Buying an Ultima
Discussion
Hi all., Im looking to buy an Ultima GTR in the near future and just looking for some hints & tips really.
1) Is there anything I should really be looking for when buying one? i.e aircon a must? common faults? Is engine type important (I will only be using the car for occassional blasts on a weekend - no track days).
2) Being a novice with mechanics can any garage service these cars?
3) How easy are there to gets parts for consumables e.g starter motors/wheel bearings? &
4) Are the cars generally reliable?
I have between 35k and 40k to spend, have not got the time to build one myself & if I was to sell it (doubt it!) in say 2 years would you be hit really hard on depreciation?
Thanks
Richard
1) Is there anything I should really be looking for when buying one? i.e aircon a must? common faults? Is engine type important (I will only be using the car for occassional blasts on a weekend - no track days).
2) Being a novice with mechanics can any garage service these cars?
3) How easy are there to gets parts for consumables e.g starter motors/wheel bearings? &
4) Are the cars generally reliable?
I have between 35k and 40k to spend, have not got the time to build one myself & if I was to sell it (doubt it!) in say 2 years would you be hit really hard on depreciation?
Thanks
Richard
hi BAXTERC4S
there have been alot of threads on this lately so do a search but in aswer to your questions
1 usual stuff ,general condition , tyre and brake wear etc
2 pretty easy to look after general servicing is very straight forward oil,plugs etc.
3 all parts still available from the factory or motor factors ,the only thing you should need is oil water and petrol !!! and new underware !!!!
4 depreciation? seems to hit the builders hardest then be very good over the next few years but this will depend on how well you look after the car !!!!
if you fancy a can-am ...i know where there is a very good one !!!! simon
there have been alot of threads on this lately so do a search but in aswer to your questions
1 usual stuff ,general condition , tyre and brake wear etc
2 pretty easy to look after general servicing is very straight forward oil,plugs etc.
3 all parts still available from the factory or motor factors ,the only thing you should need is oil water and petrol !!! and new underware !!!!
4 depreciation? seems to hit the builders hardest then be very good over the next few years but this will depend on how well you look after the car !!!!
if you fancy a can-am ...i know where there is a very good one !!!! simon
BAXTERC4S said:
Hi all., Im looking to buy an Ultima GTR in the near future and just looking for some hints & tips really.
1) Is there anything I should really be looking for when buying one? i.e aircon a must? common faults? Is engine type important (I will only be using the car for occassional blasts on a weekend - no track days).
2) Being a novice with mechanics can any garage service these cars?
3) How easy are there to gets parts for consumables e.g starter motors/wheel bearings? &
4) Are the cars generally reliable?
I have between 35k and 40k to spend, have not got the time to build one myself & if I was to sell it (doubt it!) in say 2 years would you be hit really hard on depreciation?
Thanks
Richard
Richard - I hope this helps ......1) Is there anything I should really be looking for when buying one? i.e aircon a must? common faults? Is engine type important (I will only be using the car for occassional blasts on a weekend - no track days).
2) Being a novice with mechanics can any garage service these cars?
3) How easy are there to gets parts for consumables e.g starter motors/wheel bearings? &
4) Are the cars generally reliable?
I have between 35k and 40k to spend, have not got the time to build one myself & if I was to sell it (doubt it!) in say 2 years would you be hit really hard on depreciation?
Thanks
Richard
1 - Main factory options that you should look for are Air Con in a GTR, not as important in a Can-Am but nice. AP brakes are an option. I've not driven a car without the big brake option so can't comment on their effectivness. The AP set-up works very well. The wing is another and the wheels.
Common faults! Oil leaks on the SBC are not unknown. The bottom rear suspension bushes were prone to wear very quickly, easy to replace. (not tried the new ones yet, can't comment) A proper suspension alighnment and tyre pressures help tyre wear. The cars are sensitive to miss alighnment too. Apart from that, take each car as it comes.
2 - If you have a trust worthy independent they should have no worries. A lot of owners service their own cars.
3 - As said, factory hold all parts.
4 - They run with simple proven technology. Yes you could be unlucky and get a rogue, but it would be cheaper and easier to fix than a Porker or Ferrari.
5 - Value is based on condition & spec. A well looked after car should retain decent value, they can take a while to sell though.
Good luck
Paul.B
Hi Richard
The most popular engine is still the SBC but i think most of us would prefer the newer LS7. If you are looking at the LS7 then you pobably wont get one with 30-40 grand.
Simon (TUXMAN) has a a can-am with efi fitted perhaps worth having a look at his car, by the way, i'm not on commission.
But with 40k ish you will probably be on the SBC route.
Dave
The most popular engine is still the SBC but i think most of us would prefer the newer LS7. If you are looking at the LS7 then you pobably wont get one with 30-40 grand.
Simon (TUXMAN) has a a can-am with efi fitted perhaps worth having a look at his car, by the way, i'm not on commission.
But with 40k ish you will probably be on the SBC route.
Dave
BAXTERC4S said:
Simon, Is your the one on autotrader at the moment for £38k? I know yours is the Can Am but do you have a soft top roof for it? or how much are the roofs to buy?
Thanks
Richard
Simon's car is on autotrader and on the pistonheads classified its a well sorted example, lots of time and effort has gone into itThanks
Richard
My recomendation is to to look at a whole load of cars and buy on condition.... don't just look at one or 2 cars, even if it means nipping round to owners who are not selling their cars. You will find that Ultima owners will be more than happy to show you there car and give you face to face advice.
I wouldn't buy a GTR without Air con as they are not livable without it even in the UK IMHO, I never had air con in my canam and there was times when it could have done with it but unlike the GTR you can definatelly live without it.... It CAN be retrifitted though at between £1.5-2k, but its not a simple job.
Get a car with AP's all round, I didn't have AP and whilst the brakes were good they had no 'feel' and I hated them, they were also very difficult to get setup right.
If I still had my Canam it would definatelly have EFI on it now, I never had any problems with my carb (and its still running perfectly 5years later) but I still hated the carb setup... My advice would be to get EFI (many others disagree).
Things like the wing and wheels even the brakes can be retrofitted so don't turn down a car without these. But you will need to take the cost of putting them on into account in the price.
Of cause these are just my personal views, but that is the benefit of getting an Ultima, the variation so you can get exactly what you want.
I wouldn't buy a GTR without Air con as they are not livable without it even in the UK IMHO, I never had air con in my canam and there was times when it could have done with it but unlike the GTR you can definatelly live without it.... It CAN be retrifitted though at between £1.5-2k, but its not a simple job.
Get a car with AP's all round, I didn't have AP and whilst the brakes were good they had no 'feel' and I hated them, they were also very difficult to get setup right.
If I still had my Canam it would definatelly have EFI on it now, I never had any problems with my carb (and its still running perfectly 5years later) but I still hated the carb setup... My advice would be to get EFI (many others disagree).
Things like the wing and wheels even the brakes can be retrofitted so don't turn down a car without these. But you will need to take the cost of putting them on into account in the price.
Of cause these are just my personal views, but that is the benefit of getting an Ultima, the variation so you can get exactly what you want.
Yep, im just fitting EFI to my GTR. I also think it will be well worth all the effort. If you can get one with it fitted all the better!!
1 air con is a must in a GTR
2 I think the AP brakes are desirable as the other boys have said.
3 The Getrag 6 speed ratios arn't the best, but its expensive to sort the correct ratios for the car.
They are easy to work on, you wont believe the attention they draw!!!!!
1 air con is a must in a GTR
2 I think the AP brakes are desirable as the other boys have said.
3 The Getrag 6 speed ratios arn't the best, but its expensive to sort the correct ratios for the car.
They are easy to work on, you wont believe the attention they draw!!!!!
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