Potential New Owner Needs Advice
Discussion
I am thinking of selling my Cerbera, and have always fancied owning an Ultima. I am mechanicaly inept, and therefore need to buy a completed/ partially completed car.
Having owned several TVR's and a whole load of other interesting cars, I think I am prepared for the ownership experience of a "hand built" car, but was looking for some help and advice from any of you guys on here with first hand experience. My questions are as follows :
1) I have a budget of between £25-30K what can I expect to buy in this price range ie model type, engine/braking specs etc.
2) I am likely to use the car mainly for road use, and am therefore not really looking for the ultimate track day car, air con is therefore a must. Firstly how effetive is the air con system?
3) Could someone give me some idea of running costs based on say 4k a year mileage, mainly road use.
4) Ok, I have to ask notwithstanding what I said at the beginning, how reliable generally are they?
5) Would the car be capable and resonaly comfortable for a twice weekly round trip of approx 80 miles in commuter traffic?
6) How easy are they to sell on in say 12-18months time in the price bracket I am looking at, and what are residuals like?
7) Other than looking on here for cars for sale, and of course Top Marques, is thee any where else to find used Ultimas for sale?
8) Are there any firms or specialists, that could inspect a potential new car for me?
Any other general advice or help for a potential newbie would be appreicated.
Thanks in advance
Having owned several TVR's and a whole load of other interesting cars, I think I am prepared for the ownership experience of a "hand built" car, but was looking for some help and advice from any of you guys on here with first hand experience. My questions are as follows :
1) I have a budget of between £25-30K what can I expect to buy in this price range ie model type, engine/braking specs etc.
2) I am likely to use the car mainly for road use, and am therefore not really looking for the ultimate track day car, air con is therefore a must. Firstly how effetive is the air con system?
3) Could someone give me some idea of running costs based on say 4k a year mileage, mainly road use.
4) Ok, I have to ask notwithstanding what I said at the beginning, how reliable generally are they?
5) Would the car be capable and resonaly comfortable for a twice weekly round trip of approx 80 miles in commuter traffic?
6) How easy are they to sell on in say 12-18months time in the price bracket I am looking at, and what are residuals like?
7) Other than looking on here for cars for sale, and of course Top Marques, is thee any where else to find used Ultimas for sale?
8) Are there any firms or specialists, that could inspect a potential new car for me?
Any other general advice or help for a potential newbie would be appreicated.
Thanks in advance
I've found my car very reliable, it once let me down at Pistonfeast after a I spent all night fitting the engine and swopped the wires on the alternator and thus drained the battery...... and once at the strip were I destroyed a weak CV joint supplied in error.
Other than that I have driven all over the country and used it on track... lent it to journalist for speed testing and generally enjoyed the car to the max... without any problems.
They are cheap to run other than the odvious fuel and tyres cost.... servicing is cheap, bushes are cheap, even insurance is silly, I pay 30% less for my Ultima that my cossie despite identical details and worth 10x more.
In that price range you will only really get one of the older models ie the sports or the spyder.
So.... as my car is out of your range I must say that the sports currently advertised on here has got to be one of the best ones out there and I very much doubt you will find anything better.
Andy
Other than that I have driven all over the country and used it on track... lent it to journalist for speed testing and generally enjoyed the car to the max... without any problems.
They are cheap to run other than the odvious fuel and tyres cost.... servicing is cheap, bushes are cheap, even insurance is silly, I pay 30% less for my Ultima that my cossie despite identical details and worth 10x more.
In that price range you will only really get one of the older models ie the sports or the spyder.
So.... as my car is out of your range I must say that the sports currently advertised on here has got to be one of the best ones out there and I very much doubt you will find anything better.
Andy
As Andy said you will be looking at the Sport or Spyder for that money.
Don't be put off by that as I personally think the Sport is a very smart motor and is what started me wanting one many years ago.
Also remember that the GTR is primarily a styling change but underneath they are mechanically pretty much the same. (This is the point at which Ted has a fit and throws A4 lists of detail improvements into the air).
· If you want a prospective purchase inspected then you should get the factory to do it. Your friendly AA or RAC man will waste valuable time trying to work out what he is looking at. The factory will tell right from wrong in a glance so it won’t cost much. (Ted’s fallen of his chair again).
· Aircon works fine even in the Canam/Spyder.
· Most have a fair amount of power so don’t expect a light clutch. Apart from that the car will fit you like a glove. Ladies in skirts will need to be confident/bold/brazen/don’tgiveash** to get in and out. And there’ll not be a lot of cat swinging.
Steve
Don't be put off by that as I personally think the Sport is a very smart motor and is what started me wanting one many years ago.
Also remember that the GTR is primarily a styling change but underneath they are mechanically pretty much the same. (This is the point at which Ted has a fit and throws A4 lists of detail improvements into the air).
· If you want a prospective purchase inspected then you should get the factory to do it. Your friendly AA or RAC man will waste valuable time trying to work out what he is looking at. The factory will tell right from wrong in a glance so it won’t cost much. (Ted’s fallen of his chair again).
· Aircon works fine even in the Canam/Spyder.
· Most have a fair amount of power so don’t expect a light clutch. Apart from that the car will fit you like a glove. Ladies in skirts will need to be confident/bold/brazen/don’tgiveash** to get in and out. And there’ll not be a lot of cat swinging.
Steve
Have a look at Barry Edge's car which has just come up for sale on the Pistonheads Classified site. It's a Sport with 3500 miles on the clock. I saw him building this car and know it well. It is superb in every detail although he has made some significant changes from the "standard" car (gull wing doors for example). He wants a bit more for it than your budget but that may be negotiable. If you're looking for a "Sport", then this is the best built one that I have seen.
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