Another Potential Newbie

[Somerset Jim]

Hi Hemsley - I chug over the Blackdowns every week on way between South Petherton and girlfriend's in Wellington (not to mention the occasional lap of the Herepath on a mountain bike.  

Not to bothered about colour and was originally planning for a Xflow / carb version but am now researching Zetecs and CVHs as well just to complete the picture. Don't need big horsepower but do want relative simplicity and ability to look after it all myself.

 

 

[turnip&chips]

Welcome from another relative newbie, bought mine back in August this year,

Would recommend sitting it out for the right car and act quickly when the one pops up.

Both those cars where for sale back then, As you say both over priced hence why they are still around.

From watching the market back in the spring/summer X flow, pinto's where 6-7k at most and CVH a little more (Just my observation of the market at the time, please no one shoot me). 8-10k was getting you a vauxhall red top or zetec, priced right they were going very quickly.

[Somerset Jim]

Thanks, that’s a helpful summary of the market from another perspective. 
Haven’t fully given up on the Xflow yet (one that’s been owned for 18 years is likely to have been cherished). Just need garage to understand that if they haven’t sold it during July / August it’s unlikely to shift over next 3 or 4 months 😀😀. He’s down to £8k ish so a little bit more to go yet. A decent px on the TT also frees up garage space for the westie! 

[Mighty Mart]

I'm biased obviously, owning a x-flow, and acknowledge straight away that more modern and more powerful engines catch the eye of prospective owners out there....

For simplicity, the x-flow takes some beating, and if you like to wield a spanner, then there's a lot you can do to them maintenance wise without too much effort, and then, there's the soundtrack, that really does take some beating....

X-flows can vary a lot too, bearing in mind its a 40 yr + old engine - basic unfettled examples will be right at the bottom end power wise, and will soon feel slow, whereas a top notch example with all the mod cons and 140+ bhp will deliver smiles per miles imho equivalent to much more expensive set ups approaching 180 bhp....

But they are old technology, so bear that in mind. I would say an absolutely top notch x/flow in anything less than a concourse car & chassis would be 6.5k absolute tops, with lesser examples down to 5k plus.

Don't forget bhp is only on paper too, car set up, brakes, suspension & tyres complete the package and many under-gunned setups on paper are much closer to just bigger power set ups in real driving terms...sitting a few inches off the deck amplifies the experience and legal speeds feel like well north of 100mph in boring tin tops.

Mart. 

[turnip&chips]

1 hour ago, Somerset Jim said:

Thanks, that’s a helpful summary of the market from another perspective. 
Haven’t fully given up on the Xflow yet (one that’s been owned for 18 years is likely to have been cherished). Just need garage to understand that if they haven’t sold it during July / August it’s unlikely to shift over next 3 or 4 months 😀😀. He’s down to £8k ish so a little bit more to go yet. A decent px on the TT also frees up garage space for the westie! 

 

Mine was a little less than that with a warmed up vauxhall redtop from a private seller on here, it needed a little spent on it to modernise the looks to suit my tastes but still in the low 8's.

Not sure if the cars you have linked are narrow or wide body, keep in mind the narrow body cars will have more of a limited appeal, I had a narrow body car years ago and had to wear narrow shoes (or take them off) to drive it, (Size 11) in my wide body it doesn't matter although still snug at 6ft 2.

[Somerset Jim]

Potential Westfield owner no longer - I've gone and bought one! The black / carbon fibre 1800 SEiW for sale on here. 

 

Lovely looking car, honest and helpful owner, good history and lots of receipts / photos to prove work done. 

 

First drive was interesting - started in Tavistock in the sunshine but by the time I'd got to Okehampton it was misty and getting colder. By Exeter it was down to 6 degrees and full on fog  (I'd obviously not fitted hood / doors / side-screens for first drive. 😀 😀

 

Thanks to all on here for helpful comment / advice - it was invaluable and hopefully ensured I bought the right car for me. 

 

Just got to sell the TT now and rearrange the garages.

 

See you all out on the roads.

 

Jim   

 

[ianali]

1 hour ago, Somerset Jim said:

Potential Westfield owner no longer - I've gone and bought one! The black / carbon fibre 1800 SEiW for sale on here. 

 

Lovely looking car, honest and helpful owner, good history and lots of receipts / photos to prove work done. 

 

First drive was interesting - started in Tavistock in the sunshine but by the time I'd got to Okehampton it was misty and getting colder. By Exeter it was down to 6 degrees and full on fog  (I'd obviously not fitted hood / doors / side-screens for first drive. 😀 😀

 

Thanks to all on here for helpful comment / advice - it was invaluable and hopefully ensured I bought the right car for me. 

 

Just got to sell the TT now and rearrange the garages.

 

See you all out on the roads.

 

Jim   

 

Looks good. Enjoy.

[Alan Cutler (Adge) - Dorset AO]

Enjoy your new toy.

[AlanHodge]

 From cold dark damp Preston. not far off having had mine for 12 months now, loving every minute.