Wanted Z4, e85 Project, cheap.

[IainP]

As title, looking for a rough as a Badgers arse z4 to Sinatra build.

NEEDs
Cheap, like £1500, or less. Absolutely nothing ‘decent’.
Runs enough to have at least a 75-80% chance of making it home to Scotland, and enough Mot to do it legally. So no bald tyres please.
A watertight () hood.
Euro 4
Manual

Anything else, I don’t care, NO Shiply cars, it’s £400 from the Midlands, and £600 from London.

I’ll try here first before the Bay of Evil

 

[Pond]

Why not try the Z4 forum? There are often cheap 2 litre or 2.5 litre E85s advertised on there.

 

[IainP]

Thanks for that, I wasn’t even aware there was a Z4 specific Forum.

 

[Duncodin]

Wot's a sinatra build?

 

[Z Victor 1]

Worth looking on f book marketplace and gumtree, something may be for sale near you.

 

[IainP]

Wot's a sinatra build?

From the song, ‘My Way’.
It’s an old reference, ‘cos I’m old.

Tracking a couple on the bay

 

[Pond]

Out of interest, what are you planning to do to an E85?

 

[Duncodin]

Out of interest, what are you planning to do to an E85?

Isn't there a Z8 rebody kit based on an E85?

Listen to meeeee. Come to the dark side.

 

[t-tony]

Not available any more. I would've loved one.

Tony.

 

[IainP]

Out of interest, what are you planning to do to an E85?

Depends on what I end up with, I have loads of different wheels I won’t use on the Z3, I fancy two tone colour, maybe two tone leather too. If it has leather.
Running a Cooper S as a daily, nice, runs well, now anyway, BUT, I’m bored with it, it’s got a roof.

 

[John_B]

You don't need to worry about the MOT if you are driving it directly to where any corrective work will be carried out - e.g. your home. There are no rules about where that can or cannot be, nor are there any limits on distance. This is in black and white on the govt website and was confirmed by a traffic cop on a recent podcast.

I'm not saying this to be inflammatory, since I know there are folk here who refuse to believe it, I'm saying it because it may widen your pool of potential cars

Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. If anything ever happens to my Z3 I'd consider an E85 project next.

(Edit: You don't need to worry about the MOT - providing no dangerous defects have been recorded or are evident!!!)

 

[Duncodin]

You don't need to worry about the MOT if you are driving it directly to where any corrective work will be carried out - e.g. your home. There are no rules about where that can or cannot be, nor are there any limits on distance. This is in black and white on the govt website and was confirmed by a traffic cop on a recent podcast.

I'm not saying this to be inflammatory, since I know there are folk here who refuse to believe it, I'm saying it because it may widen your pool of potential cars

Good luck, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. If anything ever happens to my Z3 I'd consider an E85 project next.

(Edit: You don't need to worry about the MOT - providing no dangerous defects have been recorded or are evident!!!)

This is one of those old rules that's open to interpretation. I'm sure when the rule was made it just never occurred to the rule maker that it could allow someone to drive their car from london to the lakes to meet a mate who would kick the tyres in the pub car park.

The letter of the law says yes. You are allowed to drive any distance to have a mate adjust your tyre pressure. But if plod pushed it and you pushed back and it went to court it's highly likely that the judge would tell you "Come on. You're taking the p*ss" and hit you with his mallet and big fine because, when a law is open to interpretation, it's the judge's job to interpret the law in that specific case.

 

[John_B]

The letter of the law says yes.

So how exactly is a judge going to fine you for not breaking a law?

It's not open to interpretation at all. It says you can drive it to somewhere to be repaired. How is that open to interpretation?

I'm not debating what is right or wrong, sensible or stupid. All I am saying is that the law allows for you to buy a car in Cornwall without an MOT and drive it directly to a workshop - or your driveway - in Aberdeen, providing that is where it is going to be brought into an MOT-passable condition. There is no exclusion for if a copper or judge thinks you are taking the p*ss. Now if you get caught going via Skeggy for some fish & chips or being antagonistic with a copper who pulls you for having no MOT, well then you're on your own.

Like I said, I wasn't posting to start an argument. If you think you know better then go ahead and believe that. All I am trying to do is help the OP find his next car and not needlessly rule any out because of a common misconception around driving without MOT

 

[IainP]

You are quite correct, but only IF the car is in passable condition. Unlikely really.

All of the ones without MOT are300+ miles from me. The two most interesting ones have been out 2+ years. I've been stopped enough times, and spoken to enough Police over the years to know they'd lift the car. One of my neighbors was Traffic, another ARV. Short distance, yeah, maybe I'd give it a go. Actually short distance I'd book it into the local Mot station 3 miles away, that gets round all the legalities, sort of. Long distance, no, not a chance.
The problem with buying a car without Mot is, it WILL be stopped if spotted, and you have absolutely no idea if it actually IS in roadworthy condition, no matter what the seller thinks or says, until you get there. Even if it needed a tyre say, that's a detour and you can't do that at night, or on a Sunday. Police aren't stupid, the Traffic guys are usually enthusiasts too, they can look up an Mot app to check history if it doesn't show on the ANPR, that's what they've told me. I've broken down in perfectly roadworthy cars to know the police will do a walk round and at least check tyres and bodywork, lights at night, not to risk it.