Northern Ireland Westfield Specialist

[Lobbs]

Hi All.

 

I've been a lurker for a while but seriously considering taking the plunge and have found a good looking car in Northern Ireland.  Before I shell out money for a flight, I would like to have someone take a look at it who knows what they are talking about.  With that in mind, is there a Westfield (or other similar) specialist in the Belfast area that someone could recommend to me?

 

Thanks.  

[Andrew O Byrne White - Ireland AO]

Hi Lobbs, I'm not near Belfast unfortunately, but I'm based in Bundoran, Donegal. Do you have a link to the car? Some of the club may know it and its history or previous owners which can be very useful information!

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

How about @Pco?

 

[Lobbs]

Hi Andrew.

 

Thanks for your reply.  Its not been registered yet so doesn't have any history. I'll be looking for advice on the IVA.   

 

Its in Coleraine, actually - not Belfast - but still a decent drive from you.   

 

Cheers

[Andrew O Byrne White - Ireland AO]

Ah when the weather is a bit nicer, that could be a nice day trip in the Westie, but it's not an ideal time of year for it right now! If you can get any photos/details/dpec of the car, or a link to the advertisement youll still get a bit of feedback on it from members here. Plenty of us here have been through IVA, so may be able to spot some risk areas for you. 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Welcome!

 

How near “completion” is it?

If near, or especially  “IVA Ready”, why on Earth is the builder not IVA’ing it? (There are many genuine reasons not to, but it’s still a potential big red flag.

Is it built to pass a NI IVA, (and is that any different to a mainland IVA).

How complete is it parts wise? What’s missing, if anything?

Build quality, always a difficult one to assess from afar, but lots of detailed photos help a bit to give something of an overall picture.

Spec. Engine? Gearbox? Diff? Brakes? etc. some things add value, some, very little. Some, like engine age and whether it’s on carbs or fuel injection, will affect the way it’s IVA’d and what needs doing for a pass.

 

Price. This becomes absolutely critical in these instances. Realistically, unless a buyer has zero knowledge of kits and does no research, then if the build is at all close to being a completely assembled kit, drivable, or very near drivable, then it will take a big hit, value wise, over the equivalent spec car WITH an IVA. Typically just the basic IVA and first registration process is going to cost near a thousand quid. But it’s rarely as simple as that. (If it was, the builder would have done it!) So, I’d always be looking more like £2k under market price for a registered car. Don’t forget, the car might in rare circumstances need significant disassembly and rebuilding to get it IVA ready.

 

If it’s really early in the build, then values wise, it’s just a collection of parts. And really, should be priced as such. Keep in mind that they’re all second hand to you! (So should be priced accordingly).

 

If it is such an un completed project, how long has it been abandoned for, and why? - again, many innocent reasons for that, from family, to financial to just bitten off more than they could chew, you just want to be sure it’s not because of a problem they couldn’t resolve.

 

Age of kit, IVA requirements have evolved over they years. People have got early nineties kits through modern IVA’s, but the older the kit, the less some of the basic parts are ok, and the more extra work needed to get a pass. Price should reflect this.

 

Many bespoke to Westfield parts are now available from other suppliers, equally ALL the none bespoke parts are available elsewhere, (often quite a bit cheaper than the old factory prices). But do bear in mind, that the new Westfield factory parts department doesn’t expect to be open for orders till the start of March, should parts be missing from the kit.

 

However, these can be fantastic opportunities to get into Westfield building if you’ve got a fair idea of what you’re doing, and get the right prices. (Note, that doesn’t mean you have to know Westfields intimately- the Club is here to help with that, but just being handy with and having a little experience on the spanner’s helps a lot with a part built project.

 

[Pco]

On 25/01/2023 at 12:02, Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO said:

How about @Pco?

 

1.5hrs each way from me and the wrong time of year for a day trip as it appears to rain EVERY day over here..... Looks like a nice day trip out to the coast thou

[Lobbs]

Thank you for the replies, the thoughts and opinions.  Very much appreciated.

 

I have more information now which includes the knowledge that the build started about 20 years ago!  It does look brand new but the thought that the IVA may be more difficult on such a car is worrying.  I don't know why its not been finished and IVA'd (apparently only neds indicators and speedo) but the current owner bought it complete for a bit of a toy so wasn't in a hurry to get it done.  Price-wise, I think its ok at £11,500.  

 

If it was in England, I'd go and have a look and get a local specialist to give it the once over but the age of the car and the fact its in NI just complicates things even further.  So I am going to pass on this one.  

 

I'm still wanting something along these lines and so i hope to see you at a meet or track day sometime!