Looking at buying an escort cossie?
Discussion
As the title says, don't really have all the funds to buy it outright, but could throw at least 15-20K at one... Would it be wise to finance the rest and put down 15K?
From an owners point of view, is it worth me buying the car? (not in terms of money, I don't care so much for the gains on the car in the short term). But, parts wise etc, are they THAT hard to come by? Or is there anything I should be aware of?
From an owners point of view, is it worth me buying the car? (not in terms of money, I don't care so much for the gains on the car in the short term). But, parts wise etc, are they THAT hard to come by? Or is there anything I should be aware of?
I don't own one myself but I'd suggest if you really want one, buy sooner rather than later as the prices for decent / well known cars will only continue to rise until they are firmly in the price bracket for collectors only.
A few years ago what you spent on a mint condition car now barely gets you into a car that needs a fair amount of work. There are also a few cars out there that have been converted to RWD from 4WD and don't forget a few custom builds that have been shelled into basic escort 3 door shells and are not genuine.
For buyers guides, assistance, guidance, modifications, potential cars for sale, etc, then the Escort Cosworth forum is probably the best place to go to
http://www.escortrscosworth.com/
A few years ago what you spent on a mint condition car now barely gets you into a car that needs a fair amount of work. There are also a few cars out there that have been converted to RWD from 4WD and don't forget a few custom builds that have been shelled into basic escort 3 door shells and are not genuine.
For buyers guides, assistance, guidance, modifications, potential cars for sale, etc, then the Escort Cosworth forum is probably the best place to go to
http://www.escortrscosworth.com/
As above. If you want one and are in a position to be able to get one, go for it. The prices are on the rise and there seem to be fewer on the market.
Cosworths of any kind are things that you either 'get' of you don't. I've had my 4x4 Sapphire for 17 years now and very few people I know really understand what I see in it. To me, I love it and it makes me smile everytime I get in it.
As far as parts availability goes, most things are available albeit at a price. There is enough of a following that things are still being developed for them.
I would also warn of 'Cossie paranoia', a worry about every sound and smell you come across while using it and a refusal to leave it parked anywhere that you cannot see it.
Standard cars are pretty good to drive if a little 'old school' for some tastes! Modified cars are a world apart and if done properly are amazing.
Good luck with your search and I shall look forward to your thread on ownership.
Cosworths of any kind are things that you either 'get' of you don't. I've had my 4x4 Sapphire for 17 years now and very few people I know really understand what I see in it. To me, I love it and it makes me smile everytime I get in it.
As far as parts availability goes, most things are available albeit at a price. There is enough of a following that things are still being developed for them.
I would also warn of 'Cossie paranoia', a worry about every sound and smell you come across while using it and a refusal to leave it parked anywhere that you cannot see it.
Standard cars are pretty good to drive if a little 'old school' for some tastes! Modified cars are a world apart and if done properly are amazing.
Good luck with your search and I shall look forward to your thread on ownership.
Yes you should buy one - If you can cope with never using it and always putting money out on it you might even stick with it. For me, 18 months was long enough to decide it wasn't for me and I sold it on eight years ago, picking up a Mk1 Focus RS which I still have.
With the Escort I found the entirely expected high insurance costs, parts costs, frequency of age related failures, cost of wear and tear items, lack of practicality, significant attention (even when you don't want it) etc took its toll on the magic of owning one and I sold it to a friend who to this day still has it. He uses it even less than I ever did.
Don't get me wrong, when he comes round on a summers day with it to annoy me I miss it dearly, it ran/runs a stage 3 upgrade on the engine and I had a few comical moments with it and a cracking trip to the 'ring too, but at the same time I still recall being sat broken down at the side of a busy main road one cold evening with my 12 month old child in the car as the engine just died on me (corroded fuse board that time!).
Do it, get it out your system, you might even like it!
With the Escort I found the entirely expected high insurance costs, parts costs, frequency of age related failures, cost of wear and tear items, lack of practicality, significant attention (even when you don't want it) etc took its toll on the magic of owning one and I sold it to a friend who to this day still has it. He uses it even less than I ever did.
Don't get me wrong, when he comes round on a summers day with it to annoy me I miss it dearly, it ran/runs a stage 3 upgrade on the engine and I had a few comical moments with it and a cracking trip to the 'ring too, but at the same time I still recall being sat broken down at the side of a busy main road one cold evening with my 12 month old child in the car as the engine just died on me (corroded fuse board that time!).
Do it, get it out your system, you might even like it!
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