Thinking of a change

[stephenh]

I'm above average age for a Westfield owner (lets just say over 60) as is my wife. I'm the wrong side of 14.5 stone in my birthday suit, and I'm over 6 feet in height. Sorry to use imperial measurements, but I know those off by heart!

My car has an aeroscreen, and no carpet, and has JK Composite seats.

I love driving it, on windy B roads preferably. It is above average power, at 237 bhp at the flywheel, and Mrs H loves going for blats in it. Preferably with our mates from the Cannock section of this club.

I actually think mine handles very well in the wet, on the tyres I have for road use. My springs and rollbars are not too stiff and the dampers are on the firm side.

Obviously it needs care in the wet, it will spin the wheels in 3rd gear otherwise (in the wet), but thats the point of the car, it is over 400 bhp per ton.

I have the standard fuel tank, and on longer runs when not pressing on too hard I get about 150 miles between fill ups. Nikpro, thats from a duratec, so maybe you have the wrong engine for economy?    Despite the power output, I can drive it on a gentle throttle at 35mph in heavy trafic or edge of town roads in 4th gear (thats about 1800 rpm), again maybe an advantage of the duratec. Although a well set up VX or Zetec on throttle bodies is going to be very flexible as well.

Is it a crap car? Definitely not. It is insane, but thats the point, it is quite mental. A cannot imagine anything else for the same or less money giving me quite such a giggle, except a big bike, but no way would Mrs H get on one of those, and she wouldn't be happy at me doing so now.

I'm also having a great time in the Speed Series, what a great bunch of guys I keep meeting. And Mrs H supports me doing that. If you dont fancy competing, then it is a marvellous trackday tool.

[Terry Everall]

Nikpro

Not seen many of the cars you mention ever pass me on a trackday ( in my Xe or standard Busa)

Did Cadwell with TVR guys and nothing passed me all day except a pick up truck to collect a Cateringvan off the track

[Captain Colonial]

Nikpro

Not seen many of the cars you mention ever pass me on a trackday ( in my Xe or standard Busa)

Did Cadwell with TVR guys and nothing passed me all day except a pick up truck to collect a Cateringvan off the track

Thread over.  

[Ary]

Hi all,wasn't expecting to see 3 pages long,but very good imformation coming through

I do notice a few people talking about how ''practical'' a Westfield is,well for me personally i dont do practical,never have,never will.

The only issue i would have if i do buy one is the boot space or should i say lack of.

When i do my shows in the cossie i nomally have the boot full of cleaning gear and camping gear,plus the fridge on the back seat full of beer, as just about every show i do, we normally have a bit of a get together with other local groups from around the country.

I'm not married or anything daft like that so if i go to a show on my own the fridge could always sit on the passenger seat

On the petrol disscusion,thats not an issue either,if i stick my foot down i can get it down to around 100 mile to the tank,even if drive at 50/60 i'll only get around 180 miles to the tank

One thing i will never own is a sensible car,i dont need one.I have a vauxhall movano van for work wich i use as my ''every day car''.

That is one thing i will allways own,a van,even if i didn't need one for work.That is my practical car.

That is why i need something different,when i open my garage door,i need to stand there for a couple of seconds and smile to myself,thats the sort of car i want

Looks like i'm going to have to go to the local Lincolnshire meet at Faldingworth and have a closer look at some,so if anyone is reading this and is going to the meet,any chance of a ride?  

PS.Thanks for comments on the cossie

Ary

[greenandmean]

PS.Thanks for comments on the cossie

Ary

F**k me !!! could do with lending you my Vectra, in the 5 years I've been driving it its been washed at least 4 times and polised once, and that only recently due to been bored with 8 weeks off work and nowt else to do.  

[Mark B]

Hi Ary,

Ok I feel I'm probably more qualified to answer your question than most- I used to own a 450bhp 3 door cosworth in show condition (& have built other concours rs cars), then went to my 1800 170hp westfield!

I had both at the same time for a few months but & tbh you can't really compare the two, I never took the 3 dr out in the wet & did very few miles in it to keep the miles down & the condition tiptop so I know where you're coming from.

The westfield is slow in a straight line by comparrison but cornering, fun (important bit imo), involvement and feedback are in a different world, the 3 dr is heavy and can't be thrown round twisty roads & is a car for long sweeping roads really.

I never regretted selling the 3dr, I never drove it after I bought the westy as the westy was so much more fun & involving, especially on roads in the nearby peak district.

If you buy a modern car on fuel injection that's well built it should drive well & be fairly water proof, they're less practical than a 3dr but as a 2nd fun car they are fairly easy to live with imo although driving with the roof up is not that enjoyable & access with it fitted is amusing for passers by!

I'm 6'3" with size 14 feet, I raised the steering wheel slightly, fitted the seats directly to the floor & fitted a steering wheel spacer which gave me a comfy driving position where I could get in & out easily with the wheel on and had a good view out of the screen.

I got 120 miles to a tank average, a long range tank will give more, but tbh my 3dr did 100 -180 miles to a tank depending on driving style so not much difference apart from the westy was way cheaper to fill up!

I liked my cosworths & rs's in general, but wouldn't go back to one.

HTH

Mark.

ps don't worry about nikpro, he's got his argumentative grumpy pants on today....    

[Mark Stanton]

*pulls up comfy chair*    

[jak]

You see what you want is a car like this or even this

And if you want to just try it to see if you like it, I'm about an hour or so from you.

John

[Spire]

How fat are you Nikpro!!!!

I am 43 years old 6'5" & weigh 16stone 8

f**k me this is the first p*****g contest I can win            

[Mark Stanton]

Wanna bet           I'll also call in reinforcements      Mr Navin, Mr Fisher and Mr Davies            

Anyway can we get back to the original topic and reply that Westfields are crap roadcars, please                  much more mileage left in it  

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

Well to be honest I agree with Nikpro that our cars are better on the track than the road. I love driving my car on a track but I actually think Westfields are dangerous on the road - they gather speed too quickly, are difficult to be seen by other traffic, they tramline, are lethal in the wet and you cant breathe / see above 50 without a face mask / helmet / weather gear.

I draw the line at Caterhams being better though  

[Ary]

You see what you want is a car like this or even this

And if you want to just try it to see if you like it, I'm about an hour or so from you.

John

Hi John,funnily enough i've looked at both adverts quite a few times and i do like what i see

Iv'e also seen a couple of yellow ones i quite like aswell.

After owning a dull colour(moonstone blue)for the past 6 years  i need something a little brighter i think

I'll get to the local meet and have a chat with a few people and see what i think,as iv'e already said, don't want to get to excited to be let down.

Ary

[Ary]

Hi Mark B,got to agree with you on what you say about the 3dr being more suited to the straighter roads.

I know what your saying about not going back to the RS scene,as the passion i once had has disappeared this year, so much so i took the 3dr off the road last week instead of taking it off the road in september

After reading all the comments tonight,the only thing that would put me off buying one would be the size of the seat.

Ary

[Paul Aspden]

Ary,

I've only read a couple of the posts, but the best thing for you to do is go to your local club meet and sit in a  few cars, go for a ride too, most people love to show off there cars.

Alternatvley, keep an eye on the events section to see if anyone is at a show or event near you, go along and have a nosey.

You might even find that you can get some advice locally, as I know that the local garage, just outside Wragby is owned by an ex-wetfield owner, Andrew Platt. The garage is I think on the road from Wragby to market rasen, on the left. You'll know you're in the right place as there is a dastle race box (covered car trailer) in the yard, and his wife runs a blue exige. Tell him I sent you.

If all else fails, Pm me, i'm in the Lincolnshire area quite regularly and can take one look at you and tell you if you'd fit in a wide car.

As for the Horsepower thing, I'd always say 200bhp is plenty for road use, though people often don't beleive me. There is no way a 650kg 200hp car is running anywhere near its limits on the road, and when you go on a track day, you'll see what I mean.

Happy hunting, oh and don't buy the first one you look at!!!!

[Ary]

Hi Paul,the garage your on about is Star garage,it's on the road to Louth not Rasen.

I was there 4 weeks ago having the cossie MOT'D.

Luckily for me, Mark(skinny lad) did the test on the cossie and was very good to me

I surpose it helped buying his bungalow off him a few years back

While i was there he showed me the frame to a Westfield in the making

Don't worry about buying the 1st car i see,i made that mistake quite a few years ago with  a series 2 RS Turbo,never again

Ary