Discussion
If you're interested in building a kit car, rather than buying one completed, then you will need to buy directly from the manufacturer in most cases... very few kit manufacturers have 'dealers' in the traditional sense, though Caterham are an exception and a few others have regional agents.
Visit the National Kit Car Show at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, in May, if you want to see the major manufacturers all in one place and try www.totalkitcar.com for an overview of what is available.
Visit the National Kit Car Show at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, in May, if you want to see the major manufacturers all in one place and try www.totalkitcar.com for an overview of what is available.
i presume you ask for a seven-style car or similar?
i´m watching the kitcar market in the uk since several years (mainly seven-style, ginettas, sylva, fisher). for my opinion its clear that its a waste of time and money to buy a kit and spending lots of time to built it up.(as long as you have nothing else to do in your spare time)
you are ending in all the hazzle, organizing and modifying parts (for which you need a certain range of tools, space , skills and sometimes access to a workshop with tools-machines), at the end you need to pass all the official ways (sva, mot...) for what?
if you spent lots of time, searching the web i guarantee you a good (built) kitcar for 3500 to 4500 pounds..and if you are lucky it will have an older registration which provides you for all the upcomming new (emission) laws which the EU will create in the future.
e.g.:
bought a westfield (for a friend) with independant rear suspension, freshly rebuilt and tuned lotus bigvalve twincam (1750cc) for 4200. had also the choice for a good tiger 4000,- (but was too small for my friend).
a ginetta g4s4 in good condition for 2300
also a sylva phoenix in good condition for 4000
the list would go on.....
as you can see i´m not from uk. a friend wanted to built up a seven style car in my country. he got a kit for half the price, started with building, collected parts and after a certain time he made a calculation:
with all the parts he bought and with the ones he will need to buy (with a leather interior and some nice alloys) + passing the test to get a registration he would have ended at around 15000,- euro (around 10000pound), not included the time for building the car or eventually necessary modifications.
guess what he did? he sold the unfinished kit immediately.
now some stupid guys try built it up on a low budget basics and they already struggeld... all the parts they fitted look DIY and the result will be exactly like that...not to mention how much they will have spent at the end...and how the car will look and behave on the road.
i´m watching the kitcar market in the uk since several years (mainly seven-style, ginettas, sylva, fisher). for my opinion its clear that its a waste of time and money to buy a kit and spending lots of time to built it up.(as long as you have nothing else to do in your spare time)
you are ending in all the hazzle, organizing and modifying parts (for which you need a certain range of tools, space , skills and sometimes access to a workshop with tools-machines), at the end you need to pass all the official ways (sva, mot...) for what?
if you spent lots of time, searching the web i guarantee you a good (built) kitcar for 3500 to 4500 pounds..and if you are lucky it will have an older registration which provides you for all the upcomming new (emission) laws which the EU will create in the future.
e.g.:
bought a westfield (for a friend) with independant rear suspension, freshly rebuilt and tuned lotus bigvalve twincam (1750cc) for 4200. had also the choice for a good tiger 4000,- (but was too small for my friend).
a ginetta g4s4 in good condition for 2300
also a sylva phoenix in good condition for 4000
the list would go on.....
as you can see i´m not from uk. a friend wanted to built up a seven style car in my country. he got a kit for half the price, started with building, collected parts and after a certain time he made a calculation:
with all the parts he bought and with the ones he will need to buy (with a leather interior and some nice alloys) + passing the test to get a registration he would have ended at around 15000,- euro (around 10000pound), not included the time for building the car or eventually necessary modifications.
guess what he did? he sold the unfinished kit immediately.
now some stupid guys try built it up on a low budget basics and they already struggeld... all the parts they fitted look DIY and the result will be exactly like that...not to mention how much they will have spent at the end...and how the car will look and behave on the road.
Edited by Comadis on Saturday 5th January 00:03
Comadis, I commend your honesty about the financial risk (even stupidity) of ploughing your hard earned money into building a kit car, and reaping very little return when you sell it, but I do not think it is right to say there is no point doing it. You could single handedly kill a whole industry in one post!
As the guy points out, he is interested in a BUILD. I have personally done a build from scratch, time and money "wasted", but I learned a hell of a lot and got massive enjoyment from it. Hell, even the SVA was a laugh when I told the tester he was a nasty little man (after I had the re-test pass certificate in my hand, of course).
In the past I have too advised smeone with an £8k budget to buy a tatty used crossflow Caterham 7 and rebuild it into the car he wants, but please do not put people off the enjoyment of constructing then driving their own vehicle from scratch. This is the wrong place. ;-)
As the guy points out, he is interested in a BUILD. I have personally done a build from scratch, time and money "wasted", but I learned a hell of a lot and got massive enjoyment from it. Hell, even the SVA was a laugh when I told the tester he was a nasty little man (after I had the re-test pass certificate in my hand, of course).
In the past I have too advised smeone with an £8k budget to buy a tatty used crossflow Caterham 7 and rebuild it into the car he wants, but please do not put people off the enjoyment of constructing then driving their own vehicle from scratch. This is the wrong place. ;-)
As a serial kit builder I have to agree with Lee.
I too have wasted an enormous amount of my time and money building kitcars.
I'm ashamed to say that all I've gained from it is a fantastic feeling of achievement (especially the last one which required SVA) and the ability to help other unfortunate souls who have needed help with their (bought) cars which perhaps only a builder can supply.
I have to say that if I had the space I would gladly waste further cash and time on a Riot.
I too have wasted an enormous amount of my time and money building kitcars.
I'm ashamed to say that all I've gained from it is a fantastic feeling of achievement (especially the last one which required SVA) and the ability to help other unfortunate souls who have needed help with their (bought) cars which perhaps only a builder can supply.
I have to say that if I had the space I would gladly waste further cash and time on a Riot.
Comadis said:
... all the parts they fitted look DIY and the result will be exactly like that...not to mention how much they will have spent at the end...and how the car will look and behave on the road
Comadis,This is sweeping generalisation! Some of the truly 'locost' kits I've seen and ridden in have had phenominal build quality and draw droppingly impressive road holding capabilities. Naturally we are talking about the three way trade off between time, cost and quality however most builders, myself included, would always give time the hit.
I agree with you that if you want a kitcar and you don't want the hassle of a build then don't go anywhere near anything other than fully built (and even then I'd think very hard about parting with anything more than £3500 for a perfectly respectable track day fun wagon).
I disagree that this assertion holds for anyone who builds a car - Mine went into 5 figures and I'm very happy about that given the huge fun I had building it (and the challenges of working out how to do it) and then the huge fun of driving it.
p.s. MOG7 - Have a look at locostbuilders.co.uk if you're thinking about building...
Edited by NeilP_Red on Sunday 6th January 11:14
Edited by NeilP_Red on Sunday 6th January 11:15
Went through just this scenario last year, and started by reading up on various forums (this one included) and ended up deciding to buy a complete car to start with - to see if I enjoyed the maintenance side first.
Went to Stoneleigh last year and tried some cars on - finding that they wouldn't fit (6'4" and lardy).
Narrowed down the list by going to see some cars for sale - and met some very friendly and helpful people.
Finally found and settled on a Quantum Xtreme which ticked all the boxes.
Have I had problems with it - yes.
Have I enjoyed solving them - yes.
Have I had a blast driving it - YES.
Will I do a build - still not sure - but don't care
Went to Stoneleigh last year and tried some cars on - finding that they wouldn't fit (6'4" and lardy).
Narrowed down the list by going to see some cars for sale - and met some very friendly and helpful people.
Finally found and settled on a Quantum Xtreme which ticked all the boxes.
Have I had problems with it - yes.
Have I enjoyed solving them - yes.
Have I had a blast driving it - YES.
Will I do a build - still not sure - but don't care
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