[adam]

Hi all -

My neighbor just got a Fisker and I immediately fell in love with it.

I commute about 70 miles round trip to work (50 hwy, 20 street) and am considering swapping my Porsche Panamera Turbo for a Fisker.

I am concerned about reliability since there is no track record with the Fisker. What do you all think of this and does anyone have feedback on using the Fisker as a daily driver with my kind of commute?

 

[brian]

Yeah, give Fisker another year to get the kinks worked out. The Panamera is a nice car, but the Karma is prettier. However the Panamera is a much faster car. I think next year Fisker will have the Karma figured out and it'll be worth considering to switch to.

 

[SoCalGuy]

I have to say, while the Karma is far from perfect, it is certainly an emotional car. Despite the body panel fit issues and the software kinks, it really is an awesome car. I've never been a fan of the Panamera's design, but performance wise, it's probably the best four-seater out there. The Karma is not a sports car. It's not super quick, and in many ways, is equal in performance to your standard fare 540. But its on a completely different level in terms of overall experience. The looks. The EV factor. The warm/fuzzy early adopter feeling. I don't know what else to say.

I never thought I would buy a car while I remain bicoastal, since we have several family cars shared with my relatives (several Audis, BMWs and Lexus in our 'fleet'), but this car was worth it - stunning, electric, unique, exclusive, emotional. If that's what you're looking for, it's a great trade for what it is. Will the Karma be better in a year or two or three? Probably. But I for one couldn't wait that long!

 

[matrix]

My neighbor just got a Fisker and I immediately fell in love with it.

Park your Panamera next to your neighbor's Fisker, then step back and compare... which one stirs your soul? You can buy faster cars, but as SoCalGuy says, Fisker is an emotional car, and much more exclusive than the Panamera. But really, don't ask us, we're biased.

 

[AnOutsider]

Looks, the karma will win, but you need to DRIVE the car. You only see the looks from the outside. So see if you can drive his then compare.

 

[adam]

My neighbor just got a Fisker and I immediately fell in love with it.

Park your Panamera next to your neighbor's Fisker, then step back and compare... which one stirs your soul? You can buy faster cars, but as SoCalGuy says, Fisker is an emotional car, and much more exclusive than the Panamera. But really, don't ask us, we're biased.

That's been done - I love the Porsche but the Fisker is insanely better looking. I have driven it and I'm very happy with the drive. I would say more than "happy". The experience was fantastic. I love the electronics, handling, aesthetics, sounds, etc.

So then the question of reliability. I really don't want to spend my life in the shop - before driving the Fisker I would never even consider this move. However, after spending some time in it, I couldn't help but feel the car is extremely well made.

I know no one has a crystal ball but what are your thoughts on reliability?

 

[SoCalGuy]

Can you provide us with some detail on how the Karma compares to the Panamera and the 911 in terms of handling, acceleration, etc. I'm curious for your thoughts!

 

[Michael]

as long as it is mechanically sound Its good for me. But do we know this? I mean they say it has been tested very well but if they have tested it they would have found al these software bugs that gives it bad karma.
Hope the 6.13 will resolve much.
Matrix is it the 997turbo you have?

 

[matrix]

Can you provide us with some detail on how the Karma compares to the Panamera and the 911 in terms of handling, acceleration, etc. I'm curious for your thoughts!

Re: 911... My Karma hasn't arrived yet (est. end of Feb.) so my comparison is based only on two test drives in my dealer's demo car.

Suspension: The 911 has much stiffer suspension (even with Sport mode switched off), which causes it to be a bit twitchy and difficult to track on-center on the highway. The smallest bump is an event (and the tires are noisy). The Karma is significantly smoother and uneventful... it is more relaxing to drive, yet the suspension feels tight enough that it doesn't dive or roll - I was very surprised by how well it handles considering its weight.

Acceleration: The 911 is much quicker of course, really no comparison there. But the Karma didn't feel slow to me... it was very responsive and I could definitely feel the torque when accelerating. Squealed the Karma's tires launching onto an entrance ramp!

I needed more space in the rear seats, but I wanted to stay as sporty as possible. For me, the Karma really is the best choice. It offers enough seating and storage space for my daily needs, the performance is good enough (I don't drag-race at stoplights), and is truly one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen. Yes, styling played a big part in my decision, and I like the exclusivity of having a unique car that you don't see every day. I like the bonus that it's a hybrid, but honestly I'd buy it if it had a big V-8 under the hood as well. My daily commute is about 15 miles, so I don't plan to burn much (if any) gas... and I don't plan to drive it on long trips.
[hr]

Matrix is it the 997turbo you have?

yes, 997. No bluetooth.

 

[brian]

Can you provide us with some detail on how the Karma compares to the Panamera and the 911 in terms of handling, acceleration, etc. I'm curious for your thoughts!

I can't imagine that's even a fair comparison at all. I mean there is no comparison with two cars like that. Might as well compare a Ferrari 599 to a Mazda Miata.

-Brian

 

[karma1]

I have to say that based on my experience, I would not purchase a Karma as a daily driver. Reliability is simply not there. I bought mine 27 days ago and have had it home for five, during which multiple problems occured. I have several other cars that I drive, but I would hate to have a "have to be there" appointment and have only my Karma to get me there.

 

[Michael]

I am planning to have the karma as everyday driver and the ferrari for fun.
Karma1, do you think the problems will be sorted in a couple of months?[hr]
I am planning to have the karma as everyday driver and the ferrari for fun.
Karma1, do you think the problems will be sorted in a couple of months?

 

[karma1]

Hard to say. The thing that worries me is that this should have been sorted out before production or on early production test cars. The fact that it has not yet been solved tells me that it isn't as simple as Fisker Corp thought it would be. If you can't tell, I have significant buyer's remorse at this point, because I purchased a beautiful but nonfunctional car.

 

[Michael]

I agree Scott. Will be intresting if 6.13 fixes so much

 

[brian]

I've been using my Karma as my daily driver, but knowing that I might have to call a tow truck or 911 at any moment. I would definitely not recommend getting this car as your only car since it spends more time in the shop than on the road, but if you have a backup car and want to risk all of these 1.0 glitches than go for it.

 

[karma1]

The fact that I even know what software version my car has is telling. I buy 5-8 new cars a year and I have never known the software version for any of my other cars. It has simply never been an issue.

 

[Michael]

Good point Scott. I have never thought of what kind of software version I have on my cars.
Anyone who had to call the tow truck yet?[hr]
Good point Scott. I have never thought of what kind of software version I have on my cars.
Anyone who had to call the tow truck yet?

 

[SoCalGuy]

@matrix - thanks for the info.

@brian - ouch! i know the Karma is not a true sports car, but more of a luxury sporty tourer, but nonetheless, given the price point, I was curious how other cars compare to the Karma in that range. The Porsche, Mercedes SL/CL, Maserati GT/Quattro/etc are all in this category and I'm sure are all faster and sportier than the Karma - really just curious on how MUCH sportier they all are on a relative basis. As I said in one of my earlier posts, my 8 year old 540i does seem quicker from the line and in passing than the Karma (and it was half-ish the price at the time), but the Karma feels quicker than my parent's Audi Q5.

I have to say, I've put about 100 miles on the Karma so far, and no major issues so far. I've had the one or two AC hiccups, the wobbling a couple times when ICE turns off, proximity sensors not really alerting me consistently, and the Sport mode holding/decreasing the Stealth range rather than charging it. But all in all, the car is performing great! I haven't driven it in long periods of Stealth (only a mile or two at a time, since I haven't had enough time to fully charge it), but in Sport mode, car is much improved over the roadshow cars. Don't have buyers remorse...yet =)

 

[matrix]

@brian, @karma1 - You both seem really angry to the core with Fisker... why haven't you just returned your cars for a refund? I suspect you could do that considering the amount of time your cars have been in the shop.

 

[karma1]

I'm not angry. I am terribly disappointed. I have followed Fisker through this whole process, couldn't wait to get my hands on one, and now nothing but problems. The people at Fisker have been nothing but nice about it. I think that they brought this car to market a year too early, and now I am seriously considering a lemon law case. Three more days until the lemon law applies, and looks like very little chance it will be fixed by then. I love this car, but I feel like I purchased a test mule but paid for a thorough bred.