All year round Westfield?

[MikeyT]

Hello guys,

Is it practical to run a Westfield all year round? I have a garage, so that's not a problem re overnight but if I get one without a heater – is it going to be unbearable on any sort of long journey in the winter months? Is a heater a MUST for winter driving?

Cheers

Neil (mate of MikeyT)

[Mark Benson]

I think it depends on how committed you are, how far you want to drive and how you feel about wooly hats, gloves and scarves.
You will get cold, a friend of mine has a Westy, he intended to run it year round but by November he had bought a £200 Escort as a daily driver.

Only you can answer the question really, but IMHO, I doubt you'd be able to use it as your only car all year round.

[JonRB]

Think of a Westie in terms of riding a motorbike. If you feel you could ride a bike all year round and in all weathers, then you might cope with the Westie.

Otherwise, no.

[MikeyT]

Thanks guys,

I'll have a rethink.

Neil

[jamiesteak]

Dont buy it as an only car. You will end up regretting it. It is there for fun, to thrash about. I bought mine from a Guy about 125 miles away. Driving back on sunny evening i was ####### freezing and the car does respond to the road surfaces - in Britain they tend to be crap so i was bobbing about all over - hairy!

They are great.....dont get me wrong.

Incidently. I was talking to guy who had a heater as i wanted to buy one and he told me that they are naff and do nothing. You can buy a heater kit from Westfield for about £150, but i would save your money there and get a neck gaiter (works well) and a warm coat.

[CHRISGWINN]

MikeyT,
I brought a new, factory built, Westie GTZ in November last year. You can run them year round as long as you know what you are in for. The roof WILL leak, it WILL start to corrode VERY quickly and they can be a bit of a handfull, especially on very wet motorways. However, when the sun comes out you won't regret it. Without a doubt, GET A HEATER, they make it nice and cosy with the roof up, and will cut down on the complaining from "her indoors"!!

Having said all that I am thinking very seriously about a 2nd hand TVR!! Want to by a 6500 mile GTZ (one of only 15)?

[gee_fin]

I drove mine all year round and over winter last year - roofless, heaterless and screenless. It's as practical as a motorbike really. You'll get cold, you'll get wet, you'll get pissed off. However, all it takes is one fun corner you're in love with it again.

I will not be doing this again this year though. Not because of the cold and discomfort but because of the damage the salt roads do to the car. They eat into everything and prove to be an immense pain and cost.

In driving rain, standing water and low visibility a Westfield is a very, very dangerous car. Ensure you've got some decent rubber on there and it's set up very, very soft.

Graeme.

________________________________________________________
graeme finlayson | tyre warmer | fluke motorsport
[e-mail] | www.fluke-motorsport.co.uk

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