What, you don't think I listen to them? I know them personally; I was living in a house in an area called East Gate in south Bellevue WA in the early 80's and they used to practice in a garage about a block over; so I'd just walk over and sit in.
-
Welcome to Elio Owners! Join today, registration is easy!
You can register using your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, just click here.
Who Will Be Getting These Couple Dozen Test Vehicles?
- Thread starter Gregw
- Start date
F'n lucky dog. Great time for music. I like the seattle grunge music too. I meant agreeing on anything in general on this site.
I just prefer that whole 80s speed metal style. I really like Megadeth (yes, i know Mustaine was in Metallica)
Yes I know, it's partially my fault, sorry, so shall we go back to the topic?
I think they said that the test cars would be destroyed at the end of testing.
But before they were built, they did say that some of the E-series vehicles won't be complete before testing; others may have a junk engine in place to represent a real engine before they smack it into a wall at 60mph.
But who says the tests are done?
I can see the ones that do the crash testing being paperweights, but others could be used in future testing for new options.
Lil4X
Elio Addict
Makes sense to destroy the test vehicles once testing is complete. Releasing them for sale (used?) could result in a lot of legal action when some undetected overstressed component fails at speed.
Then there's the tax question: Most engineering prototypes and first articles manage to wiggle out of the taxman's hand because the manufacturer has an agreement that they won't be sold to the public. I recall Chrysler's 50 turbine cars had their Ghia bodies manufactured in Italy and imported to the US under an agreement that after two or three years they'd be crushed. Chrysler managed to hang on to a few examples for "display" purposes - one of which is "on loan" to Jay Leno's collection.
That tax angle is important because you have to consider the "internal cost" of the vehicle. Obviously, even a $6800 Elio costs EM a WHOLE lot more than the projected sales price, considering they are hand built and probably don't share a lot of parts - at least up to the E-series. The "assigned" tax load to each vehicle would probably buy you a Rolls. From that standpoint, it's much cheaper to crush them and start over.
Then there's the tax question: Most engineering prototypes and first articles manage to wiggle out of the taxman's hand because the manufacturer has an agreement that they won't be sold to the public. I recall Chrysler's 50 turbine cars had their Ghia bodies manufactured in Italy and imported to the US under an agreement that after two or three years they'd be crushed. Chrysler managed to hang on to a few examples for "display" purposes - one of which is "on loan" to Jay Leno's collection.
That tax angle is important because you have to consider the "internal cost" of the vehicle. Obviously, even a $6800 Elio costs EM a WHOLE lot more than the projected sales price, considering they are hand built and probably don't share a lot of parts - at least up to the E-series. The "assigned" tax load to each vehicle would probably buy you a Rolls. From that standpoint, it's much cheaper to crush them and start over.
I think the vehicles that are "going to fleet owners" will be leased, not sold....for testing. I can't remember if ELIO ever (said) they would be sold or leased. I may be wrong.
Test vehicles cannot be sold to the general public, hence the "lease".
My opinion.
Test vehicles cannot be sold to the general public, hence the "lease".
My opinion.
Ty
Elio Addict
I think they said they were being sold. They aren't "test" vehicles per se though. They are "pre-production" versions used for road validation. This lets them put "current producer" on any ATMV loan paperwork and may, in fact, help them meet the production requirement part of the loan to show they have a viable process.