SOLD - Ariel Atom 3 245 - 2008 - SOLD

[356speedster]

It is with great sadness, I offer my Ariel Atom 3 for sale. As many PH'ers know, I bought the car new in 2008 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time with it (see PH Car Pool write up here:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=989841&mid=42535&i=0&nmt=RE%3A+PH+Carpool%3A+Ariel+Atom&mid=42535). Parting with the Atom is a decision that's taken me a long time to arrive at and still now, I'm not sure I'm making the right choice. It's an epic car and it'll be missed terribly.

For those of you who haven't seen the car at an event or donated kindly to charity for a ride in the passenger seat, I've setup an album on Flickr for you to browse (CLICK HERE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/356speedster/sets/72157626658533633/). There are over 100 photographs of the car up there, mostly taken over the last week during it's latest service and detail. If there's an angle I've not covered, feel free to contact me, there's plenty more snaps on my hard drive.

As I said, I bought the car new from Ariel, after an agonising 13month wait (current waiting list is approx. 18mths). The car was specified, with Ariel's guidance, to be supercharged (300 spec) after a 6-12month familiarisation. This is something that the factory recommend, in order to give new owners a chance to get to know their cars. However, it quickly became clear that the naturally aspirated 245hp motor was more than enough for the roads and I never had the blower fitted.

I'm not a track fan and despite the spec, the car hasn't been hammered on circuit. In fact, when the weather is good, I drive it to work in the Birmingham rush hour, so it's probably had quite an easy life! That said, I do enjoy using it and over the 7,900 miles I've covered with it, I've been to the Le Mans 24hrs twice and Wales numerous times.

Maintenance wise, the car is over-serviced, receiving fluid changes regularly regardless of mileage and use. I'm a bit of a novice detailer, so the car is regularly cleaned / polished and is kept in a carpeted garage. As you can see on this photo (CLICK HERE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/356speedster/5749182004/in/set-72157626658533633). I've got a big pile of maintenance receipts for the car.

Post purchase, I've completed a few upgrades. Firstly, I've fitted self-cancelling indicators (there is no such thing on the factory car) made by the same people who make the wiring looms for Ariel. Secondly and more importantly, is the full Paint Shielding. All exposed painted panels and suspension components have been "filmed". This is not something that very many people do at all, which in my opinion is a real shame. The Atom's exposed suspension is susceptible to major stone chip damage leading to corrosion, the minute they're driven on the roads. The film has saved the suspension from damage and corrosion and been well worth the investment. The blue painted bonnet and air intake are also filmed and therefore, still perfect. I have a spare pre-cut set of Paint Shield films for the suspension too, these will be included with the car and can be fitted by the new owner when required.

The wheels have been refurbed in a Smoked Chrome finish and are immaculate. Other than that, the only other upgrade has been fitting a RAM Mount TomTom bracket, for a Go530.
All in, the car is just over £38K, so the £33K asking price, I believe, is fair given the condition. Full spec is as follows:
• 2008 Ariel Atom 3, 245bhp
• Gunmetal grey chassis with Performance Blue painted panels
• Full Paint Shield protection to painted body panels & all suspension components
• 7,900 miles, road use
• Quaife limited slip differential
• Cat bypass pipe (original cat included)
• Polished silencer
• Sport brake upgrade, font & rear, inc handbrake
• Bilstein 10-way adjustable dampers
• 2-piece Eibach springs (suspension set at Ariel's recommended road geometry)
• Roller bell cranks / uprated rod-ends
• Quick release steering wheel
• Remote brake bias adjuster
• Self cancelling indicator upgrade
• RAM Mount TomTom Go530 bracket
• Stainless steel fixings all round
• Aeroscreens ("gunsights")
• 16" rear wheel upgrade (15" fronts), powder coated in Smoked Chrome
• Yokohama A048 tyres (soft front, medium rear)
• 12v lighter socket under dash with 12v BMW / Hella socket between seats (I have a heated waistcoat that connects to the Hella socket that the new buyer is welcome to)
• Passenger & clutch stainless steel footrest
• Blue 3" Willans FIA 4-point harnesses (both sides) with pads
• Clear light lenses all round
This should give you a good indication of the quality of this car. If you are interested in viewing the car, please contact me through the provided links. Unless you have a sub-3yr old Ultima Can Am with an LS3 motor, I'm not interested in any part exchanges. While the Ultima is my next step, I'm not sure it'll feel like an upgrade from the Atom, so I'd like to keep in contact with the new owner and would appreciate first refusal on a potential buy-back in the future.

Thank you for looking at my advert, I look forwards to speaking with any interested parties in the near future.


Mark

[356speedster]

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[356speedster]

Pic 2

[356speedster]

Pic 3

[356speedster]

Pic 4.... pls see flikr for the remaining pics http://www.flickr.com/photos/356speedster/sets/72157626658533633/  Thanks!

[wattie]

Cracking looking car, obviously well looked after. Good luck with the sale.......are you treating yourself to another car?

Cheers Wattie

[356speedster]

[quote="wattie"]
Cracking looking car, obviously well looked after. Good luck with the sale.......are you treating yourself to another car?

Cheers Wattie
[/quote]

Hi Wattie.  I try to look after it and being a bit of a saddo, I enjoy tinkering & polishing!  I'm still not sure I want to sell it, I absolutely adore it and know it'll be horribly, borribly missed.  I'd like to stay in touch with the new owner (asuming I do let it go!), with a view to potentially getting it back in the future, if I decide I've made the wrong move and can't wait for a new delivery!!!

I am looking at something else, but I really can't commit as I keep comparing it to the Atom!  I think owning an Atom spoils you and gives any other fast car a hard act to follow.  The quality of the build, simplicity, performance, handling, theatre, etc all go together to make a VERY complete package.  I really am not sure I want to sell, but feel I'm at a bit of a cross-roads!!

Cheers, Mark

[wattie]

It's a bugger eh.....I agree, i don't think there's anything else out there that will give you the same feeling.......so if you do decide to buy something else you gotta stop comparing 

Keep us posted, Cheers Wattie

[356speedster]

[quote="wattie"]
It's a bugger eh.....I agree, i don't think there's anything else out there that will give you the same feeling.......so if you do decide to buy something else you gotta stop comparing 

Keep us posted, Cheers Wattie
[/quote]

Yes, the Atom really spoils you.  If there weren't other cars out there I wanted to try and had space / cash, it would NOT be going anywhere.  If it doesn't sell, it's not the end of the world.  If it does sell, I'll pine for it for a long time and will probably have another one, once I realise I shouldn't have sold it, LOL!!

[Dave W]

Can vouch for condition of car. If anyones after a mint one, then this is the one 

[356speedster]

[quote="Dave W"]
Can vouch for condition of car. If anyones after a mint one, then this is the one 
[/quote]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dave

[356speedster]

Car now provisionally sold.  I'm very sad at the thought of potentially letting her go

[FrankRizzo]

FWIW, which is now nothing, If you and the car had been in the US, I would have snatched it up in a second.

Beautiful car, I'm sure the new owner will love it.

[John Scherrer]

It wasn't for sale for 2s/6d 

[FrankRizzo]

Is that an eBay joke?