I must prequel my comments by stating that I have been a Sapph cossie owner for 10 years, and I still love mine but.....

If I am totally honest, the standard car by modern standards was not great. It is still only a sierra, which means that it has a tendancy towards understeer, they rust like crazy, and the fold easily in slight accidents. I mean, be honest, when was the last time you saw a Sierra that didnt look just a little cross-eyed!

It was not their ability as a standard car that sold it to most of us. It was their potential. As such, most good cars get modified to fulfil that potential.

Here is where the problem becomes worse. People buy mint cars, (after all, who wants to start with a ratty car?) tune them, run them, and then when it is time to move on, they break them and sell the parts individually, becuase the price of parts justifies it. This is the only way to realise the maximum costs.

I always had this plan in the back of my head that if I ever sold my Cossie that I would revert it to standard form and sell it. In my case, mine has received too much rust treatment over the years etc etc, and as such I finally came to the conclusion that the only way she would leave the garage would be in pieces (if ever!)

Lastly, if you really want to spend 10k on a standard mint cossie, would you really choose a sapphire? If you would, then you are mad.

JJ