SB01 Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 (edited) Hi everyone and happy new year! I’m a long time lurker and thought it’s about time I started looking serious about joining the ownership club. I live down south not too far from Horsham. Is there an active club down this way to come and see what it’s all about? I’d be grateful for any hints tips and suggestions. I have a few stupid questions if I may.... I’m 6’4”, size 12 feet... any suggestions on things to look out for on specs for vertically excessive people? I’ve only ever been a passenger in a 7 style car once 😕 I’m would ideally like a car for Sunday drives and a few road trips when family time allows. Like the idea of a lockable boot for the occasional trip to the work car park. Are they useful / waterproof? Do you take your kids out in them much? If so what ages do they start to enjoy it from? It’s be a great sell to the Mrs if I could blast off every now and then with one of the tearaways. I have a single garage with free space of around 2.6m by 4m. Is a widebody westy going to fit ok? what’s the typical running costs insurance, tyres etc per year (assuming not too much unreliability)? Many thanks in advance everyone! Paddy SB01 Edited January 2, 2020 by SB01 Quote
TAFKARM Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, SB01 said: I have a single garage with free space of around 2.6m by 4m. Is a widebody westy going to fit ok? what’s the typical running costs insurance, tyres etc per year (assuming not too much unreliability)? Hi Paddy Yes a widebody will fit fine. ~£150 a year on insurance, whatever tax costs these days, £9000 per annum on upgrades. 4 Quote
SB01 Posted January 2, 2020 Author Posted January 2, 2020 Thanks AJ! I’m afraid the dream is over with those upgrade costs 😂 Quote
Jim RS Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 You can pretty much tailor the costs to suit your budget. Insurance is usually cheap as the mileage is restricted due to use. Tax again varies according to how new a vehicle you are looking for down to zero if an old one is selected. You will have to look out for cars with lower floors/longer legroom due to your status but there are units available, again foot size can be accommodated but you will have to try out but don't expect to wear boots, they will not fit. My costs now to run are only confined to maintenance as I have a 1988 engine and any upgrades I want to do, but I am retired so monies are restricted, think I have spent less than £200 this year and that includes expensive oil at near £10 per litre. There will be a local area meet which you can find on here or I'm sure one of the organizers will let you know soon. Happy New Year and don't give up the dream. 1 Quote
stephenh Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 All the more recent Westfields (certainly those made within the last 10 or 12 years) will have a built in lowered floor, and all the carsd built in that period will be wide body. So if that is within your budget you will be ok. As to your feet, it will be tight, but I have size 10 extra wide and I was ok. What you would need to do is buy a pair of driving boots. They don't need to be fire proof (unless you plan on doing some competition in the car) but the point about a proper driving boot is that they will have a rounded heel and a very narrow welt, so your feet fit and can get to the pedals without one foot pressing 2 pedals at once except when you want them to for heel and toeing. If you are sure you don't want to sprint or circuit race, then karting boots can make excellent driving boots, but you'll have to do some homework to find out where you can get boots in size 12! 1 Quote
Steve (sdh2903) Posted January 2, 2020 Posted January 2, 2020 I'm 6ft 4 and size 11. Lowered floors and grp seats are a must for me. I cannot comfortably drive a car with sport turbo padded seats. Pedals are ok providing no really wide shoes. I have a pair of narrower puma trainers that are perfect for driving in. I also find the taller windscreen from the sport turbo/sport 250 better for me too although not a necessity with lowered floors. My kids all love drives out. My youngest was 5 when she first went in a kit car and still loves it to this day. She actively pesters me to take her to any Brownies/girls brigade/swimming lessons etc in the kit along with runs to the coast for an ice cream. Shes asking me on a weekly basis when my current build will be finished 1 Quote
Rob Hunter - Club Secretary Posted January 3, 2020 Posted January 3, 2020 Hi, I'm almost 6ft 5 with size 11/12 feet (and I'm not what you'd call skinny 🙄) and fit in my SEIW with a standard floor and padded seats. I did modify my drivers seat a little to allow it to move another 1cm further back as I was banging my right knee. Mine came fitted with a 280mm steering wheel which definitely helps. I do have GRP seats on my upgrade list, will probably remove the screen (and go aeroscreen) and I'm about to upgrade to a quick release steering wheel. I wouldn't say it's overly comfortable but I'm not crippled after one of Julie's peak district runs where I'm in the car for 4 or 5 hours. I didn't buy it expecting comfort to be honest... I can't heel and toe even with OMP race boots on but it's fine to drive normally. If you're worried about roll over safety, lowered floors and/or the MSA bar is better than the RAC I have... I'm sure I'd be eating tarmac if the worst happened 😳 It'll fit in a single garage fine (mine does easily). For peace of mind, IIRC the width is about 1.6m and the length is just under 3.4m. Picture of me in it on New Years Day (one of Julie's great photos). If I'm honest I wanted one so badly I'd have resorted to a big tub of Vaseline and a giant shoehorn if I hadn't fitted 😂😂 2 1 Quote
SB01 Posted January 3, 2020 Author Posted January 3, 2020 Thanks everyone for the words of advice and encouragement. It’s game on. Time to speak to the bank manager (And the wife 😳). Are there any owners in West Sussex on here I could potentially get in contact with? 2 hours ago, RobH72 said: If I'm honest I wanted one so badly I'd have resorted to a big tub of Vaseline and a giant shoehorn if I hadn't fitted I think I’m in the same boat! I’ll chop my big toes off if it means I can get one! 1 Quote
SootySport Posted January 3, 2020 Posted January 3, 2020 You can gain space just by removing the seat sliders and finding a comfy Low seat, usually the GRP kind which are comfy believe it or not. Bolt the seat direct to the floor to suit yourself only. You can also fit a smaller steering wheel and shorten or lengthen the column for extra space, it’s not hard to do and help is at hand on this forum. As for footwear, the classic Puma and Addidas trainers have narrow widths and thin soles for pedal control, you’ll find something to suit. 1 1 Quote
Gary Taylor Posted January 4, 2020 Posted January 4, 2020 Welcome and good luck with your search Quote
Oliver1 Posted January 7, 2020 Posted January 7, 2020 Not too many of us in Sussex I am afraid. You will definitely need a wide bodied car and so looking at my narrow won’t help you. 1 Quote
Howden Insurance - Specialist Vehicle Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 Insurance on these are relatively low - it will fluctuate with how many miles you do, where you live etc. but its at the lower end of insurance costs. Give us a shout when you're looking for quotes as we do build-up cover as well as road cover Good luck! Carlie 1 Quote
Mighty Mart Posted January 8, 2020 Posted January 8, 2020 Hi SB01, Ownership can be done easily on a budget for some, close to a small lottery win for others lol.... You can easily do more than the original car cost if you buy at the bottom end and then upgrade engine etc, but that is the thing that appeals to some, whereas in my opinion, if you just want to enjoy time on the road and not in your garage, than buying something that ticks all the boxes without a lot of upgrades is the way to go. Loads of options out there and some very good deals to be had if you work out what you want first. Buying at the bottom end of the scale, like I did, can be a real minefield, but there are some real gems to be found too, so you don't need to spend a lot to get a LOT back in fun return.... Buying off here for example can see quality cars at good prices. Wherever you go to buy, the seller should come across as a real enthusiast and know the car inside and out - if you come across any seller who seems vague or not very knowledgeable, then walk away... Insurance wise, it is particularly cheap IMHO, when you consider what you are actually going up the road in, but obviously that is on limited miles. Obviously a lot of Insurers out there, but IMHO its best to go with a company that actually understands what a Westfield is, which is half the battle. I started off with A plan and have never looked back..... HTH, Mart. 2 1 Quote
SB01 Posted January 8, 2020 Author Posted January 8, 2020 Thanks everyone for all the good advice and encouragement. I had some nice offers of some help with PMs too. I’ve been looking at cars for sale on here and have fallen in love (on paper) with one currently on this site but don’t feel quite ready to take the plunge and waste anyone’s time just yet. Hopefully I’ll get a bit more knowledge of everything over the next few months. Is there much difference in prices and availability between summer to winter in your experiences? Quote
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