whats the cheapest kit car?
Discussion
Very difficult to say:
To buy old? There are lots of older kit cars that sell for a few hundred pounds in tatty buy roadworthy condition. I guess traditionally, it's stuff like Duttons and Midges, though I've seen really competent cars like Midas' in really good condition sell for less than a grand.
To buy new? Again, very difficult to say, because the contents of the kit, and the cost of the components to finish individual cars will vary so much. I'd suggest that something like a Sylva R1ot is probably the cheapest new kit you'd be sensible spending actual, real money building, though.
To insure? Not much in it - all kit cars are stupidly cheap to insure when you do it via a specialist, but the insurance premiums seem to be based more on value and engine size rather than individual kit manufacturer.
To tax? Anything that's tax exempt as a 'Historic Vehicle' is free of charge. My Lotus Elan was technically a kit car when new and costs me nothing to tax and about £140 a year to insure... but it's not cheap to buy in the first place (although as it's appreciating in value, I might be able to say that it cost me less than nothing when I come to sell?).
To buy old? There are lots of older kit cars that sell for a few hundred pounds in tatty buy roadworthy condition. I guess traditionally, it's stuff like Duttons and Midges, though I've seen really competent cars like Midas' in really good condition sell for less than a grand.
To buy new? Again, very difficult to say, because the contents of the kit, and the cost of the components to finish individual cars will vary so much. I'd suggest that something like a Sylva R1ot is probably the cheapest new kit you'd be sensible spending actual, real money building, though.
To insure? Not much in it - all kit cars are stupidly cheap to insure when you do it via a specialist, but the insurance premiums seem to be based more on value and engine size rather than individual kit manufacturer.
To tax? Anything that's tax exempt as a 'Historic Vehicle' is free of charge. My Lotus Elan was technically a kit car when new and costs me nothing to tax and about £140 a year to insure... but it's not cheap to buy in the first place (although as it's appreciating in value, I might be able to say that it cost me less than nothing when I come to sell?).
Not sure it's the cheapest, but I'd highly recommend a Sylva Leader. £1,500 should buy you something respectable, and despite having all the aesthetic grace of a Dutton (actually, that's a bit harsh, they do look marginally better) they're a much more serious proposition behind the wheel. The Jeremy Phillips DNA (he of Sylva Striker, Phoenix, Fury and R1OT fame) is clearly evident.
Because they're old and relatively under-valued the insurance risk is negligible, tax is pre-2001 non-CO2 rated levels (if not exempt altogether) and most of the bits are still fairly easy to find and work on.
edited because I'm being particularly dsylxeic this morning!
Because they're old and relatively under-valued the insurance risk is negligible, tax is pre-2001 non-CO2 rated levels (if not exempt altogether) and most of the bits are still fairly easy to find and work on.
edited because I'm being particularly dsylxeic this morning!
Edited by Chris71 on Friday 22 January 11:17
I would say,one of the cheapest kit cars to build new,would be the new MK engineering Midi.
http://www.mkengineering.co.uk/midiinfoandprices.h...
http://www.mkengineering.co.uk/midiinfoandprices.h...
subwayandoreos said:
cheapest new kit ive found is robin hood.
what else would you have to buy apart from the kit?
im thinking of just buying a written off mgf and nicking parts from that
Robin Hood might not be the best possible investment, not just of your money, but of your time and effort. It will take you longer to build than say an MK Indy, but will then be worth less. Better to pay a bit extra at the outset.what else would you have to buy apart from the kit?
im thinking of just buying a written off mgf and nicking parts from that
Not sure what the idea of buying an MGF is, transverse mid engined car? There's still some Ford Sierras about, much better bet as a donor.
Edited by singlecoil on Friday 22 January 16:48
http://www.roadtrackrace.com/
the RTR Rocket does look like a competitive price...
the RTR Rocket does look like a competitive price...
Edited by fuoriserie on Friday 22 January 17:00
singlecoil said:
subwayandoreos said:
cheapest new kit ive found is robin hood.
what else would you have to buy apart from the kit?
im thinking of just buying a written off mgf and nicking parts from that
Robin Hood might not be the best possible investment, not just of your money, but of your time and effort. It will take you longer to build than say an MK Indy, but will then be worth less. Better to pay a bit extra at the outset.what else would you have to buy apart from the kit?
im thinking of just buying a written off mgf and nicking parts from that
Not sure what the idea of buying an MGF is, transverse mid engined car? There's still some Ford Sierras about, much better bet as a donor.
Edited by singlecoil on Friday 22 January 16:48
so your saying the mgf engine wouldnt work?
i thought all you need is a longer drive shaft?
theres very little sierias around but il keep my eye out
subwayandoreos said:
singlecoil said:
subwayandoreos said:
cheapest new kit ive found is robin hood.
what else would you have to buy apart from the kit?
im thinking of just buying a written off mgf and nicking parts from that
Robin Hood might not be the best possible investment, not just of your money, but of your time and effort. It will take you longer to build than say an MK Indy, but will then be worth less. Better to pay a bit extra at the outset.what else would you have to buy apart from the kit?
im thinking of just buying a written off mgf and nicking parts from that
Not sure what the idea of buying an MGF is, transverse mid engined car? There's still some Ford Sierras about, much better bet as a donor.
Edited by singlecoil on Friday 22 January 16:48
so your saying the mgf engine wouldnt work?
i thought all you need is a longer drive shaft?
theres very little sierias around but il keep my eye out
Not sure what you meand by 'longer driveshaft' in this context
Not many Sierras about, but you only need one.
fuoriserie said:
http://www.roadtrackrace.com/
the RTR Rocket does look like a competitive price...
Good recommendation 'fuoriserie' or there's always the Sonic7 from www.mevltd.co.uk (I know I'm a little bias)the RTR Rocket does look like a competitive price...
Edited by fuoriserie on Friday 22 January 17:00
Sonic7 said:
fuoriserie said:
http://www.roadtrackrace.com/
the RTR Rocket does look like a competitive price...
Good recommendation 'fuoriserie' or there's always the Sonic7 from www.mevltd.co.uk (I know I'm a little bias)the RTR Rocket does look like a competitive price...
Edited by fuoriserie on Friday 22 January 17:00
if it's your first car you may have issues with insurance. as its a kit car you need kit car insurance. all of these, i have found have a limit of a minimum of 21 wether you are first or named. if you are over 21 then the insurance will be lower than most production cars. i cant get insured on my lomax for another year or so for the same reason. but my dad is insured on it at the moment and its <£100 per year (although it does only have 30ish bhp). most sierra based duttons are circa 100bhp if they are running a 1800 or 2000 pinto so will be substantially more
insurance for young drivers may be awkward but its not impossible.try footman james,my son had a quote of £1660 fully comp on a pilgrim hawthorn with a 1.8 pinto engine.milage is limited to 4.5k and the price does jump consderably for a higher allowance,he is only 17 though(test on monday).
if this is going to be your only car you may be limited in your choice as you have to be practical,a 7 in the weather we have had recently would be a nightmare,decent weather gear is a must,on a second car it dosent matter.
basically what im trying to say is that cheapest is not allways the best,you need a car to suit you and your lifestyle otherwise youll never be happy with it.
if this is going to be your only car you may be limited in your choice as you have to be practical,a 7 in the weather we have had recently would be a nightmare,decent weather gear is a must,on a second car it dosent matter.
basically what im trying to say is that cheapest is not allways the best,you need a car to suit you and your lifestyle otherwise youll never be happy with it.
simon3000 said:
Insurance for young drivers may be awkward but its not impossible.
This is a very important point.While you may have trouble finding a policy for under-21s these days, if you can it'll be miles and miles better than trying to insure a production car. My first 'own' car was a kit and (in 2003, so not a million years ago) it cost me £300 a year to insure as a 19 year old. Okay, a Quantum isn't the fastest thing in the kit world, but it was a somewhat tuned open-top sportscar for less than the cost of insuring ANY production car.
I'm over the magic 25 now, so insurance is starting to become easier. I don't know if they still do kit or classic insurance for new drivers, but I have a feeling there are companies which offer it if you look hard enough. And if there are, it'll be a scarcely believable deal compared to suffering the usual Corsa, Fiesta or Polo with mainstream production insurance.
simon3000 said:
insurance for young drivers may be awkward but its not impossible.try footman james,my son had a quote of £1660 fully comp on a pilgrim hawthorn with a 1.8 pinto engine.milage is limited to 4.5k and the price does jump consderably for a higher allowance,he is only 17 though(test on monday).
if this is going to be your only car you may be limited in your choice as you have to be practical,a 7 in the weather we have had recently would be a nightmare,decent weather gear is a must,on a second car it dosent matter.
basically what im trying to say is that cheapest is not allways the best,you need a car to suit you and your lifestyle otherwise youll never be happy with it.
oh right i see, may have to travel up and down m5 every day from torbay to castle coombe and back.if this is going to be your only car you may be limited in your choice as you have to be practical,a 7 in the weather we have had recently would be a nightmare,decent weather gear is a must,on a second car it dosent matter.
basically what im trying to say is that cheapest is not allways the best,you need a car to suit you and your lifestyle otherwise youll never be happy with it.
even more miles if i cant get into that course.
i supose il have to wait till im alot older and can afford to take part in the caterham academy
if you want to carry on posting cheap kits you found for others help, go ahead.
but i think il just get something small like a fiesta for a first car
subwayandoreos said:
yes cheapest as looking into first car.
and if im going to have one as a first car im going to need to decide early
Whatever kit you buy, if it is your first build it will probably cost you twice as much money as you thought, and take twice as long as you expected.and if im going to have one as a first car im going to need to decide early
Buying a usable second hand kit car would be far easier and more practical.
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