Opinions Required On Value Of My 3a

[Guest Steve Allen]

Thanks all. only just got in from work to find all the posts, Must say i dont see the RH on ebay being the same/similar spec. As mine has had 2.5k alone put into the Pinto engine. this does include new side drafts though.also things like the Dash, sundries, seats and belts etc etc were replaced from the ones supplied by Robin hood. I do however take your points of view but there must be a case though of good and bad dont forget you can buy a 7K Fiesta but pay twice as much more for the top of the range. My only suggestion to people building these cars is to keep them as standard as this will help retain thier value.

Steve

[Guest micky bigthumbs]

Steve advertise it at the price you want someone will buy it for the car it is. if they realy want a very good standard build of car without the hard work and heart ache months in a garage even years...... some one like me will buy it.

 

Mick.

[Guest rizla]

tottally agree with you steve that a higher spec should comand more,but often it does not unless its something special like a coswoth etc,most people that buy a hood,buy it for two reasons,the unique stainless body and the price,you can buy a nice westfield or mk indy etc with a good standard of build for about 7000-8500,i dought the money their sold for comes anywhere near what was spent on them

[Guest Steve Allen]

Rizla, I take your point totally. I know this is a Pinto powered car and for what was spent on it now seems ridiculous but I do like them and in my opinion it is now at the stage were you can not do any more to it. just to let it be know it is pushing out over a 170 Bhp at the flywheel, it would just break my heart to say this is just another Pinto Robin Hood. (if you know what i mean) Not going to advertise at the moment as it the worst possible time to sell and I know i should not state this on here but if anybody is interested then offers over 5k would be considered.

if anyone wants more pictures or has any questions about parts used then please ask. ps there is not one RH supplied bolt on this build.

Many thanks everyone

Steve

[Guest rizla]

thats the point with kit cars steve,each is different and im sure everyones is worth a mint as its theres,id personaly rather sell my wife than my car(wont get much for that old model) but seriously i wish you all the best with your future sale your car is a credit to you

[Guest mark kingston]

hey rizla you could a buy one get one free offer???

that should take care of the car and the wife.

hey hey

mark

[Guest Ant]

Surely the answer here is that any car is worth what people are prepared to pay, and that doesn't usually bear much comparison to what it cost. Different people value different things. I think I sold mine on overall appearance, proven as a daily driver, documented build, etc etc (Stewart - fell free to chip in here). Some people value engine mods and extra performance. Others see them as asking for trouble later on if (when) something goes wrong. Equally some people value a "standard spec" as they feel more confident with what they're buying. Some buyers will value a current model higher than a discontinued model, others will value popularity and a solid base of experienced owners. Some want something to finish off so they get to put their own finishing touches to it and get some of the buzz of having built it, others want a perfected car to turn the key and drive. It really does depend on the buyer.

 

At the end of the day it's worth whatever someone is prepared to pay. My advice is to clean it, finish off any niggles which you can, and then advertise it. Set the price at what you're prepared to sell it for. If it doesn't sell you might have to reconsider - either lowering the price, or advertising it in a different way. Definitely the weather helps - everyone wants a hood when the sun is shining. Some buyers can remember what the summer is like, but lots can't.

 

Ant

[Guest micky bigthumbs]

Must agree there Ant

[Guest stalwart]

Hi all

 

My “two pence worth”

I had been “umming” and “aahhing” for some time at selling my old MGB Roadster to get something 7-esque, more reliable, more modern mechanics and a bit quicker. Bearing in mind my old “rubber bumper” white British Leyland MG was costing me c. £600 - £700 every year to put her on the road for six months (that’s including MOT, tax, insurance and servicing) – I was throwing money at a car that was only worth £2,000 - £3,000 tops and wasn’t even that great to look at. I looked at all sorts of 7-esqe models – Westfields, MK, Dax, Luigeo, Tiger, etc, etc.

What was it that I was really looking for:-

1. An affordable, all-year-round fun car that would hold its value (unlike Catering Vans IMHO),

2. be relatively easy to tinker on (Sierra-based) with cheap, readily-available spare parts,

3. good following and back up.

 

The Robin Hood, with its’ second-to-none owners club and this Forum ticked all these boxes - and then some!

 

I was very fortunate that Ant lives only a couple of miles from me – and having seen the fantastic quality of his build after reading his website diary, and the attention to detail and time he spent on building it – I bought it there and then – there was no question. The mechanics are stock-standard – so, as Ant says, it isn’t going to cause me any major headaches (I hope!!). To me, the time of year / season is not important – if it is the right car, then buy it! It is a shame that there are whimsical people out there that wake up one morning, with the sun shining, and suddenly decide to spend a few thousand pounds on a convertible car! All the better to the seller in Spring and Summer!!

 

Although I had only seen other Hoods (well, loads!!!) at a couple of the Kit Car Shows last year, I had been a “quiet” member of the forum for about 6 months – following the links to all the members build web pages (especially Ants’ and Bill & Joeys!). It was the level of support and camaraderie on this Forum that swayed me into buying a Robin Hood. It doesn’t matter what you pay for your car – whether its £2,000 or £10,000 – as long as you can justify to yourself that, having truly investigated the model you want and the market, you are happy on the amount you spend – then it doesn’t matter how much it’s truly worth. As Ant says, its value is what someone is prepared to pay for it and the market will determine the price. I paid the asking price Ant wanted – perhaps I could have negotiated it down – but I knew the price was, IMHO, a fair one having followed the price trend of nearly every Hood sold on E Bay for 6 months before! I know I need to do nothing to the car mechanic-wise, all I have done so far is change the seats and wheels. It drives like a dream and is rock-solid – a testament to the time and effort Ant put in to building it. But you won’t get extra money for all the blood, sweat and tears you put into your pride and joy – it is still a car to the buyer – it has to have 4 wheels and an engine! Unfortunately, as has been previously mentioned, many people out there do see the Hood as a poor relative to Catering Vans and Westfields, but Hoods still deliver the same, if not better, “smiles per miles” because they are cheaper to build / buy, do the same job, and depreciate less as a % of the price paid. The only thing extra you are paying for Catering Vans, etc is the badge! But who cares what others think - if they have that sort of snotty attitude, they’re a**es anyway!

 

As way of some form of consolation, although I didn’t build the real one, I am building a Tamiya 1:12 scale model instead (although it is a Catering Van version with cycle wings – but the closest I could get to a Hood – don’t think Tamiya have released a Hood variant unfortunately!). Still no mean feat as it has over 550 individual parts – probably as many as the real thing! It even uses minute wheel nuts to attach the alloys - and you have a small wheel brace to tighten them with.

 

Stuart

[Guest Nishka]

Stalwart

 

Just had to say if my 'real' Robin Hood comes out looking anywhere as good as your 'model' then I will be well happy!!!

 

Nishka

[Guest stalwart]

Nishka

thats the pic from Tamiya's website - I haven't built it yet - it's somewhere between here and New Zealand (!) - Tamiya stopped making this "cycle fender special" version a couple of years ago - they do still make a "swept wing" version in green. I have tracked down 2 so far still available - one in NZ and another in Japan I'm buying ('cos one went on E Bay last week for a ridiculous amount of money!). It's the most detailed model I think I've ever seen - even down to the HT leads under the bonnet and braided metal piping too, cloth seatbelts and proper carpeting. All the panels are aluminium and even has rack & pinion steering and working suspension!

another pic......

Stu

[Guest mickmellors]

Finished model looks fantastic - would it be rude to ask how much ?

[Guest stalwart]

Hi Mike

Tamiya released this "cycle fender special" as a limited number special edition a few years back - and this model is no longer in production and is very sought after. Tamiya still do make the standard racing green "swept wing" - as per pic below – and a JPE racing version (but it is in yellow!!) and the RRP on their American website is c. USD$340 – but none were ever available to the UK (why not?? – it’s a British car!!) so you will end up paying the VAT @ 17.5% and Import Duty from Hong Kong, USA, etc (like I had to!) - see Tamiya website –

 

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/category.php?sub-id=1000

 

After searching the www for ages, I found 2 of the “fender specials” still available in Hobby Shops - one in New Zealand, the other in Hong Kong. The one from NZ arrived yesterday - and I'm expecting the one from Hong Kong in about a month. Don’t know why I bought 2 really, just because I spent months looking for just one, and in the space of a couple of days found 2! I was e-mailing off to every website hobby shop - in all sorts of languages - that still listed the "fender special" - with the majority reply saying "long sold out - but thanks for letting us know our website is out of date" - very demoralising!! Search Google for “Tamiya Caterham 10201” – that’s the Tamiya model number – and see if you can find one!

 

And, Sods law, after searching E Bay for ages too, one sold on there last week for £235.00 plus P&P:-

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

So, when the one from Hong Kong arrives, I’ll have a spare “fender special” if anyone’s interested – make me an offer! I also have a “swept wing” version as below for sale too – price (inc. insured postage) is £120.00 – this basically covers my cost of the model, postage, Import Duty and VAT I got stung on!

Stuart

[Guest stalwart]

the JPE racing version...

[Guest stalwart]

oops - Tamiya code number for the "cycle fender special" is: 10202.

 

10201 is the swept wing version.