Originally Posted by TandemGeek
Are you sure about that? If you had asked me that question in 1996, I would have agreed; however, over the years the gap has narrowed and if you work out the puts and takes on each comparative model, I'm pretty sure the price difference between Co-Motion and Santana is almost nil. Ergo, if Santana is overpriced then it could also be inferred that Co-Motion is overpriced... and I certainly don't believe that to be the case if I bear in mind they are niche builders who cater to the enthusiast market.
FWIW: Some interesting data points on historical prices from the pages of my Tandem Magazine archives:
1995 Co-Motion Custom Ti $6,395
1995 Santana Ti-700 $7,905
1996 Santana Sovereign: $4,195
1997 Santana Arriva: $3,295
1997 Co-Motion Double Espresso $4854
1997 Santana Noventa $4,995
1998 Co-Motion Speedster $2,895
1999 Co-Motion Big Al (now the Roadster) $4,125
Santana - Co-Motion 2000 Catalog Comparisons:
Santana Visa $2,795 = no equivalent Co-Motion model
Santana Arriva $3,695 = Co-Motion Speedster $3,295
Santana Stowaway $4,695 = Co-Motion Co-Pilot $4,495
Santana Sovereign $4,395 = Co-Motion Big Al (Roadster) $4,495
Santana Ti-700 $7,995 = no equivalent Co-Motion model
Santana - Co-Motion 2003 Catalog Comparisons:
Santana Arriva SE $2,995 = Co-Motion Primera $2,850
Santana Arriva $3,895 = Co-Motion Speedster $3,620
Santana Stowaway $5,095 = Co-Motion Co-Pilot $4,700
Santana Sovereign $4,595 = Co-Motion Big Al (Roadster) $4,650
Santana Team AL $5,995 = Co-Motion Robusta $6,565
Santana Ti-700 $7,995 = no equivalent Co-Motion model
Santana - Co-Motion 2006 Catalog Comparisons:
Santana Arriva SE $2,995 = Co-Motion Primera $2,995
Santana Arriva $4,195 = Co-Motion Speedster $3,995
Santana Stowaway $5,395 = Co-Motion Co-Pilot $5,270
Santana Sovereign $4,895 = Co-Motion Big Al (Roadster) $5,055
Santana Team Scandium $6,895 = Co-Motion Robusta $7,575
Santana Ti-700 $8,995 = no equivalent Co-Motion model
Santana Beyond $10,595 = no equivalent Co-Motion model
Mind you, I'm not pimpin' for Santana. However, setting aside my personal biases, I think consumers need to go in with their eyes wide open on this stuff armed with all the information they can and the numbers "are what they are" when it comes to pricing.
Bottom Line: Tandems can become like high-end cars where the differences between similarly equipped and priced Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, and Cadillac automobiles is often time more about "perceived" value, quality, and prestige than can be quantified with objective data and facts.