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Thread: Decision #2

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Guildford
    Posts
    109

    help Decision #2

    Hello Beat People!

    Just read Beardo’s dilemma, and it reminds me a bit of my own.

    My own beat (Captain-Beepy-Noise) has been a bit neglected since I started commuting to work in London a couple years ago.
    I only seem to get in him every couple months, and then mostly to recharge the battery. To make matters worse, i have just moved to central Guildford, where its pretty expensive to keep a parking space for an under-driven car!

    The poor fellow definitely needs a new roof, and I don’t think his seat-covering is long for this world. To add to the confusion, Steve M has about £600 worth of parts I bought off him ages ago to rebuild the gear-box (as it’s a bit clunky), but we haven’t yet got round to doing it, so they (plus a spare cambelt I forgot I had til yesterday!) are also lying unused.

    Other than that tho, he seems pretty chipper – maybe not quite as shiny as he used to be and, it has to be said, slightly damper-smellin'!

    But winter is upon us and I guess that forces a decision – do I sell him, with the parts, as is?
    Or:
    Do I get him sorted completely, then sell him? (potentially losing money I suppose, but...got to say I don’t much dig the idea of selling him for parts either, sentimental fool that I am!)

    The other option of course is do I sort him out and keep him, but am i just clinging on to the dream..? *sigh* Just thinking about selling him is making me feel a bit like i might start bawling... but tbh, i dont think him sitting un-used is doing him, or me, any favours.
    What a shame, he’s been so much fun .

    What do yous seasoned Beaters reckon tho?
    To renovate, or not to renovate?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Derbyshire, Uk.
    Posts
    1,462
    All I can really say is now is not a good time to sell at soft top car anyway...

    If you can I would suggest at least waiting until spring, when people's minds turn to summer and might be looking for a little soft top for summer, or until the financial climate becomes a little warmer too.

    I'd personally be tempted to have a go at fixing it first, however as you say it's a potential loss, and also it's only going to get colder and it'll be even harder to sell if it's not running by the time you do want to sell because it was too cold to continue the work.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Guildford
    Posts
    109
    Thanks Wh1teLeopard,

    Yeah, i was thinking that it wasnt the greatest timing - but did also wonder (because of the two factors you mention) if hard-core bargain-hunters might be out on the prowl

    While i'm thinking about it, can anyone recommend a good place to fit Beepy a nice new roof (if i did go down that route)? It doesnt have to be in the Surrey area, tho it would help...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Derbyshire, Uk.
    Posts
    1,462
    I got mine from oxted trimming and can recommend them, here's a related thread about it:

    http://u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread....highlight=roof

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Guildford
    Posts
    109
    Ideal, cheers! I will get a quote from them and see if this helps me along with the decision any.. any more thoughts welcome...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    52
    Hey

    please keep us updated with regards to the roof issue. As I'll be getting my Beat soon (Nov.10 fingers crossed) and might be looking to replace the roof after christmas time.

    If I were you Tamsin, I would get the Beat fixed.

    As mentioned before, if you decide to sell it now, you'll be losing quite a bit of money! And may not get the right interest it deserves!

    Get the work done on the Beat, and before you know it, it will be spring/summer!

    you may even decide to keep the beat!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Rochester, Kent
    Posts
    586
    Quote Originally Posted by Tamsin Nunley View Post
    Ideal, cheers! I will get a quote from them

    £500 ish easily

    <<<<<<<VERSION Z>>>>>>
    >>>gone, but not forgotten<<<

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Guildford
    Posts
    109
    Hey aj17ay!

    As Mylee predicted, they quoted me:

    Honda Beat Vinyl - £155.00
    Honda Beat Mohair -£295.00
    Fitting £240.00appx
    + VAT
    + Carriage

    I read that some folk fix their roofs on themselves tho, which could save some pennies (not for me mind, i'll be taking the lazy option )

    Someone suggested that hiring a steam cleaner for the interior might sort out the damp smell - does anyone have any experience of this?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Derbyshire, Uk.
    Posts
    1,462
    They are nice roofs though, I love mine

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    365
    A tough decision to make. Defo the wrong time of year to fix up and sell. To be honest you may be hacked off if you fix it up and try to sell it in the spring. Spring of this year there were quite a few Beats for sale on both Ebay and the Autotrader which meant low prices. They haven't really recovered this year I'm afraid. Selling just the parts will be a long slow process. I would suggest selling it as a fixer upper, either way you will have to take a hit I'm afraid.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    corby
    Posts
    105
    I've just got my Beat back after 9 months without it. I bought it jointly with my sister with some inheritance money and when i moved in with my girlfriend i couldn't afford to run two cars on my own. Because my move was planned ages in advance, i put the Beat up for sale on these very pages in August 2007. I've never updated that post, and even now i've never had a reply to it. Throughout this year i watched a few Beats sell on ebay for about a grand or so and made the decision to get enough cash together to be able to run 2 cars. I reasoned i'd rather spend a small amount money using the Beat than lose a couple of grand selling it. Now it's in the drive parked next to my trusty breadvan Civic, and i couldn't be happier. It's such a brilliant car, (and also the perfect second car) i may never sell it. I realise your situation is different to mine, but i just wanted to give my opinion.

    Marge
    "Three is not the correct number of wheels for a powered vehicle"

    2001 1.4 Civic 5door.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Rochester, Kent
    Posts
    586
    Quote Originally Posted by Wh1teLeopard View Post
    They are nice roofs though, I love mine

    I love mine to. 100% improvement in both looks and leakage control!
    I'd recommend the cloth roof over the vinyl

    <<<<<<<VERSION Z>>>>>>
    >>>gone, but not forgotten<<<

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    corby
    Posts
    105
    Going back to the Oxted roof prices, can anyone tell me if they include the folding framework, seals and back window? I guess my frame is ok, but the rest of it could do with replacing. The seal above the drivers side window leaks like a sieve!

    Marge
    "Three is not the correct number of wheels for a powered vehicle"

    2001 1.4 Civic 5door.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Rochester, Kent
    Posts
    586
    Doesn't include the frame or rubber seals, just the roof and a zip in/out back window.

    <<<<<<<VERSION Z>>>>>>
    >>>gone, but not forgotten<<<

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    SoYo
    Posts
    760
    i seem to remember a set of seals is horribly expensive? it was one of the reasons i switched to a hardtop!

    ps - mylee, if you want a picture in your sig. just use a hosted image with IMG thingys - like this:

    [IMG](take out this bit)http://www.tado.co.uk/oddsnsods/panda-av.gif[/IMG]

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Guildford
    Posts
    109
    I'm with Marge in that i *definitely* need new seals!! - hence the damp problem. They/the frame have to be ordered separately from the roof, then?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    1,500
    Quote Originally Posted by TADO View Post
    i seem to remember a set of seals is horribly expensive?
    About £300 for all of the seals (3 each side)

    I found filling the void thats through the middle of the seals with insulation foam strips helps. All soa good treatment on the roof material so the water runs off quickly also stops a lot of the soak through
    Steve M
    __________________

    Its all gone Norfolk!!!
    Now in the Lotus position.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Rochester, Kent
    Posts
    586
    Quote Originally Posted by TADO View Post
    ps - mylee, if you want a picture in your sig. just use a hosted image with IMG thingys - like this:

    [IMG](take out this bit)http://www.tado.co.uk/oddsnsods/panda-av.gif[/IMG]
    LOL Cheers Mike, I wondered if anyone would notice!

    <<<<<<<VERSION Z>>>>>>
    >>>gone, but not forgotten<<<

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    SoYo
    Posts
    760
    GahAHa! my eyes!! too many malevolent looking pandas in one thread!
    (to change the image just swap the url round innit!)

  20. #20
    barney Guest

    Talking

    Photobucket is a good, free picture host, or imageshack!
    Barney
    Last edited by barney; 02-11-2008 at 08:46 PM.

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