Second hand prices re Sportster / Cabrio

denniswpearce · #1 11th December 2010, 09:30

Hi Folks,
I am just getting into kit cars, specifically a Sportster or Cabrio, but most of my life has seen me doing yacht racing for twenty years ( not my own ) and in the last ten years owning / flying microlights. I only started researching this subject at the start of Oct and went down to Exeter which was really interesting.
I was interested in building a Sportster and we all have budgets, so unfortunately the £18K price tag is not what I had in mind.
I have subsequently contacted a member of the committee of the Marlin Owners club who will be trying to source one or more for me to look at.
As you guys are in the know, what, if one can be found, would be the rough price tag of these two cars please that I would expect to pay for a second hand one. Also what are the things to look at / pit falls when buying. I am mechanically minded and totally understand all the mechanics of cars. Well, to qualify that, my time was before you had to plug a laptop in to diagnose a problem. Old style engineering.
I have recently looked at and read Jasons beautiful web site on his four year build and was fascinated, but a bit too much fabrication for my skill level and not enough tools.
Regards
Dennis

Mike · #2 11th December 2010, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by denniswpearce

Hi Folks,
I am just getting into kit cars, specifically a Sportster or Cabrio, but most of my life has seen me doing yacht racing for twenty years ( not my own ) and in the last ten years owning / flying microlights. I only started researching this subject at the start of Oct and went down to Exeter which was really interesting.
I was interested in building a Sportster and we all have budgets, so unfortunately the £18K price tag is not what I had in mind.
I have subsequently contacted a member of the committee of the Marlin Owners club who will be trying to source one or more for me to look at.
As you guys are in the know, what, if one can be found, would be the rough price tag of these two cars please that I would expect to pay for a second hand one. Also what are the things to look at / pit falls when buying. I am mechanically minded and totally understand all the mechanics of cars. Well, to qualify that, my time was before you had to plug a laptop in to diagnose a problem. Old style engineering.
I have recently looked at and read Jasons beautiful web site on his four year build and was fascinated, but a bit too much fabrication for my skill level and not enough tools.
Regards
Dennis

dennis
Cabrios make around £5-8k for average -good, but do not come up very often. I'd say second hand Sportsters are much rarer - like hen's teeth?

timbo · #3 11th December 2010, 10:06

Hi Dennis
Welcome to the forum. You are more than welcome to look at my Sportster, which passed the IVA a year ago, although it is currently in Caerphilly having the fiendish immobiliser bypassed. Once this is done, I will probably be looking to sell it around March next year. I was hoping for around 12-14k for it?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33105452@N05/3729161077/
Regards
Tim

Mike · #4 11th December 2010, 10:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by denniswpearce

Hi Folks,
I am just getting into kit cars, specifically a Sportster or Cabrio, but most of my life has seen me doing yacht racing for twenty years ( not my own ) and in the last ten years owning / flying microlights. I only started researching this subject at the start of Oct and went down to Exeter which was really interesting.
I was interested in building a Sportster and we all have budgets, so unfortunately the £18K price tag is not what I had in mind.
I have subsequently contacted a member of the committee of the Marlin Owners club who will be trying to source one or more for me to look at.
As you guys are in the know, what, if one can be found, would be the rough price tag of these two cars please that I would expect to pay for a second hand one. Also what are the things to look at / pit falls when buying. I am mechanically minded and totally understand all the mechanics of cars. Well, to qualify that, my time was before you had to plug a laptop in to diagnose a problem. Old style engineering.
I have recently looked at and read Jasons beautiful web site on his four year build and was fascinated, but a bit too much fabrication for my skill level and not enough tools.
Regards
Dennis

dennis
Cabrios make around £5-8k for average -good, but do not come up very often. I'd say second hand Sportsters are much rarer - like hen's teeth?

peterux · #5 11th December 2010, 11:46

Hi Dennis,
I hope you find your car as the Sportster is a terrific car to drive and much better quality than most kits i've seen.

Lucky for you, they really don't fetch high prices but only rarely come up for sale.

The only one i'm aware of for sale is this one...

http://www.sovereigncarsales.co.uk/R..._gridpos5.aspx

It's one of Marlin's own factory built ones and was originally yellow.
I've not seen this car or bought second hand as I built my own, but I imagine all the same rules apply to buying second hand ordinary cars, look for leaks, rust, etc and make sure it has a full MOT. If your not sure, an RAC inspection might be a small cost to prevnt you buying a pup. One extra do make sure it is correctly registered with MARLIN on the V5.

Keeping in touch with the MOC might be a good idea. If you join the club, you can put a 'wanted ad' in their mag. You might find someone looking to sell but hasn't actually got around to advertising. There is one owner called Mike Coombes (JAC.Sports@hotmail.co.uk) who was trying to sell his Lambo Orange Sportster at the Stoneliegh show last year but i think he was asking a lot of dosh.

If you can wait until next May, then do go to the Stoneliegh show as you will see thousands of cars of all types and usually 50-70 Marlins. It will give you some good benchmarks in build quality when looking for a car.

Good luck,

Peter

denniswpearce · #6 11th December 2010, 14:37

Guys,
Thanks a million for those answers. It has helped me tremendously. Obviously they are few and far between so patience will be a virtue. I have an empty garage but am not in a hurry. I would imagine as Peter says that Stoneleigh would be a good place to seek one out ( never been there and it also clashes with a very popular microlight show / flyin ). It sounds just like microlight / aircraft shows, there are always aircraft for sale there that don,t get advertised. Also went to the Classic car show at the NEC recently and could have walked away with at least fifty cars for sale. I was like a child in a candy store, spoilt for choice, did not know what to look at next.

Peter, thanks for all those tips, invaluable help.

Tim, I will seriously consider yours next March, thanks for the link to your site, very helpful to someone like me. Why are you having the feindish immobiliser bypassed ? I thought they are a good idea or is it because you have to do two ops to get it started ? I admire your fabrication skills.

Is it just personal preference that people go for a dual tone car rather than one colour ?

Unbelievably I have yet to see a Sportster or a Cabrio in the flesh. When I went to the show at Exeter, I thought I wanted a sevenesque type car but after a lot of research ( thank heavens for the internet ) I very quickly changed my mind and settled on one of these two. I have already joined the Marlin Owners club even though I don't have one yet.

Oh and Mike, thanks for your help as well..
I am sure there will be many more questions in the future. Its just the same in the microlight community there are these forums where everyone helps each other. Long may it continue.

Regards

Dennis

Patrick · #7 12th December 2010, 08:39

There a number of us near you if you wanted to see a car, I'm in central Hampshire south of Basingstoke

JG · #8 15th December 2010, 18:44

Or if you can't wait for a Sportster or Cabrio how about considering a Marlin Berlinetta. Similar in looks but older design and donor but they come up for sale fairly regular and can be had for 2-3k.

John

denniswpearce · #9 16th December 2010, 10:18

Hi John,
Thanks very much for help, however, as nice as the entire range of Marlin cars is, I feel I would like to stick to one my choices and I am prepared to wait. I am realistic in believing it will be a long wait, possibly till Stoneleigh, but have not totally discounted building one.
I do not possess many skills in the fabrication line, which seems to be the way of many Marlins, but I have had an interesting offer of help from a friend who restores classic cars ( he has about twenty ) and he has all the skills and tools I do not have. Only issue is he lives twenty miles away, but thats a minor issue.
Thanks again

Dennis

Mike · #10 23rd December 2010, 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by denniswpearce

Hi John,
Thanks very much for help, however, as nice as the entire range of Marlin cars is, I feel I would like to stick to one my choices and I am prepared to wait. I am realistic in believing it will be a long wait, possibly till Stoneleigh, but have not totally discounted building one.
Dennis

Dennis

Don't know if it's of any interest, but Marlin will supply hybrids of the Cabrio back end with a Roadster front - in my view the best of both worlds. The front end suspension looks much better in the Sportster, while the windscreen and proper electric windows make the Cabrio cabin a more refined place to be - hood up. or down.

Mike

denniswpearce · #11 23rd December 2010, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

Dennis

Don't know if it's of any interest, but Marlin will supply hybrids of the Cabrio back end with a Roadster front - in my view the best of both worlds. The front end suspension looks much better in the Sportster, while the windscreen and proper electric windows make the Cabrio cabin a more refined place to be - hood up. or down.

Mike

Thanks Mike, I did not know about that option, but there again, I know very little but am reading and researching lots of info.
I had noticed that the Cabrio does have a lot of modern creature comforts, the side windows must cut the wind down considerably, plus they are electric. However I am used to flying in a flexwing microlight ( like a hang glider wing with a trike underneath for the unitiated ) and you get very used to being out in the airflow, so don,t think even those small aero screens would phase me provided you have suitable eye protection from pesky flies. Obviously a tonneau cover is mandatory to stop your pride and joy getting wet inside. But creature comforts are not high on my list, just a good engine and essentials.

Regards

Dennis ( Merry Christmas all, hope to meet some of you at Stoneleigh next year )

peterux · #12 25th February 2012, 21:53

I know Dennis has now bought his own very nice Sportster but I thought I'd tag this on here rather than start another thread.

I noticed that Marlin have a second-hand Cabrio for sale. Normally I would mention this here but it does look like an especially well finished car and worth taking a look at the pictures......

http://www.marlinsportscars.co.uk/forsale/

P.S. I have no commercial interests in this sale, just thought folks might like to see the pictures. Seems like quite a good price as well