zetec115

Been hinting to my Dad that I'm looking to change to a Saphcos (it's him that works on our cars although I do know a bit).

Anyway, he's always saying how hard they are to keep right and you could be buying a whole heap of trouble etc but my reckoning is if you get the right one, either with low miles or a rebuild, then surely you stand a good chance of getting a fairly reliable car. It will only be a weekend runner after all.

What's your thoughts lads

hitchwest

iTrader: (2)

i got a saff mate as a weekend runner and i paid 6k for mine in dec and mine has been spot on the only major thing i have coughed up for is a re map whichj cost 350 which i had done for reliability really and has been spot on since if you want one get in there i think they are ace but get 2 wheel as 4x4 are gay

costina

iTrader: (1)

Cossie's are not problem its the stupid people how slap a chip in one turn the boost up and hopes its all ok

Any cos will be reliable if set up by a pro

tabetha

It is like every other car, if it has been looked after it will be ok, most have a hard life due to the nature of the car but are still looked after.
Some people own them when they cannot AFFORD to run them so bodge them don't service etc, a classic case above a remap is ONLY necessary when it has not been done correctly in the first place, but can be an aid to slightly better running when HIGHLY modified.
They are a doddle to look after, cheap parts as well, if you cannot do a cam belt on a cossie you should give up as this has got to be one of the easiest cars in the world to do, jammed pulleys apart.
As said 2wd make for cheaper repairs when transmission things go bang on 4wd.
They do need treating with a lot of care especially when wet, or you will become friends with the local hedge!!
They need decent oil above all, but servicing if doing it yourself(dad) no dearer than any other car.
tabetha

Csm

Yup they can be great cars but ............

too many gits as mentioned try the cheap bodge of chip,boost and rag it about rather trhan getting pro's to fettle with the car and make sure its running fine at all area's and not just more boost

But......... its a very old car now so you could possibly look for more than a year to find a wee cracker

R5COS

my thoughts would be dont buy one if you want trouble free motoring any cosworth will need certin looking after, if you abuse it all the time it will blow up or try and kill you... but from my ownership of a 2wd saff if you are able to do do certin work yourself costs of parts arent really that bad, but some stuff you have to leave for the pros...... 2wd is the better to own for enjoyment (just my thoughts)

TurboShed

I love my 4x4, I can get it sideways no problem, I couldn't imagine having to suffer only 2wd. 4x4 is so much quicker off the mark, so much more capable, why do you think EsCos cost so much more than a 3Door?

costina

iTrader: (1)

So WHY are drag cars 2wd

IMO the 2wd ones are quicker due to trans losses BUT it takes a skilled driver to get quick times

Enter Tib (lee) he's a master of the 0 to 60 times in a 3 dr 2WD

tabetha

Because there are people willing to pay it!!
I wouldn't.
4x4 have some attributes over 2wd, 2wd has some over 4wd, thye are a damn sight cgeaper to fix, can ruin more power through the gearbox as std, less to go wrong, as there is less, can replace 1,2,3 or 4 tyres at a time, more economical, quicker at the same power once under way than 4wd.
tabetha

Csm

If i had another cossie it will be 2wd me thinks ,lot less hassle and cost than 4x4

4x4 ste

iTrader: (1)

How come theres very very few 3 doors around and prices are on the rise and there are a few escorts not selling that well atm

zetec115

Whats the handling like on the 2wd compared to 4wd? I'd imagine a lot more grip with the 4wd. Are they really that sensitive to tyre tread depth?

4x4 ste

iTrader: (1)

Totally different characteristics on the cars 4x4 has a tendancy to understeer when pushing on through corners where as 2wd will over steer generally It all depends on your driving style really as to which you prefer I have had 4 4x4 cossies and 3 2wd cossies and i dont think you can compare them at all, different horses for different corses and all that

cozmeister

iTrader: (1)

Whether it's 4 wheel drive or 2 wheel drive, a Cossie WILL try to kill you IF you don't show it respect

Most parts are easy to come by, due to the nature of the beast - and there's always one being 'broken' . Some of the more 'obscure' parts can be difficult to find, but with persistance you'll always get what you need.

Contrary to popular belief, you can run one on a relatively tight budget - as long as you don't spend every waking hour trying to rape the shit out of the engine, transmission and tyres. In 3 and a half years, all I've had go WRONG on mine was the inlet manifold gasket letting go, a rear trailing arm bush that failed an MOT, and a small amount of welding on the sills. Other than that, and tyres, tax and fuel, it's not cost me anything.

Do your homework if you're going to get one, and always make sure you have enough money to buy the same car again - if you're unlucky you'll be glad you did.

rabmc

They are hard work thats for sure

If you have money to spare then thats fine , but be prepared to spend a bit here and there

cossiechuckie

get 1 bought mate, my dad said i was shy of braincells and i must have more money than sense to buy one, as i would be fixing it every week, oh how wrong was he, Fair enough i rebuilt the engine buy choice after 2 years of never touching it but its never ever let me down and ive done near on 25,000 miles in the time ive owned it. If you want it go and get it cos you'll love every minute of drivin it

zetec115

Thing is I got an ST200 in August last year and if I've done 1500 miles that'd be about it so a cossie won't get a daily ragging.

Def getting one, Mondy is in Autotrader this week so heres hoping for a quick sale

tabetha

I found for the first few weeks, people look at you as though you are simple(I am!!), because you have this whacking great GRIN across your face, unless that's just me!!
tabetha

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

I bought a cossie in march last year n i can say they r a fun car 2 own. The amount of looks u get when u drive down the street is mint. Mine come with a full service history. But i had a fault with it u cud drive about for 5 mins the the car wud just die n wudnt start again. The fault was a fuel filter it had never been changed. I found a date on the side of the filter n it said 04/06/92. A cossie is the same as any car look after it n it will look after u.

tabetha

SNAP though mine was sometime in 94, and been owneed by two COSSIE SPECIALIST GARAGES as well.
tabetha

cozmeister

iTrader: (1)

You are not alone

TurboShed

They set fire to their tyres first, try that at the traffic light grand prix

TurboShed

People selling cars always seem to think that prices are on the rise.

cozmeister

iTrader: (1)

The 4x4/2wd argument is one of the bad points!

But it's all good fun

TurboShed

Yep they draw a fuck of a lot of attention on the road, especially when chattering and spitting flames. Also lots of complete strangers want to talk to you about the Cossie, which is kinda nice in this day and age.

costina

iTrader: (1)

LOL i do

frog

Two points that most people seem to forget:

1. It's a performance car.
2. It's an old car.

As a result...

It will have been driven reasonably hard (that's what it is for), and, age will have taken its toll on the car.

So, it's no more or less reliable to any other performance car of its age, some may be better, others worse.

Has the engine done 150,000 miles ? If so it probably needs a rebuild, but then again, so would any engine made in 1988 with the same mileage

Buy an old porsche, mg, spitfire, etc... and they will drain your wallet just as much as a cossie will... You don't go out with a supermodel expecting not to spend money on her do you

I've had my 4x4 sapph for nearly 10 years now, and as much as I wish I could say I've succombed to its every need on a daily basis (which I haven't), I've treated her with respect, done what needed doing when it was needed. That means, oil, service and parts as required.

She's rewarded me with 70,000 miles (those I've done) of reasonably trouble-free motoring. May not have been toyota reliablity, but driving around in a reliable toyota camry doesn't float my boat

Compared with a BMW 850 and TVR chimaera we've also owned, the running costs of the cossie have been very low when you consider depreciation, insurance and servicing...

BMW and TVR in workshop = £1000 or thereabouts from wallet.
Insurance was around £1500 each (cossie is £700 !).
Depreciation - lost around £12k on each so £24k in total over a 4 year period, and that's not including the cost of finance... so... cossie...

Bought for £11K 10 years ago, now worth what... £4K
Servicing, £150 tops.

Bargain if you ask me... just remember that they are old girls and need a visit to the hospital from time to time, if you can't live with it, don't buy one and then complain it's unreliable.

Also, I know my limits mechanically, and use a professional for anything I am not 100% sure about.

Sorry about the long post, but I feel very strongly about this subject and I think my experience shows that a cossie can be used daily and not cost the earth (but what is expensive to you might be cheap to me and vice-versa... where do you draw the line ?).

We've also bought a 2wd about 2 years ago for £3.5K, can't say she's the mintest car in the world, far from it, cost £1K a month later in new head gasket, head, etc... but since then... nothing... nada... totally reliable

4x4 ste

iTrader: (1)

Prove me wrong

NUTTIN RILLA

Get one mate, youv not lived until youv had a cosworth, mines is my pride and joy and i`ve spent a small fortune, the guy who had it before me wasnt very clued up and the garage he took it to new that so they shafted him and told him it was great, which i found out wasnt great, never the less i`ve learned the hard wayand have reconed almost every part on itan no a shit load about the car, and i love it, altho its gony make way for a bike just shortly


2 and a half years of 2wd fun cant be bought

zetec115

cossieboyIOW

great fun to drive... ive had a shed load go wrong with mine ive done 2000 miles in the last 3 years but thats mainly due to the garage i took it to... 15 months to change an engine has to be some sort of record...

i dont think i would ever buy another one though...

MONSTER

nail/head

vroooom ptssssh

Good thread, liking the info!

out of intrest, what sort of car should I expect for £3.5K these days?

saw some really nice ones for round about that price, bosch mans silver 4x4 for £3600, another magenta F plate sold to a guy in edinburgh for £3K and looks nice...etc
So it does seem their are good useable cars for that sort of money out their!

TurboShed

See Vroom's post above

4x4 ste

iTrader: (1)

Where does he say anything about a 3 door or an escort Also he state how cheep a 4x4 saff is ie boschmans so proving my point a little dont you think that 2wd is no cheeper than 4x4

TurboShed

Cheap 3-doors sell for £5k all day long. I never saw an EsCos sell for only £5k.

costina

iTrader: (1)

Look at the RS Owners price guide it states that the 2wd cars are creeping up in value......

The rarer they get the more they will increase with value look at the RS 2000 values

You get what u pay for £3000 will get u a useable car BUT it won't be that good imo,Loads of owners,prob had a arch or a sill,or accident damage....

My last one i sold about 4 years ago for £3500 had 114 k 15 owners required engine build arches and full repaint

YOU will always have to spend money on a £3000 car u will be lucky to find good um at that price imo

TurboShed

Yep I paid £3,800 for my 4x4 3 years ago, that was cheap at the time as it was a Cat D many years back. So what's it worth now? Less I'd say.

4x4 ste

iTrader: (1)

Who wants a money pit shitter decent 3 doors start around 8k plus and rwd_cossie_wil paid 8k for decent escort cossie (well it was when he brought it)

Also escorts are a lot newer cars 10 years difference in a lot of cases

A decent 2wd saff will cost you the same as a 4x4 because you can get evo 3/4 and scoobys for similar money what else is there for that kind of money thats rwd

TurboShed

Show me those £8k decent escort cossies please! There's an EsCos on eBay at the moment with no history and a knocking engine, was approaching £7k last time I checked.