Elio needs a new plant

[dbacksfan81]

He's selling cars that are wrecked and fixed back up. They are renewed, not used. Sort of like used and abused but what difference does that make. It's a big business as many people buy them as they are cheaper than cars not wrecked. I would suggest everyone go there and pick up one of those Elios because you know where they are. When this business takes off, it will fund the Elio-E.

I ask the admins to start a separate thread for the people that buy these renew vehicles. Because technically, they are Elio Owners. For example, he has renewed a 2013 Hyundai Elantra Limited for $8,999. That's more than a $7450 Elio but I think this will be fine until he starts cranking out the Elio. At least you will be an Elio Owner. I bet he would throw in a tall Starbucks too. So just email him a pelio1st@gmail.com He will get you the best deal possible. I also like that the principal address is the same as Elio Motors.

Yeah, I should have said rebuilt, branded title, previously stripped or mildly wrecked, cars.

There are insurance companies that will insure them but not the usual big ones, and I wouldn't be surprised if the premiums were much higher for basic coverage.

Just looking at the market for a 2013 Elantra in the Phoenix area, you can find clean title ones for around the same price from the usual "buy here pay here" places. They may have more miles on them but they would, depending on the driver record, be easier to insure.

Side note to this: I worked for a Hyundai dealer in the parts department and dealt with a few customers that would buy theft recovery cars with the intent to flip them. Most of what I sold were new ignition switches and keys and the covers for the steering column, door locks, and head and tail light assemblies. Often, the customer would be shocked at the prices especially for ignition systems because they were specific to the ECU computer, or in a lot of cases we could not get the parts because they were older than 10 years. In some cases we bought items from Ebay or a recycler and then marked them up to sell to the customer. Often we would sell them new ignition assemblies but then they would have to bring the vehicle in to have it reprogrammed.

In all honesty, any used car that they reconditioned that wasn't a Hyundai, used parts from Auto Zone, O'Reilly, Ebay, or salvage/recycler and when it came to tires unless it needed specific tires, they installed Ironman tires.

 

[RSchneider]

Yeah, I should have said rebuilt, branded title, previously stripped or mildly wrecked, cars.

There are insurance companies that will insure them but not the usual big ones, and I wouldn't be surprised if the premiums were much higher for basic coverage.

Just looking at the market for a 2013 Elantra in the Phoenix area, you can find clean title ones for around the same price from the usual "buy here pay here" places. They may have more miles on them but they would, depending on the driver record, be easier to insure.

Side note to this: I worked for a Hyundai dealer in the parts department and dealt with a few customers that would buy theft recovery cars with the intent to flip them. Most of what I sold were new ignition switches and keys and the covers for the steering column, door locks, and head and tail light assemblies. Often, the customer would be shocked at the prices especially for ignition systems because they were specific to the ECU computer, or in a lot of cases we could not get the parts because they were older than 10 years. In some cases we bought items from Ebay or a recycler and then marked them up to sell to the customer. Often we would sell them new ignition assemblies but then they would have to bring the vehicle in to have it reprogrammed.

In all honesty, any used car that they reconditioned that wasn't a Hyundai, used parts from Auto Zone, O'Reilly, Ebay, or salvage/recycler and when it came to tires unless it needed specific tires, they installed Ironman tires.

There is a better profit margin. Paul understands this as he had the Elio priced for $1K profit and was to make 250K per year. I wonder if this is the same plan for his new dealer. Rebuild a car, sell it at market price and make $1K per car. Sell 250K per year and that would turn into a money making enterprise.

I wonder if the 5 Elios he has are branded too. Just claim some type of damage and the insurance company totals each one. After that, he buys them back and sells them for $7450. I'm just waiting for him to start advertising them. Plus, since they are dirt cheap to insure and they give 84 mpg along with being able to buy parts anywhere for them, they would be a steal. Only issue I see is that Ironman Tires does not sell a tire in the size for the Elio.

 

[Interested]

There is a better profit margin. Paul understands this as he had the Elio priced for $1K profit and was to make 250K per year. I wonder if this is the same plan for his new dealer. Rebuild a car, sell it at market price and make $1K per car. Sell 250K per year and that would turn into a money making enterprise.

I wonder if the 5 Elios he has are branded too. Just claim some type of damage and the insurance company totals each one. After that, he buys them back and sells them for $7450. I'm just waiting for him to start advertising them. Plus, since they are dirt cheap to insure and they give 84 mpg along with being able to buy parts anywhere for them, they would be a steal. Only issue I see is that Ironman Tires does not sell a tire in the size for the Elio.

I don't think any of the prototype Elio's were really done enough to use. That, and I don't think they were ever given a VIN number. He could sell them as kit's maybe.

 

[Mark BEX]

I don't think any of the prototype Elio's were really done enough to use. That, and I don't think they were ever given a VIN number. He could sell them as kit's maybe.

A couple had the Geo driveline, so you only need to find a Geo, swap out the engine and use the Geo's title.

 

[RSchneider]

A couple had the Geo driveline, so you only need to find a Geo, swap out the engine and use the Geo's title.

In the US you can just call it a kit car. For example Factory 5 makes kit cars and you use a donor car. Like how most of the Cobra Kit cars are made (they use a Fox body Mustang as a donor). I helped a guy build an 818. He bought a salvage 2009 Subaru and that's what was the donor. Through Copart, you can get a junker Geo Metro for about $500. Titling is not a problem where I live. A trip to the highway patrol makes it all legal. Since Elio Motors is technically a manufacturer, they can supply a Certificate of Origin and thus make it even easier.

 

[Mark BEX]

In the US you can just call it a kit car. and you use a donor car.

Yes, but it must be a titled car, and the regs are quite strict if you read them, in order to maintain the EPA standards for which certification (enabling title) for that engine and driveline were given.

Whether the local DMV adhere to those strict regs or not of course is a different matter altogether, and seems numbers of States don't care much about it ....

 

[RSchneider]

Yes, but it must be a titled car, and the regs are quite strict if you read them, in order to maintain the EPA standards for which certification (enabling title) for that engine and driveline were given.

Whether the local DMV adhere to those strict regs or not of course is a different matter altogether, and seems numbers of States don't care much about it ....

If Elio would just contract out with a company like Factory 5 or Superformance to make them, then people here can buy a Metro as a donor car and build their own. In the US, that's how the kit car industry works. Plenty of people buy and build them. Even Factory 5 or Superformance will mostly build it for you. In the end, they are kit cars and legal here in the US. They have an extensive list of what it takes to license them. So, Elio had the chance and maybe they will do that.

I bet buying an old Fox Body Mustang is pretty cheap. Same for an old Subaru. The Metro has to be dirt cheap too. I bet you can find enough in junkyards and pull just the parts you need. It does take someone to put this together and one of the kit car companies here in the US could do that. They can't unless Paul contacts them. Thus, it looks like it'll never happen. He holds all of the secrets to this vehicle. Yet could easily license it to someone else. These other companies do a certificate of origin and thus you can get them licensed here in the US. That's all Paul needs to do.

It's sad that he gave up on the community that supported him so long. Makes you wonder why? He has a new revenue stream by just working with existing kit car companies. Yet he does not. Even Superformance is done with an Electric Shelby Cobra. Elio could work with them and use a Leaf for a driveline for the Elio-E.

 

[Mark BEX]

If Elio would just contract out with a company like Factory 5 or Superformance to make them.

I've spoken with a few of them, but it made me realise a different program without them being involved and adding to the cost.

He holds all of the secrets to this vehicle.

What "secrets" would they be?

 

[Mel]

What "secrets" would they be?

If we knew what they were then they wouldn't be "secrets", would they?

 

[Mark BEX]

If we knew what they were then they wouldn't be "secrets", would they?

But if it's known he has secrets, then they aren't secrets ....