Is this a real option?

[Steve Harrison]

I was sipping a cold tinnie last night and thinking about what to do when the lease on my current car is up next spring.

I could a) order a shiny new company car or b) take the cash equivalent and get my self a shiny new or nearly new car; but then out of the window I saw a tidy Scimitar GTE drive up the road and thought, what about option c)?

This would be, take the money and try some of the cars I lusted after as a young man which I can probably buy now for buttons. The Scimitar would be a candidate, as would a Mk1 Golf GTI or, if I could find one that hadn't rusted away, an Alfa GTV. I could even find a decent Capri 2.8i or 280 and get all nostalgic about my old batchelor days, and I always fancied a Cossie Sierra for a lark.

If you buy carefully and sell on after a few months to try something else, depreciation would surely be minimal. I do naff all mileage at the moment so there must be good classic or specialist insurance deals to be had. Unless you get unlucky running costs should be ok because you're only putting a few miles on each car before you sell on.

If I start with a couple of £k and can run a car for less than the monthly cash I get, I could even work up the ladder to an old Porsche or perhaps a TVR wedge for the summer.

Has anybody tried anything like this? Does it work? Am I just letting myself in for worry and grief? Are all these cars getting stamped as "classics" and attracting silly money which rules them out?

And of course, suggestions for suitable cars to buy would be welcome.

[andymadmak]

Steve its a great Idea, and I've done it meself a long time ago (although I got a bit bogged down and ended up owning 6 cars at one time!)
From what you say viz mileage requirements you can have a fantastic time for not much financial risk.
Couple of things to bear in mind:
Its always easier to buy classics than it is to sell them. (I learned this the hard way!) Even if the classic mags say there is mega demand for something you must bear in mind that this probably means that 5 people in the UK want to buy it at any time rather than none! Remember to factor in the cost of advertising your regular sales, the likelyhood that you will end up owning more than one at a time due to sales/acquisition lag, and there is the very real problem that you might want to keep one or more!
As for reliability, well in my experience a properly sorted older beastie is just as reliable as a new car and if they do go wrong you can easily fix them with bits of string and an old bottle top!

Now for my list of things to buy/try/sell, all under £8k:

Triumph Stag
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Reliant Scimitar GTE
Alfa GTV V6 (the old RWD one)
Lancia Fulvia
BMW 2002ti Turbo
MGC Roadster
Mini Cooper 1071 cc
Rover SD1 Vitesse (pref twin plenum model)
TVR 390SE
Ford Sierra Cossie RS 500 (RWD ONLY)
Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 (or mexico)
Talbot Sunbeam Lotus
Lotus Esprit S2 Essex Turbo
Sunbeam Tiger
Fiat 124 1800 coupe
Jaguar XJ12 Coupe
Ford Capri 280 Brooklands (maybe even the Tickford Turbo)
I could go on and on. Mostly late 60s through to late 70s stuff as you can see but well worth trying.

Andy 400se

[ap_smith]

Fantastic! I had a Scimitar GTE 5a for many happy years. If you buy one, you've got to be mechanically able. They take far far more maintenance than modern cars, but the advantage is that the engine is a bomb proof Essex V6 3.0 litre with plenty of torque, (2.9 Cologne in the later models). Most of the running gear is Triumph and all of this costs next to nothing to maintain/repair.

There are Scimitar specialists throughout the land and the RSSOC (Reliant Scimitar & Sabre Owner's Club) is one of the best supported and active clubs in the land. (There's even a Scimitar sprint championship!).

I only got rid of mine when I moved down south and had no garage facilities left. I still miss the sound of that engine, if it's pre 1974 then emissions laws don't apply (the only regulation is it doesn't emit black smoke)

[anonymous-user]

we had a Scimitar for about 15 years. i was about 5 when we got it as a replacement for the elan +2. it was a cool car, ultra reliable 3 litre V6 (once the cooling is sorted out, i mean who else would put the spare wheel in front of the engine!?) nice leather interior and it was a little bit different to all my mates dad's sierras etc. Its a nice fibreglass body and IMO a lovely shape too.

i think www.scimweb.co.uk is the owners club page, or something with scimweb in at least!
i would have thought that you can pick up good tidy cars for about 2k and paters was almost concours condition and was only valued for 5k.

However it did set itself on fire!. Not really sure how or why but something happened to it but the fire started around the battery/fuse box and destroyed the whole front end.

>> Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 3rd July 09:41

[simonelite501]

Very good idea, but as said before, easier to buy than sell. Be very weary of any Esprit Turbo's in Essex livery that you find for under 8 grand! If you do find an original and don't want it, Email me!!!!!
Good luck, have fun!

[mhibbins]

How about we buy one each, rent a bloody great big barn (pref near a track), put them all under a big insurance policy and share them all?

Can we get a bright yellow mark 1 opel manta?

Mark

[big rumbly]

Steve,
I owned a Scimitar GTE SE6A for 14 years, I paid £3400 for it and sold it for £3100.
its different, its not the most popular classic, but because of this they are inexpensive. IMO great looking car, a bit lollopy but if you drive them with a bit of finesse, they are rewarding, fairly easy to work on, albeit, a bit heavy, probably has the best owners club and spares availability of any classic.
If you want any more info, Email me.
regards
Big Rumbly.

[Roadrunner]

Ahhh, classic cars (rubbing thighs like Vic Reeves)...

I've always fancied a classic as a second / third car. My dreamy list would include:

Porsche 356
Porsche 550
Asshton Martin DB5
Miura
Jaguar E type lightweight
AM vantage 600
AC cobra superblower
Ginetta G4
Loads of 50's racers...jags / fezza's...

[Roadrunner]

Actually, has anyone ever driven a real AC cobra superblower? The real bare alloy body looks the nuts.

Also, I've seen a perfect lightweight E type going for 53k at an auction just after a 100k restoration. Amazing looking bare alloy race body - looks brand new! Anyone been in one of those too?

[moleamol]

I have been in an E-Type but it was a while ago. At school actually, all as I can remember was that it was the best experience of my life at the time. Not bad considering it was the period my fantasy object at the time was hunting me down. (This was a lass by the way )

[kevinday]

I've driven original Cobras, 2* 289 and 1* 427 plus a 289 racer. Other cars for the list are Datsun 240Z, Austin Healey 3000.

[Roadrunner]

kevin,

What did you think of the cobras? They're supposed to handle poorly in comparison to modern cars. They can't be bad though, surely.

[CarZee]

Has anyone noticed that the BMW M Coupe is clearly and heavily influenced by the Scimitar GTE? Hmm..

[andymadmak]

quote:
Has anyone noticed that the BMW M Coupe is clearly and heavily influenced by the Scimitar GTE? Hmm..

Yeah! and for that matter is it a coincidence that the BMW renaissance started in the mid 70s based on a platform of small, medium and large RWD saloons and coupes, estates, and cabrios based on these with independant suspension, 4 and inline 6 engines, 4 shot headlamps, cool styling etc.
So in the 1960s/70s you had Triumph in the UK with

The three series family:
Triumph Herald: saloon, coupe, estate, cabrio,
Triumph Vitesse: Saloon, cabrio, 6 cyl engine + 4 shot headlamps
The Z3 range:
Triumph Spitfire: 2 str cabrio based on herald
Triumph GT6 : 2 seat coupe hybrid herald/vitesse mechanics
Triumph TR5/6 - 6cyl Z3 clones

The 5 series:
Triumph 2000/2500 - saloons and estates. 4 shot lights, all independannt suspension etc etc.


Z8:
Triumph Stag, - a big cabrio based on 2500 mechanics-
Hell, it was even a V8!

Of course Triumph went to rat poo after the dolomite sprint but the spooky thing is that the new BMW Z4 pictures reveal side profile scuplting not unlike the TR7............

Andy 400se
Oh, and you do realise that the first BMW car was an Austin 7 kit built under licence don't you?!

>> Edited by andymadmak on Wednesday 3rd July 13:10

[leszekg]

quote:

Has anybody tried anything like this? Does it work? Am I just letting myself in for worry and grief? Are all these cars getting stamped as "classics" and attracting silly money which rules them out?

And of course, suggestions for suitable cars to buy would be welcome.

Did this for many years myself - could never get myself to agree to a modern/company car. Had a couple of MGBs, an Austin Healey 3000 and a Lotus Excel (not so much a 'classic' IMO). I still have and use the Healey ... emotional attachment and all that.

Providing you buy a good car and keep it that way (be prepared to invest at least some time and/or money) it should work out cheaper than the company car (I assume you're currently getting stung for tax based on the low miles). I've generally found parts to be cheaper for my old cars than they are for modern cars and you stand a better chance of doing your own maintenance and servicing on the old cars, if you feel like it that is. Most British marques have a good servicing and spares backup.

I don't entirely agree about selling classic cars being dificult, providing that you choose the model and spec wisely and it's in good nick. If you choose an obscure, unpopular or tatty car then you'll be stuck with it. Those that I've owned and sold have (a) sold within 1-3 weeks of advertising, and (b) sold for more than I bought them for! The Healey, is worth twice what I paid for it 7 years ago (excluding servicing and maintenance bills which probably make up for part of the difference) - you couldn't say that about a 7 year old car purchased from new, whereas for the company car option you're paying for the employment of someone at your tax office and have little to show for it at the end of the lease period

.... all IMHO!

[simonelite501]

Qoute; "of course Triumph went to rat poo after the Dolomite Sprint" Man! In the60's & 70's, Triumph were always "rat poo!" Heralds and Vittesse's were death traps, same goes for the Spits and GT6's, The only good thing that Triumph ever did, was to sell parts to Lotus! As for the Dolly, the fact that there now rarer than hens teeth, bears witness to the fact that they were never a loved vehicle. The ones that weren't totaled in R.T.A's were left out in the rain and dissolved.

[gnomesmith]

quote:
Also, I've seen a perfect lightweight E type going for 53k at an auction just after a 100k restoration. Amazing looking bare alloy race body - looks brand new! Anyone been in one of those too?

At £53K it must have been a replica. I've never been in a genuine one but did passenger a very fine replica in South Wales and was very impressed, overall more so than any other car I've ever been in.

[apache]

didn't one if these go for around a mil at auction, or have I gone completely hatstand

[andymadmak]

quote:
Qoute; "of course Triumph went to rat poo after the Dolomite Sprint" Man! In the60's & 70's, Triumph were always "rat poo!" Heralds and Vittesse's were death traps, same goes for the Spits and GT6's, The only good thing that Triumph ever did, was to sell parts to Lotus! As for the Dolly, the fact that there now rarer than hens teeth, bears witness to the fact that they were never a loved vehicle. The ones that weren't totaled in R.T.A's were left out in the rain and dissolved.

Ohidunno, the MK2 vitesse and GT6 both handled quite well with their lower wish bone arse ends. At least the front suspension was twin wishbones.
Anyhow I seem to remember that MK1 BMW 323i had swing axle rear suspension like the herald...........
The point I was making was that I reckon BMW copied the general Triumph model ethos - small sporty cars, well styled, family of 4 and inline 6 engines, generic look through the range etc etc. The BMW instrument packs aren't so different from Triumph either.
In truth BMW built them far better and spent the right R&D dosh, but I can remember a time when you couldn't give a beemer away in this country, let alone charge a premium for it.
All history now I s'pose.(sigh)
Andy 400se

[Roadrunner]

The lightweight E type was an original. Classic and sports car magazine reguarly show how much all the cars go for at auction. I'm sure a trader snapped that up to sell on for a tidy sum. It just shows it's worth going to these things with a chequebook.