Are you madabout kit cars      
 "We've Got Kit Cars Covered" Information about Madabout-Kitcars.com Contact Madabout-Kitcars.com         Home of UK kit cars - madabout-kitcars.com Various kit car write ups All the latest kit car news Kit car related and general discussion

Search
Manufacturers
Kit Cars
Kit Car Data sheets
Picture Gallery
SVA Knowledgebase
Clubs & Communities
Build cost estimator
Kit cars for sale
Knowledge Base 
KitcarUSA.com
Classic-Kitcars.com
 

Go Back   Madabout Kitcars Forum > Mad Chat > General chatter

General chatter This is the place to talk about anything kit car related that doesn't come under any of the other categories

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 22nd April 2006, 09:01
Ferg Ferg is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Essex
Posts: 174
Ferg is on a distinguished road
Default GTM Cars at Stoneleigh 2006

GTM Cars Ltd have apparently decided NOT to attand the National Kit Car Show at Stoneleigh this year.

I've been attending the show since way back in the '80s and was taken out of the show on a test ride by Paddy Fitch when I was looking at buying a GTM Coupe.

Is there ANY excuse for a company like GTM Cars not to be there???
Reply With Quote
Available from eBay
  #2  
Old 22nd April 2006, 10:26
mapper mapper is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: East Midlands
Posts: 41
mapper is on a distinguished road
Angry

Have they given a reason, or can't they be a***d to?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 22nd April 2006, 12:24
kartman kartman is offline
Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 87
kartman is on a distinguished road
Default

There could be many excuses.....as I have experienced the show from both sides these are my thoughts.

The make up of visitors, particularly at Stoneleigh, has a large proportion of existing kit car owners, many at the 'budget' end of the scale (no brands mentioned to prevent Kartman bashing....) who are very unlikely ever to buy a kit of the value of a GTM. The social side of Stonleigh is one of the big attractions of the event. Secondly, there are also a large proportion of 'one day I'm gonna build one of these kits' people, who can take up a lot of exhibitors time, when the real potential buyers get away. They may have taken the view that a 'real' buyer will attend the factory for a test drive, etc. From what I have noticed of GTM's marketing recently they have been going into non kit car type areas, such as the Telegraph.

Probably for GTM to attend the show, pay for the space, additional brochures, pay staff, etc will probably pay out something around £7-8K.

GTM are a business and I am sure they must of estimated the potential loss of not going against the expense. I am sure they did not just sit round a table and decide they could not be 'a***d'

Perhaps Kitcarman can bring something to this?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 22nd April 2006, 20:13
Ferg Ferg is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Essex
Posts: 174
Ferg is on a distinguished road
Default

I hear what you are saying, but I attend Stoneleigh every year and expect GTM to be there like a kind of 'support' to the existing owners who give a lot of their time as unpaid salesmen (and women). I personally have been credited by two purchasers as being 'responsible' for pushing them into making that final decision. I am ALWAYS willing to open up the car, let people sit in it (within reason) when there are other things I could be doing. This year I have had 4 extensive e-mail conversations beginning: 'Hi Ferg, Sorry to bother you, but I'm thinking of buying a Libra...'.

I do this mainly because having owned GTMs for a long time I believe in the product and want it to succeed.

I currently have no intention of buying another GTM....and that isn't just because I really suspect I already own the final proper GTM model.

Thanks for listening.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 23rd April 2006, 10:15
kartman kartman is offline
Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 87
kartman is on a distinguished road
Default

Ferg

You make a valid comment....also sounds like you suspect something is going on? But......

Owners are the backbone to a manufacturer - even in my little foray into manufacturing the existing owners were a great support, and I put them in contact with each other via a forum. But on the whole kit car operations are not mega profitable business's, and £8K would pay for around a years advertising in a magazine, and I would suggest it is difficult to justify spending that just for existing owner support. They would be better off saying they will give you £250 or so for every sale you are responsible for.

You there all weekend? I'm going up Sat PM and home Sunday eve?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 23rd April 2006, 10:32
Ferg Ferg is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Essex
Posts: 174
Ferg is on a distinguished road
Default

With all due respect.... GTM Cars are a company owned by a large group who paid hansomely for it. They also seem intent on pushing upmarket almost to the point where you feel they might leave kit sales behind if they could....

The gestation period of the Libra and subsequent Spyder was more than 3 year (alegedly) and the results are there for all to see. Whether it is profitable enough is unknown outside of the company, but we assume the figures stacked up at the time of the buy-out.

Cosmetic tweaking won't be enough to keep it ahead of the rest, certainly I don't want a re-styled Libra. So where is the new car??? Hmmm.. maybe it's on it's way, but whatever, the Stoneleigh show is the one place they should be.

I'll be there from Saturday pm onwards, I'll seek you out!!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 23rd April 2006, 11:12
kartman kartman is offline
Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 87
kartman is on a distinguished road
Default

Easy tiger......!!!

IIRC NG Cars were brought by a 'large group who paid hansomely for it' and they disappeared not long after.....

If they are entering new markets the cars will be 'fresh' to it. Nice trick if you can pull it off.

See you for a beer on Saturday......
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 23rd April 2006, 11:26
Ferg Ferg is offline
Senior Member
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Essex
Posts: 174
Ferg is on a distinguished road
Default

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

And the irony of that NG story is, of course, the previous management at GTM picked up NG after the 'Pastiche' debacle and sold them on in much better health....

Beer is good!!

F
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +0. The time now is 17:47.

copyright © madabout-kitcars.com 2000-2024
terms and conditions | privacy policy