ERA Assembly Milestones

[428street]

RAO-3:

Best advice is be patient, read alot, stay on this site, etc. It is worth the wait. I think making a timeline might be frustrating. If you insist on making one then add 3-6 months on your expected date. I have spent some considerable time down there over the last 3-6 months talking with Peter, Doug, John, etc. and these guys are ACES. They get sidetracked all the time which makes the "schedule" go out the window.

I think the worst thing you can do is hold them over the coals. It's not that kind of place that this tactic would work (not saying you suggested this or you would).

Remember these cars are hand build from scratch. Good work like good food takes time!

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 428street

I think the worst thing you can do is hold them over the coals. It's not that kind of place that this tactic would work (not saying you suggested this or you would).

That is absolutely correct. RAO-3, if you are smart, and I'm sure you are, you will realize that the ERA staff are not an assembly line, but rather, they are craftsmen. You have to go with their pace; you can not rush them. A lot of us here have "Type-A" personalities and are better than your average bear when it comes to business and "moving people along" in the direction you'd like them to go (and chances are those characteristics have contributed to your ability to afford an ERA). But you need to put those traits aside for now and, instead, take your cues from Peter, Bob & Doug. For instance, when I was up there visiting I told Doug that if he saw anything that I had spec'd out that wasn't right, or that I had missed, he should call me up and tell me because I was going to take his recommendation every time. In fact, at the end of the day my comfort level had moved up to the point that I followed that up with "Doug, if you think it needs to be done, just go ahead and do it." In the end, that simple philosophy worked out very well. I would never use that tactic in other ventures, but I can tell you that it will work at ERA. And I also know that it may be contrary to most of our natures!

[RAO-3]

Originally Posted by patrickt

That is absolutely correct. RAO-3, if you are smart, and I'm sure you are, you will realize that the ERA staff are not an assembly line, but rather, they are craftsmen. You have to go with their pace; you can not rush them. A lot of us here have "Type-A" personalities and are better than your average bear when it comes to business and "moving people along" in the direction you'd like them to go (and chances are those characteristics have contributed to your ability to afford an ERA). But you need to put those traits aside for now and, instead, take your cues from Peter, Bob & Doug. For instance, when I was up there visiting I told Doug that if he saw anything that I had spec'd out that wasn't right, or that I had missed, he should call me up and tell me because I was going to take his recommendation every time. In fact, at the end of the day my comfort level had moved up to the point that I followed that up with "Doug, if you think it needs to be done, just go ahead and do it." In the end, that simple philosophy worked out very well. I would never use that tactic in other ventures, but I can tell you that it will work at ERA. And I also know that it may be contrary to most of our natures!

Hi Patrick,

Funny you should say this, as when I met with Peter for the first time, I spent a while explaining to him the 'kind' of car I was looking for, as opposed to the specifics, and told him that I was looking to him for his recommendations. You're also right, as there are times that I'm "chomping on the bit", but then refrain from taking any action - something I would never do otherwise. I could tell the quality product they produce and that they want each and every customer to to happy with their car.

Ray