Best investment...Mk1 Escort RS2000 vs Sapphire Cosworth
Discussion
Hello,
I'm looking at filling a gap in my garage. Born in the late 70s and having had a very modest income through my teens and 20s, I could only lust over the performance Fords of the 70s and 80s.
Now in my middle-ages, I feel I still need to tick that box, and I'm torn between a Mk1 Escort 2000 and a Sapphire Cosworth. I know they are quite different cars, but I like them equally in different ways, so I'm keen to get some opinions on what people think would be the better investment or most sought after in say 10 years, as this will have a determining factor.
The Sapphire Cosworths are still quite cheap compared to the Sierra Cosworth, but I suppose there might be good reason for this ? The Mk1 RS2000 are a slightly expensive than the Sapphire Cos as a starting point but arguably more sought after ?
Any opinions would be appreciated (please keep it friendly, argument free, troll-free, etc). Thanks in advance
David
I'm looking at filling a gap in my garage. Born in the late 70s and having had a very modest income through my teens and 20s, I could only lust over the performance Fords of the 70s and 80s.
Now in my middle-ages, I feel I still need to tick that box, and I'm torn between a Mk1 Escort 2000 and a Sapphire Cosworth. I know they are quite different cars, but I like them equally in different ways, so I'm keen to get some opinions on what people think would be the better investment or most sought after in say 10 years, as this will have a determining factor.
The Sapphire Cosworths are still quite cheap compared to the Sierra Cosworth, but I suppose there might be good reason for this ? The Mk1 RS2000 are a slightly expensive than the Sapphire Cos as a starting point but arguably more sought after ?
Any opinions would be appreciated (please keep it friendly, argument free, troll-free, etc). Thanks in advance
David
Both have done a lot of appreciating, am sure they will still go up but kind of thinking if you buy the right one you wont lose money but not sure they will make any, there are perhaps other cars that may be due to appreciate. I just cant get my head round a 2 litre Pinto Engined Escort being 30 grand, but I suppose if you can get that back it is less daft than something that depreciates.
The Shed of the week was an Impreza Turbo, perhaps get a decent MK1 Impreza or a later special edition like a WR1, rally pedigree and so much fun.
The Shed of the week was an Impreza Turbo, perhaps get a decent MK1 Impreza or a later special edition like a WR1, rally pedigree and so much fun.
Interesting question OP.
I was born at the end of the 50s (OK, I know I'm old)!
I bought a 1978 MK2 RS2000 in 1982 and replaced it in 1984 with a 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection, which I had to sell a year later for my first house deposit.
But a couple of years of overtime later I bought another Capri Injection. A natural progression would have been a Sierra Cosworth, but in the late 80s/early 90s you just couldn't insure them.
Then a few years later a motor trader mate started doing track days and we used whatever he had in stock, XR3is, Golf GTis, etc. but always an XR4i which was the one car that never broke. His traders policy covered any car except a Cosworth!
He booked a track day at Silverstone when he had a 1988 Sapphire Cosworth, which was quick on boost, but painful when it wasn't! Sadly I was driving it when it blew it's head gasket as I overtook him on the Hangar Straight.
And now my same mate deals in older/classic cars he has recently bought a really clean XR4i!
Anyway to answer your question OP, based on my experience I'd forget about Cosworths and go for any Escort RS1600, RS1800 or RS2000 - they are so compact you can find gaps where they don't really exist, and are quick enough to take advantage of that!
I was born at the end of the 50s (OK, I know I'm old)!
I bought a 1978 MK2 RS2000 in 1982 and replaced it in 1984 with a 1982 Capri 2.8 Injection, which I had to sell a year later for my first house deposit.
But a couple of years of overtime later I bought another Capri Injection. A natural progression would have been a Sierra Cosworth, but in the late 80s/early 90s you just couldn't insure them.
Then a few years later a motor trader mate started doing track days and we used whatever he had in stock, XR3is, Golf GTis, etc. but always an XR4i which was the one car that never broke. His traders policy covered any car except a Cosworth!
He booked a track day at Silverstone when he had a 1988 Sapphire Cosworth, which was quick on boost, but painful when it wasn't! Sadly I was driving it when it blew it's head gasket as I overtook him on the Hangar Straight.
And now my same mate deals in older/classic cars he has recently bought a really clean XR4i!
Anyway to answer your question OP, based on my experience I'd forget about Cosworths and go for any Escort RS1600, RS1800 or RS2000 - they are so compact you can find gaps where they don't really exist, and are quick enough to take advantage of that!
That is very impressive lurkage!
I think there is probably more % upside potential in the Sierra than the Escort. I'm sure they will both continue to increase, but the Sapphire Cosworth has more up-side left. There are still a few around capable of being properly restored, whereas with the Escort, you'd have to look to Australia for anything reasonably priced.
I think there is probably more % upside potential in the Sierra than the Escort. I'm sure they will both continue to increase, but the Sapphire Cosworth has more up-side left. There are still a few around capable of being properly restored, whereas with the Escort, you'd have to look to Australia for anything reasonably priced.
t car than £50k on a s
I thought about buying a cosworth recently but whilst I don't mind the cost of the car, have you seen the price of second hand spares? I just couldn't face handing over the kind of cash asked for basics like header tanks (to replace the horrible alloy things a lot have), airboxes, wheel locks, door strips etc etc. It's all second hand junk at hugely inflated prices..
In short, nice car shame about the spares
In short, nice car shame about the spares
rust will be a big factor in the early stuff. Have you driven/been in either ?
I'm old enough to recall just how awful Fords of that era were, especially the 70's stuff.
more recently a neighbour has a mint 77 escort mexico. sorted engine etc. My god its slow and dull. and tiny and badly put together and just, well a typical 70's car.
In fairness, the xr4 and cossie, of course were something special in that era.
I think the issue with Fords (which these days I like, I have one!) is that of rose tinted glasses and memories. Bit like wheeler dealers recent cossie episode. Yep, I get it, but when that car was new, it was a council estate, chav tastic pile of plastic junk. I don't recall anyone lusting over a Ford !!!
But time moves on and memories change !
I'm old enough to recall just how awful Fords of that era were, especially the 70's stuff.
more recently a neighbour has a mint 77 escort mexico. sorted engine etc. My god its slow and dull. and tiny and badly put together and just, well a typical 70's car.
In fairness, the xr4 and cossie, of course were something special in that era.
I think the issue with Fords (which these days I like, I have one!) is that of rose tinted glasses and memories. Bit like wheeler dealers recent cossie episode. Yep, I get it, but when that car was new, it was a council estate, chav tastic pile of plastic junk. I don't recall anyone lusting over a Ford !!!
But time moves on and memories change !
Millions lusted over the Fords, that's why they are now worth so much.
Escort Cosworth was and is a very popular car with a massive following.
Early Fords may have rusted but they will have been repaired by now or would not exist anymore. Places like Burtons sell replacement panels for pretty much every part of the mk1 and mk2, you can even buy a brand new shell from motorsport tools.
I have a Cosworth engine but in a 205 pug, people absolutely love the engine and draws huge attention.
Escort Cosworth was and is a very popular car with a massive following.
Early Fords may have rusted but they will have been repaired by now or would not exist anymore. Places like Burtons sell replacement panels for pretty much every part of the mk1 and mk2, you can even buy a brand new shell from motorsport tools.
I have a Cosworth engine but in a 205 pug, people absolutely love the engine and draws huge attention.
I don't remember the XR4i having much of an aura about it. When it came out it looked all space-age, and it was sort-of interesting, but still had the old 2.8 engine in it and didn't really move things on (and I speak as an XR4x4i owner!). It is telling that I still get "is it a cosseh?" from people of all ages, and it is a 5-door with the model name on the back, so these people don't know their cars, but they do know the name. The Cosworth name has an awareness beyond that of the RS Escorts (which tend to be schoolboys of a certain era or rally nerds who have got to that age where the mortgage is paid off).
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