Kit car as 1st car, good idea?
Discussion
This came up after spending a weekend with a mate who has built loads of kit cars, mostly Jagos. He showed me www.locostbuilders.com and from there i found this:
http://ekmpowershop5.com/ekmps/shops/
I know this may sound crazy but would this be possible as a 1st car?
I am 15 so have 2 years to wait but once an idea gets into your head...
http://ekmpowershop5.com/ekmps/shops/
I know this may sound crazy but would this be possible as a 1st car?
I am 15 so have 2 years to wait but once an idea gets into your head...
you wanna talk to m1spew or southpaw or what ever hes called these days
he was thinking exactly the same thoughts but ended up deciding against it. i also considered it but decided the lack of practicality etc out weighed the pros of owning own. i figured for a first car i wanted something that was v reliable, comfortable, could take me and a handful of mates and if i scraped it i wouldnt be too upset and repair wouldnt be too difficult - fibre glass bodies dont repair to well
he was thinking exactly the same thoughts but ended up deciding against it. i also considered it but decided the lack of practicality etc out weighed the pros of owning own. i figured for a first car i wanted something that was v reliable, comfortable, could take me and a handful of mates and if i scraped it i wouldnt be too upset and repair wouldnt be too difficult - fibre glass bodies dont repair to well
kingb said:
you wanna talk to m1spew or southpaw or what ever hes called these days
he was thinking exactly the same thoughts but ended up deciding against it. i also considered it but decided the lack of practicality etc out weighed the pros of owning own. i figured for a first car i wanted something that was v reliable, comfortable, could take me and a handful of mates and if i scraped it i wouldnt be too upset and repair wouldnt be too difficult - fibre glass bodies dont repair to well
he was thinking exactly the same thoughts but ended up deciding against it. i also considered it but decided the lack of practicality etc out weighed the pros of owning own. i figured for a first car i wanted something that was v reliable, comfortable, could take me and a handful of mates and if i scraped it i wouldnt be too upset and repair wouldnt be too difficult - fibre glass bodies dont repair to well
I know waht you mean but i still want one
A 1.4 '7' will out accelerate most hot hatches, but it isn't as practical.
There are some 1.4 Libra's that often come up second hand. A very practical and very posey car.
I'm building a 1.6 Marlin 5exi which we reckon will be quicker to 100mph than my 3.2lt Crossfire.
Kits with 1.1lt engines will by enlarge be much quicker that the donor car from which the engine comes.
Just a little food for thought.
There are some 1.4 Libra's that often come up second hand. A very practical and very posey car.
I'm building a 1.6 Marlin 5exi which we reckon will be quicker to 100mph than my 3.2lt Crossfire.
Kits with 1.1lt engines will by enlarge be much quicker that the donor car from which the engine comes.
Just a little food for thought.
My first car was a kit car - mainly because it was cheap. I didn't really know a huge amount about cars before it, and I learnt a lot while rebuilding it (it had been left under a tree for 6 years, and needed a lot of work - 3 years work off and on [mostly off 
]).
If you don't know a lot about cars, then I'd suggest not building one from scratch; otherwise go for it. But as everyone says, don't go overboard on engine size - it's a good idea to choose an engine/drivetrain that allows you to upgrade later on.
]). If you don't know a lot about cars, then I'd suggest not building one from scratch; otherwise go for it. But as everyone says, don't go overboard on engine size - it's a good idea to choose an engine/drivetrain that allows you to upgrade later on.
I decided to totally commit myself (or maybe I should be committed 
) and once I finished my Aeon I sold my nice, comfortable, dry, quiet etc BMW and now use it as my daily driver. However I do have the option of a roof for rainy days (if I can be bothered to fit it) and a pathetic heater for sub-zero days.
We're a hardy lot us kit car builders
) and once I finished my Aeon I sold my nice, comfortable, dry, quiet etc BMW and now use it as my daily driver. However I do have the option of a roof for rainy days (if I can be bothered to fit it) and a pathetic heater for sub-zero days. We're a hardy lot us kit car builders
black5 said:
A 1.4 '7' will out accelerate most hot hatches, but it isn't as practical.
There are some 1.4 Libra's that often come up second hand. A very practical and very posey car.
I'm building a 1.6 Marlin 5exi which we reckon will be quicker to 100mph than my 3.2lt Crossfire.
Kits with 1.1lt engines will by enlarge be much quicker that the donor car from which the engine comes.
Just a little food for thought.
There are some 1.4 Libra's that often come up second hand. A very practical and very posey car.
I'm building a 1.6 Marlin 5exi which we reckon will be quicker to 100mph than my 3.2lt Crossfire.
Kits with 1.1lt engines will by enlarge be much quicker that the donor car from which the engine comes.
Just a little food for thought.
Hmm, while the Libra does look good, i was really after a Caterham style car.
a good first car is a big one with a ikle engine
cavalier 1.3 was what i got the wife first as i want her back in one piece
kit cars skimp on saftey usually
no air pags or seat belt pre tensioners
get to be an experienced driver whilst building a kit
worst thing you can do is get a 3.5 v8 at 18
i know i have the tee shirt
cavalier 1.3 was what i got the wife first as i want her back in one piece
kit cars skimp on saftey usually
no air pags or seat belt pre tensioners
get to be an experienced driver whilst building a kit
worst thing you can do is get a 3.5 v8 at 18
i know i have the tee shirt
If a kit car is to be your first car then consider what it will be like in the middle of winter. I had my K3 GTM as my only car and it had a good heater/demister and it was comfortable (205 gti seats) with reasonable luggage space.
It wasn't totally waterproof but show me any kit car with pillarless doors that is! I used the car constantly for a year and loved it. The Libra is a bit more expensive but is a nice car.
I insured through through Graham Sykes which was rediculously cheap for the performance.
good luck
regards
Steve
It wasn't totally waterproof but show me any kit car with pillarless doors that is! I used the car constantly for a year and loved it. The Libra is a bit more expensive but is a nice car.
I insured through through Graham Sykes which was rediculously cheap for the performance.
good luck
regards
Steve
Yes.
My quantum, www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/108092.htm, was my first car and was probably still about the best all round car I've owned.
What's your purchase and insurance budget?
I'd think very carefully about getting a seven clone as an only car, it really is hardcore! Something like a GTM K3 mentioned above (or Libra if you're rich!), a Midas etc would be ok, although you still won't have the space of even the tiniest hatchback. Even though the kit car reliability myths are largely just that, you will have more niggling problems than with a decent productionc ar, but you'll have so much more fun.
The main reason I went for a kit was the insurance - at 19 I was paying £350 a year fully comp for my 2+2. Five years on, I pay nearly twice that for a mass produced mazda of similar performance! Kit cars really are the way to go if you want to get a genuine sportscar at a young age. Like the other guys said, I'd get an insurance quote before you build/buy anything and add a certyain ammount on to that in case things change before you get it on the road. My insurance company (Footman James) based the premium largely on engine size - so bizzarely a twin carb'd highly modified 1380cc mini engine in a tiny 500kg GTM coupe was considered less risk than say, a standard 1.6 Quantum saloon. The only exceptions were forced induction and bike engines, both of which automatically classed as "above 4.5 litres" apparently!!
My quantum, www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/108092.htm, was my first car and was probably still about the best all round car I've owned.
What's your purchase and insurance budget?
I'd think very carefully about getting a seven clone as an only car, it really is hardcore! Something like a GTM K3 mentioned above (or Libra if you're rich!), a Midas etc would be ok, although you still won't have the space of even the tiniest hatchback. Even though the kit car reliability myths are largely just that, you will have more niggling problems than with a decent productionc ar, but you'll have so much more fun.
The main reason I went for a kit was the insurance - at 19 I was paying £350 a year fully comp for my 2+2. Five years on, I pay nearly twice that for a mass produced mazda of similar performance! Kit cars really are the way to go if you want to get a genuine sportscar at a young age. Like the other guys said, I'd get an insurance quote before you build/buy anything and add a certyain ammount on to that in case things change before you get it on the road. My insurance company (Footman James) based the premium largely on engine size - so bizzarely a twin carb'd highly modified 1380cc mini engine in a tiny 500kg GTM coupe was considered less risk than say, a standard 1.6 Quantum saloon. The only exceptions were forced induction and bike engines, both of which automatically classed as "above 4.5 litres" apparently!!
I had this quandry about a week or so ago, and looked at a Libra as an alternative to a 3 series. I worked out it wasnt going to fit the bill even on basic things like a stereo, and while it's something easily fixed a few other niggles made me think a straightforward diesel motorway plodder was the best choice for me, as I wanted things like air con, power steering, electric windows, good economy, reliability, practicality and decent mpg together with a car I could take a customer out in and haul stuff to the tip in on Sundays (*note to self, go to tip on Sunday)
I'm not you though, so in your shoes it could work out alright!
I'm not you though, so in your shoes it could work out alright!
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