New ALFA-Elites...

[mcb956]

Is anyone else waiting on the new model of the ALFA-Elite rally computer? I started trying to get mine in May and was told late July/early August for a release date... now 7 months later... still nothing. And to top it all off I keep getting told that they don't know when they will be out for purchase. My navigator heard that they are now re-designing the re-design...:kyle:. Has anyone else heard any sort of update or is anyone getting the same nonsense as I am.

Right now I am without rally computer and you can only manage so many events rotating the other two computers in the family between three teams. I've run Elite's for 15 years and would like to stick with them but I am getting pretty sick of being dicked around and not getting any answers.

...sorry for the rant, I just want to see if there are others out there in the same crappy situation.

[garyp]

I've been following the situation and understand your frustration. That said, I can't see that designing and manufacturing an "A-box" rally computer for retail distribution is anything other than a labor of love. There can't be any real business case for it, certainly not enough of one to earn a living. I assume that Mike Friedman has a "real" job and does this in his spare time. We should be thankful that he does it at all since the only alternative to Alfa is the much-more expensive Timewise. FWIW, I hear availability of certain products from them is spotty as well.

Be patient with Mike. He's one of the "good guys" in the tiny world of TSD rally enthusiasts. In my opinion, the Elite has been due for a major re-design for some time. Hopefully the new version ends up being worth the wait.

[williaty]

Time for a Timewise, I guess.

[409industries]

http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19151 in the meantime? LOL

[williaty]

http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19151 in the meantime? LOL
Absolutely nothing like what a full rally computer does. Even the "rally computers" for stage rally aren't nearly good enough for Equipped TSD.

[mcb956]

I've been following the situation and understand your frustration. That said, I can't see that designing and manufacturing an "A-box" rally computer for retail distribution is anything other than a labor of love. There can't be any real business case for it, certainly not enough of one to earn a living. I assume that Mike Friedman has a "real" job and does this in his spare time. We should be thankful that he does it at all since the only alternative to Alfa is the much-more expensive Timewise. FWIW, I hear availability of certain products from them is spotty as well.

Be patient with Mike. He's one of the "good guys" in the tiny world of TSD rally enthusiasts. In my opinion, the Elite has been due for a major re-design for some time. Hopefully the new version ends up being worth the wait.

I completely agree with you on this. And yes, this is not Mike's actual job/main source of income so I am trying to be mindful of this fact.

I can handle waiting it out or a little while longer... I have various computers lined up to borrow through mid-March, but it is more the lack of information I am receiving that bothers me. I keep hearing that they will be worth the wait and there are all kinds of new features and functions... yet I can't get any details whatsoever.

I am aware that the other option is a Timewise, but as a loyal ALFA user I would rather use that as an extreme last resort. I plan to wait it out for the new Elite's, and have told Mike this, so I just hope that they are released within the next couple months.

[garyp]

Have you asked Mike if he can sell you a used one to get you by, then give you a trade credit back towards the purchase of a new Elite when it's ready?

As an alternative, I can help you get by with a Limited-Legal laptop program that you can use with a B-box or even just a correctable odometer. PM me.

[mcb956]

Update from ALFA: The new Elite project has been put on hold due to personal reasons. No idea of a release date.

Anyone have a used Alfa Elite with a driver's display they are trying to get rid of? Old and working is better than nothing at all.

[williaty]

Damn. So that leaves basically only Timewise in the TSD computer market.

[mcb956]

For the time being, yes... :-(

[mcb956]

FINALLY... THE NEW ELITE MODELS WILL BE RELEASED!!!!

After two years of hearing updates but no firm details about when new models would be produced, it is officially up on Alfa's website! End of spring 2012!
http://www.rally.cc/#EliteStart

I cannot wait to give this new model a whirl... it should be a breath of fresh air after the past year and a half. My co-driver and I begged, borrowed and bought 3 different used elites in the 2011 season. We battled numerous gremlins as the older beat up models we had would randomly cut out and reset mid leg. We pulled through using on the fly (aka:bs:) calculations and plenty of swear words to claim the equipped class championship. Lets see what we can do with properly functioning equipment!:rally-driver:

[garyp]

I think it's pretty cool that the driver's display can now be disconnected and used as a stand-alone checkpoint clock. That's a nice value-added feature.