CAVEAT EMPTOR – BUYER BEWARE

Another subject where we’ve had a lot of e-mails on is advice about buying a secondhand kitcar….this one is something I’ve been asked about millions of times over the years and it’s a very emotive subject where people let their hearts rule their heads, when in many cases they should simply walk away. A bit like the old cliché about waiting an hour for a bus and then three come along at once. Firstly, NEVER buy a car that is not registered correctly. If you’re buying a Cobra replica that is described as a ‘Jaguar-sports’ or similar on the V5 DON’T buy it. It must be described correctly as Gardner Douglas GD427, Dax Tojeiro or Pilgrim Sumo etc. This rule doesn’t apply to kits that use the donor car chassis unmodified such as body panel kits and some VW Beetle based cars.

Never has the term Caveat Emptor or buyer beware fitted an industry so well. Buying a secondhand kitcar is a potential minefield and certainly isn’t like buying a used Ford Mondeo. For one thing you’re very much in the dark as regards the true quality of the build, and remember the old adage ‘everything that glitters isn’t gold’ as a shiny body often hides a million indiscretions under the skin. Take an engineer with you if you can, and if you have access to a ramp all the better and make sure you examine structural things with particular attention being paid to things like suspension, brakes and fuel lines. Very often all can look tickety-boo but you’d be amazed at some of the corners people will cut for the sake of the correct fastener or nut. Don’t let me put you off buying a used kitcar, far from it as there are some superb bargains to be had out there, but using this guide may provide help and inspiration in equal measures but it’s worth remembering that quite promising designs that don’t exist anymore were ruined because of the manufacturer’s reluctance either through impatience or financial constraints to correct known mistakes while they were still on paper. Most simply bullishly built working demonstrators of their disasters. Very foolish in hindsight.

You will also be at the mercy of someone else’s tastes and one man’s black interior maybe another’s yellow, so bank on looking at least one kitcar that fits your requirements perfectly only to be let down by a lairy interior or whatever. The only way to get exactly what you want is to be very lucky and/or lucky or build your own kit from scratch to your specification.

Check other areas such engine for excess wear and tear and dodgy lucky dip gearboxes. Make sure that the steering feels nice and direct and…..safe and that it’s not too hard for you unless you plan to start the ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger bicep building course’.

When it comes to bodywork, if the finish is gelcoat make sure it’s in good condition but remember that gelcoat will fade in time. If the car features a luxurious spray finish then look at it closely, if the shell resembles a pair of Harlequin’s trousers in places it’s seen plenty of paint and if there’s overspray it means a backstreet bodger has been up to his tricks on the cheap. You can try what you like but you will NOT get rid of overspray.

Buying a secondhand kitcar can be like going out for the evening with a transvestite, the more you delve the more you may discover that certain parts aren’t in the right place, and if you make the wrong choice you’ll find it really will become more of a flexible friend than your credit card.

I always remember going to look at a Cobra replica not so long ago for a chap. He was totally smitten with the thing, and all looked good as we arrived, especially as the maker was still in existence and had a good reputation. Closer examination of the body though revealed a paint finish that looked like a ploughed field and I swear that the paint had been applied by blind five year olds at a Romanian orphanage. Interior had seen better days and was a bit dole office, while the engine felt like a right nail and left a smoke cloud behind it. I think the car had been built with a Chad Valley welding set, a knife, fork and 40p found down the back of a sofa. First problem was that the battle of wills gearchange, and soon I was wobbling around corners like Poplars in a hurricane and it did everything you’d expect a car to do….except, go, stop and handle. I asked the vendor what he was asking for it and was appalled at the 12 grand reply. This was a nail and make no mistake, but the potential buyer was still looking through rose-tinted glasses and trying to convince himself against his better judgement that this really would be a good investment that he’d be proud to own. I managed to convince him otherwise and we walked away but I am certain that some other poor unwary mug-punter was parted from their cash soon after.

Pricing is an area that is dark grey. You won’t find any Parker’s Guide to fall back on when it comes to the Eldon Roadster you’re interested in. Realistically a kitcar is very rarely worth more than its sum of parts with the exception of some Cobra’s, Ultima’s, Caterham & Westfield, and it really is a question of what you are prepared to pay for it, and then finding a common denominator between that figure and the vendor’s asking price. Using common sense, your head and then doubly convincing yourself that the car looks well built and would be a credit to you and your loved ones, then maybe you can meet somewhere in the middle and strike a deal.

As I said buy wisely and you can end up with a stonking bargain and a superb motor car, and remember that even a fairly humble kitcar will offer exhilarating performance

And be faster than 99% of all production cars, but buy a ‘wrong-un’ and you will be landed with trouble and a draining bank balance.

Be wise.