FRP vs 'Normal' 1.7

Im so undecided on this.

If you could trade your normal 1.7 for a frp, or get £2000 to spend on your 1.7, what would you do? I personally would take the money, as for £2000 i could have myself a real knockout 1.7.

I am also undecided. I think I would weigh up the condition of FRP and then decide upon how long I was intent on keeping it.

Personally?

Wouldn't touch an FRP with a bargepole. I think there is too much pressure (self imposed mostly) on people to keep them looking good which can cost a fortune.

If you've money (which after talking to you, you don't have) then fine - they can be great to own. But why go to the expense of an FRP when a standard one does it so well?

My opinion to which I am entitled

No reason why you need to keep your hypothetical frp as a temple though. Theres pressue to keep it standard visiting places like here and the other one, but simply dont visit!

Well as there are so few of them left these days, you do have some responsibility to look after them. If your a petrolhead that is, and care about automotive history, which you might be buying one in the 1st place.

True enough, and i guess there isnt much you can do to it really. Always room for improvment though, espcially the audio stuff.

Dal said:

I think there is too much pressure (self imposed mostly) on people to keep them looking good which can cost a fortune.

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That confuses me. The FRP always looks good, why should it cost a fortune?

But, having said that, my conclusion is the same. Having owned both, the standard Puma is a much better all-rounder. So if you have just one car it must be the 1.7. If you can afford to run two and keep the FRP for fun outings, then that's the way to go.

I wouldn't spend the £2,000 on upgrading the Puma. I'd spend it on fuel, ferry and hotel bills going interesting places with a lovely person in the other seat.

I ment that the FRP owners I have known (present company excluded) have wanted to respray them - make them pristine. Well alot of them anyway.

But yes - spend the money on travelling - I would.

I like the wide arches on the frp,but im not over keen on the colour and the cost of frp spares.
Id rather have the £2k for a white respray,some 16" rims and maybe wider arches if it the money would stretch that far

If I had £2000 purely to go on my car... I'd sell mine, add that to the £2000 and get one with less rust. I wouldn't have an FRP. Mainly due to the generally higher maintenance costs. Bad enough if anything goes wrong on the one i've got!

The mods I was had planned for mine amounted to a staggering sum.

If I did have £2k spare to spend I would use it on my current one for sure. I would start by upgrading the exhaust / wheels and brakes and see where I was then possibly change the interior to some nice recaros from a milly.

Then i'd want a fully paint strip respray.. and away with the clouds I am again..

I have thought about it and know of some who have already but for me i cannot justify spending loads of money on it.

Essentials to start with and then who knows...

i would, and have spent the extra 2k and bought myself an frp. IMO they are not expensive to maintain (as ive said before) if the main things are kept in good order, exhaust, brakes, alcantara retrims.

I know in some areas of the country normal pumas are rare, however i see at least 2 on my way to work without fail and that is only a 6 mile trip. So personally i dont think 2k will give a standard puma the "WOW look at that car" that my standard frp does. IMO that extra 2k is worth that on its own

I see quite a few myself knocking about and i have only ever seen one FRP outside of meets so the rare factor and wow factor are indeed there with an FRP. Plus the buzz from driving it while sat in alcantara hearing the growl from the front and back, while being part of the wide track club - i feel justifies the extra price.

In terms of spending £2k on a standard 1.7...you could plump that into purely engine and maybe get close to 155bhp but still with 1.7 parts everywhere else and not much change in your pocket - minus the above points...

It also depends if your a "Look at me!" person, or not.

Dal said:

It also depends if your a "Look at me!" person, or not.

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Im not...

Breakdown of costs for my £2k:

280mm front brakes. Drilled discs and mintex pads. Talking £600 fitted at least from pumaspeed.

Rear disc conversion. £500 from either pumabuild or pumaspeed.

Lowered suspensions & bushes. £300 ish from either.

Spend the final £600 on exhuast/ 4-2-1/ ecu/inlet manifold, something like that, get a nice spoiler. Others might use this final money for other cosmetics like interior, or a spoiler, but im pretty happy with my leather interior. I do like the small curved spoiler though, i may get that. Oh, and the blade splitter for the front, i do like that. Another £100 there.

DradusContact said:

... a nice spoiler.

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Oxymoron alert!

:-D

Ok, i understand your position on mods. But a subtle spoiler i dont think is going to destroy the cars image. Plus everything else mentioned is all under the bonnet, the car will still retain its original looks.

Naw ignore me - it's just expected.

I get easily confused as to why anybody would want to add something to their car that (In my opinion) detracts from the looks AND indsiputably will slow down a car that is already not the fastest thing on four wheels. (And increase fuel consumption too)

But people do. I have learned to accept it. But the guys here would think I was losing it if I didn't point this out.

Cheers.