Dilemma...

[Nige_T]

Dilemma... I was looking at buying a kit from Westfield a while back, as a father/son project.  We'd done another build type with an MX-5 as the donor and found it a bit of a grimy experience, and wanted to do a build with all new parts.  I dillied and dallied and was about to put an order in when the financial problems hit Westfield (massive shame).  So we looked around at alternatives - like a GBS kit at about 30k - and waited, and now see that Westfield has risen from the ashes  (which is great!) but the Sport Zetec kit base price is £34k.  We've since bought a fantastic 2.0 Duratec Westy but still want to build one.  Now, whilst we love our Westy and desperately want to build another together, when I look at what else one can buy for 30k (some serious cars), I hesitate.  

 

Thoughts, chaps...?

 

 

[Mark (smokey mow)]

my thoughts.

GBS have come a long way from their Robin Hood origins but IMO aren’t the best looking of the bunch and won’t command the same prices used as the others.

 

The cheapest Caterham now isn’t that different in price to a Westfield, I imagine it won’t give you the same build experience since they are already part assembled but I suspect it’ll hold its value the best.

 

if you want the build experience, reasonable residuals and the best looking car then surely it’s still Westfield.

 

As you say though £30k goes a hell of a long way and if I had that much to play with then I’d probably be pushing the budget that bit further still and  buying an Alpine.

[GaryH]

My son and daughter like my Westfield and I wanted them to know more about how cars worked, we couldn't run to a new build, so we bought an older Westfield and did a strip, refurbish and rebuild family project. The kids ran it for a couple of years and decided to sell it on. It was really good fun, and it's given both of them much more confidence around cars and dealing with garages when they need to.

 

Be warned though, they lent on me very heavily about using the "project fund" for a new project. We now have a rebuilt Vauxhall Vivaro camper van....

 

Gary

[Nige_T]

40 minutes ago, Mark (smokey mow) said:

my thoughts.

GBS have come a long way from their Robin Hood origins but IMO aren’t the best looking of the bunch and won’t command the same prices used as the others.

 

The cheapest Caterham now isn’t that different in price to a Westfield, I imagine it won’t give you the same build experience since they are already part assembled but I suspect it’ll hold its value the best.

 

if you want the build experience, reasonable residuals and the best looking car then surely it’s still Westfield.

 

As you say though £30k goes a hell of a long way and if I had that much to play with then I’d probably be pushing the budget that bit further still and  buying an Alpine.

Exactly that.  My son and I drove through the village a few weeks ago and there was a new Alpine parked up.  He said, "ohh, look at that...". I told him the history of it and he asked, "Can we afford one...?".

[Nige_T]

43 minutes ago, GaryH said:

My son and daughter like my Westfield and I wanted them to know more about how cars worked, we couldn't run to a new build, so we bought an older Westfield and did a strip, refurbish and rebuild family project. The kids ran it for a couple of years and decided to sell it on. It was really good fun, and it's given both of them much more confidence around cars and dealing with garages when they need to.

 

Be warned though, they lent on me very heavily about using the "project fund" for a new project. We now have a rebuilt Vauxhall Vivaro camper van....

 

Gary

Thanks Gary, I like the idea.  Maybe I'll give him a budget and let him loose and he can make his own choices...

[shrops-paul]

You should look at the Aline reviews on YouTube. They seem to be very ‘flimsy’ for a car of that cost. I’ve crossed them off my shortlist

[shrops-paul]

the words cheap and nasty used a lot for the interior.