Honda S1 wanted!

[edb49]

I've been quite a for a little while as I was saving up for the new weekend toy. I'm after a Honda powered S1 Elise, nothing on Pistonheads classifieds at the moment that I can see. Is there anywhere else I should be looking?

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

SELOC

[edb49]

Just found the classifieds section of SELOC, was looking all over their forums but obviously the wrong place. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

I'd of linked, but I was on my phone and it was a bit much effort to type a url, lol.

[edb49]

One of the problems with these not coming up too often is working out how much they're worth. For a basic S1 with a Honda donkey, suspension and brakes done, what kind of price range do they go for?

[kambites]

Considerably less than it costs to do the conversion. It's quite hard to say exactly though, because they are so rare and because exact specifications very so much.

I guess even a good S1 conversion will fetch under 20k.

ETA: Here's one that sold, don't know how much for: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/307281.htm

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 4th June 21:12

[bogie]

it can depend on so many things like the age of the donor car, who did the conversion, other mods on the car etc

for a good normally aspirated one on a late donor, maybe with suspension and brakes done then £20-25K

Supercharged ones maybe £25-30K

it really depends on the rest of the car - everyone can take the cost of a base car, add on say 60% conversion cost, then its really down to condition an other mods....my old car had about £35K spent on it, say the 6 year old car was worth £12K, and I had offers of £35K on it ...but this was fully modded and in virtually new condition in every way.

[bogie]

wow - i just checked that one out...it was a lot of car for £18.5K thats probably the cheapest, quality car ive seen ever for sale at that price.

I have seen cheaper, but usually these have had something 'wrong' with them...like being a demo car on track for 30K miles or being converted in someones garage by their mate over a few beers, then covering 3K miles, then up for sale strangely ...its like any car, usually if the price is too good to be true, theres usually something up with it..

[cej]

edb49 said:

I've been quite a for a little while as I was saving up for the new weekend toy. I'm after a Honda powered S1 Elise, nothing on Pistonheads classifieds at the moment that I can see. Is there anywhere else I should be looking?

Probably easier to find a cheap S1 and then get the conversion done

[edb49]

Done a bit of research on various forums, two sale prices I've found have been in the 15s:

16/17k estimate

15.5k sale price

18.5k advertised price for a mint one

18k estimate for a well sorted honda

17-18k estimate for a well sorted audi

15800 sale price for audi

16k estimate

18k agreed insurance value for S/C Honda S1

Edited by edb49 on Wednesday 4th June 21:54

[bogie]

yeah - well at £15K then its going to be an early S1 ...some people are buying these for £7.5K as donors (less if they are broken) ....what I was talking about was some top nick later cars...a late Rover K car will only be a few years old and worth £15K on its own prior to conversion etc, then if someones thrown £15K at it then will want £20K back

most people go on the price of what it would cost them to do it themselves to the proposed donor car, and then knock a few grand off.

[kambites]

I think the thing to remember, is that while the engine conversion might cost you 9k all in, you can easily spend that again on improving other bits (suspension, brakes, etc) and the kind of people who build Honda'd Elises often do.

Bare in mind that if you buy a car which had just had the engine conversion done, you'll probably end up spending considerable money to do the rest anyway.


ETA: By the way, what is the going rate for getting a professional N/A Honda conversion done these days (including all parts)?

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 4th June 22:13

[edb49]

Yep, I guess the conversion plus basic brake/suspension work will be say £13k? Then a donor car for £7k? So £20k would you get you an oldish but reasonably sorted car.

Or am I way out?

[edb49]

kambites said:

ETA: By the way, what is the going rate for getting a professional N/A Honda conversion done these days (including all parts)?

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 4th June 22:13

£10k is what I've read - but I'd imagine quite a bit less than this now they're more common

[kambites]

10k still looks about right if you want them to supply the engine.

Maybe if my engine ever lets go in a big way...

[bogie]

it depends on what options you go for - a base converision with 1 year warranty is £10K

but you will really need the following:

extra oil cooler if tracking - £500 + fitting
all-aluminium radiator - a 12 yr old Elise one may have been replaced now, maybe not - £400 + fitting (clam off job)
baffled sump - £300 + fitting

optional upgraded clutch and LW flywheel £600 + fitting(cheaper if you decide to go supercharged later)

then say you want AP discs all round and Pagids - thats £1200 + fitting
Nitrons - £1K + fitting + set-up
stiffer ARB - £250 + fitting
bushes all round - maybe £1500 fitted

and thats just for a mechanically running car, if you want to tart it up with a re-trim and new seats, harnesses etc - £2.5K (remember, its a 12 year old car youve bought!)

you may want some new wheels and track tyres - £1200

maybe a respray - £3K

etc

buying a 12 year old car to convert is not always the cheapest way ! ...sometimes its better to spend a few grand more and get something thats regularly used and serviced with everything replaced already

check out www.hondaelise.com for options and stuff

[Hollywood Wheels]

For a weekend toy, why go Honda? A fully sorted S1 kicking out 170-180bhp, with Nitrons, brakes, everything else done, can be had for £12K, and that's for a properly sorted car. Have you driven any such cars? Or have you been sucked in by the head gasket nonsense surrounding the K series?

[edb49]

Hollywood Wheels said:

For a weekend toy, why go Honda? A fully sorted S1 kicking out 170-180bhp, with Nitrons, brakes, everything else done, can be had for £12K, and that's for a properly sorted car. Have you driven any such cars? Or have you been sucked in by the head gasket nonsense surrounding the K series?

I want to go for a Honda because I want to be able to go the supercharged route in future.

[Hollywood Wheels]

Fair play in that case mate. Why not still go down the fully sorted k series route, then just get the SC Honda as and when ready? Still makes financial sense, sort of?!

[edb49]

When you say it "sort of" makes financial sense, do you mean it doesn't?

I think it's easier as well to find a Honda now and add a S/C later, than trying to find a S/C'd Honda later.