RZSupra Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Hi I have just paid to join, having found the forum very useful. After months of wavering over caterham/westfield/ S1 elise I've decided on a Westie. I have had 3 MX-5s and an S2 Elise and fancy something lighter. I have usually done 2-3 trackdays a year so would like something track focused but not too hardcore. I've got an old wreck of a citroen to do day to day driving and a garage to store my Westfield. I would welcome any advice on potential cars to buy or avoid. I live in Lincoln and am prepared to travel to view - got my elise from edinburgh. Ideally car will be wide bodied due to my neanderthal size 12 feet. Other preferences are injection over carbs, good roll bar, 13" wheels and CEC over BEC. I would like to spend as little as possible but can go up to £9,000 before my wife finds out... Finally, I haven't received a membership number yet so can't register. I think this means I can't receive or send PMs? If so please email me on mrcmjturner@hotmail.co.uk Thanks Quote
markcoopers Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Hi Colin, Well for up to £9K, you will have a world of choice, and probably one that fits your requirements well. Westfield marketed a lot of 1.8 zetec cars around the late 1990's-mid 2000, these will probably come up in your serching, and will probably fit the bill well. They are now all likely to be modified to the current owners liking, so many will be injected with "RAC" type roll bar and then various degrees of trim from full comfort to raw. many will be areo screened and many will be full screened, but most will be on 15" wheels.....easily changed though. For 2-3 track days a year, probably best starting with a relatively standard engine and probably type 9 5 speed box, full screen but one with perhaps some decent shocks/tyres /breaks and perhapos an LSD already fitted. They will exist. This should give you a good starting point that is not comprimised for the road, competent and quick on track and a great starting point to modify down your own personal chosen route. ie tuning or lightening, selling off what you replace as you go. 2.0L zetec and VX will also exist at trhis price on injection, not so common, but do exist, so you might prefer the slightly more powerfull and in the case of the VX ultimately more tunable engines, but as a starting point it is not that important to staart with. Also worth possibly holding out for will be the very modern duratec 2L or 1.6 sigma powered cars. These will almost all be injected, but perhaps not fitted with all the other wants.....worth considering though as both are very good. I however own a 1.8 Zetec on carbs and it is the best.....period Quote
carpetstu Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 I have had 3 MX-5s and an S2 Elise and fancy something lighter. I would like to spend as little as possible but can go up to £9,000 before my wife finds out... mrcmjturner@hotmail.co.uk] Well right decision made IMHO Especially as you have so many day cars already As for the wife finding out..... won't she realise there is something going on when she finds a new YELLOW car in the garage ( I point out yellow as your obvious choice as its a faster car if yellow) Final point .. was the Westfield decision anything to do with the Surname? Anyway sorry for the urine extraction but thought I may as well introduce you to the way the forum tends to go Quote
RedditchJay Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 I agree with both above... I have a zetec and its yellow Quote
Ginger wingnut Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 Welcome, I agree yellow is a much faster colour which is why i now drive navy blue I spent a long time looking for my first Westy and had a similar 9k budget. As i am sure others will mention it is worth getting along to a local meet or just finding an owner or 2 locally to chat with. You should have no problem getting a ride in a couple which will allow you to see how much Bhp / speed you really want. I found a lot of people get excited about the whole Horse power issue and this is fine as long as its what your after. I also found there where some serious differences in price simply because of body work condition and age. These cars get very little millage so an extra year or two is unlikely to make a major difference. I was not after a show car so i was happy to direct my money toward the engine, gear box, dry sump etc over the mint un-chipped bodywork (which is not that hard to replace / fix anyway). Still best bit of advice is to get along and meet a few owners locally. All the best Quote
dstorey Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 I've had my 1.8l zetec now for about 1 year and its more than fast enough for me to get used to the car. Anything faster would be too much for me atm! Round tracks you won't be embarrassed if you've got anything around 150bhp under the bonnet. Its great having something you can play with in the garage as well as out of... Yellow cars are pretty common Quote
peterg Posted September 23, 2009 Posted September 23, 2009 This looks just about perfect here nowt to do with me but it's what I'd be looking at with your budget Quote
RZSupra Posted September 24, 2009 Author Posted September 24, 2009 Thanks for all the replies, including the urine extraction ones! Can't beat a forum with a sense of humour. I hadn't thought about 4AGE engined cars before. Why don't more people have them? I'm looking on pistonheads, AT and ebay. Is there anywhere else that westies tend to get advertised? Thanks. Quote
peterg Posted September 24, 2009 Posted September 24, 2009 QUOTE I hadn't thought about 4AGE engined cars before. Why don't more people have them? It's mainly because they weren't a factory option so you had to want to fit one instead of a Pinto/Zetec etc, having said that they are a great choice and ideal for a light car like a Westfield Quote
carpetstu Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 Is there anywhere else that westies tend to get advertised? www.wscc.co.uk cars for sale section Quote
stewart pickles Posted September 26, 2009 Posted September 26, 2009 best bet is to go to your local club night and get some of the lads to take you for a quick spin to get an idea,if possible try both cec and bec. i have had both (bec and cec in the same chassis )and have no preference. don't let people tell you bec are crap on the road they aren't,but they are a pain on motorways at 70 mph for a long time having said that who wants to drive a westie on the motorway like i say i have no preference.....im changing my car back to cec at the moment you could look here http://boardroom.wscc.co.uk/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=SF;f=9 sorry carpet man couldn't resist linking straight to it 2 more nice looking cars in budget (nothing to do with me) http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1261818.htm http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1244803.htm Quote
RedditchJay Posted September 26, 2009 Posted September 26, 2009 I agree with the rest, shop around, local meets and get to try {at least as a passanger} in both Car Engine Cars and Bike Engine Cars}, also if poss with out without windscreen / areo screen. Good luck in your search, few available this time of year. Jay Quote
pistonbroke Posted September 26, 2009 Posted September 26, 2009 My advice get out there and view as many cars as poss , when you see the right one it will hit you in the face. BTW My budget was for around £5k After searching up and down the country the one I ended up buying cost me £12 K Quote
RZSupra Posted September 26, 2009 Author Posted September 26, 2009 I'm not sure if this will get me thrown out of WSCC but I bought this car today: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1253878.htm Hope I'm still welcome! Quote
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