Thanks Ultima

[bluesatin]

For the very nice cheese and pineapple sticks.

And the factory open day!

[crafty]

DAMN... I feel silly for not going now.

[GTWayne]

Hey Blue, you shot off yesterday before I had a chance to speak to you ( was it because I almost knocked the the cheese and pineapple on sticks off of your plate in my eagerness to shake your hand? ), sorry about that
Not many cars turned out, probably something to do with the poor weather expected, but there were a lot of public around and it was good to catch up with the fellas, some old, some new faces
Picked up my washers from Martin ( thanks bud, nice work ) and my wiper contraption from Simon who incidentally sold his car on the day; well done that man! ( and thanks to you Simon, enjoyed the craic ) and I mustn't forget my pal Richard, who very kindly dropped off a couple of tyres for me, good man
Didn't eat as much as I had hoped but I am coming to terms with being diagnosed diabetic and my appetite seems to have diminished a little as a result.
The GTW didn't make it AGAIN and I am beginning to wonder if the day will ever arrive when the car gets to visit it's spiritual home.
I popped in to see SSS on the way home and collected a replacement splitter for the GTW as mine is pretty trashed now. Just need to get it painted and fitted and then I will be doing a magazine article, should be fun.

[Stig]

GTWayne said:

The GTW didn't make it AGAIN and I am beginning to wonder if the day will ever arrive when the car gets to visit it's spiritual home.
I popped in to see SSS on the way home and collected a replacement splitter for the GTW as mine is pretty trashed now. Just need to get it painted and fitted and then I will be doing a magazine article, should be fun.

What's up with it Wayne or are the starter issues still giving you grief?

[GTWayne]

Starter system is AT LAST all sorted ( fingers crossed )
Since having the new roller cam fitted it has highlighted the necessity to get the final mapping done.
Apart from a few other minor items it seems that we are finally there!
I will be working on getting it below 105 db's over the winter and have a host of events planned

[V8Dom]

Agreed

Thanks to the factory for the food , sorry if i finished it all and all you were left with was the pineapple and cheese........



And great to meet everyone and at last put face to name..

Hope everyone had a great drive back... i certainly did and took a 130 mile detore into wales for a fast blast..hahahahahahhaha

Dom

[Crazy of Cookham]

Ahh don't mock the pineapple I have wheat allergy and it was the only thing I could eat, bit peckish so eat the sticks as well.
Thanks Ted and Co good to see all again.

[911hillclimber]

And the car pictures are where?!

[GTWayne]

There were not many cars there TBH, lots more to see in the gallery

[Stig]

911hillclimber said:

And the car pictures are where?!

Ta-da:

[qwick]

Here are a few more...





Thanks to Silver Spyder who let my little girl sit in his car, she was absolutely delighted, I think she would have sat in all of them if she could but she really liked the Spyder.

[Captain Slog]

[Barreti]

I dropped by late in the afternoon after hearing at our TVR Griffith event that Ultima had an open day.
I missed most of you but have to say I was really disappointed with Ultima themselves.

Considering I turned up in a mint TVR Griffith, I was completely ignored by every one of the 4 people in Ultima shirts that I walked past to get into the unit.

I fell in love with a CanAm I saw in Le Mans a few years ago and now think I have the spanner skills to tackle something like this, so eventually I went and asked the guy playing computer games about the red GTR and it was like pulling teeth. Nothing was forthcoming, I had to ask every question and had that question answered and only that.
As for price?
"its on the internet mate"

Jesus, these things aren't two and six, and I was utterly deflated.

Not a single solitary person said even so much as hello, except for the other potential customer who's girl was trying out the silver car I also got in.

Sod you too Ultima I'll stick with the TVR boys who are a damned site more sociable.

[anonymous-user]

I had a similer reception too, but you have to remember that the guys in the Ultima shirts are not (I hope) salesman and they have probably been pressed ganged to work a Sunday and talk to customers when they are usually used to building cars or packing up someones new kit. I think social skills was lacking by some but hey the Buffet was nice!

[UltimaCH]

Thanks to all at the factory for the great day. Enought food to feed an army of hungry Ultima drivers and visitors, with left overs for many more. I certainly don't regret the distance and the trip up to Hinckely from Switzerland and the chance to be taken out in the grey demonstrator with Ted. Wow, that was an experience I'll certainly remember and despite having driven not too slow cars, the GTR is in a class of its own. The acceleration is like being slung out in a time warp. The suspension very compliant despite the bumpy conditions of the small roads. The car drives and corners like a limpet glued to the ground and the brakes are impressive also, but having raced Porsches, I know what it like to have powerful brakes. And the aircon worked also... Thanks again Ted for the drive! Was also greatly impressed by the build qualities and the components used. Absolute 1st class.

Some pics taken at the FOD Sunday:

[deadscoob]

[quote]Not a single solitary person said even so much as hello
[/quote]

I assume that included you? Can't believe no-one would say hello if you did......

[GTRMikie]

Barreti said:

I dropped by late in the afternoon after hearing at our TVR Griffith event that Ultima had an open day.
I missed most of you but have to say I was really disappointed with Ultima themselves.

Considering I turned up in a mint TVR Griffith, I was completely ignored by every one of the 4 people in Ultima shirts that I walked past to get into the unit.

I fell in love with a CanAm I saw in Le Mans a few years ago and now think I have the spanner skills to tackle something like this, so eventually I went and asked the guy playing computer games about the red GTR and it was like pulling teeth. Nothing was forthcoming, I had to ask every question and had that question answered and only that.
As for price?
"its on the internet mate"

Jesus, these things aren't two and six, and I was utterly deflated.

Not a single solitary person said even so much as hello, except for the other potential customer who's girl was trying out the silver car I also got in.

Sod you too Ultima I'll stick with the TVR boys who are a damned site more sociable.

At least Ultima have an open day!

[GTWayne]

^^^ Ouch Mike, that smarts

There must be a logical explanation here surely?
It was a long day and the place was littered with public, the fellas were constantly talking to folk all day and Ted was taking folks out for demos in the silver car. Bear in mind it was a Sunday and the guys didn't even get a look in with regards to the grub until mid afternoon. I am sure the complainants ill treatment was not intentional and was merely a conglomeration of unrehearsed and poorly timed lacklustre potential customer attention. They may also have spotted the late arrival of the TVR and behaved in what they thought to be a be-fitting frame of mind

[LuckyP]

Barreti said:

...Considering I turned up in a mint TVR Griffith, I was completely ignored by every one of the 4 people in Ultima shirts.....

That's odd, I heard they are briefed before the open day to be particulary nice to prospects in mint TVR Griffithses. Or at the very least offer them a cuppa and a gentle hug

Did you go into the showroom and have a look at the range of colour sample fibreglass minature Ultimi and the different leather/Alcantara options neatly hung in the hospitality area?

No?

No you didn't.

That's because Ultima do things differently. Everyone of those owners you passed outside is a salesman for the brand, passionate about building or buying a car and definately about driving one.

It's an open day, as much for owners as it is for prospects - but you do need to dig a bit. To do your research. At the very least you need to declare you interest to Ted or Richard and belive me once you get an audience with either of them, they will open up and tell you everything you want to know and more!!

So to answer your concerns, they are unique, different and they must have thought long and hard about how they do things, but it MUST work. They've been doing it for a while and from where sitting, they are doing OK.

I understand that this ain't no Toyota/Audi/Lambo experience......refreshing isn't it??

But - if that wasn't what you expected, ask yourself why. It could be just inbuild perception and a taste of industry norm that makes you think they are doing it 'wrong'.

I dipped in for a while...thoroughly enjoyed it...and moved on. Totally recommend it.

Pete

[911hillclimber]

Looks a great day, wish I could heve gone, but my race car needed a lot of TLC....
Trust there was a factory 'tour' too. The tech side is the real interest to me. The cars are aspirational, and the quality of self build I've seen is stunningly good. Ultima do not need a saleman, just you lot!

Maybe the Ultima Experience seems a bit distant for some (I would feel a bit like the TVR man above), but you get this 'alien' feeling at any do like this?

Just try a Porsche gathering for the same thing! (I have had a 911 for 21 years and still feel the same)

Graham.