hi, just found this forum and im pretty chuffed with myself.
now, down to business.
me and 2 guys are getting ourselves to the show at donington. we will have a fist full of cash and want to know which kit to buy.
any tips or guidance will be gratefully received as we are first timers to this.
how much we looking at in total (not just to buy the original kit)?
how long to build it?
how much of an emergency cash fund will we need?
who has best customer service and help desk?
we are after a quality kit? tiger or robin hood, or luego ?
what engine do we want (remember its our first one so we dont need 500bhp!!!
ta
enid
hi, don't think mac#1 are going to donnington but their customer service and products are first class.give them a visit in sheffield?
There are a number of good options around to choose from. Lots of good reports about Mac1 and MNR in particular but I would have to give my vote to
MK. I am just finishing my build of an MK Indy with an injected R1 engine and from a novice's perspective I have found it a very straightforward
and rewarding build. The guys at MK are very helpful and the Saturday morning get togethers are great.
Try and see as many as you can at the show and speak to the people who have built them for an honest opinion.
i would strongly recommend not putting down a deposit at the show, i would spend more time visiting a shortlist of manufacturers and then decide after
you have talked to them all. My own personal shortlist would be MK, MNR, mac1 and luego but would not include robin hood or tiger.
Its easier if you pick someone close to you, but not every one does that.
Expect to spend between 4 and 8k depending on spec and how carried away you get.
And dont expect to get your money back if you sell it! 
you have a u2u
Like most have said MAC1, MNR, MK and Luego.
Don't neccessarily be tempted to part with your money at Donnington, as has already been mentioned select your shortlist and visit each at their
workshop and have a good chat.
By the end of that I reckon you will be in a position to part with some cash.
HTH,
Rich.
thanks for the tips so far, keep em coming.
cant wait to get stuck into this.
just one thought? why are you all saying dont part with cash at the show?
most manufacturers i have spoken with so far talk of "great deals" to be had at the show?????
ta
(sorry, noob speak here. whats a u2u?)
[Edited on 5/10/05 by enid66]
great deals come and go, note down the deal, and when you pick one, just demand that deal whenever you decide to order. It was only ever a ploy to get
sales. If they dont comply, go elsewhere. Dont let them know you've decided on them already!
As said previously, don't take your money with you..a slick sales pitch (one in particular I know of) could part you from your cash and you could
regret it for a long time. it's a buyers market, you have the money so spend it wisely, whoever you choose you will have to deal with for a long
time.
I have built an MK (not sva'd yet), in alphabetical order MAC1, MK and MNR are at the top of the popularity tree for quality and good service.
Tiger's fibreglass has a bad reputation and Robin Hood is regarded as generally poor quality.
Engine wise, do you want a car engine or a bike engine? - relaxed torquey power or frentic, addictive, higher revving power.....
Hope this helps
Colin
edit : u2u is a private message to another forum member, u2u button is on the bottom of each post you make.
[Edited on 5/10/05 by colibriman]
MAC 1,MK, MNR. I spent a year looking and went to 4 shows before i made up my mind. Don,t part with your money till you are certain on the car u want.
I personally chose MK, but the others seem just as popular with other builders. Its a tough decision. 
with all due respect, and i no longer own a robin hood . but the company has just been taken over and as a road going kit not a racing one they are cheaper to build as you basiclly do it all from the donor they arnt that bad, no doubt most of the guys on here havent owned one and just say there crap without any knowledge of them. . . . take a look all kits have there good and bad points. personally my project for next year will be a bec luego or mk. but go and chat to robin hood too there cars do have strength on there sides and weight depends what you want out of a kit.
i cant agree more strongly with above comments. Take your time. Be patient. Talk to the manufacturers but also talk to owners and builders - dont be
shy, the main problem you will have with us builders is shutting us up once youve got us started. Most people will tell you so much you lugs will feel
battered!!! In a nice way of course (friendly helpful bunch and all that).
Leave cash at home but take bullshit defenders! Once you have seen enough then do a shortlist and research what you can. This is where we can help
again on this forum. Then i strongly suggest visitting the manufacturers premises and blagging a ride. Again talk to any unsuspecting customers who
may be hanging about.
Dont forget - anyone who has only built an MK will love MK's. Same for Mac#1's and MNR's, GTS's, Luegos etc. This is testament to
the position these manufacturers hold in the market place. Some people who build other kits may not be as complimentary, maybe there is a story /
lesson in there somewhere.
All i can say is that iam very very happy with my ZR and it is going together very well indeed. Few people will say any bad words against Mac#1's
customer service. Iam of course very very biassed being a very satisfied customer.
If you do it all right you will only buy once and enjoy the build process so much that driving will be an anticlimax. Choose wrongly and you will take
twice as long and hate it.
Initial cost is not King. I dont care what anyone says you will go over budget and very few manufacturers tell you about all of the costs upo front as
they are trying to get your business. I had an unreasonable 3.5K budget. Carbon bits, digidash2, stainless exhausts etc etc etc etc soon pushed that
way over but what a nice car in the end.
I have a Tiger and would recommend one to anyone. They have been very helpful, competative price to build and they hold a good residual value once
built.
This may be looked at that I am biased as I have a Tiger but from my experience if you look at most of the members on the forum they have cars made by
the companies mentioned if they have not built a locost. Personally, the only company I would not go for is Robin Hood as I think that the whole
package is not good.
As mentioned I would look at the finished cars at the shows to decide the one that you like the best and then visit the factory's of the top few
to get a better idea of the company.
Mark.
PS - I would not disagree that the fibreglass from Tiger needs work. The problem is that the moulds leave release lines and bumps, but a day with some
wet and dry soon sorts this. Not a valid reason to discount a good car in my opinion.
[Edited on 6/10/05 by Tiger Super Six]
Sit in all the cars for a few minutes. Make sure you're comfortable and you like the view. Ask if the engine that you want to use has already
been fitted and that the company can supply mounts and exhausts. (Luego told me at the Stafford show that they don't supply cradles for bike
engines as they don't like them. I didn't buy a Luego)
Talk to the manufacturers. Ask them lots of different questions too see if you like / trust them and to see how helpful they'll be when you get
stuck in your build. Ask how busy they are - you might have to wait for quite a while for parts if they are snowed under.
Most of all, buy a car that you like.
I have to agree with most of the comments posted so far but I will add mine for what they’re worth!
Robin Hood Cars make a product that is aimed at a very specific market and they make a good car for that budget area. However It most certainly will
not suit if a high performance well engineered car with good handling characteristics are your priority. It will however last forever as the whole
thing is made from stainless steel!!! Unique in the kit car market I think.
From the research I did before buying, all the other manufacturers with the exception of perhaps Westfield & Caterham (who are just overpriced)
offer very similar products.
I personally was put off Tiger at one show purely by the attitude of one of their sales people. I hate people who rubbish other manufacturers to try
to make a sale. If you have a good product it should sell on it's own merits.
I eventually whittled the choice down to either MK or Luego..... Until I met Darren of GTS.... I admit that his customer service skills leave a little
to be desired, but, Speaking as an engineer of some 30+ years experience. The quality and value of his components leaves other manufacturers for
dead.
I have purchased components from many of the other manufacturers and I have to say I have generally been disappointed in the quality and the prices
charged.
Once again. Don't rush in.
I researched the market for nearly 2 years before I decided and I was surprised to see how many manufacturers went out of business in that time.
Going to one show is not enough.
Good luck and choose wisely, preferably with a combination of both your head and your heart, not just your heart.
[Edited on 6-10-05 by BKLOCO]
You should also add RAW to your list of potential manufacterers. The
Striker is a great car with an excellent racing heritage. Its also one of the smallest &
lightest cars on the market which makes for great performance.
Although I bought by car 2nd hand, I have since acquired some additional bits and pieces from Raw, and have always found Mel Coppick and his team
extremely friendly and helpful.
There have also been lots of Strikers sold/built so plenty of people to ask for help!
Phil
Speak to Mark Norden at MNR for definate...
And make sure you get a ride in one of their cars at donnington aswell...
Very impressive
Enid, whereabouts are you based? This may have some influence on which kit you eventually buy.
If you're near enough to MK, get yourselves down on any Saturday morning and blag a ride in some of the Indys that usually turn up. Both car
engined and bike engined variants 
Have a look at the Build/Rebuild Diary on our website for some idea of how an MK goes together.
Disclaimer - Other manufacturers and websites are available, so I've heard.
quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
...............If you do it all right you will only buy once and enjoy the build process so much that driving will be an anticlimax.
As a builder of a Robin Hood i would say they are definately the cheapest option but the quality is not up to the same standard as the locost makers,
as a result i am now bulding a GTS.
I found all the companies very helpful and enthusiastic but the knowledge and experience from GTS is quite remarkable. Also they are fairly local to
me in Kent and their bodywork is better suited to my engine choice.
As far as i know they are the only ones building GRP panels for the +4 design larger car, in case you need the extra space.
One more tip
Dont be afraid to haggle... especially if you are buying more than a starter kit...
again thanks for the advice so far.
we are all based in manchester if that changes things. i guess that robin hood may be a little too far from us as what you said regarding customer
service and just dropping in for a part could be a whole day trip.
we had a board meeting (the 3 of us) and i think we are still almost nearly decided in theory at least on a colour!!! the rest of it will have to wait
for the show.
i think that the feel of the car, and the look of each type close up will help us. not to mention speaking to peeps who have completed them.
nice 1
enid
i thought that robin hoods had jumped in price recently after the buy-out?
being based in manchester, id start with MNR (harrogate) MK (sheffield) and Luego (peterbugger), not sure where MAC1 are based.
Why not tackle something a tad different....The GTM Libra might sound expensive to buy as a kit but will be warm n dry and perhaps worth more finished.....looks tickety boo too.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
i thought that robin hoods had jumped in price recently after the buy-out?
being based in manchester, id start with MNR (harrogate) MK (sheffield) and Luego (peterbugger), not sure where MAC1 are based.
Hi Matey
if the distance to a supplier is a problem
Then it is better to go 100 miles once than go 50 miles a dozen times.
so go to MK and save a lot of messing about and traveling to get it right!!
just to confirm mac#1 are based in Sheffield approx 3 minutes from junction 33 m1 top blokes,products and dam helpful too
MK are near to Worksop not really Sheffield
LOL
and now here be the problem with a "which kit thread"...
All the answers will be, buy the kit I did coz they are the best...
Hi
Gman would you recommend a kit you had built having had loads of problems with the kit or the company!!
I am sure i wouldnt, all the kits have there good and bad points but having built and worked on many cars not only kitcars you form an opinion and
that is what the guy who started this thread was asking.
Personally i went to all the top kit suppliers before i bought mine and to be honest i only found one who didnt slag everybody else off,thier's
is rubbish and mine is best and all that crap.
my reply was in who's opinion,usually there own.
having been in sales for over 20 years now there is one thing these guy's should learn NEVER SLATE THE REST COS IT ONLY MEANS THEY HAVE SOMETHING
TO WORRY ABOUT.If they had worked for me and used that pitch they would have been sacked!!!
I have seen many nice kits out there MNR MK MAC1 to name a few but i wish people would just stop talking shite about there competitors and get on with
the job of producing a package people like.
MK and the rest have been around a while now and some people feel secure in buying tried and tested kit only time will tell for the rest and good luck
to them,after all they are only trying to make a living the same as the rest of us!
quote:
Originally posted by sonic
Hi
Gman would you recommend a kit you had built having had loads of problems with the kit or the company!!
Just thought I'd put in my two penneth,
In view of your last statement you imply you think you may build more than one.
This is a reasonable assumption as there are plenty of people on here doing just that.
Now consider the losses said people are taking on their projects when they sell them, there seems to be a bit of a glut of 'sevens' on the
market and I doubt whether many people actualy cover the purchase cost of their builds let alone the labour.
If however you were to build from scratch your outlay would be significantly lower, (I estimate a fully bracketed chassis, engine mounts and wishbone
set will cost me about £150 in materials).
Bearing this in mind, when you decide to build again you can use the compopnents from the original build as required, make a new chassis and thus
greatly reduce the overall cost by not having to cope with 'depreciation'
You may even be able to sell the old chassis on to reduce costs even more.
I feel there is a limited market for 'sevens' and it's approaching/reached saturation point.
Mick
I own a luego locost and id strongly recomend you buy a MK