BUYING WITH CONFIDENCE

CONCOURS £4500- 5000

1 CHOOSE CAREFULLY

Nut-and-bolt ‘period’ restorations aren’t commonplace, but a few are being done. Check within the club to find them.

2 LOOK FOR QUALITY

Condition is what governs prices, with year and spec being secondary. Nissan 1800Ti engines and 1.4-litre K-Series are particularly sought-after.

3 TWEAKS AREN’T BAD

Most enthusiasts are not purists, so discreet modifications that add real performance can enhance desirability. Get them checked if you’re not sure.

GOOD £2500- 4000

1 IS IT LOOKED AFTER?

DIY maintenance is common, making it extra important to check a given car’s quality. Many have suffered periods of inaction.

2 CHECK THE BODY

Any repairs will need to be spoton, otherwise haggle accordingly. Early SS1s have notoriously dodgy panel gaps, so be forgiving.

3 HAS IT BEEN ABUSED?

Track day modifications needn’t be a worry if the owner is a true enthusiast who knows how to care for the car. Interrogate them to be sure.

USABLE £1500- 2500

1 SEEK OUT THE BEST

Due to the closeness in price between shabby examples and good ones, only choose the former if you enjoy being hands-on.

2 LOOK UNDERNEATH

The panels may be GRP but chassis rust hidden beneath a smart body can be an issue, especially pregalvanising (1986).

3 HOW’S IT RUNNING?

These are well documented and mostly easy to sort, because the engines and transmissions were common in other vehicles.

PROJECT £500- 1500

1 IS IT WORTH IT?

You’re unlikely to recoup your investment (resale values are too low) but you’ll get enthusiastic appreciation from the busy Reliant scene.

2 CHECK OUT THE PARTS

They’re mechanically straightforward and, with the exception of some bits of trim, spares availability shouldn’t be a problem.

3 LOOK AT THE GRP

Small GRP repairs are DIY-able and rewarding. Large-scale fabrication is a specialist job, but there are suitable experts in the RSSOC.