Smiles

Hello, Rennlisters.

I have a brand new US-built Ariel Atom. It’s fully loaded, including full carbon fiber body work, polished stainless headers, Wilwood track brakes, fully adjustable Konis with race springs, a quick release steering wheel, oil accumulator, removable roll bar, fire extinguisher, remote brake bias adjuster, bubble windscreens, 6-point harnesses, Recaros, billet controls, and so on. The engine is a 230 bhp Ecotec, easily converted to 300 bhp with a chip and a different supercharger pulley.

The replacement cost is close to $70,000, although Brammo (the manufacturer) has something like a 6-month backlog of orders. The car only has something like 15 delivery miles. So it’s a hard car to put a value on.

I purchased it because I loved the lightweight Formula Dodges that Skip Barber uses in its race series. A formula car with much more horsepower sounded fantastic. If you’ve seen the Top Gear episode with the Ariel Atom, you’ll know how attractive the thing is, especially in all carbon fiber.

However, I’m having a lot of trouble titling the Atom in Pennsylvania. Other owners have success registering their Atoms in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington. I knew that this was a chance I was taking, but Pennsylvania is too difficult, and I don’t want to keep a track-day DE only car. The car does come with a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin and a 17-digit VIN number, but no title.

I’ve been thinking about trying to trade it (perhaps plus some money) for a nice 993 TT. (I’m also open to other 993s, so I’ll post this on both 993 areas, but I really prefer the Turbo.)

The best thing to do (or the way to get the most value from the Atom) may be to sell the Atom on Ebay in the spring. However, if I could find a dealer or private party who is interested in getting a new Atom without the wait, and has a nice 993 TT for sale, please let me know. (I prefer silver or black!)

Thanks in advance to anyone who has any advice. I’d also welcome anyone who has any friends inside PennDOT that could be helpful for titling the Atom.

Thanks!

--Matt

Felix

If a friend titled it in another state could it then be retitled in PA?

As a Caterham 7 owner I like the Atom; it's a bold and original interpretation of a classic theme.

RallyJon

In PA, you can play those games with a "classic" kit car like a Cobra or Seven. Not so easy with a new car. The VIN hurts, not helps in this case.

I started building a Fisher Fury a few years ago and registering it would have required some serious fraud.

dcdude

Could take a long time to find a private party willing to make that trade, and IF you can find a dealer who'll do it, they'll hammer you on trade in value due to their unfamiliarity with the marque. Best to try and sell it outright. Is there anything like an RL for those cars?

Smiles

Thank you for the replies.

I should have been more accurate. Getting it titled is easy. I could get it titled out of state, as phelix suggests, and then transfer the title. However, passing the annual state inspection would be difficult.

Pennsylvania's complicated MV-426 process, if successful, would give PA's stamp of approval to pass future state inspections.

cddude68, what is an "RL"?

ilko

Rennlist. He was referring to a similar web forum for the Ariel Atom. If you want to get rid of the Atom and get a 993TT, sell the the Atom, then look for the 993. That way you have a lot more cars to choose from

mborkow

i had no idea what an ariel atom was until this thread. looks v cool in a bizarre sorta way. is it street legal in other states?

ceboyd

damn.. I'd love to have that car!!!!!

TheOtherEric

For anyone who doesn't know about the Atom, or if you haven's seen Top Gear's review, YOU MUST WATCH THIS:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0evyv9JUERI

IMHO the best Top Gear review ever.

GrantG

I love the Ariel Atom, but I think I love this more (weighs about half as much as Ariel): www.roadrazer.com

Click on Experience at bottom...

Greg Fishman

Check with Ray joseph. I bet he would work something out with you.

Smiles

Thank you for all the replies.

The Top Gear review is a Must See. The Atom really is beyond description. Or, as Jeremy Clarckson says, you can forget everything you know...

Mark Harris

OK, I watched Jeremy Clarkson's face distort from the speed and then witnessed him laugh like a scene from the Exorcist and made an instant decision. I will never own that car. Why, not because I don't think it is incredibly awesome, but because I would kill myself in that. I'm not mentally stable enough to control myself behind the wheel of that vehicle. Wow, that video was unbeliveable.

rcwelch

Mark...I second that!