Hey Guys

Im curious how an owner would go about having one of the rarest cars maintained. I use the cizetta as an example since only 7 or 10 where made and you dont hear about the company anymore.

Its crazy enough reading about what hoops owners have to jump through for cars that are newer, like having to send wheels to france for Veyron tires. Ive also heard of Ferraris of a similar vintage that are far more common with problems sourcing major parts.

So lets say an owner actually regularly drove cars like this, does stuff have to be made or are these cars made using parts from a major manufacturer (Like the F1 uses a BMW engine)?

 

Sometimes they share parts from other manufacturers (like the DeLorean for example) if not, the next best bet would be to have the original part rebuilt.

 

There may be specialists that can handle the task. There's a fellow who handles Jag XJ220s here in the states. But, parts availability for these cars is virtually nil. If the car doesn't come with body moulds, don't have an accident. Mechanical replacement parts won't be found at NAPA, either. And, consumables like lubricants and filters are often odd sizes and require special runs. When people buy cars like these and need service, they'll often have things fabricated in a minimum run. They'll hold onto their stock or sell to other owners and spread the cost. But, for the most part, you're dealing with buyers who knew the manufacturer personally. They can call up the guy who ran the shop in Italy and can afford to put him on a plane to come and service the car or to ship the car to him wherever he might be. Expensive, but that's the price of ownership.

CW

 

Oh cool. I assumed it was something like that.

On a side note, anyone know if Mclaren is still supporting the F1 and making stuff like body parts for it? Do they still have their F1 specialists?

Just curious as the how long its expected they will support those cars

 

McLaren is definitely still supporting the F1 (a good example is the burned F1 from CA, IIRC, that went back to Woking for re-build relatively recently). My guess is that they will continue to support it in perpetuity. It's a small enough run and service is lucrative. Prices are OUTRAGEOUS. They'll do service, re-paints and restoration and upgrades.

Legally, a manufacturer must support their car with parts for 10 years (again, IIRC). But, now also that McLaren has introduced their next street car, you might find that their support will improve, as they're establishing a dealership infrastructure around the world. This will include parts support and service. Whether they'll be able to handle an F1 in them, I don't know, but the next time I talk to my friend at McLaren (East Coast sales manager), I'll try and remember to ask.

CW