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Best kit car as a daily driver?
jps - 15/10/13 at 11:02 AM

I'm constantly thinking of getting rid of my Citroen C3 1.4 HDi Diesel as I really hate it (it was my wifes car and she passed it on to me when we got a new family car) and I'm already feeling my age at 32 and resent having never owned a 'fun' car... In fact my vehicle owning history is:

Aged 18-22: 125cc Vespa - clocked up c. 26,000 miles on that in all weathers, so a 7 in the rain should be a doddle when I finally finish my build...
22-29: Ford Ka (from new) clocked up about 90,000 miles on that.
29-30: Nada - i'm so tight we became a one car family :-D
30-now: Citroen C3 1.4 HDi. Pro's: don't care about it / reasonably economical. Cons: Boring and sounds like a tractor. Doesn't put a grin on my face...

I keep thinking that I could get something more interesting as a daily driver - basically I use the Citroen for a 50 mile round trip commute most days and not much else.

I keep thinking of an MGBGT - but imagine the fuel economy would be a bit tiresome and it'd inevitably rust / need a lot of bodywork sooner or later

An MX5 is appealing - but again there's the rust factor on the older ones.

Smart Roadster Coupe seem to have some water leakage concerns - and potentially are a bit pricey too?

A Mini-Marcos or a GTM looks like the best kit option - plus the mostly fibreglass construction may mean no worries about tin-worm?

Any other ideas? I'm thinking of something that will be easy on fuel if I drive it carefully...

mitch2b - 15/10/13 at 11:08 AM

gtm Libra, 1,8 k series 35-40 to the gallon, dry comfy, fun even has wind up windows and a stereo lol
Mitch

iank - 15/10/13 at 11:11 AM

Midas/Midtec Bronze/Silver/Gold
Quantum H4
Marlin Berlinetta

[Edited on 15/10/13 by iank]

scudderfish - 15/10/13 at 11:31 AM

K series Elise?

bi22le - 15/10/13 at 12:04 PM

You will want a heater and some boot space.

I would buy something like an MX5 that is cheap and if it breaks or falls apart, buy another.

Dick Axtell - 15/10/13 at 01:32 PM

Could this be of interest??

midas kit car / metro turbo / project / classic car / barn find

Only 2 days left!!

[Edited on 15/10/13 by Dick Axtell]

adithorp - 15/10/13 at 02:31 PM

I bought a Mk1 MX5 a couple of years ago for a friend. It had a bit of rot and other stuff that needed sorting fr MOT but it was only £500. I've spent a bit on decent tyres and a stainless exhaust (sounds great) but it's reliable, took us camping in the Alps last year and great fun. If it gets beyond patching up I can just sell off the good bits and scrap the rest and it'll have costme less than the depreciation on your C3 in the same time.

jps - 15/10/13 at 02:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dick Axtell
Could this be of interest??

midas kit car / metro turbo / project / classic car / barn find

Only 2 days left!!

[Edited on 15/10/13 by Dick Axtell]


If it wasn't the opposite side of the country to me i'd going to take a look! I do like the look of a Midas though - i'll have to look into that more.

An old Elise is probably a bit more than I want to spend, although I may have another look to see what they are fetching nowadays.

Boot doesn't bother me - I'd just use the passenger seat like I do at the moment - but a hard roof would be good. A Marlin is tempting, although it does look a bit like a clumsy copy of a Morgan in some of the pictures i've turned up on Google - on the other hand some of them look really well presented...

andylaurence - 15/10/13 at 03:00 PM

I went down the Smart Roadster route. It's the cheapest car I've ever run and the most fun. It cost peanuts to buy, peanuts to run and was superb to drive. I owned it for 2.5 years and covered 50000 miles in it, including a few laps of the Hungaroring and Nurburgring on a European tour. I only chopped it in because of lack of space for a pushchair and the need for a tow car. If two seats will do, I'd buy one. The leaks are easily solved - look for the guides on TheRoadster.Net.

jonno - 15/10/13 at 06:00 PM

John.. theres a Quantum thats been sitting about for a while on Dugard Ave / Peartree Road thats got a for sale sticker on the rear quarter window (no other details).

Might be worth a knock on the door if its something you might be interested in

Cheers

rdodger - 15/10/13 at 06:27 PM

GTM Libra

I know a few owners who use the daily

One clocked up 25000 miles a year in his for 3 years. Then he crashed it

I did about 6000 a year in mine, mostly for fun.

The longest journey in a day was Lake Bled to Antibes. 550 miles in 10 hours! A long way but not too terrible after it stopped raining. The beer on the beach was most welcome

Andy S - 15/10/13 at 07:12 PM

Not strictly a kit - A Ginetta G32 if you can find one, owners are not keen to give them up so very rare. Someone I know has 280K on his to date. Stock is a 1.6i CVH from the XR3i but an upgrade to 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec possible.

British, Loads of marque history, Mid engine, Glav chassis, Glassfibre, Ford mechanicals, Attractive coupe design, Superb handling.

If you could find one they are now about as cheap as they will ever be.

daniel mason - 15/10/13 at 07:17 PM

caterham or westy with weather gear and heater. youll probably not lose a penny during your ownership. but they can be hard work at times!

Slimy38 - 15/10/13 at 08:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rdodger
GTM Libra


Every time I go to Stoneleigh I specifically track down the GTM owners club, just to have a look at what they have. I'm just gutted they don't do the kit anymore, so second hand ready built is about as close as I might get.

[Edited on 15/10/13 by Slimy38]

ettore bugatti - 15/10/13 at 09:21 PM

Rickman Ranger
Ginetta G26/28/30/31

hobbsy - 16/10/13 at 01:32 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rdodger
The longest journey in a day was Lake Bled to Antibes. 550 miles in 10 hours! A long way but not too terrible after it stopped raining. The beer on the beach was most welcome


I still win Rog with my 750 miles in a day in my R1 Fury. Over an hour south of Grenoble (La Grave) back up to Northampton. And no beer on the beach at the end to motivate me!

dhutch - 16/10/13 at 06:25 AM

One of the cheaper Chimaeras?

jps - 16/10/13 at 07:30 AM

Better add some parameters - i'm liking some of the suggestions too much...!

Budget: £5k
Economy: 40mpg minimum (not bothered about exceeding 70mph on the commute)
Maintainence: minimal / cheap / DIY / no rusty bodywork lurking

Quantum, Midas, GTM Libra and Smart Roadster (I know it's not a kit) look like they'd tick those boxes.

Lotus/ TVR /Caterham/Westfield/Ginetta all look too expensive for me, and i'd probably get carried away in them...!

rdodger - 16/10/13 at 08:06 AM

quote:
Originally posted by hobbsy
quote:
Originally posted by rdodger
The longest journey in a day was Lake Bled to Antibes. 550 miles in 10 hours! A long way but not too terrible after it stopped raining. The beer on the beach was most welcome


I still win Rog with my 750 miles in a day in my R1 Fury. Over an hour south of Grenoble (La Grave) back up to Northampton. And no beer on the beach at the end to motivate me!


LOON!

dhutch - 16/10/13 at 05:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rdodger
quote:
Originally posted by hobbsy
I still win Rog with my 750 miles in a day in my R1 Fury. Over an hour south of Grenoble (La Grave) back up to Northampton. And no beer on the beach at the end to motivate me!

LOON!

One of the guys are work in the Delhi office has completed the local 'Iron Butt' challenge, riding his Bullet 1000miles in 24hours up to the foot hills of the Himalayas and back.

He was suitable impressed when I said I had driving the kitcar car to the nurburg ring for a week, returning the 650miles in one hit, taking I think about 15 hours. But it was very clear that I thought my stint was a pittance compared to hiss efforts, certainly when I arrive home in the dark at midnight, while quite satisfied, was in no mood to turn round and do another 10hours and 350 miles, and that's European roads.


Daniel

swanny - 16/10/13 at 07:04 PM

I've had a quantum 2+2 and now the gtm spyder. Gtm a much better drive but the quantum good and practical too. Spyder has a bigger boot than you'd imagine as it runs from inside one wing to the other. Got a lot in mine on the way to Le Mans including big event shelter. Been using mine as every day transport but will get something else for winter/long term though as I want to keep it nice.

ettore bugatti - 16/10/13 at 08:56 PM

The obvious (and the best) ones have probably already been mentioned.

But to be more complete:
Scimitar GTE on LPG and Scimitar SS1.

scimjim - 16/10/13 at 09:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ettore bugatti
The obvious (and the best) ones have probably already been mentioned.

But to be more complete:
Scimitar GTE on LPG and Scimitar SS1.


Ti SST?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/reliant/all-models/reliant-scimitar-ti--1-local-owner-we-sold-nearly-new/1756829

DavidW - 17/10/13 at 07:02 AM

In that position, I'd buy an MX5. If you look around there are some very good ones for very little money.

I have a kit car and an old defender both of which I love driving but sometimes, after a hard day at work I'm happy to be sitting in the comfy proper family car with quiet, aircon, good radio and comfy seats.

David

jps - 17/10/13 at 08:05 AM

quote:
Originally posted by DavidW
after a hard day at work I'm happy to be sitting in the comfy proper family car with quiet, aircon, good radio and comfy seats.


I know what you mean - but at the moment I have: no air-con, loads of wind noise, crap seats and, i'll give Citroen their due, a good enough radio to boom out R4 at me. So i'm not exactly spoiled as things stand - at least I may have a smile on my face in something fun!

jps - 17/10/13 at 08:06 AM

quote:
Originally posted by scimjim
quote:
Originally posted by ettore bugatti
The obvious (and the best) ones have probably already been mentioned.

But to be more complete:
Scimitar GTE on LPG and Scimitar SS1.


Ti SST?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/reliant/all-models/reliant-scimitar-ti--1-local-owner-we-sold-nearly-new/1756829


Very interesting! A quick run through on confused throws up some decent prices on insurance on that too!

Krismc - 25/10/13 at 04:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Andy S
Not strictly a kit - A Ginetta G32 if you can find one, owners are not keen to give them up so very rare. Someone I know has 280K on his to date. Stock is a 1.6i CVH from the XR3i but an upgrade to 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec possible.

British, Loads of marque history, Mid engine, Glav chassis, Glassfibre, Ford mechanicals, Attractive coupe design, Superb handling.

If you could find one they are now about as cheap as they will ever be.


Good choice, ive just ordered a G40r although it will be my 3rd car and not a daily driver.


I think it would loose its p -zaz driving the same car every day. buy a banger and a seven and your insurance will still be cheaper than a smart car. Although I owned a brabus roadster smart and it was excellent and loved it.

hobbsy - 25/10/13 at 05:18 PM

Krismc,

Wow, a brand new G40R I guess?

I do like them but would prefer for someone else to take a bit of the depreciation out of the price.

I would also like the sequential box and maybe a bit more power (Rotrex S/C?)

What colour and spec have you gone for. I am jealous!

Krismc - 27/10/13 at 02:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by hobbsy
Krismc,

Wow, a brand new G40R I guess?

I do like them but would prefer for someone else to take a bit of the depreciation out of the price.

I would also like the sequential box and maybe a bit more power (Rotrex S/C?)

What colour and spec have you gone for. I am jealous!


Yes, Brand new first one on the streets with a 2014 plate hopefully. Ive ordered white with dark grey wheels, Black and orange leather race seats, removable steering wheel, 2000cc duratec, Aircon upgrade, heated screen.

Similar to this.....



Im changing a few things that no one will notice apart from me, they have that many ordered for Japan and other race cars the usual 6 weeks is over 6 months wait.