[patrickt]

William, there are no "rules" in dealing with ERA. They will do anything you ask them to -- whether it's on their site or not. I studied the market, and the different companies, from the early 1980's (newly married, reasonably broke) all the way up to 2005 when I could just pay for whatever I wanted. The only two companies that I would even consider writing a check to were ERA and Kirkham. The only reason I went with ERA was that it was on the east coast and I really didn't care if I had an aluminum body or not. The entire deal was done on a handshake basis and there wasn't even the slightest glitch during the year long process (other than some of them getting the flu).

Here's what you need to do: Send Peter a check for five grand, or ten grand, whatever it is now to get your name in to their waiting line of customers, and then schedule a time to fly up there and spend the day. There are a million things you haven't thought of in getting one of these cars. But that's the first step, and you can't go wrong with it.