I went to look at it today.
Exterior:
The whole car has had a lick of paint.. However whoever did it saw the AMG colour coding as an excuse for not masking or removing anything.. so every single bit of trim is plastered in paint and there are various runs and blemishes... They didnt even remove the aerial and have painted over various seals, including sunroof!
Saying that the paint is very nice and deep... It looks very fresh from a distance of say 5m away!
Its a shame as in 6 months the joins will peel and crack where it hasnt been applied properly.
Wheels are peeling and need to be colour coded.. someone has refurbed them in the past and decided not to do it the same as Strattons.
The underside is covered in sealant. Apparently this was done when the car was resprayed recently. This is good as it would save me a job but at the same time it simply covers any potential issues.
The work carried out by Chas at SEC shop is perfect.. the boot is perfect in terms of structure and looks brand new.
He also replaced various seals as well as the rear screen complete.
Interior:
Took me back to about 5 years ago when I was looking for my first SEC... Usual cracked dash, usual warped wood trim, usual collapsed seat and generally a bit tired. If I was buying this car, it would go straight to have a retrim.
It is the original AMG interior though..
Boot carpet looks like its seen a few damp days, it would need to be renewed.
History:
None existent.
The only material things that say this car is a genuine Strattons Conversion is two stickers in the windscreen..
I do know the car was converted a long time ago as there are various articles that I have found from mid 90's that have tested this particular car.
It has AMG Bodykit, wheels, suspension, Steering Wheel & Knob, oh and the interior.
The Exhaust is not AMG, infact its a cheap pattern part.
There is no evidence that AMG have touched the engine. The seller stated he has taken off the rocker covers to find AMG cams but of course without getting my hands dirty, there is no way to verify.
So I thought the only way to get an idea if it really does have 272bhp is with a drive...
This was the best bit - I was refused... To say i was a little insulted is an understatement... The seller knows full well my day job and my experience with these cars.
He said he would take me out if I was serious, but only he would drive.
I can understand him being cautious and also not wanting to get the white paintwork dirty... but he has really put me off with his attitude.
I have driven far more powerful and precious cars and am fully insured...
I didnt make a big deal as my heart wasnt in it anyway.
Finally the price. He wants 7K... It would be fair if the interior were better, but with the various jobs that need doing, I would say 5K is a fair price.
I know he wont accept that so I wont be doing business in this instance.
For anyone else who may be interested, I would get it checked out on a ramp before buying.
Cheers
Jay
