Advice On Buying A Mk2 2.0 Pinto Based Car Needed Urgently

[Guest Neonkid]

Hello from a newbie to everyone who reads this,I've been looking to buy either a kit car or mx5 for the last week, so I've now found a what looks like mk2 Robin hood with a pinto 2.0lt engine, I'm running over to see it tomorrow and hope to buy it for £2000, it's got 12 nth Mot and tax till end of month.

The owner does not know about his car and says that it's got loads of paperwork etc, he reckons it has a Granada dif/ susp, but I think it's prob seierra based, he also mentioned dutton on some papers but he don't even know the make, so I have tried to match the front end wishbones etc and I'm pretty sure it's a mk2 s7.

So please can I get some info on what I should look for when viewing and test driving it tomorrow, I know the basics like oil,brakes suspension, but I just need to go armed with a good check list so that I can be sure it's not a monster, it seems the owner has not had time to use it and only done 60 miles since buying it, but at 2000 I think it could be a very good deal, how do I tell if it has a dry sump?.

He will not even be there when I view it.

Also is this model going to be ok to take on track for fun,I'm sure it may need some upgrades beforehand but won't find out till tomorrow, I'm well exited and will be posting some pictures if it comes home with me tomorrow

Thanks for your time reading this and hope to get a response by tomorrow night

[Guest garyfelton]

Hi and welcome to the club. I would want to see the V5 and ensure it is registered correctly as a Robin Hood as there are some cars out there that are ringed, if it doesn't state Robin Hood on the V5 and the owner is selling as a Robin Hood then walk away. HTH Gary

[Guest Neonkid]

Thx Gary, I will check that out, it's possible the car is not a Robin hood, I'm just guessing from photos I've seen, however the v5 should give me the correct name/make of the car regardles right. Obviously if things do not match up there could be something wrong.

Should I assume the colour,engine size should match on v5 as if a new engine had been installed dvl may not know? Is there any other way to verify the car is totally straight like vin or chassis number etc?

it's sounds pretty bonafide but the last thing you want is a ringed motor.

[Guest Neonkid]

Just a quick update, the car is listed as a dutton?

So prob not a Robin after all?

[Guest Neonkid]

Perhaps I could send a member or moderator a picture I have for vrification, plz pm me your number and I can send it easy.

[maccavvy]

just post the pic up on here.

 

its possible its a robin hood car but on the v5 says Dutton to circumvent the iva test.

id walk away quickly if so.

 

it should have a chassis number on the drivers side

 

there is an exmo for sale on here cheap just needs a bottom end. I maybe able to help you out there.cheaply.

 

its most likely running a short sump, if its got a dry sump it will have a large oil tank and an extra belt on the crank running an oil pump

[Guest Neonkid]

just post the pic up on here.

 

its possible its a robin hood car but on the v5 says Dutton to circumvent the iva test.

id walk away quickly if so.

 

it should have a chassis number on the drivers side

 

there is an exmo for sale on here cheap just needs a bottom end. I maybe able to help you out there.cheaply.

 

its most likely running a short sump, if its got a dry sump it will have a large oil tank and an extra belt on the crank running an oil pump

 

Ok here is some pics, any info appreciated

 

 

 

 

For 2 k is it worth a punt, and if v5 says dutton what are the implications.

[knights_templar]

agree with above, identify car and make sure its correct to log book.

 

if that is OK you need to look at normal things for any used car

 

plus

 

body condition

 

the S7 is prone to cracking at high stress points, this should have been picked up by the MOT, but testers see these vehicles so infrequently he may not know where to look.

 

problem can be cured with a welder and some time, but its best to keep it in mind.

[Guest Neonkid]

I've read quite a few reviews on rh and most seem pretty poor, as a first kit car and within budget surely there must be some fun to be had as well as a good learning curve for me and my son, it's not breaking the bank.

The owner just never used it, I need to get to the bottom on the v5 issue and what it may mean to the ownership etc.

[theduck]

Dutton identities are often used in ringing cars. I doubt its a genuine dutton if you thought it looked like a hood so I would walk away.

[richardm6994]

if it says dutton on the paperwork, it's more than likely an illegally registered car (because your photos clearly show a robin hood). Nothing stopping you taking it on a track and having fun, however don't take it on the raods because should you ever have an accident, the insurance will not pay out and you will be in a heep of trouble!!!

 

What baiscally happens is that people build a kit car.......and then instead of going through the IVA tests and registering it correctly, they buy a cheap / scrap dutton for a few hundred quid and use it's log book identity for thier newly built car!

 

The powers that be are catching onto this and cracking down on it!

 

Walk away and find a correctly registered car

[Guest Neonkid]

If it is ok as a track only car I could explain this to the owner and see how low he will go, then get a trailer etc.

I guess v5 cannot be changed and without a full build catalogue no Iva would be pos.

Can I get a scrap robin and change it?

[richardm6994]

.

Can I get a scrap robin and change it?

 

That is just as illegal as it being a dutton!! Plus there arn't many (if any) scrap robin hoods about that are already registered.

 

As it is an incorrectly registered car "ringer"..... the only way the car could be made legal is to have it IVA tested.....so put aside about £1k for the test, registration etc....and be prepared to make some modification to the car so that it will pass this IVA test.

 

It's up to you, but I would walk away and buy one correctly registered......there are plenty good robin hoods for sale at the moment

[Guest whiz]

Don't touch with a barge pole

[Guest Neonkid]

Thx for the good advice, probably not going to buy it, I may go and have a look just to see the build quality and see if he would let it go for £1k purley for track use, as this would be legal and worth the money right?