RE: Million Pound Morning
Discussion
As for the tosser comment - Wayney came here for no other reason than to call people who belong to supercar clubs tossers (tripping up over his own reasoning in the process). He just got some back.
Interestingly mrobin you seem less put out by a bit of plain talk than some others around here and actually have the grace to step up and retract your words. That kind of fibre probably explains a lot about how you end up being able to afford an Arnage (which doesn't insulate you from the outside world quite as much as I'd expected it to).
Your considered take on Ferraris is far more realistic. I loved the 456, great car but very unloved at P1. The 355 wasn't up to much but it does sound great. I thought the 360 was brilliant... until I tried the 430. The perspective provided by the 430 makes you realise that the 360 was quite rough around the edges. I now look back on the 360 as the transition between the old and the new Ferrari. The F430 is the only car that makes me wish I'd paid more attention at school. I haven't driven the 612 yet so I can't comment from behind the wheel but for some reason (and I know I shouldn't) I find it a strangely handsome car!
And those people who can't admit they bought a duffer - anyone who drives a Maserati!
Looks like the group hug worked.
Interestingly mrobin you seem less put out by a bit of plain talk than some others around here and actually have the grace to step up and retract your words. That kind of fibre probably explains a lot about how you end up being able to afford an Arnage (which doesn't insulate you from the outside world quite as much as I'd expected it to).
Your considered take on Ferraris is far more realistic. I loved the 456, great car but very unloved at P1. The 355 wasn't up to much but it does sound great. I thought the 360 was brilliant... until I tried the 430. The perspective provided by the 430 makes you realise that the 360 was quite rough around the edges. I now look back on the 360 as the transition between the old and the new Ferrari. The F430 is the only car that makes me wish I'd paid more attention at school. I haven't driven the 612 yet so I can't comment from behind the wheel but for some reason (and I know I shouldn't) I find it a strangely handsome car!
And those people who can't admit they bought a duffer - anyone who drives a Maserati!
Looks like the group hug worked.
Edited by SR225 on Wednesday 19th December 18:08
mrobin33 said:
The other thing about opinions and sites like these, as well as when having pints in the pub, is that everyone wants the last word!
Well guess what perhaps I was a bit over the top when saying Ferrari's are horrible, but it was said in that provocative way that many use for example, when they say that Man U are crap. It obviously worked!
So I unreservedly take it all back. I quite liked the 456; hated the F355, hated the F360, quite liked the F430 when I was in a certain sort of mood, and though I really really wanted to love it, really loathed driving the 512 Scaglietti. But that's just me. Although most of my informed passengers felt pretty sick in the 512 too. And the paintwork is real Fiat quality - compare the orange peel on a new Ferrari with any other supercar (except Maserati) and you will be truly shocked. Nothing to do with driving, but if you are spending that sort of money......
I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood really wanting to have a Ferrari, and now I can, and have tried them, I, me, in my opinion, and with my own money, don't want one. The point is, that P1 saved me all that anxiety of ordering a car, waiting for it and then actually not liking it all that much. I suspect there are lots of really disappointed owners out there who can't confess to wives or friends what a duffer they bought.
So.... if you have an Impreza, Corvette, baby Aston, Jag XK, or many others or even dare I say it something like a 1963 works Mini Cooper, you are not missing a whole load in terms of pure road fun. I was even recently tempted by and Austin Princess Hearse, which with some new shocks could possibly be a laugh on the Stelviopass.(And better not tell SR225 that I own a Bentley Arnage too)
Not to mention an F plate XJS.....Well guess what perhaps I was a bit over the top when saying Ferrari's are horrible, but it was said in that provocative way that many use for example, when they say that Man U are crap. It obviously worked!
So I unreservedly take it all back. I quite liked the 456; hated the F355, hated the F360, quite liked the F430 when I was in a certain sort of mood, and though I really really wanted to love it, really loathed driving the 512 Scaglietti. But that's just me. Although most of my informed passengers felt pretty sick in the 512 too. And the paintwork is real Fiat quality - compare the orange peel on a new Ferrari with any other supercar (except Maserati) and you will be truly shocked. Nothing to do with driving, but if you are spending that sort of money......
I spent much of my childhood and early adulthood really wanting to have a Ferrari, and now I can, and have tried them, I, me, in my opinion, and with my own money, don't want one. The point is, that P1 saved me all that anxiety of ordering a car, waiting for it and then actually not liking it all that much. I suspect there are lots of really disappointed owners out there who can't confess to wives or friends what a duffer they bought.
So.... if you have an Impreza, Corvette, baby Aston, Jag XK, or many others or even dare I say it something like a 1963 works Mini Cooper, you are not missing a whole load in terms of pure road fun. I was even recently tempted by and Austin Princess Hearse, which with some new shocks could possibly be a laugh on the Stelviopass.(And better not tell SR225 that I own a Bentley Arnage too)
Interesting article about P1. As a member of P1 for 4 years now I can honestly say that having lost many many thousands on overpriced so called supercars I can say that there is no way ever I would waste my money on buying a new one ever again! During my membership I have had enormous fun driving the very latest models with no worries about the real costs of owning and running exotic and often unreliable machines. P1 have an enviable reputation of being the longest established supercar club. The staff are all enthusiastic about the cars and they offer you a great insight into what is great and what is not. Yes £15k does put the club out of reach for the majority, but hey who do you know that can claim to have driven every supercar around for less money. These clubs are a no brainer and car sharing is a nice way of saving the planet!! I say make the most of it before the greens kill off these toys forever.
Not quite sure where this thread is going and I must declare an interest in that I work at P1 and drive all the club cars regularly. I certainly agree that some supercars can be distinctly underwhelming and the offer a drive in certain of them doesn't elicit too much enthusiasm from the privileged band of brothers who deliver and collect them. I won't name names. Certainly expensive mistakes can be avoided.
What I can say with hand on heart is that the staff at P1 move heaven and earth to provide a fantastic service to the members. It's a matter of pride. I would agree that that P1 is not cheap but it is good value for money - if I didn't work part-time there, I would probably be beating my brains out at the day job to earn the membership fee anyway. But don't tell the Boss that or he might fire me!
What I can say with hand on heart is that the staff at P1 move heaven and earth to provide a fantastic service to the members. It's a matter of pride. I would agree that that P1 is not cheap but it is good value for money - if I didn't work part-time there, I would probably be beating my brains out at the day job to earn the membership fee anyway. But don't tell the Boss that or he might fire me!
Edited by ianwfa on Sunday 6th January 13:17
SR225 said:
Maybe that's proof of how good the experience is - people want to shout about it.
Or that maybe P1 get on to their membership PDQ to add to the free PR and advertising - otherwise how do all the newbies suddenly check PH just as another P1 topic begins?Edited by SR225 on Thursday 20th December 10:35
Yeah, sure, they emailed us to let us know the topic was here. But that was it. No suggestion that we should contribute, no suggestion that we should 'big it up' for P1. Of course they know happy customer are going to sing their praises (and they're a business, so why shouldn't they employ all forms of PR?), but it speaks of their confidence that they're opening themselves up here, because you can bet if someone was not happy they'd take an opportunity like this to spill the beans. Do any of the members who pop up on cue ever post anything negative?
If I say nice things about P1 it's because it's a great club to belong to - a great, constantly evolving selection of cars, a very fair structure in terms of car usage in return for your outlay and a great bunch of people working there who are both very friendly and extremely professional. I'm sure anyone else who posts positively about P1 is also doing it because they're satisfied customers. Besides, read my other posts here - does it sound like I'd be led by the nose...
If I say nice things about P1 it's because it's a great club to belong to - a great, constantly evolving selection of cars, a very fair structure in terms of car usage in return for your outlay and a great bunch of people working there who are both very friendly and extremely professional. I'm sure anyone else who posts positively about P1 is also doing it because they're satisfied customers. Besides, read my other posts here - does it sound like I'd be led by the nose...
Edited by SR225 on Thursday 20th December 12:03
SR225 said:
Yeah, sure, they emailed us to let us know the topic was here. But that was it. No suggestion that we should contribute, no suggestion that we should 'big it up' for P1. Of course they know happy customer are going to sing their praises (and they're a business, so why shouldn't they employ all forms of PR?), but it speaks of their confidence that they're opening themselves up here, because you can bet if someone was not happy they'd take an opportunity like this to spill the beans. Do any of the members who pop up on cue ever post anything negative?
If I say nice things about P1 it's because it's a great club to belong to - a great, constantly evolving selection of cars, a very fair structure in terms of car usage in return for your outlay and a great bunch of people working there who are both very friendly and extremely professional. I'm sure anyone else who posts positively about P1 is also doing it because they're satisfied customers. Besides, read my other posts here - does it sound like I'd be led by the nose...
Wasn't having a dig at you in particular, but it just reeks of desperation from P1. In fact although much of their marketing strategy seems to be trying to say they're hyper-exclusive and you need to be approved, all the on-going press and PR exercises suggests they're quite desperate to fill their books.If I say nice things about P1 it's because it's a great club to belong to - a great, constantly evolving selection of cars, a very fair structure in terms of car usage in return for your outlay and a great bunch of people working there who are both very friendly and extremely professional. I'm sure anyone else who posts positively about P1 is also doing it because they're satisfied customers. Besides, read my other posts here - does it sound like I'd be led by the nose...
Edited by SR225 on Thursday 20th December 12:03
But having said that, as you point out there is the opportunity for negative comments here which means such discussion can backfire for the companies involved - I remember that happening to Group 20 when they tried the same trick. And more importantly if it brings more enthusiasts to PH, such as yourself, then great.
It's OK, I knew you weren't having a go. And I think I might be a little suspicious myself if I was looking in from the outside and suddenly noticed us lot popping up just at the right moment. In fact, there's a few replies here that sound like PR releases themselves.
They always need to fill their books as, in the natural course of things, members come and go every year (I have no idea how many but I'm sure many members do it for one year and that's it) and the financial equation for their business only works if they operate at or near the 250 capacity. Hence, advertising and PR will always be on-going.
They always need to fill their books as, in the natural course of things, members come and go every year (I have no idea how many but I'm sure many members do it for one year and that's it) and the financial equation for their business only works if they operate at or near the 250 capacity. Hence, advertising and PR will always be on-going.
Edited by SR225 on Thursday 20th December 12:18
I really don't think P1 members would take kindly to the management leading them by the nose to make positive comments. No chance of this happening and no need either. Similarly, I have not even discussed my contribution to this forum as a lowly employee with those in the executive offices. We have a lot of fun working at P1 due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of both the employees and the members are really nice people and the product supplied is excellent. What's not to like?
Yes, there is a continuing sales effort because nothing is static and people come and go. It's not so much sales as trying to maintain that good blend of members in what is a club after all. I can confirm that membership applications are vetted with a view to maximising the number of members who accord with the club ethos and trying to weed out at an early stage potential members who might not be mechanically sympathetic to the fleet. There is a relation between the 2 but it is an art to put this process into action in a competitive commercial environment.
When you have a good product why should you not take every PR opportunity to bring it to the attention of people - such as the PH Show in Birmingham.
Yes, there is a continuing sales effort because nothing is static and people come and go. It's not so much sales as trying to maintain that good blend of members in what is a club after all. I can confirm that membership applications are vetted with a view to maximising the number of members who accord with the club ethos and trying to weed out at an early stage potential members who might not be mechanically sympathetic to the fleet. There is a relation between the 2 but it is an art to put this process into action in a competitive commercial environment.
When you have a good product why should you not take every PR opportunity to bring it to the attention of people - such as the PH Show in Birmingham.
SR225 said:
As for the tosser comment - Wayney came here for no other reason than to call people who belong to supercar clubs tossers (tripping up over his own reasoning in the process). He just got some back.
Interestingly mrobin you seem less put out by a bit of plain talk than some others around here and actually have the grace to step up and retract your words. That kind of fibre probably explains a lot about how you end up being able to afford an Arnage (which doesn't insulate you from the outside world quite as much as I'd expected it to).
Your considered take on Ferraris is far more realistic. I loved the 456, great car but very unloved at P1. The 355 wasn't up to much but it does sound great. I thought the 360 was brilliant... until I tried the 430. The perspective provided by the 430 makes you realise that the 360 was quite rough around the edges. I now look back on the 360 as the transition between the old and the new Ferrari. The F430 is the only car that makes me wish I'd paid more attention at school. I haven't driven the 612 yet so I can't comment from behind the wheel but for some reason (and I know I shouldn't) I find it a strangely handsome car!
And those people who can't admit they bought a duffer - anyone who drives a Maserati!
Looks like the group hug worked.
I'm taking the 430 out next week again for a few days just to recheck my opinion. And then the Ford GT back to back. Should be a good comparison test. And being able to do so probably speaks up for the point of the club!! You are right that the Arnage is not as insulated as more modern luxury cars that have double glazing like the Range Rover and Continental GT, and the suspension is not as sophisticated, but... what the hell it's so much fun and was made in Crewe.Interestingly mrobin you seem less put out by a bit of plain talk than some others around here and actually have the grace to step up and retract your words. That kind of fibre probably explains a lot about how you end up being able to afford an Arnage (which doesn't insulate you from the outside world quite as much as I'd expected it to).
Your considered take on Ferraris is far more realistic. I loved the 456, great car but very unloved at P1. The 355 wasn't up to much but it does sound great. I thought the 360 was brilliant... until I tried the 430. The perspective provided by the 430 makes you realise that the 360 was quite rough around the edges. I now look back on the 360 as the transition between the old and the new Ferrari. The F430 is the only car that makes me wish I'd paid more attention at school. I haven't driven the 612 yet so I can't comment from behind the wheel but for some reason (and I know I shouldn't) I find it a strangely handsome car!
And those people who can't admit they bought a duffer - anyone who drives a Maserati!
Looks like the group hug worked.
Edited by SR225 on Wednesday 19th December 18:08
Ford GT is a hoot of a car, that low slung V8 with that lynsholm supercharger bolted to the top and no traction control, makes the hairs on my spine tingle the power just goes on and on and the looser the engine gets the quicker it gets. I was so surprised after 40K it would still out pull anything.
Forty foot turning circle and ten foot wide with one door open. The rumour is Rousch never dyno'd these cars and three owners in the UK did. The average was 590 brake rather than 550 reported by Ford. Put a smaller pulley wheel on the supercharger and you have another 50!.
Another UK owner dropped off four ingots of alloy to a wheel manufacture as he wanted minilite replicas.
Forty foot turning circle and ten foot wide with one door open. The rumour is Rousch never dyno'd these cars and three owners in the UK did. The average was 590 brake rather than 550 reported by Ford. Put a smaller pulley wheel on the supercharger and you have another 50!.
Another UK owner dropped off four ingots of alloy to a wheel manufacture as he wanted minilite replicas.
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