Hi Guys,

On the look out for a Flint grey saff and so far, seen 2 dogs which were between £12k-13k...

Weren't pulling as well as they should be, rust bubbles on the arches, oil leaks and panels not lining up correctly

Just looking for a clean decent example and would even be prepared to spend unto £17k-£18k for a decent example but non are coming about!

Would it be worth just buying one of these "sheds" for £11k-£12k and pumping money into sorting it out? respray, engine etc.?

 

I wouldn't buy a shed but wouldn't say no to one that wasn't concourse but had potential. Imagine buying one at 18k to find it still leaks oil and underneath isn't as good as you where expecting?

 

For 11k this one isn't bad, yeah it's not standard and not perfect blah blah but from the pictures it doesn't look too bad...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152703331689

 

buy the best you can afford .i wouldnt bother trying to restore one as it will cost more in the end mate

17 to 18k is a v good budget for a saff

 

Take your time, maybe drop Paul Linfoot a line, a lot of good cars are sold by word of mouth

 

If you bought one of the "sheds" for£12-£13k there is no way you could do the bodywork/paint, engine etc for £6k which would take you to your upper limit of £18k. Keep looking for a good one at around £18k ,they are out there. For me if I was going to spend £18k on a Sapphire I would want it to be spot on and ready to use.

 

Saff prices are just silly at the mo. I never thought they would be for sale over 10k now. They are only gonna go up in value

 

Compared to an E30 M3 they are a bargain though - even the Merc 2.5-16s* are cheap compared to the BMWs

* considering the price of all 3 when new

 

I must have been dead lucky buying mine when I did, I would never have been able to afford
One at the prices there at now

 

17k should get you a cracking Sapphire in my opinion, one that's ready to use and show with a decent spec.

Spied this one a few times on eBay?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322754189471

 

at 18k i'll paint mine flint grey and you can buy that!

unbelievable that 13 years ago when i bought mine a saph was a cheap way to get into a fast car.

 

The point is though how many Saffs are left and how many of the ones that are left are still in really good nick? So many have been written off or rusted away so the value can only go one way UP!
Who would have thought that today to get into a fast Ford it would cost nearly £35k for a Focus RS.

 

Thanks for the advice guys...

I'll carry on being patient and hopefully the right one will come along!

 

I paid 5k for mine. What i know about cossies now i wouldnt of bought the one i have now cause ive spent a fair bit getting the car looking nice.

 

I have read old mags about the cars and at the time the saph was the better car.

 

I paid £7500 for mine Glenn nearly 23 years ago but I have spent a fair bit modifying it and maintaining it to a high standard thats why I have an agreed value insurance on it now for £24,000. It sounds a lot but if mine was ever written off to find another rust free one and put everything into it that mine has I dont think there would be much change left out of the £24k. It has given me a lot of pleasure over the years and I dont regret what its cost me. Mine was never bought as an investment but as a car to be driven and "properly" used!!

 

You won't get one for much less now.

By what you have said, it hardly classifies them as "sheds"

Martin

 

Im glad you use it matey cause thats what there for. Ive never used mine for ages but thats cause of work and my little boy.

 

I'm surprised and not surprised at the same time, plenty of cars come up for sell but I'm often cautious that they're not all that which is kinda what you've found. Keep looking and I'm sure a decent one will pop up, not nine though, she is here to stay

 

You are only a young guy Glenn and you have plenty of time to spend with your boy and watch him growing up and still enjoy your Saff as well.
My Son and Daughter were already at school when I got my Saff but loved it when I took them or their friends out in it. It was used as the Prom night car and also for my Sons wedding car.
My daughter has driven it a couple of times and loves the power but I didnt let her take it past 120mph!! Not on a public road of course!

 

Yeh i will use it more when he gets a bit older. Its defo not going anywhere i just dont like cars sitting about and not getting used.

 

Yes, certainly no worse Glenn and they scored very well in the comparison tests from a driving point of view.
There's nice cars out there but not many up for sale at prices people consider appropriate for a Ford!

 

Get out there and look if it's hpi clear not rotten and runs well buy. People still find bargains they just don't post them on line

 

Like s1 turbos piles of scrap start at 7k nowadays.
Wouldn't touch 1 with badly fitting panels plus other issues if you plan on keeping it as it will be a bottomless pit of money if you try and make it a minter,polishing a turd springs to mind.
Keep an eye on the sierra cosworth fan page on facebook,cars appear on there every few days but dissapear quickly,even the sheds and every day there's someone looking for a 2wd saph.
It's not cheap to source original good condition parts nor is it easy to find a car so don't get impatient and buy something half ok unless it's cheap enough to do something with.
Speaking from experience,I bought a very good saph fir 15k and spent the same plus a lot more on it but once done I'll have a nearly new 1990 saph.
Happy hunting!

 

Just look at the price of most 80s early 90s cars. There all going up in price.

 

i think its a false economy restoring cars ,although as lee said you wont be long emptying your wallet improving good examples when the bug bites lol

 

Restoring a car to be as good as new must be a nightmare to keep looking fresh. For eg everytime you take the car out you would have to jack it up and clean all the crap off from underneath. Then take the wheels off and clean inside the wheel arches.

I like a clean car but i couldnt be chewed this carry on all the time.

 

Loved my cossie at the time as id always wanted one however would i fuck be paying these big bucks for one in this day and age a lot of cash for something that leaks oil and no matter what will be a money pit. But i do wish i had one to sell these days

Good luck with your search though

 

I am with you on this Glenn, imagine if you are out and it pisses down with rain especially driving on a motorway with all the crap that comes off the big lorries. It would take you ages to clean it all off and get it looking 100% again!!
As you know I like my Saff nice and clean but the concourse guys take it to a whole new level.
It took me a good few hours to clean mine after driving to Blackpool and back in the rain, the dirt got in everywhere!
When your car gets to the point that you are frightened to drive it in case it gets a few specks of dirt on it I personally think the fun would be taken away.

 

If you have any nice car you keep on top of it or avoid driving it in crap weather,not just a sierra but any car.
Depending how ocd you are about it determines how much you clean it.
I'd much rather look after the work I have done than weld it up every mot if I were to use it rain hail or shine and once it's all done it just needs a wipe down.

 

With our daily cars we dont have a choice of avoiding crap weather but with our
classic cars we do and although I use mine all year round I do pick fine weather days if possible to take it out.Mine is pretty clean and it doesnt get washed very often as it doesnt need to. Once its clean it is fairly easy to keep on top of it but cleaning it for me has never been a pain as I enjoy it.
Mine has no rust problems and has passed the last 23 MOT tests so I must be doing something right!

 

I only use the saff in nice weather theses days. It hasnt been used in the rain for a while now.

 

So it's no different for someone with a classic car or an as new car,we both avoid crap days and clean them if they get dirty.

Back to the op.

There is a 4x4 flint grey saph on Facebook for 16k,looks ok from the pics apart from the drivers seat is worn.

Check the sierra cosworth fan page on Fb,there must be something in the way as that's about the 5th saph that's popped up for sale since Friday.

 

I bought mine for 4.5k in 2001

 

£3750 for mine in 2007

 

That was cheap!!

 

My mate paid £6500 for his in 2008 but it was a top spec one, everyone was taking the piss that he spent so much money buying it lol, how times change!

 

Dont buy a shed you will regret it in the long run,take your time one will turn up.

 

thats what i sold my mint air con spec late j plate 4x4 saff with stage 3 for. seemed alot at the time....not much now lol

 

Mine was £9200 in 2007. But it had low miles and a lot of nice bits on it.