About to plunge

Hi folks my first post. Im a non mechanical artistic kind and my 40 year dream may soon be over. My wife wants a audi tt and I am slowly getting her to come round to a 356 and fullfil my dream. We need a daily driver and Im a bit worried about her here in the uk in winter, concerned about leaks and things. Anyway I need help here in the UK on checking over possible purchases, cant find a UK forum. We have found a 2nd hand chesil with 13.000 engine, we dont drive fast and rarely over 80 so it might suit us. We have a westy vw 78 so this would be a perfect addition. So my question is, from a practical viewpoint how are replca 356's for a daily runner, your views most welcome

If you lived where it was warm and sunny 364 days a year and had a warm snug vehicle for the other day - I'd go for the Speedster as a daily driver. IMHO your wife is right (this one time) - the Audi TT would be perfect vehicle for Britian's less than stellar weather. Very safe, modern, starts every day rain, more rain or occasional shine. Even looks like a 356 from a distance! Got room for a third weekend/special evnt car? Fill that spot with the Speedie.

Kevin-

I'm with your wife on this-- buy the TT. Check out the "Why are so many speedsters for sale with low miles?" thread on this forum. What you want to do with this car falls under the heading of "unreasonable expectations". A speedster is many times more cool than a TT, but not even in the same league as far as providing things everyone has taken for granted in an automobile for 50 years or so. I've owened three of these over the years, each time taking a step up the food chain looking for the "holy grail" of a completely weather-tight speedster.

I live in central Illinois, in the US. I've presently got a very nice (and expensive) Intermeccanica with roll-up windows and an Espar gasoline heater, which is more weather tight than either of the other speedsters I've owned, by at least a factor of 2. I went to great lengths to make the car usable for as much of the year as possible. By spending an extra couple thousand dollars during the build, I've extended my season by two months or so (November and April), but December through March the car is still under a cover in the garage. If I would have wanted another month or so-- I could have gotten an Intermeccanica Roadster, but that didn't fit with my vision for the car, and in the end wouldn't have been more "cool" (to me) than a TT, or Cayman, or Z3.

The other red flag for me is the "non-mechanical" descriptor you used in reference to yourself. These cars need TLC, and finding somebody under the age of 65 or so who remembers how to work on them in your hometown would be a bit like trying to get struck by lightening. Even if you have said VW wrench in your neck of the woods, you'll probably not be having him ride shotgun for you on your daily rounds.

I AM a mechanically inclined guy, and some of this ACVW stuff still strikes me as a bit odd. I can't run down to the pasts store and buy anything-- not even the right spark plugs. It all gets shipped out of Californina.

I love my car, but I wouldn't dream of making it a daily driver in the Midwest-- maybe if I lived a desert in the southwest US (or Mexico)-- but nowhere where it rains regularly. Last time I checked, it rains regularly in the UK.

My (humble, but informed) opinion, FWIW-- save the dream for a second (or third) car.

My dear Stan and Wolfgang, thanks for hand on heart replies, they are very considered and invaluable in content. You have saved me not only thousands of dollars but much pain/stress/angst.
Thats what I call advice ! I was getting on to wind up windows, leak free roofs etc, you have saved me the trouble. Shattered dreams a lot less costly than cracked grp bodyshells !! Many thanks

Kevin,

Welcome to the forum. And, do not get let down!!! There are many unique options you have to end your quest!

I personally would suggest your best alternative would be to find a Z3 or M Coupe, their low production numbers, every day drivability, quirky style, vicious handling and solid acceleration make them a budget friendly exotic as the years pass.

Or

Being from the UK, you have some terrific options we don

first!

Kevin,

Stan has about nailed it. If you are thinking Speedster, I can only guess your weather is going to put you in a bad frame of mind more often that not. If you are thinking of 356-style and have some serious affection for the badge, as it were, and can give up on the ragtop, how about a Coupe? JPS (North Hollywood, CA) is developing and now selling an A Coupe replica that will promise weathertightness (?), and much else in creature comforts. JPS is a quality builder, currently assembling a Speedster for me. The compromise, I guess, would be the convertible D, which is made w/ roll-up windows and other things I am not aware of. It's not a Speedster, exactly, but the top will go down. I suppose they are weather-tight, but have no first-hand knowledge, being a bit new to the replicar game myself. Others here in this Forum will have much more to say, no doubt. I can tell you that I once owned two 356 Coupes, and used them as daily drivers, in all sorts of weather, for a combined about 15 years ('60s and '70s). These original cars were never much for heat in the dead of winter, and truth be told the poor rubber used allowed water entrance around the rear window over time, but still these cars were my daily ride. I would have them still except for the dreaded cancer: rust. Living in foul winter weather on the US east coast brought these otherwise wonderful cars to their knees. I did not have the resources required to restore them. The replicars you might consider in the current epoch will not have this problem.