02GF74
|
 posted on 11/10/07 at 02:16 PM |
|
|
the 'W' word
no, not the one you use to refer to a sales rep sitting 5.48 mm from your rear bumper on the M25 but Westfield.
Not seen these mentioned here at all (no doubt someone will point me to the WOC) but what to people think and rate these compared to the likes of MK
etc..
|
|
|
|
|
donut
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 02:21 PM |
|
|
After watching 'A Race Car Is Born' on the telly i would deff say they were good quality and worth the money. I would have one!
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 02:27 PM |
|
|
I've always had a great deal of respect for Westfields - a decent car that's reasonably easy to put together, and can be bought as an
absolutely complete kit (bar a few trimmings). They also have excellent after-sales service.
Of course, this comes at a price - somebody has to pay for the quality & service!
Our kind of car needs a lot more effort to complete, but then we pay less in the end... but not as much as you may have thought in the beginning of
the project!
|
|
|
mookaloid
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 02:34 PM |
|
|
It's a decent car - but probably not as good as an MNR 
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
|
|
|
skydivepaul
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 02:42 PM |
|
|
I have had both a westfield and an MK.
both very different, the westie had a tuned x flow with live axle and the MK an R1 engine with IRS.
both good cars, the MK was very quick, good acceleration and the westfield handled better round the corners.
if i were to choose again i would go for a BEC westfield
the MK is a cheaper option to build than the westfield but once you start getting over 7 grand in the build you might want to start looking at the
westfield kit.
[Edited on 11/10/07 by skydivepaul]
http://www.smartideasuk.com
http://www.smartmapping.co.uk
HD CCTV
3D design solutions and integration
IP security systems
access control systems
|
|
|
Fatgadget
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 02:58 PM |
|
|
Next step down from Cateringvans So not exactly locost are they?
|
|
|
skydivepaul
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 03:17 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Fatgadget
Next step down from Cateringvans So not exactly locost are they?
no they are not locost but once you get into spending 6 grand plus on an MK, MNR etc they are worth havng a look at. you can also buy a second hand
cateringvan for that sort of money as well
http://www.smartideasuk.com
http://www.smartmapping.co.uk
HD CCTV
3D design solutions and integration
IP security systems
access control systems
|
|
|
wheelfelloff
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 03:41 PM |
|
|
Like all of these type of cars Westfield’s vary considerably depending on what you want and how much you have to spend. While they would seem to be a
lot more costly than the locost if most people are honest they spend a lot more on their project than they first planned. Obviously, price for price
you will be able to get a better spec if you build from scratch. If you are looking to buy secondhand then the difference is maybe not as large as you
would expect for a decent car. The problem is that there are many unfinished projects even for the comprehensive Westfield type kit and a locost will
need more determination to complete. With Westfield a well recognized and known entity they tend to hold their value and sell more easily. Having said
that my part finished Locost sold very quickly at what I thought was a fair price but the money would not have bought much in Westfield terms.
I have a little Westfield (cruiser) 1300 crossflow SeiW and it is excellent. I chose it so that my kids (21 and 23) could at least have a drive in
it; I pay just over £400 insurance for the whole family and 3500 miles a year. It handles extremely well and has been very reliable although that is
obviously down to build quality. It has the same issues as a Locost when it comes to servicing and repair, unless you are willing to pay a fortune you
need to be able to do things yourself. I recently put a stone through the radiator and was not impressed by the quote from Westfield for a
replacement; in the end I changed it to a Polo rad (£45) with silicone hoses (£100). I had to make two simple brackets and the total came to about
half the factory cost. Cools much more effectively as well.
Depending what you want the Westfield can be a fairly comfortable cruiser with full trim and weather equipment etc and capable of all year use even
for the (not too?) hardy. Or an out and out race machine that is quick but will rattle your bones even crossing the white line on a normal road. The
flexibility is a large part of the fun of course. If, like me, you are comfortable around the middle then the wide version is more like the typical
Locost in interior space. If you are built like a grey hound then the “narrow” version will be OK and a fair bit cheaper secondhand.
As for being "one step" down from a Caterham I'm not going to join in that argument but if I decide to stay with this type of car I
would certainly buy another Westfield. I have also seen a lot of excellent Locost type cars but unfortunately I don't have the time or
determination to finish one. As always you decide what you want and can afford and pays your money or expends your time and energy, the choice is
yours.
Keith
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 04:27 PM |
|
|
Donkervort (spelling?) now that's a car I've always like the look of. Also the only one I've seen with anything approaching a
decent roof option too.
How do they compare with the aforementioned 7 type cars?
|
|
|
StevieB
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 05:36 PM |
|
|
I've bought a few parts from them and spoken to their sales team a number of times.
Yes, they're a bit more pricey, but it really shows in the quality of the service and the products.
IIRC they handle pretty damn well too, and are quite lightweight (standing by to be shot down in flames).
|
|
|
designer
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 05:57 PM |
|
|
By the time some of these 'locost' cars being built on here are finished, a Westfield would have been cheaper.
|
|
|
t.j.
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 06:54 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Donkervort (spelling?) now that's a car I've always like the look of. Also the only one I've seen with anything approaching a
decent roof option too.
How do they compare with the aforementioned 7 type cars?
It costs twice a caterham.
Look at www.donkervoort.nl
So not really locost
Please feel free to correct my bad English, i'm still learning. Your Dutch is awfull! :-)
|
|
|
StevieB
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 07:14 PM |
|
|
With the new MX5 donor Westy, you get every nut and bolt bar the dpnopr parts for £6,500
Add a £2,000 donor (more than enough to get a half decent MX) and you have a cracking little car for the same cash I'll have spent on my
Indy.
Only major problem is that it makes so much use of the donor, you'd almost certainly have to take the car apart yourself rather than buying a
donor pack.
|
|
|
martin1973
|
| posted on 11/10/07 at 08:42 PM |
|
|
when you consider what youget in a westfield starter kit, price wise theres no much in it,
the bits from the wf factory are pricey tho imho.
seiw starter kit 2850 inc vat,
martin
|
|
|
Davey D
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 08:39 AM |
|
|
What about Dax? i havent seen them mentioned much on here?
|
|
|
02GF74
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 08:56 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Davey D
What about Dax? i havent seen them mentioned much on here?
that was what I was getting at.
locost - being DIY is understandable for this forum and there are a number of chassis/body parts manufacturers that get mentioned
Tiger/MK/GTS/Mac1/Luego etc. but no mention of Westfield nor Dax.
In fact, very little talk of Robin Hood - just curious as to why that is.
|
|
|
iank
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 09:33 AM |
|
|
Westfield, Caterham and Robin Hood have their own thriving communities so I expect (with a few exceptions) they don't feel the need to post
here.
Dax, Caterham and Westfield also have exceptionally good build manuals and everything tends to fit first time so the builders have very little need to
ask a lot of the questions we see here.
Robin Hood cars/company get a lot of stick here, some justified some probably not but it will obviously drive most owners back to RHOCaR.
We also get very few Vindicator, Quantum and no Locust owners/builders - not sure why that might be.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
|
|
|
mad dad
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 10:43 AM |
|
|
i went to Westfield factory on Wednesday with a friend who bought an MX5 based kit with lots of upgrades.....quite expensive but quality looks really
good however the chap said it would'nt get near my Indyblade on performance which was nice...........that was all he said tho!! trip planned in
6 weeks to pick the kit up and then he can start building over the winter..
|
|
|
iiyama
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 11:10 AM |
|
|
The words Dax and fitting first time dont really go together.
Im building a Rush because I loved the look of the car, but to be honest the quality is not that good. Their after sales aint to hot either! 
If its broke, fix it. If it aint broke, take it apart and find out how it works!
|
|
|
Hellfire
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 11:42 AM |
|
|
I think it's because MK, MNR, GTS, MAC#1, Luego, all evolved from manufacturing their take on the original locost chassis, although some of them
have now evolved to such an extent that it's questionable whether they can still be considered as locost. Having said that, what is a
true locost and let's face it, who has actually built a car for £250?
The likes of Caterham, Westfield and Dax, IMO, originated from the original Lotus 7, before the appearance on the market of the locost and have gone
on to develop their own unique brand, which is where I believe the likes of MK, MNR, GTS, MAC#1, Luego are heading and would eventually like to be.
Whether they can develop enough to make it and survive in such a competitive market is anybodys guess. Ultimately we pay the price for that
development.
Robin Hood?....... well, they manufacture kitcars that look similar externally to a Lotus 7 and have been around since God was a lad.
Phil
|
|
|
Andy D
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 12:10 PM |
|
|
quote:
, who has actually built a car for £250?
Ron did, I've read the book!
|
|
|
procomp
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 01:50 PM |
|
|
Hi. Well ive banged on for ages on here that a westfield is no more expencive to build than any of the other manufacturers and in some case they are
cheaper.
What you get with a westfield is a kit that dose acctually fit together and realy dose have a factory back up facilitty. The quality compared to
certain other manufacturers is just in a different league.
Then when you have finished building it you find that after a decent suspension setup you really do have a car that has handelling to do the
description SPORTS CAR justice.
It has to be said that if you are looking for a seven type car for basic trackday/road use then the westfield is the market leader by a long way. And
it aint as dear as some try to make out to justify thiers.
Cheers Matt
|
|
|
iank
|
| posted on 12/10/07 at 02:26 PM |
|
|
The problem with Westfield and Caterham is when you take a look at the options list and decide to make life easy by having everything you need arrive
clean and ready to fit. Then you decide the carbon fibre bits look very nice compared to plain old fibreglass. That's what makes them seem
expensive IMO. If you're strong and just buy the basic kit they are quite competitive.
I'd always thought Dax had a quality reputation, but I must admit I've never looked too closely.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
|
|
|
