Ooh, cynical, Chris, very cynical.... So is that a target or deliberate policy, hoping to save dosh if people pop their clogs in the meantime? - he said, also being cynical

Nice to know Ariel are reasonable people. They do some great stuff (even if I don't really see the point of an Atom, I appreciate the engineering and quirkiness). However I also still fail to see the point of a non-refundable "bond" - I mean, what are you actually getting for your 3 grand? There's nothing...not till the steel/ally starts getting cut and welded. That's the time at which commitment is needed (or just before!) and they want a sizeable amount, because it's being made, especially for you, to your spec, at that point. You don't need that much to show you're interested, just a few hundred. And if you get contacted early and can't raise the loot, that's no bother, they move onto the next customer and you retain your original position.
I don't think I'd want to do business with a firm that required so much money for so long, unless of course they also offered to deduct the interest from the final price? Haha, of course I'm kidding, cos I'd be wasting my breath even asking.
But here's a thought - how many LB customers have decided, during the wait, that they don't want the car? I mean ones who're just being flighty? Very few, I bet. Face it, if you're selling stuff to people, there'll always be a few who muck you about - it's almost a law!
The other thing that small bonds do, is give you confidence that the firm you're dealing with aren't using the next customer's deposit to start making your car....i.e. if orders start to dry up, you don't get yours cos there's no 3K to pay for the parts...