After You Watch This Video You Will Be In Awe Of What Factory Five Does! Thank You!

[FFR-ADV]

All,

I have been following Factory Five for years, and will finally build one for myself. Dave has allowed us to view so much of what Jim Schenk and his team have done. When you see how much is involved in a sports car development program at a company with more resources, it makes what Factory Five has done even more amazing! Kudos to Dave, Jim, Jesper and all who are busy making our dream cars into realities in our garages.

The video is about another car's (M111 aka Elise) development, but perhaps this will help us all to visualize some of the challenges which the design team is facing bringing the 818 into production.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oNAMF8HwZc

Factory Five 818 ROCKS!

Happy Holidays!

[FFR-ADV]

I Would be remiss in not adding some of Factory Five's 818 Story:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN_jVWlSPmk

[FFR-ADV]

Here is another Factory Five 818 Video:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFHlJZovRrw

[timmy318]

All,

I have been following Factory Five for years, and will finally build one for myself. Dave has allowed us to view so much of what Jim Schenk and his team have done. When you see how much is involved in a sports car development program at a company with more resources, it makes what Factory Five has done even more amazing! Kudos to Dave, Jim, Jesper and all who are busy making our dream cars into realities in our garages.

The video is about another car's (M111 aka Elise) development, but perhaps this will help us all to visualize some of the challenges which the design team is facing bringing the 818 into production.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oNAMF8HwZc

Factory Five 818 ROCKS!

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for providing my nights entertainment! :p

[FFR-ADV]

From Here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXhVv6_AeOU

[FFR-ADV]

And Here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoKvVz0PmkI

[FFR-ADV]

From This:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aZTosB0Fn4

[FFR-ADV]

To This:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYHxupH7x_Y

[FFR-ADV]

And This:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1voMV-W6ztw

[FFR-ADV]

Thank You Factory Five!

Happy Holidays!

[Flamshackle]

such a good watch!!! and a very pertinent reminder that what FFR have done and are still doing is world class!

After a lot of research it will cost me nearly three times the price equivalent to get a 818 on the road in New Zealand.

-Shipping alone will be $3000
-Import tax will be around $3000
-getting it certified is anyone's guess but will most probably run into the $thousands with A LOT of forms/compliance and frustration
-The currency conversion will add $thousands
There are more smaller issues as well to do with imperial/metric combination of the chassis/motor and other small things like cartage from the docks to delivery that would make this project worth well over $25000.

At that price I can actually buy the Lotus Elise that is featured in the above video so I am sad to say that an 818 will not be an option anymore for me. :(

[FFR-ADV]

such a good watch!!! and a very pertinent reminder that what FFR have done and are still doing is world class!

After a lot of research it will cost me nearly three times the price equivalent to get a 818 on the road in New Zealand.

-Shipping alone will be $3000
-Import tax will be around $3000
-getting it certified is anyone's guess but will most probably run into the $thousands with A LOT of forms/compliance and frustration
-The currency conversion will add $thousands
There are more smaller issues as well to do with imperial/metric combination of the chassis/motor and other small things like cartage from the docks to delivery that would make this project worth well over $25000.

At that price I can actually buy the Lotus Elise that is featured in the above video so I am sad to say that an 818 will not be an option anymore for me. :(

Hi Flamshackle,

I hope you can find a way to make an 818 work out Perhaps some other international customers could help you find ways to make it work better for you

From a power/weight performance perspective an 818 should be more comparable to an Exige SC even with an unmodified WRX donor With modifications it could approach a Venom (1 million USD) Just as the Elise development video, the 818 is going thru suspension tuning right now It is amazing what Factory Five does for us The wisdom of a single donor design to leverage the engineering done by others is how FFR puts this type of performance within our reach That does not diminish the talent and effort by Jim, Jesper and the FFR team in creating the 818 for us

Thank You Factory Five!

Happy Holidays

[wallace18]

The Lotus video although long was very interesting. It showed a fair amount of similarities to the 818 deal. If anything maybe it will show how much you are getting for your money in the Kit. Also how much more is involved for the so called needed things today in a car affect price and weight. Truly FFR is offering a neat car for the money. It is up to the builder to finish a great starting point. IMO.

[FFR-ADV]

HI Flamshackle,

Here is a link to another forum thread started by Dave Smith. I would recommend contacting him before giving up. He has stated many times how he wants the 818 to be a world car. He has many contacts around the world, and perhaps one of them can help you.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?2784-Factory-Five-Export-Nation-Part-2

Wallace18,

I agree. Factory Five is putting alot of value together for us and we bear responsability to carry through by putting it together correctly. When I watched the film I could envision the thousands of details FFR is working thru from body panels, suspension spring and shock absorber selection, track testing, paintless body details, vendor questions and change requests.... This is not FFRs first rodeo. Our dream 818s are safef in FFR s capable hands. The video just reminded me how much must be accomplished after the show car is completed.

Thank you Dave, Jim, Jim Jesper and the countless others involved in delivering on the 818!

Happy Holidays!

[Flamshackle]

Hi Flamshackle,

I hope you can find a way to make an 818 work out Perhaps some other international customers could help you find ways to make it work better for you

BELIEVE ME! I REALLY want to find a way.



HI Flamshackle,

Here is a link to another forum thread started by Dave Smith. I would recommend contacting him before giving up. He has stated many times how he wants the 818 to be a world car. He has many contacts around the world, and perhaps one of them can help you.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?2784-Factory-Five-Export-Nation-Part-2

As much as Dave Smith has said he wants to make this a world car... FFR are not even supporting a trasport option and after calling, emailing them all the FFR the communication reveals they actually have ZERO interest in making it easy for us outside of the US. They dont even support a transportation option and make the buyer organize the whole thing!

I could see them creating pathways for the European market and maybe Australia as they have a link there but outside of that I think its more talk than walk.

A FFR GTM through the Australian connection costs OVER THREE TIMES the buying price over the US car. Thats WITH a connection so countries like NZ and others are just uneconomical as far as I understand.

Unless FFR were to create teams and plant factories in these respective countries then its just not going to be possible IMHO.

[FFR-ADV]

HI Flamshackle,

I sincerely hope you find a way!

Happy Holidays!

[Xusia]

Are all those problems something FFR is even capable of addressing? The shipping issue I could potentially see them being able to address, but it sounds to me like a lot of the other issues are the result of country specific rules regarding importing vehicles. I don't see FFR being able to address those. Perhaps you could be a champion for NZ and get the government to make changes so that kit cars like the 818 can be imported more economically. My guess is that the government doesn't really want people doing that sort of thing and has made it hard on purpose.

[Flamshackle]

Shipping/cartage is the biggest cost.
Tax is 15% on all imported goods and that goes for shipping costs as well.

Yes much of it is a local issue but I am surprised at the seeming lack of effort on the shipping/cartage front. Although in saying that it's not an easy or profitable thing to dabble in.

I'm just gutted that such an amazing car is so accessible for those in the US and so out of reach for the rest of us.

Sigh, oh well I will just have to live vicariously through you guys here on the forums...

[TroyLynx]

I would say Flamshackle get a work visa come to America start a small business and claim the car as a work vehicle and rent a house with a garage buy the 818 and register it right away. Then build it. After 21 months move back to NZ and ship it. NZ CONCESSIONARY ENTRY FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PRIVATE COMPANY

[Flamshackle]

I would say Flamshackle get a work visa come to America start a small business and claim the car as a work vehicle and rent a house with a garage buy the 818 and register it right away. Then build it. After 21 months move back to NZ and ship it. NZ CONCESSIONARY ENTRY FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PRIVATE COMPANY

So damn tempting! Hahaha... Sigh

[Mesa Mike]

i retired from the shipping industry after 25 years. I can tell you cargo ships call every port in the world from the USEC and every car FFR makes will fit easily inside a 20' container. FFR does not arrange transportation for any customer. You can pick it up at the factory or have it shipped by multiple vendors including Stewart. By adding a shipping department it would only increase the cost of the base kit for all of us. Call any shipping line and get a quote for your "home port". None of us have any control on your countries "add on" or currency exchange. Even the guys in Canada have issues with import requlations. Deal with it or stop complaining here.

[bromikl]

Mike, That's a little harsh.

<the rest of my post was deleted. crash said it better.>

[crash]

i retired from the shipping industry after 25 years. I can tell you cargo ships call every port in the world from the USEC and every car FFR makes will fit easily inside a 20' container. FFR does not arrange transportation for any customer. You can pick it up at the factory or have it shipped by multiple vendors including Stewart. By adding a shipping department it would only increase the cost of the base kit for all of us. Call any shipping line and get a quote for your "home port". None of us have any control on your countries "add on" or currency exchange. Even the guys in Canada have issues with import requlations. Deal with it or stop complaining here.

Flamshackle- FWIW I didn't see you as complaining so much as you were disappointed and stating why you couldn't do an 818. Informative and understandable on both counts. Thanks for the discussion...even if others don't appreciate it. :(

[FFR-ADV]

HI Flamshakle,

I don't see you as complaining, but looking for a creative way to make it work. This is important enough to you and presumably others around the world that it is worthy of its own thread in the general forum since this impacts not only 818 but other FFR international kit sales as well. I wish you the best in finding a way.

Happy Holidays!

[Flamshackle]

Hey thanks guys.

After so much research into alternative cars the FFR 818 is BY FAR the best looking and best layout. I would prefer it by a LARGE margin over the other options so I am simply sad that it will be financially prohibitive.

I will watch eagerly as you all build your 818's.