MadaboutKitcars

Just to send shivers down your project cost schedule I spotted this little number on eBay, sold now so no rush.

330299412724

Elise Series 2, 2008 model, 900 miles, cat d, rear clam only, no structural, no lost parts. £12K.

I am likley to spend up to this figure and I guess a lot of built cars cost a lot more.

If I was not 90% through I know which one I would spend my money on if only just for a track day car.


But where is the fun in that, trick question? give me some more time to think it through, proven chassis, production bits, good resell value.....

No I will stick to my lost leader, graze my knuckles and dirty my finger nails to say I built it myself.

errrr.


Too late gone for ever........

you said it all in the last line

Indeed I had the opportunity to buy a Caterham before I built the Sportster I probably spent more on the Sportster - was worth it (despite some of the pain along the way)

On a strictly financial/common sense basis the Lotus makes absolute sense.

There is nothing like building your own car and then enjoying driving it though. A great sense of achievement and a complete emotional investment in the upkeep of it.

God I wish I had some money to build another one out:

John

Yup I was watching that car, i guy of seloc bought it in the end it's not as immaculate as the description would have you believe though a good buy still

I from what I remember it has slight crack on front clam and bent wishbone but hey!

In this climate though most on seloc said it was about the going rate as an immac one in a dealer would have been 17k and that one will cost about 4k to sort out apparently.

From my own perspective knowing what I know now I would not have done my car!!

Yes it's great knowing you have done it yourself and all but I could have put the 30k towards my mortgage (also my car is only worth as much as the honda engine in it) plus I'm starting to hanker after another jetski....they have 315bhp now

I don't regret it - it's been a brilliant learning experience, and I've met good people on route to where I am now.

I'm doing a Honda or 1.8 turbo (most likely) Elise next, so when that kicks off I'll know which in hindsight was the better route!

I have given this lots of thought and may do it in the future! If our cars were worth anything i would have sold the marlin and bought an s1 and gone the honda supercharged route all in for 11.5k........but unfortunetly it's not!

I would not say I had regret as such! but wish I knew then what I know now...costs etc as I could do it for 10k less now

You have hit the nail on the head there John. Mine and Ian's thoughts exactly.

I met some good people that are in the same position as me. Had a good laugh on the way building it.

And each 5EXI is individual. Not one the same.

It has cost a fair bit though, and like everybody else, cost wise would have made more sense going the elise route.

Hey,

...it's not all bad. Plenty of 'pain' along the journey....but a kitcar (especially the exi) IS a labour of love. If you want the same as everyone else, fine...go buy one.

If you want to be one of the select few who have actually built their car (and I guess you all do, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this!)...then keep spannering.

Does it make sense....NO.....(does any car?)...for me, the point is not to make sense, but to stir the soul and emotion. Mine has cost me just under £10K (including the mods to make it handle properly!)..and personally I can't think of a better way of spending the money and the year building it!

...oh, and it still gets more admiring glances and discussion than my mates Elise!

Rich

I agree, my budget has stretched burst and multiplied from my original estimate 10-12k, to an estimated OTR 17k mainly down to a number of factors:

Bad choice of donor,
Hydraulic Clutch conversion,
My choice of dash,

If I knew what I knew now, would I have done it? probs not as the sensible side would have kicked in...

However I'm glad I'm doing it, the majority of the days I enjoy the build and the "I built that car" factor is not to be underestimated.

Roll on getting to a powered rolling chassis, my next milestone.

Mine as well!