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479 Posts
Hi All -
My buddy shows up in his brand new Karma last week and invites me to hop in the driver's seat to go for a drive. I politely declined a couple of times and then said "Ok, fine...let's head down the PCH".
Long story short - I loved the car and now I can't stop researching and plotting how to get one in my garage. It shouldn't have been a big surprise to me but it was. Here's why: the design just blew my mind. Allow me a short explanation...
I've been fortunate to own 4 of the most striking Pininfarina bodied cars spanning over 40 years...but have always had a thing for the Z8 and DB9 as well. Well, Old Man Pininfarina passed a long time ago and last year Sergio said goodbye too. Meanwhile, Henrik is still alive and kicking; so, I guess it's time to start a new addiction.
I've built up quite a little list of questions in my head and thought the best thing to do is toss them out here in a jumble and let the members chime in where they can.
Here goes...in no particular order:
1) How difficult is it to finance (not lease) the Karma these days in the US? My buddy ran into a snag and sounded like it was going to require major hoop jumping and take up to 2 days for approval through US Bank (allegedly the only ones financing the cars). Can this be right? I really don't want to 'write a check' for the car since money is so cheap.
2) Is the US Federal Tax credit only applicable if you buy new or never registered (i.e., a Demo) Karma? Or is it possible to receive the credit on a used model?
3) Has anyone come up with a tuned exhaust to do something about the rather anemic & sickly sound from the ICE? I know the market for this mod is small but seems like for the right price (and sound) just about everyone would buy it.
4) Do all of the external paint colors have that ground up glass additive or is it only a few colors like Deep Ocean? I thought it was so striking...if I did get a Karma, I would absolutely want a color with that 'feature'.
5) If you are in Hill mode and the car starts to do some regenerative braking...do the brake lights turn on to warn those behind you?
6) What's going on with the prices? Some dealers sticking to $100k+ list price and others having fire sales (bad pun not intended) of up to $20k off of MSRP. How long will the latter last? Why is it so inconsistent across dealers?
7) How well are the interior materials in the EcoChic holding up? Especially the more neutral, creamy colors. I'd worry about the fabrics picking up and holding onto dirt and grime ... generally being difficult to clean. Not only that, but does it begin to look worn after a lot of use?
8) I know the warranty was extended on all 2012s but is there a free maintenance program also included for some period of years/miles? Does all of that transfer to the new owner (in the case of buying a used model)?
9) Ok, sorta dumb, but what is the silver knob on the inside of each front seat headrest?
10) Alas, Wifey says I have to get rid of something in the garage before I get a Karma. She knows this is the same as saying "No" to me...so, is there a cloaking device available for this spaceship?
PS My name is Rick and I live in San Diego (aka Sandy Eggo).
My buddy shows up in his brand new Karma last week and invites me to hop in the driver's seat to go for a drive. I politely declined a couple of times and then said "Ok, fine...let's head down the PCH".
Long story short - I loved the car and now I can't stop researching and plotting how to get one in my garage. It shouldn't have been a big surprise to me but it was. Here's why: the design just blew my mind. Allow me a short explanation...
I've been fortunate to own 4 of the most striking Pininfarina bodied cars spanning over 40 years...but have always had a thing for the Z8 and DB9 as well. Well, Old Man Pininfarina passed a long time ago and last year Sergio said goodbye too. Meanwhile, Henrik is still alive and kicking; so, I guess it's time to start a new addiction.
I've built up quite a little list of questions in my head and thought the best thing to do is toss them out here in a jumble and let the members chime in where they can.
Here goes...in no particular order:
1) How difficult is it to finance (not lease) the Karma these days in the US? My buddy ran into a snag and sounded like it was going to require major hoop jumping and take up to 2 days for approval through US Bank (allegedly the only ones financing the cars). Can this be right? I really don't want to 'write a check' for the car since money is so cheap.
2) Is the US Federal Tax credit only applicable if you buy new or never registered (i.e., a Demo) Karma? Or is it possible to receive the credit on a used model?
3) Has anyone come up with a tuned exhaust to do something about the rather anemic & sickly sound from the ICE? I know the market for this mod is small but seems like for the right price (and sound) just about everyone would buy it.
4) Do all of the external paint colors have that ground up glass additive or is it only a few colors like Deep Ocean? I thought it was so striking...if I did get a Karma, I would absolutely want a color with that 'feature'.
5) If you are in Hill mode and the car starts to do some regenerative braking...do the brake lights turn on to warn those behind you?
6) What's going on with the prices? Some dealers sticking to $100k+ list price and others having fire sales (bad pun not intended) of up to $20k off of MSRP. How long will the latter last? Why is it so inconsistent across dealers?
7) How well are the interior materials in the EcoChic holding up? Especially the more neutral, creamy colors. I'd worry about the fabrics picking up and holding onto dirt and grime ... generally being difficult to clean. Not only that, but does it begin to look worn after a lot of use?
8) I know the warranty was extended on all 2012s but is there a free maintenance program also included for some period of years/miles? Does all of that transfer to the new owner (in the case of buying a used model)?
9) Ok, sorta dumb, but what is the silver knob on the inside of each front seat headrest?
10) Alas, Wifey says I have to get rid of something in the garage before I get a Karma. She knows this is the same as saying "No" to me...so, is there a cloaking device available for this spaceship?
PS My name is Rick and I live in San Diego (aka Sandy Eggo).