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I sold my last car, a busa powered exo skeleton frame. As I didn't feel comfortable taking the kids out in it, which they all started to want to do. A full cage was my wish list to replace it. The car engineed car i have now, is so much easier to just tootle about with the kids in and a working reverse is pure luxury!

I'm mid sixties with a dodgy back and I just don't use the hood. I look at the weather forecast instead. David

Getting in is easy. Getting out with dignity, less so. It’s not the ideal vehicle to exit quickly. A quick release steering wheel can help but not necessarily needed.

@Naranja_Al Thanks for the invite, I live in Keyworth which is not far from you, in fact if I'm looking for something I always look to Loughborough first because it's a pain getting in to Nottingham. What services are there for Westfields or can a normal garage do the work? I'll nip to Shardlow once it gets lighter at night. As I say I've just turned 76 and worry about being able to get in and out.

My first suggestion for a meet should be a "fill Rory's car with petrol meet". Everyone chips in a fiver and watches me fill up with v- power then we go for a drive. I think it could work 😋 Morning weekend meets work for me Paul. I think you will be great for the area and I will try and get to as many as i can. And Thanks to Chris for all your efforts. Hope to see the zetec of doom soon!

I can only echo what others have said. Drive assuming no one has seen you and give enough space and distance. It can be intimidating on motorways with HGVs towering above you but same rules apply. I’ve driven mine around the M25 in rush hour and it’s quite ok. I was more worried about overheating than having a crash! They are lightweight rear wheel drive cars (duh 🤣) so need to be driven with respect; it’s easy to get caught out as I know from experience having visited a ditch once in mine, fortunately with no significant damage except a big dent to the ego. But, once used to the handling and grip then as has been said, that is normally enough to get you out of any trouble; last night heading home someone was playing silly b*****rs trying to undertake me completely unnecessarily. A quick prod of the throttle and I was three cars ahead and out of his way. If very concerned then you could consider a roll cage with side protection. I prefer mine lighter and easier to get into and normally drive with only half doors, or nothing at all in summer. I do have a decent roll bar with the triangulated supports rather than just a simple hoop, and use a 6 point harness as I feel much more secure with that. My wife does not share my love of the car. She calls it ‘the Pencil Tin’ and after her one and only drive to date said ‘it’s nice when you get out, isn’t it?’ 🤣🤣. That said, I doubt I would make a good Westfield passenger so do understand. One day I will take her on a nice relaxed drive on a hot summers day and see if I can convince her 👍 In summary, the open and low nature of the car only adds to the experience and is a big part of what I love; the rawness, noise and sensation of speed, even when within the speed limit are hard to beat and always put a big smile on my face.

I drive my Westfield like I ride my bike. I'm a life-long cyclist and I've never been hit by a car and part of the reason for that is that I have a certain mindset when I'm on the bike...I assume that no one will see me - ever. That means I can rightly expect drivers to pull out in front of me as if I wasn't there. It means that when they pass me that they will not give me an acceptable amount of room. It means when they finish passing me that they will pull back into the lane in front of me and effectively cut me off. I also never ride my bike through the center part of my city and I find routes that will see little traffic but might be slightly longer. I spend as much of my cycling time on nearly empty roads with good sight-lines. And lastly......I always wear bright colors and use a tail light to make myself annoyingly visible. I drive the Westfield the very same way. I assume I'm not going to be seen and given room, I always choose my routes carefully to lower my risk, and I always drive with my headlights on and my car is bright orange. The Westfield has fantastic active safety...it can stop and turn to avoid a collision better than most anything else on the road but that puts the responsibility in your hands to see the guy pulling out in front of you like you didn't exist. Done this way I feel an acceptable level a safety. Driving a Westie like it's an SUV and it won't go that well. I hope that makes sense. dave

Evening all. Sorry to be a bore but I'd love to hear your opinion/experience on how you feel on the road around other (much heavier) cars. I'm currently looking for my first westfield and it's not exactly easy to ignore the fact that you are very vulnerable on the road. What's your experience with it? Does it take some enjoyment away from the drive or do you simply avoid busy roads? Have you had incidents/close calls that stopped you using it? The idea of getting one is very exciting, but this is always in the back of my head, particularly thinking about family at home and whether there's a selfish aspect to it. Probably a bit dramatic but you know what I'm getting at. Cheers

Thanks for that Rob, might just nip up.

Interesting topic. Thankfully I've had quite a lot of defensive driving training/coaching over the years which definitely helps. I have had a few near misses in mine where people have pulled out, however I am certain that had I been in the daily I'd have had a collision. The braking, acceleration, agility, and small size (the car, not me!) have combined to get me out of the situation and avoid a potential crash. Motorways take a bit of getting used to though.... being lower than the top of a truck tyre is a little surreal initially 😂

Thanks Scott! All back online again now. Really appreciate your work behind the scenes 💪 Sorry for being a bit special 🙂

Hi, Looks like we have a dry day tomorrow so I'm wrapping up warm and heading to Donington Park to watch the Opentrack Track Day. I'll be arriving about 10am for a bacon butty in Garage 39. Entry to the circuit, parking, paddock & garage access and pit wall are all free. Feel free to come along, even if you aren't brave enough to get the Westfield out of the garage 😂

Hi @Des911! You are more than welcome to come along to any of our local meets, have a look round a few cars, and have a passenger ride or two. Outside of the pub meet, we are often out at weekends too. In fact, I'm about to post a meet at Donington Park tomorrow morning at 10am if you fancy it?

With huge difficulty is the concise answer! I’ll see what I can do… please stand by, your call is important to us…

@Des911 I'm coming up 71 and the only difficulty I have is avoiding getting my backside dirty when I'm getting in and out with the hood up (hood up = dirty rear wheel arch)

Changing oil and filter once a year, whether the car has been used a lot or not at all, is fine by me. I don't think it hurts the car, just your wallet.

Most people over service their Westfield (myself included), changing oil filter etc yearly or even more frequently if their car is tracked regularly. Others follow the instructions in their build manual or the original part manufacturer guidelines. There are obviously hybrids of the above too.

I do most of my work myself with the exception of gearbox, diff and engine strip down work. I would attempt but I don’t have the space or time tbh. A decent garage should be able to do most of the work but bear in mind that these cars are all unique and knowing what parts have been used previously in advance can save a lot of heart ache (& labour costs). I haven’t used any local garages for work on my car but a friend (who bought @BenD’s old car) has used Alexander’s (he rated them) in Mountsorrel to change a clutch and flywheel. Engine had to be taken out 3 times as there was a very slight incompatibility issue between the new clutch, flywheel, release bearing annd existing clutch fork! You need try before you buy re getting in and out!

Thank you to @Chris Broster and congratulations to @Paul Baker - Bristol Bath and Cotswold AO. It looks like this area is going to be a great place to own a Westfield and it will be wonderful to watch it evolve. Meeting with other club's is an excellent idea, I combine my WSCC events with meets put on by the local car museum, of which we are members of also. Look out for Paul's car on your WSCC calendar for February (tomorrow), I had a peek earlier today👍 We should also very soon have an AO for not only the North East but also Scotland, so there is everything to look forward to as we all emerge from the winter hibernation. Great news.

I’ve just done my renewal and my costs have jumped this year. Been with Howdens for a few years but have switched to Adrian Flux. Just over £300, but then again I am on six points (both for SP50s) and I’ve got a guaranteed valuation

This is their 'sister' company - JJC Race and Rally I supposedly get a discount from Demon Tweaks for being a North West Kit Car Owners Club member, however the process is rather complicated and I'm not aware of anyone being successful with it.

I added a full cage on mine, mainly for safety but I think it actually adds to the look of the car too!!

I had these made at a local vehicle graphics shop. Well pleased with them.

I didn't but think it may have been a factory option or otherwise professionally applied, as my car is exactly the same re:stripes and hood as the below car (which isn't my car as far as I'm aware). https://www.softbitsshop.co.uk/half-hood-for-caged-roll-bar-671-p.asp

I owned a 996 Turbo and I can honestly say I prefer; 1) Insurance costs of my Westfield 2) Maintenance costs of my Westfield 3) The fact I can do all the work on my Westfield without damaging the value of my Westfield 4) Driving my Westfield Might be worth getting yourself along to one of the local meets on the first Thursday of the month at the Clock Warehouse in Shardlow. @Rob Hunter - Club Secretary will advise. A trip to Toybox to see Andrew is well worth doing too as others have suggested. Happy to show you my car if you are ever on the Loughborough area as well.

Thank you very much everyone for your input, I didn't expect so many replies. It’s very interesting to hear your experience and it makes a lot of sense. I have not yet tried one but I am planning to soon, so that’ll be helpful. The biggest attraction for me is that you are forced to learn how to drive properly. Modern cars are essentially ‘point and shoot’ which just has no appeal to me. I imagine a track/experience type day is the best way to learn. I know I would naturally be very aware of everyone else around me and I’d take it very gingerly as I got to know the car, I guess that removes a fair chunk of the risks involved. Reading your comments has put me more at ease about the idea, so thank you. I hope to meet some of you in the near future 😎

Agree with what others have said 100%. I'd suggest visiting your local group and take a passenger ride out for a group blat. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how many other road users notice you, especially when there's a group of cars. I use mine on motorways and am very aware of other vehicles especially hgvs .

Maybe it is because that 7type cars so rare here in Poland , that quite contrary what I was expecting starting to drive on roads - other drivers pay in fact more attention to me , so they are aware of this car, so seems to be more safe. Visible colour also helps. That is in daylight, night driving on not lighted roads is not comfortable, partly due to mine small but beauty headlights. Other fact is that it is not much fun to drive in traffic hours, not un-safe, but not fun. What possible dangers I have experieced during 2 seassons on roads with Westfield - "blind" turns, and blind in Westfield is with good visibility in normal car - some highier grass on side of the road can blind visibility through turn. From that short experience I confirm first months was quite unpleasant with trucks , buses , SUV's etc around, but then part of fun such small _proper_ car with those monsters around:) And what is important to have plenty of twisty, empty roads in close area to really use Westfield as it should be without fears and smell from other cars exhausts on our head hights. edit - and before I bought first - track Wesfield I saw this, quite encouraging in terms of safety in rollover:

The honest answer from me is that owning one makes you a safer, more aware driver. No, it’s not as safe as a full blown tin top from an impact viewpoint but in 24 years of ownership, I’ve only learned of two fatal accidents (not sharing details) and one of those was a test drive by a completely inexperienced driver. However, I’ve read of a few dozen accidents in that time, a couple very serious, where the driver walked away. The tubular frame is far more effective than one might anticipate. Having said that, I give lorries and buses a great deal of respect and plenty of room, and I assume I’m invisible to everyone else on the road, including bicycles. I’m not afraid while driving mine. I think the first month or two of ownership is educational and as long as you take it easy and get to know the car, you’ll be fine. The handling can be confidence inspiring but push it too hard in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong conditions and you’ll be calling the RAC and testing your insurance.

Have you tried one out? See who is around your local area who would take you out for a trial blat. I'm an ex-motorcyclist so the Westfield is quite enclosed compared to a bike. The thing i love about it is the openness of it. I drive without doors unless the weather is filthy. Being able to look at the road going past just next to you is brilliant. It is a small very low car and can be missed by the unobservant. Keep lights on and drive defensively, keep to the sensible assumption that pretty much every other driver out there is an idiot who is trying to kill you. A noisy exhaust helps draw some attention to you. Find empty twisty roads, put your foot down and suddenly it'll all make sense...