New owner in Surrey

[jebjeb]

G'day guys,

Just picked myself up a lovely used Atom 3 NA in R1 Blue from the factory. Just drove it home today and what a lovely day it was for it too!

It has the optional full windscreen and whilst it may not be as pure as standard, it certainly does make it much more practical! I bought a standard "screen" and gun sights too.

Simon, Henry and the guys at the factory were superb and I will be certainly doing the the 2ish hour trip down there for servicing a couple of times a year.

If you see an Atom shaped streak of blue heading down the M23 to Gatwick and commuting times, it will probably be me!

I'm an Aussie but have been here in the UK for over 14 years now. I may move back there in the next year or so and will look to potentially doing the personal import route to take the beast back.

Cheers,

Jeb

[Kezzie]

Welcome on board Jeb
Enjoy blatting around the home counties
Just a word of caution I'm pretty sure the Atom isn't road legal in Oz
There is a thread on the site somewhere about someone trying to get one on the road, John will be along shortly to point it out

Adrian

[John Scherrer]

Australian Atom - Are we getting close?

http://www.atomclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,7203.msg233886.html#msg233886

There are many more - Just Click 'Search' on the Menu bar and type Australia

Welcome to the forum and the Atom world Jeb !

[jebjeb]

Thanks, guys.

Regarding the Aussie side of things, the Personal Import (PI) route is the holy grail of getting an unusual car on the road in Australia. PI exempts the car from all the ADRs except for seatbelts and it has to get a blue slip (equivalent of an MOT). It is a very different thing to all of the efforts that I have seen here and on AussieExotics forum which have been the more formal import routes where all the safety and design requirements have to be met.

I have some guys doing some pre-compliance checks based on the Personal Import regs and it all looks good so far. Im going in and doing my homework and keeping my eyes open.

Anyway, I may not even head back and I have at least 12 months of enjoyment before I worry about that side of things!

Hope to come along to a club meet or track day soon.

[Mattv6]

Hi Jeb welcome to the club mate. Think I saw the atom you bought on the site when I was looking.

[jebjeb]

[quote="Mattv6"]
Hi Jeb welcome to the club mate. Think I saw the atom you bought on the site when I was looking.
[/quote]

Cheers, mate.

Yeah, I thought I was start with a fairly standardise model and can always build up from there. Was a great experience buying through the factory as well for my first Atom. I looked here but you lot were too keen to keep a hold of your cars for me to buy one from here!

[Kezzie]

Jeb,

Sounds like the Oz thing could work then, hope all goes well with it.
In the mean time, enjoy our fabulous weather and traffic free roads to the hilt. Oh hang on.....
Anyway just have fun

Adrian

[jebjeb]

Gahhh! Have the car parked up in the public office car park and just saw out the window someone jump in it, sit down and have a mate take their photo!

Definitely need to move it to the secure car park.

[wattie]

Yup, that aint on.....ridiculous the lack of respect for property that some have!

I saw an Atom in Sydney a few years back...was totally staggered to see it driving past at the time.

http://www.atomclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,11900.msg224483.html#msg224483

Good luck with the export.

Cheers Wattie

[meladdo]

[quote="jebjeb"]
Gahhh! Have the car parked up in the public office car park and just saw out the window someone jump in it, sit down and have a mate take their photo!

Definitely need to move it to the secure car park.
[/quote]

Get an outdoor cover - and cover it up tie the strings and job done - its very lightweight and will stuff behind the seat when you are commuting 

[John Scherrer]

The problem with that is it turns a superb view of the finest British engineering into a potential abandoned Kit Car project !

That cover's fine for long-term storage but I think someone ought to be able to produce a better one with a bit more styling for public parking situations .. good excuse to put the Ariel branding on too ..

Would cost more and be more bulky though ...

[DonnyMac]

[quote="jebjeb"]
Gahhh! Have the car parked up in the public office car park and just saw out the window someone jump in it, sit down and have a mate take their photo!

Definitely need to move it to the secure car park.
[/quote]

This is pretty standard, when I leave mine on the drive in between blats I often find people in it!

It's odd, if I left the door open people wouldn't come in and make themselves a cup of tea...

[benyeats]

I have never found someone sitting in mine and am not sure I would keep my usually calm demeanour if I did.

To be clear if anyone asks I am more than happy, it is the assumed consent that would annoy me.

[Northnoble]

[quote="benyeats"]
I have never found someone sitting in mine and am not sure I would keep my usually calm demeanour if I did.

To be clear if anyone asks I am more than happy, it is the assumed consent that would annoy me.
[/quote]


I reckon about every third time I fill up someone comes over and asks to either sit in it, or take a photo......along with normal Q's.....what /how fast/ is it really road legal.

As it is still a novelty for me I haven't suffered the humour failure....yet!

[jebjeb]

Just gave a few friends and family some quick rides. Great fun seeing people's reactions!

Regarding stopping people just jumping in themselves, I thought that maybe a small stretchy cover between the two top side rails across the seats would work. Would also help keep the bulk of the rain from soaking the belts.

Will see how I go! Loving the owners experience so far. People's reactions on the street are great. People let you out at junctions and it generally makes people smile. Had some good reactions from bikers (I ride (or used to) as well).