When I ordered my first Ferrari, I spent entire nights dreaming of rust, mechanical failures, stratospheric repair bills, cliff face depreciation, uncontrollable oversteer, towering monthly payments and long, expensive separations. No wait; that was after I bought it. Before the F355B graced my drive, my obsession had no hard edges– or time limits. In fact, it got to the point where I considered taking out a no contact order on my imagination. So I understand Dave Plews' plight. The London-based web designer wants a Veyron so bad he's gone a bit loopy. He's set up a website to try and raise money to buy the big Bug, selling lottery tickets to cars he doesn't have and mechandise I don't think you'd want. I called Dave to try to get a handle on the logistics of this enterprise, and discovered a man possessed is a man prevaricating. Still, TTAC wishes "Supa Dave" luck. If he succeeds, I'll gladly chip in for one of those pine tree air fresheners.
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What a dreamer! He has an idea, but no real plan to do it. And his website is so confusing and windy………
On the other hand, if he succeeds, I’ll be jealous.
If he wants money, he needs to offer incentives. Start with one amount that allows one to come a look at the car, one to ride in it and another to – this would be the major amount – drive the bloody thing. Of course, with a machine such as this, there might be other requirements, save kicking in say $5,000 (maybe $10,000); some sort of certificate – finishing well in the class – from a driving school would be good.
There could also be incentives, other than just those involving the car. Maybe if this guy knows some sort of London glitterati – assume he does, if he’s thinking of buying a Bugatti – he could talk to them, enlist their aid and sell meetings with them. (Real meetings, people not romantic trysts.) How about lunch with Mick Jagger for say, $3,500 towards a Veyron? Or lunch with Linsey Dawn McKenzie? Since Linsey Dawn is sort of the female personification of the Veyron – think excessive – she seems like the perfect candidate. Besides, she could use some positive press and who knows? Maybe she’s like to go for ride (in the car, guys).
This guy is either delusional or a scammer of the highest order. I have trouble believing he has even managed to raise a few thousand pounds.
what a fanny.
Thats not a sports car you Limey bastard. More to the point you wont be able to pay for the up-keep… GO set up your card table on some other corner and work your hustle elsewhere. Why not set a reasonable goal like… an elise… go get passionate about the elise which is a “sports car” if not a sporty weapon with racing stripes and license plate brackets.
Total wanker. Farago plays it perfectly. I love how he goes along nice and easy, and this guy just gets more and more exasperated as it goes on, like “pay attention idiot.” Best line:
“…There’s t-shirts, there’s mouse mats, there’s caps, there’s golf bags, whatever the Hell you like.”
Dude sounds like he’s been through Lewis Carol’s looking glass…
Hey — good for him.
As Werner Herzog said when his investors wanted to end production of Fitzcaraldo because it was going on 4 years and they still hadn’t got the damn boat over the damn hill, “But then I will be a man without dreams.”
I’m pulling for this guy.
Hmmm, seeing as that may work, anyone thing I can start a TTAC “Buy Eitan an S2000” fund? Think anyone would “invest”?
Anyone? Beuler? Beuler?
I really don’t understand this guy at all. The Red Paper Clip guy (http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com) was a simple guy with a simple plan. This guy seems like a shady used-car salesman type, trying to suck people in with a complex, strange plan.
What’s with the whole ‘Ferrari Lottery’ scheme he’s cooking up? If he really has the money and means to buy a F430, why the need for a Veyron? And why not try to raise enough money or support to be able to drive it just once, or just for a day/week/month? I guess what I’m saying is that I won’t be picking up a MyVeyron coffee mug to support the cause anytime soon…
-Dustin
I think I might try this myself!!!! Dustin Diamond is doing something like this to try and save his house. It’s more of what zefrank says about ideas…..
…..just say no to braincrack!
Robert, this is the funniest of your podcast so far. Thank you for ‘raising awareness’ for that dude.
If anyone can buy into someone else’s dream of getting free stuff, they would be better advised to buy me a Mazda3 (see, I’m resonnable, unlike the Veyron, it has affordable tyres and does not require premium fuel) Face it, I’m closer to my dream than he is.
It’s not totally original, but still interesting.
I’m sure your interview raised awareness. Awareness that there are clueless people in the world. “Wow, I could help this guy get a free really really overpriced car, and in return I get nothing! Wow!”
It’s the kind of childish obsession that most of us grow out of by the time hair sprouts in unexpected places.
He needs to get a life. The Veyron is a pistonhead’s wetdream, but unless he has a holiday home in Germany all that power and speed is just a joke – granted, I have seen Saudi princes driving Lambos and Ferraris down Bond Street (at 15mph) but if you can’t use it, why own it?
Two comments:
1) I had the pleasure of driving an F355 convertible. Three of us were going to lunch and a lawyer friend with a love of automotive toys handed me the keys to his F355 while he led the way in his NSX. On the highway, this friend decided to see if I could keep up. We ended up doing 100 mph plus on a public highway in the middle of the day! Keeping up turned out to be very easy. The car is very stable at those speeds, I felt safer and more in control than driving most other cars at 70 mph. GREAT car for a warm sunny afternoon drive! Owning one must of had its pleasures, RF. Can’t imagine what the Modena must be like.
2) I’ve never understood the fasination with super cars like the Veyron. There are no Autobahns in the US. No place to “air out” a car like this other than the track. I’d much rather have a car that is a blast to drive at legal speed limits as I am rather attached to my driver’s license. I’d take a Lotus Elise over any super car.
Yeah on the Elise, same here. I’d much rather have an Elise than a supercar. On the road, its better: you don’t worry as much and you go just as fast.
On the track, go to Laguna Seca, Streets of Willow Springs, or any of the other road courses which favor handling over raw power anyway.
Is there any chance we could use this kind of logic to fund TTAC without ads ?
Give me money = Buy into the dream. Gotta love the spin, baby.
This reminds me of folks at large hot-rod shows in convention centers…they have a pre-war POS wreck on display, promise to build it like the latest and greatest Foose/Rad Rides/Coddington creation, and sell tickets ($5-10 each) as a raffle to win the car when its all shiny and pretty.
If you buy into it, shame on you.
I’m not even going to listen to this guy go on. After looking at his site and reading the above comments, there’s no need. If he makes it, it will be shame.
His argument that the Veyron was a sports car turned me off…now I hope he fails miserably. Forgive me for being petty…
I agree with others – the interview was well played by Mr. Farago, though.
Hi there!
I am the Dave’s big brother…the other part of myveyron.com. Firstly, tx for the opportunity/the interview mr Farago.The publicity is appreciated – thank you for your honesty.
Guys (and gals) – myveyron.com is a simple project to show anything is possible. It sometimes feels as if people have lost the ability to dream…this started as a challenge and in our ‘simple/common’ way, we are giving it our best shot. No, I certainly do not need the money (I guess if I really want to I can actually buy a Veyron),BUT what I need is this challenge, more specifically people motivating me/us stating how insane this is. We all have dreams, why be negative and ‘knock’ people and their ideas? Is it so difficult to give everyone his/her place in the sun?
Enough said. Fact is, there are enough people that are supporting this initiative. The sad thing…at the end of the day, we are not ‘making’ one penny out of this initiative -it all gets donated to the two well fare organizations…yes, we may not be the smartest, funniest, most attractive guys on the block, and yes we may not know the difference between a super car/sports car/track cycle or whatever, BUT and this is the big difference between us and some of the respected users/car fanatics out there and their negative comments about us…we care about other people and we care to dream. There is nothing in this whole project in it for me(us) than the simple satisfaction at the end of the day that 1.)We have succeeded in this crazy quest 2.) That we have made a difference in someone else???s life when we donated the return on the Veyron to the nominated charities.
And that is the sad thing…people do not see the bigger picture. It is not about the Veyron, it is about the fact that you can dream about driving and owing such a car.
Anyhow, all the best to EACH and EVERYONE.I sincerely hope that all your dreams become reality (no matter how big/small/weird they might be) and that you will always be in the position and have the opportunity to dream…for some people that (dreaming and hoping) is all they have to get them through a day. Think about it :-)
martin(muvasa)
myveyron.com
ps. I did reply to some of the comments in today’s blog on myveyron.com.-gave up after a while???:-)
If I was going to make a total dork of myself on the internet – it would have to be for something more than that steroidal, ugly blob.
Too bad that guy is totally devoid of charm. There are those that are so good at winning you over, that even though you know they are conning you, you want them to succeed.
“The sad thing at the end of the day, we are not making one penny out of this initiative -it all gets donated to the two well fare organizations”
Which two welfare organizations are that, you and your brother?
(sorry, I had to go there)
Did I miss something in the interview?
That’s a decent “hook” for a lot of people to unload their wallets, maybe you should actually promote that with those “organizations” to look more believable.
hi,
lesley you are a beaut! we dont have the charm to ‘con’ people, but sometimes it helps to smile and be yourself…I think
Mr Farago,Sir…my humble apologies. I had to look up the word ‘Prevaricating’:to avoid giving a direct and honest answer or opinion, or a clear and truthful account of a situation, especially by quibbling or being deliberately ambiguous or misleading’…wow. English was only my third language at school and university…obviously Afrikaans (my home language-a dutch based language), then North Sotho(a native afrcan language) and then only english (oh yes, i had to do Latin as well – amo,amas,amat…)but,to get back to the point…I am a reasonable man, to use ‘huge’/big words to confuse us is unfair…Anyhow, forgiven.Superdave is the one person I trust 100%, he may not have the ‘gift of gab’ or the ability to ‘charm’ left,right and centre,BUT he is a person for wich I will ‘vouch’ day or night. The people around him will say the same…and that my friend, is enough said about his character.
Please, I beg you, make it your mission from tonight (SA time),to follow this quest,and report on our progress and if there is anything that makes you uncomfortable…investigate it,expose it and make the auto world aware of it.
Omnium rerum principia parva sunt – Everything has a small beginning. (Cicero)…very true
m
Sajeev Mehta…you can do better, i am sure…, the two organizations….Nelson Mandela’ Children Fund and the Sport relieve trust…I can give you the contact numbers, if you wish…start dreaming my friend and stop being such a ???doos???
No my friend, I can’t do better. I see the Mandela link as a beneficary on the LH side of the website, though there’s no mention of what this actually entails. What is your charitable intent, in detail? This is good info to have on a homepage/mission statement.
Nor does your brother mention anything about the website’s charitable mission in the interview.
Let’s put it this way: I’m a stupid American. You know my type. So please explain to me how this affair is charitable.
Damn straight I’m a beaut. I’m also a huge supporter of believing in dreams, in fact I have a few of my own. Which means working my butt off to hold on to them, and sometimes changing direction and tact if need be, not insulting those who won’t carry me or make it easier for me to get what I want.
And sometimes, I’ve even been known to be a wee bit charming. :))))
What a greedy bastard.
Just for kicks, I looked up the Veyron’s fuel economy. According to the EPA, it gets the absolute worst fuel economy of any car sold in America, sucking down a gallon of gas for every 8 miles of “city” driving. For a million dollars, I would expect 1,000 horsepower AND 100 miles per gallon. Alas, a man can dream….
Just for kicks, I looked up the Veyron’s fuel economy. According to the EPA, it gets the absolute worst fuel economy of any car sold in America, sucking down a gallon of gas for every 8 miles of city? driving. For a million dollars, I would expect 1,000 horsepower AND 100 miles per gallon. Alas, a man can dream.
I think at 1000 bhp the fact that it dosen’t get 8 gallons per mile is an acomplishment. What sucks; I think thats better then my Discovery…..
Mr Farago,
What is your take on GM June quarter results,please?
Thank You.
“If I really wanted to I can buy a Veryon ”
Great! Go buy yourself one. Demonstrate some dignity and self-worth.
Instead, you are out begging for people who have far less money than you to help you buy one. Pathetic, sick and wrong.
You are as absolutely disgusting as a hundred-millionaire baseball team owner going to the public to fund a new stadium for him.
I originally thought the idea was yet another rude stunt done by another weak punk who is too lazy to work to get ahead. Instead, sucking in some gullible people to his “red-paperclip” dream to give him money and do the work for him.
Now, if in fact you do have the money to buy one, and yet you/your brother are out trying to get someone else to buy it for you, you can go to hell. Hell is where you belong anyway just for asking people to buy you a car when you could buy one yourself.
Since this is a civilized column, with civilized readers, I’ll skip what kind of excrement those two putzes are. Moreover, anybody here wanna give these clowns a free car that they could buy on their own?
Hey Farago, nice choice of wheels. I own three Ferrari F355’s. Lovely car.
(The Hot Wheels 1:43 in yellow, the Hot Wheels 1:18 in red, and the Mattel Barbie radio-control red Spider. I accessorized the last with Barbie in both Scuderia Ferrari overalls and Ferrari red leather miniskirt and basque.)
Dear gbh…
Hope your day got better :-)
We actually decided to ‘step off’ this specific subject on this forum, BUT after your feedback, I would love to clarify one or two uncertainties…for the last time…
We are not begging for money. All income are generated legitimately (merchandise sales, competition tickets, marketing/advertising etc) – there is an opportunity for donations, but we prefer the ‘hard earn cash’ route. You will actually notice in the blog that we have turned down a big corporate offer / sponsorship deal, because we want to show it is possible to generate the money in a honest way. myveyron.com =1, gbh=0
We have more than enough self worth, dignity (and may I add courage), that is why we do not hide ourselves or our part in this project. We are available for any questions etc and everyone knows who we are
myveyron=2, gbh=0
Yes, I suppose if we do ‘count our pennies’ and smile nicely at the bankmanager, we would be able to buy a Veyron…does that make me such a bad person…? but ok, I’ll give you a point for trying :-) ???just keep hour hands out of my pocket ???
myveyron.com=2, gbh=1
Lastly, please go and READ what this project is about…It is not about the money. It is about a dream/ a challenge to raise enough money to buy a Veyron. We are only going to ‘enjoy the car’ for TWO weeks. That is it. Thereafter it gets handed over to the 100 ticket holders that ‘bought’ a lap in the car. Then the car will perform two specific tests and then, AND LISTEN NICELY, It will then be auctioned and EVERY PENNY RAISED will be handed over (by our auditors) to the nominated charities (hopefully in the region of 500000 pounds each.)We don???t get a cent…we started with 0 we end with 0, we only get the satisfaction that we did it! We raised the money, we bought the car, we droved it and we auctioned it to the benefit of the less unfortunate. The irony, we actually take from the rich and give to the poor. Using our own time, resources and imagination – we are like the ‘poor mans’ modern day Robin Hood…brilliant
myveyron.com=3, gbh=1, nelson Mandela Children???s fund =500000+,Sport relieve trust =500000+ ???.Surely it is clear who is ‘winning’ at the end of the day…
Guess you must ask yourself what you are doing to challenge yourself AND to improve the life of the less fortunate…
All the best,
m
If you want to digg this article… its here on Digg
http://digg.com/tech_news/Podcast_Guy_Scams_to_Win_a_Free_Bugatti_Veyron