Should I buy a carterham style kit car for £5K or less?

[benednor]

Ever since a sly and evil friend leant me his Exige S1 for a week (it was my birthday) I have been dialled in to the idea of getting something even more extreme to keep me smiling. Used to be a biker (up to 1995) and the buzz of this car has got me right back into the whole idea of basic and fast 4 wheeled motoring.

Firstly manufacturer choice: It seems to me that Westfield are worth a look, as are Tiger and MK.

Engine choice: Just cant get my head around bike engined cars - tried a Dax Rush a couple of years back running a Fireblade lump and it was too hectic for my money. Prefer a 2 - 2.2 Pinto or better. I need to have 4-5 second 0-60 and 10-12 to 100 - this may seem strange but I drive a Revo'd S3 and have been lucky enough to pilot some other genuinely quick cars/bikes so am a little spoilt as a result. In other words just the whole basic motoring experience will not be enough on its own.

Superficial considerations: Cant decide if I would be happy to don a helmet or not.....if the car was right then yes I guess I would. Having said that I would use the car for my commute as often as conditions allow (25 miles a day) so some level of practicality would be a bonus - another reason for wanting to avoid a bike engine.

Other points: Apart from the obvious power issues its: handling, handling and handling. Also I am not a spanner monkey so would appreciate any advice on decent garages/mechanics in the Berkshire area for this type of car?

This money is going to be burning a hole in my pocket come Feb so any feedback greatly appreciated.

[dern]

benednor said:

Ever since a sly and evil friend leant me his Exige S1 for a week (it was my birthday) I have been dialled in to the idea of getting something even more extreme to keep me smiling. Used to be a biker (up to 1995) and the buzz of this car has got me right back into the whole idea of basic and fast 4 wheeled motoring. Firstly manufacturer choice: It seems to me that Westfield are worth a look, as are Tiger and MK. Engine choice: Just cant get my head around bike engined cars - tried a Dax Rush a couple of years back running a Fireblade lump and it was too hectic for my money. Prefer a 2 - 2.2 Pinto or better. I need to have 4-5 second 0-60 and 10-12 to 100 - this may seem strange but I drive a Revo'd S3 and have been lucky enough to pilot some other genuinely quick cars/bikes so am a little spoilt as a result. In other words just the whole basic motoring experience will not be enough on its own.

I wouldn't get hung up on the figures as a westfield (or similar) will feel much quicker than your s3 even if it isn't as quick. Having said that I had a xflow powered car and that felt pretty quicker and indeed was but the main problem was it tended to run out of puff when you wanted to overtake around the legal limit. A pinto would be pretty similar I suspect so if you can find something with a zetec or vauxhall twin cam then you'd be better off I would have thought.

benednor said:

Superficial considerations: Cant decide if I would be happy to don a helmet or not.....if the car was right then yes I guess I would. Having said that I would use the car for my commute as often as conditions allow (25 miles a day) so some level of practicality would be a bonus - another reason for wanting to avoid a bike engine.

I really didn't like the screen and find an aeroscreen and a helmet much more to my liking.

I wouldn't describe any of them as being practical... I'd rather commute on my bike frankly.

benednor said:

Other points: Apart from the obvious power issues its: handling, handling and handling. Also I am not a spanner monkey so would appreciate any advice on decent garages/mechanics in the Berkshire area for this type of car?

They're pretty simple so anyone you'd trust will be able to work on it unless you get some engine that is more exotic but within your budget that seems unlikely. There are bargains about this time of year but yours is limited and you'll probably get a pinto engined car but you might strike lucky and pick up a vx engined car which is the one I'd have gone for had the v8 I now own hadn't come along.

Mark

[busa_rush]

For £5k you will have to take what you can get, probably Pinto or X-Flow powered. More likely to get a X-Flow Fury, nice cars.

[kingb]

not easy to find as they are rare cars but you see em sometimes. look for a Midtech Spyder. It was designed by Lee Noble who has since done the ultima and Noble 12 etc. It handles like nothing else. My dad had one and we could pass exiges at will around bends. it handles seriously well. it was really unbelievable. They run Pintos or other 2 litre 4s. Dads was vulcan tuned with twin webbers and a few other bits and put out about 150bhp. The things was rapid. O-60 was 5 and the hundred around 10.5 and would do a claimed 150 (we only saw 140 before deciding we had risked licences enough)!! A nice midtech is worth about 5 grand now. You really wouldnt regret buying one. midengined, looks the nuts, exclusive and will blow your mates car into the dust!!
I might be slightly biased but if you can find one have a drive and im sure you will understand.