Not locost in any way but after going to donington over the weekend it was the one car that I came away thinking , I really want one of those!

Anybody had any experience of Hawk cars? Was really impressed with the quality and thought that had gone in to the rolling chassis they had on display there.

opinions welcome.

Ben.

Ive been drooling onver one of those for the last 18 months or so. I like it very much.

Hawk seem to have a good reputation, and the kits seem to be very well made.

However, Its just a damn expensive kit.
Also I didnt like the attitude I got at Stoneleigh.

I COULD afford one if I really wanted to. It would be a gut busting stretch, but I could.

The guy on the stand, basically told me to go away as I couldnt afford one. Bear in mind I had said nothing about the finance side of it.
I dont think my mode of dress for the day (I was camping in a pup tent and at 54 its a struggle to do anything in one of those, let alone look presentable and monied!)

He took one look at me and decided that I probably didnt have the money.
I wasnt impressed at all.

I am thinking of building another, and this WAS at the top of my list. Their attitude towards me as a potential customer has now moved it a long way down the list.

Having staff that are customer orientated, and a pleasure to deal and talk with is important in my books.

Just my 2d worth.

I had a similar experience to Geoff's. Funnily enough it was on a different stand. The attitudes shown by the (sales?) staff was pretty bad throughout the exhibition.
Only the Westfield stand looked as if it was being run by people who knew what they were doing.
Most of the kit car industry is populated by people who would have no chance in a real business scenario.
John

I went to the Autosport show this year (allbeit on the first trade day before they were run ragged at the weekend!!!) and the majority of the stands were manned by people that knew their product and were quite happy to shoot the breeze with another petrolhead. There seems to be a difference between those in the kitcar world and those in the stock cars/saloons/buggies - you name it. I hope that the kit car world isn't going back to the era of companies selling overpriced replicas, taking you money whilst trying to compete like the big boys with little regard for quality or service.

just my quids worth!

Steve

Would you really walk away from a car you want just because of one 'bad experience' with one person at one show?

That person may have had dozens of 'no hopers' asking 'how fast is it mister?' all day. In their position i would almost certainly act in a similar way. We would all like to thnk we wouldn't, but be honest, we can all get hacked off with joe public. We shouldn't, but we do.

I say give them another chance. Only because I too love the Hawk cars, and if i could afford one then I wouldn't care if someone told me i couldn't afford it. Just take in the satisfaction of proving them wrong.

quote:

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Originally posted by balidey
Would you really walk away from a car you want just because of one 'bad experience' with one person at one show?

That person may have had dozens of 'no hopers' asking 'how fast is it mister?' all day. In their position i would almost certainly act in a similar way. We would all like to thnk we wouldn't, but be honest, we can all get hacked off with joe public. We shouldn't, but we do.

I say give them another chance. Only because I too love the Hawk cars, and if i could afford one then I wouldn't care if someone told me i couldn't afford it. Just take in the satisfaction of proving them wrong.

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quote:

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Originally posted by balidey
I say give them another chance. Only because I too love the Hawk cars, and if i could afford one then I wouldn't care if someone told me i couldn't afford it. Just take in the satisfaction of proving them wrong.

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Many years ago my wife worked in diamond sales...

Some of the wealthiest people showed up in the most awful clothing looking literally like bums off the street. But they were the ones making big purchases on the spot. And it was obviously all based on a salesperson not being deceived by looks.

Of course I show up everywhere dressed like a bum, because I am one!

ex i went out with years ago came from a 'nice' family. Her mum in the 60's and 70's would often dress as a hippie, walk around with out shoes etc. She always got the best service in every shop ....... because the owners knew she had money.

In the diamond shop the owners know they have money.

I'm not excusing what these 'sales' people have done but I think i can understand it. Having stood on a stand for 3 days a few years ago as a technical representative, on day 3 I was really really really bored. My back ached, my legs ached, i was tired & hungry. If i got some muppet asking me silly questions all day, i might find i was less than accommodating when a real customer turned up who didn't look like the usual "load's'a'dosh" customer.

I had Hawk Cars modify a part of my car (needed engineering equipment) so have been to their premises a couple of times.

The quality of their cars is second to none, but I would certainly not hand over a penny more to them, as basically I found a certain person a bit stuck up his own you know what (when I told him what I was building he called the author of the book something I wouldn't say, let alone print on here).

Re dressing like a tramp, many years ago when I worked in London there was a story (I believe was true) of a bloke went into a BMW shop and was met with disdain by the senior salesman because of his appearance, who passed him off to a junior.

He ordered 14 new BMW's but paid commission directly to junior!

ATB

Simon

[Edited on 22/9/07 by Simon]

Here's a picture of a real one from the local car museum.
Note the dodgy angle of the passenger window and the puddle of oil under it.
True authenticity in a Kit Cat build should not be too hard to achieve then!
Rescued attachment Stratos.jpg

Doug, you have it all wrong. The window is correct. But most importantly the Hawk kits are easy to spot next to an original stratos as their fit and finish is far better than the original cars, which were after all a homologation special.

Wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong or the first time I've stepped in a puddle of oil coming out of something Italian either!

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Originally posted by Doug68
I've stepped in a puddle of oil coming out of something Italian either!

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About 12 years ago, my dad's boss walked into a Volvo dealer, ready to buy a new wagon, only to be ignored for a good 20 minutes. Not a poor dresser either; was wearing a sport jacket, etc. He ended up walking up to the senior salesman: "How to you expect to sell cars if you don't approach potential customers?" only to get "You didn't like you could afford it" as a reply. Now, thoroughly pissed, he walked out, drove to Mercedes-Benz dealer, signed the paperwork for a new E320 (with no financing needed) and made it a point to drive back to the Volvo dealer and show what they missed out on.

quote:

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Originally posted by balidey
Would you really walk away from a car you want just because of one 'bad experience' with one person at one show?

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Many kit car businesses aren't. Lots of enthusiasm and little in the way of business smarts. They don't seem to understand just how valuable customers are!