The more I read and think about having a locost the more I want one. But…..

But the cost of building one is mounting up and up and getting space and tools to build it is just adding to the cost and then there is the time factor and I don’t want to spend all this money and not end up finishing it

So what about buying a second hand one and changing bits here and there?

Would it make my insurance more expensive if I was to get one second hand?

Mine

build->deffo

much more fun and you will have something to be proud of

i enjoyed my build. Found it quite relaxing.

You can buy 2nd hand or even unfinished. Some have found they needed to be almost totally rebuilt to iron out problems. It i snot always an easy route unless you know what you are looking for and are totally confident that the car has had a good quality build. You can of course buy a turn key car off a manufacturer but of course you pay more but at least you will get some warranty.

There's no simple answer.

Building your own means you get *exactly* what you want, built to your own standards. However, for most of us it's a major commitment of time, effort and money, and requires that you have a fair knowledge of fabrication.

If you're starting from nothing (ie, little mechanical experience, no tools, no space, little time, etc) then buy a ready-built one, join a local club, and spend a couple of years maintaining it, tinkering, and building up tools and experience. Then if you still like the idea go ahead, sell it, and build one that does exactly what you want, based on your previous couple of years experiences.

To give you an example, when I first got into kit cars I was a raw novice, so I bought mine pre-built. After 2 years maintaining it I then stripped it back to the chassis and completely rebuilt it. Another few years on and I'm finally starting to think about building something new from scratch.

"A mans got to know his limitations"

Cheers
Richard

If you are at all unsure then I would go for the BUY route.

I did'nt have the patience to wait 12 months and build one, and did'nt have the confidence to start such a big project.

Buying a pre-built one gives you the opportunity to tinker and learn as you go along. With this knowledge it would put you in a better position to build one at some point in the future.

Just make sure that whatever you buy has been put together by someone who knows what they are doing, preferably a professional. I'm sure that there are people on this site who could give you some help/advice on this.

Good luck....you won't be dissapointed!

Phil

the build can be quite long and many people give up when 90% complete. Why not but a part finished kit? More hands on than buying a finished car, less work than starting from scratch. It is maybe the cheapest way to go too as part builts don't fetch much.

I bought mine half finished and as a complete novice I didn't know what to look for. As a result there were lots of things (practically everything in fact) that I've had to modify, change or improve which at some times has been very frustrating and difficult.

On the plus side it's been quicker than building from scratch and more than anything I have learnt a hell of alot in the process. It is easier to understand something if you can take it apart, analyse it and then improve it.

For me the learning is the main aim as much as driving the end result. Some people just want to drive, others build and sell almost straight away.

Just depends on what you want from it and how quickly you want to drive something.

I would recommend to anyone new who wants to enjoy the build they buy a kit including a chassis and then you know what you are dealing with and have lots of support from owners clubs with people who have already solved the problems before you.

If building is not really of as much interest buy a finished car, tinker, learn and then decide if you want to create something unique you can be proud of.

I wil be one of the many that once mine is finished I will keep it for a couple of years while I plan the next one.

One thing I think some people don't appreciate is that it's a project that is almost never finished. There are always things you can do, change, upgrade, replace etc. I've had several people tell me they just couldn't handle that.

Being young I think that the smart option might be to buy a finished car and tinker with that for a while.

Get to know the car and how it works change a few things here and there, then when I am ready build one

+ I wanna drive somthing over the summer

BUILD

I started to build mine when I was 19-20.

Ok, it took a little while but the insurance was cheaper when it was finished it, and to have a car you built from scratch by the age of 23 was a great feeling.

People come up to you and say is this a "kit car" and you can turn around and say "I built it ALL myself"

But it's up to you.

Mark