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Buy a car from Michael Ellor and you'll get more than a set of wheels. You'll get the keys to a whole new way of life. "Usually, the process of selling a car involves what we call the Three Sees," says Ellor. "They see the car, see the keys, then it's 'See ya!' We don't operate that way." Michael, the manager of Land Rover Darien, says his clients become members of a community when they purchase a car. "We have all kinds of get-togethers," he says. The most popular is an off-roading event held four times a year where Land Rover owners convene to take test their vehicles on unpaved roads, rocks, sand, riverbeds - even through lakes. "We had one guy last year who got stuck in the water," says Ellor. "He didn't listen to what our expert told him to do. He got nervous and put on the brakes. We always say, these cars aren't going to let you down - you might let yourself down!"
Originally from the U.K., Michael has observed that Land Rover fans around the world have more than a taste for "arm chair off-roading" in common. "These cars are aspirational," he says. "They're very much about status." With ticket prices from $40,000 to $130,000, that's no surprise. More surprising is the fact that Land Rovers are so in demand, despite the economy, that Michael can barely keep any in stock. "People are ordering them straight from the factory, waiting three months to get a car," he says.
Should you have the cash to cough up, you'll get what you paid for, particularly when the weather turns rough.
"This winter, with all the storms, the Land Rover was king," says Michael.
Have deep pockets and a daring nature? Michael can be reached at (203) 655-5660.
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