Buying a ZT-T 260

Buying a ZT-T 260

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JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Tuesday 5th February 2008
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Hi

I am seriously considering one of these as my next car.

Whilst I have done a bit of homework I would be grateful for any further information. I think I prefer the look of the Mk 1 versions although I guess these are much rarer. There is one for sale in Scotland which looks good but is rather a long way from Sussex, as well as a couple at SMC.

I would rather have an SE spec and assume that about £10,000 will buy a reasonable example. I am a bit curious as to why some seem to stay for sale for ages. Also is the quality of the Mk 2 inferior to the Mk 1?

Sorry for all the questions but it would be great to have some feedback!

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
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Anyone?

S6 ROR

1,583 posts

266 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
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Have you looked on the Two-Sixties Web site? Lot of coverage on there.
I brought a Mark 1 about three months ago (Number 159), and have covered just over 5,000 miles in that time.
It is by far one of the best cars that i have owned for everyday use. It had been professionally converted to run on LPG when i brought it, which at .50 per litre makes it a very cheap car to run, and can tell no difference in performance. Worth considering if you do a lot of miles..
Looks are very personal, but I to much prefer the Mark 1 over the Mark 2`s, but wouldn`t let that sway me if the car was right.
Mine isn`t an SE, but they are still fairly well specced up, the only thing i really miss is the sunroof, which is standard on the SE`s.
I can absolutely guarantee that you will not have any regrets, go out a get one biggrin
I really do think that for what you get for the money, they are real value, and what other motors are out there for the same money, would give you that grin factorthumbup
edited to say, that a sports exhaust is a compulsary item. I have double Cobra exhausts on mine, which sound amazing woohoo

Edited by S6 ROR on Wednesday 6th February 22:32

bob1179

14,107 posts

210 months

Wednesday 6th February 2008
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Kermit Power has one, might be worth asking him as he knows a wealth about these cars.

Good choice though, they are a fantastic motor, great handlers and loads of tuning potential.

I hope you find a cracker!

smile

mechsympathy

52,836 posts

256 months

Thursday 7th February 2008
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This thread (and associated links) will tell you all you need to knowthumbup They're aceyes

joncon

1,446 posts

224 months

Thursday 7th February 2008
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hi,
good info on x-power forums as well.
i have had mine for 2.5 years, and have loved every mile !!
if you get a chance to drive one - take it.

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Friday 8th February 2008
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Thanks for all the replies so far. I have been looking on two-sixties and xpowerforums. Getting very keen as there seems to be nothing but praise for them. Thanks too for the previous link.

cirks

2,474 posts

284 months

Friday 8th February 2008
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got one after my Saab 95 Aero and love it. The only bad bits (which you'll find on all the sites) are that the air-con is pretty poor (mine's a good one and it's still crap!) and to be honest, the driving position on a long run is a bit awkward in that there's nowhere to rest your clutch foot with the transmission tunnel getting in the way. However, the car is very solidly put together, has loads of space internally and the boot is huge. Local fuel economy no worse than the Saab (which was an auto).
I've also had the 260 on track and although nowhere near as quick as my TVR, I was very impressed with the handling (very flat and predictable) and the brakes lasted well too.

I don't think you'll regret getting one.

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Friday 8th February 2008
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Whereabouts in Sussex are you?

I'm only in Surrey, so I'd happily pop down at some point if you want to see what the fuss is all about. smile

If you're looking for a Mk1 tourer, don't dismiss the one in Scotland. They only made 27, at least 2 or 3 of which left the UK. I got mine in May 2006. I'd been looking since about October '05, and have kept an eye out since, and apart from mine and the one up in Scotland, I can only remember seeing one other Mk1 tourer advertised - a red one.

One thing that looks like a pretty safe bet is that if you do find a good car, it is not going to drop in value much, if at all. I paid £12,700 for mine around 20 months ago, and that included 12 months warranty and AA cover. Since then, I've put 20k on the clock, and it is of course 20 months older, yet if I ever decided to sell it (which I won't) then I wouldn't expect to have to take less than £11k for it.

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Friday 8th February 2008
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Hi

I am near Uckfield, mid way between Tunbridge Wells and Brighton. I don't suppose you are going to the Sunday Service at Wadhurst are you? I would very much like to have a good look at your car. Whilst I have decided I would like a 260, I have never had a ride in one. Also it is a rather different kettle of fish compared to what I have run for the last few years.

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Friday 8th February 2008
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I'm not going to the Sunday Service, as my wife had our third offspring on Sunday morning and just got home from hospital today, so it wouldn't be the best political gambit I could come up with!

I could either get away one evening next week, or possibly bring the elder kids with me on the weekend - they're fairly used to speed by now - and then take them on to the Bluebell railway at Sheffield park.

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Friday 8th February 2008
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Many congratulations beer

I don't want to put you to any trouble, it sounds as if your hands are pretty full at the moment!

I would greatly appreciate having a look at the car though so whatever suits you. I am only about 5 miles from the Bluebell Railway so can fit in if you are planning a trip there, but an evening would be equally good.

Do you know anything about the blue one in Scotland? If it was a development car, would you think of it as a risky purchase? Just thinking of rustproofing and other mundane stuff like that.

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Friday 8th February 2008
quotequote all
If you can find out the last 3 digits of the VIN, then we can have a dig around in the owners' club. They were in sequential order from 002 - 001 is a 500bhp prototype now owned by the MGOC. Mine is a very early one - number 19 - and is completely standard. Either it or 018 was used to get the low volume type approval, so you would assume that anything later, which that one definitely is as mine is on an 03 plate and that's a 53, would be fully standard as well.

There's a green one (although not as green as mine!) on there that I've not seen before which is considerably closer than Scotland. Although it doesn't claim to be an SE, assuming the interior photo is of the actual car, then it does have Sat Nav and heated Alcantara seats.

One easy way to tell most of the really early prototypes from interior photos is that they were fitted with the 190 dash as the 260 one hadn't been developed. This is most obvious in a rev counter which redlines at 7,000rpm rather than 6, and in having a hot/cold adjuster where the V8 badge is in the centre of the production 260 dash.

What evenings would suit you next week? Unsurprisingly, we've got no social plans at the moment! Once the eldest two are in bed - usually by 7:45, I could come down pretty much any evening and be with you by around 8:30.

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
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Can't do Tuesday but any other evening would be fine. Have phoned about the one in Scotland, they rang back and I was out so will keep trying.

Have now spoken to them. It has had 4 owners and has no service history with the car, so anything you could find out would be great. Must say I am a bit concered about the lack of history but I guess it may be possible to track it down. There again I took a flyer with my current car which had no history when I bought it.

Edited by JulesV on Saturday 9th February 17:00

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
JulesV said:
Can't do Tuesday but any other evening would be fine. Have phoned about the one in Scotland, they rang back and I was out so will keep trying.
Looking at the weather forecast, it looks like Monday should be nice and dry, so why don't we go for that? PM me your address and phone number and we can work out the details. smile

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
JulesV said:
Can't do Tuesday but any other evening would be fine. Have phoned about the one in Scotland, they rang back and I was out so will keep trying.
Looking at the weather forecast, it looks like Monday should be nice and dry, so why don't we go for that? PM me your address and phone number and we can work out the details. smile
Have just edited the above post with a few more details. Monday would be great, would it be easier to meet half way somewhere? I will send e mail now.

Kermit power

28,692 posts

214 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
JulesV said:
Kermit power said:
JulesV said:
Can't do Tuesday but any other evening would be fine. Have phoned about the one in Scotland, they rang back and I was out so will keep trying.
Looking at the weather forecast, it looks like Monday should be nice and dry, so why don't we go for that? PM me your address and phone number and we can work out the details. smile
Have just edited the above post with a few more details. Monday would be great, would it be easier to meet half way somewhere? I will send e mail now.
Don't worry about that, I'll enjoy the little blat out, plus it makes sense to meet up where one of us knows the roads. I'll let you buy me a pint if it makes you feel better though! laugh

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Saturday 9th February 2008
quotequote all
If you are sure then that would be great. beer

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Monday 18th February 2008
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Still looking. Decided against the Scottish one and don't like the colours of the other two Mk 1s that seem to be available. There are two Mk 2s for sale with chromescent paint although both are a little more than I want to pay. I would be interested to hear of any new leads, meanwhile I must stop the suspension clunk on my current car.....

JulesV

Original Poster:

1,800 posts

225 months

Sunday 2nd March 2008
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This is getting a bit frustrating. I have decide not to be so fussy and have phoned about the available cars. There are now only two available from what I can make out. One has had major repair work which puts me off, the other is more than I want to pay. Any leads gratefully received.