare one to one. I didn't tax one and not the other.

Therefore, a complete roller minus engine/tranny is $59,900 for a painted roller with no options in the
US. This same car is, to us Yanks, $78,200 in the UK (46,000 pounds in the UK, coverting at 1.70 dollars to the pound).

Taxes, like death, is unavoidable so I don't see the point in including them on either. The car, in US currency, is $18,200 bucks more in the UK than in the US. I don't know about SVA etc. so that is up to UK folks to assign value.

I run a US importer of forgein goods so I understand differences in costs between countries and my intention is not to stir up a pot. I'm just defending the comparison I made regarding the prices in respective countries relative to currency - I didn't tax one and not to other to make a large relative difference and the difference is much larger than 3k pounds. Now, can you get one from here to there for the difference, no chance. Shipping and inport duty would eat up any advantage in a hurry.

Motor on
Ron

Brett James-McCall · 11-26-03, 06:37 PM

Ron,
Please don not disclude the "getting ready for SVA" statement. If youare ever over in the UK, I'll meet up and show you the lovely set of rules "new" cars have to adhere to.

Also, I beleive Rick has left out an important fact of duty etc. The car is not just taxed on the value, but the value + duty and then add shipping and multiply by VAT. I don't know how it is in the US, but talking it for mainstream vehicle manufacturing national taxes is a main reason these days for seeing price fluctuations across Europe.

However, as I am not party to the figures its hard to really verify.

Brett

JP · 12-01-03, 05:03 AM

Rick,

Here is my "invisible engine" from my "invisible car"

Please note the incredibly low engine position.

Regards,

J.P

Rick Chattell · 12-01-03, 10:26 AM

Dear JP,

Very nice - looking forward to seeing the whole thing!

Especially looking forward to watching you crack 12 secs at Brighton.

Rick

Bigend · 12-01-03, 11:27 AM

Hi JP, it's looking good, what gearbox/bellhousing are you using?
regards, Mike

Jools · 12-01-03, 09:49 PM

I agree with Mike JP, the mystery machine is really taking shape.. and think with an engine that low ,just how long you will be able to make your intake trumpet's for loads of loverly torque!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]