Still searching.

Hi Guys,
I'm still searching for a near perfect VS.
After seeing a couple that sold at Auction over the years, sellers are simply asking too much money and a lot just sit unsold for months (see Car and Classic website).
This would be my 4th X1/9 but I'm not prepared to pay the silly asking prices.
I agreed to buy one that is for sale in France but now the seller is unwilling to bring it to the UK.
So the search continues.

Have you seen this one?

www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/detail/moto...cars/fiat/x19/156999

Hi Keith,
Yes, I've seen them all believe it or not.
A mate of mine went to look at this one for me and he wasn't sure where the price came from.
As I said, just because a couple sold for decent money, it doesn't mean they are all worth that price.
And I'm really after a red over grey VS or mica blue GF.
Thanks though.

The best low mileage cars will fetch good money when the right person comes along.

The best cars are now well into 5 figures if they are markerted correctly.

There was a bargain (on the face of it) 1500 in red recently on ebay that did about 8K

How much are you hoping to spend?

Hi Matt,
I've had X1/9s since I was 20, I'm now 50, I've followed the prices for years, two have sold for 5 figures, both at Silvestone Auctions, they were excellent examples but now everyone thinks there's are worth that much and the quite simply are not.
If you wade through the current 'for sale' examples the prices they are asking are ridiculous hence that's why they haven't sold.
I am not prepared to be fleeced by a seller who is just trying it on.
A very good VS has just sold on EBay for a tad over £4000, I missed out on it due to work commitments.
The French X1/9 was a one owner, 40,000 mile pristine example, we agreed £5000 but they decided they wouldn't deliver it to a UK port for me so I let it pass.
I regretfully sold my concours GF for £3495 a few years ago, I've even tried to buy it back but can't seem to contact the owner.
One WILL turn up at a sensible price, I'll just have to bide my time, I'm in no hurry.

I wish you luck in your search, I recently sold a very low mielage 1300 for well into 5 figures, the best cars are on the rise.

1300s certainly seem to be more sought after, but as the VS was my first ever X1/9 I'd quite like another one.

I think if it was me, I would have jumped on a train / plane to France and driven the car back home. That wouldn't have cost more than a couple of hundred pounds surely?
Seems a shame to miss it because they wouldn't bring it to meet you.

Hi Mike,
Agreed but it was in a quite inaccessible part of France and I'm way up in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Also it had no tax or MOT so that would probably mean it would have to be trailered back, too much hassle for me I'm afraid.

I'd see that as an epic road trip adventure

I don't know what the law is in France but you don't need tax or mot to drive it legally in the UK. If the car is as good as you think I wouldn't let it go... there's not many good ones left now.

Well having recently been stopped on the M1 for having an MOT that was 40 minutes out of date, yes it was 00.40 in the morning I'm not sure you are correct?
And surely you need tax as well?

If you are driving to a prebooked mot test all you need for the car is insurance. The test can be anywhere in the UK. If you live in Aberdeen, you can book a test in London and away you go.

I'm still not sure, that didn't wash with the traffic cops that stopped me.
I was just outside London, told them I was driving to a pre booked test station in Newcastle but they still did me saying I was taking the pee and it should have been done at my point of departure, in the X1/9s case that would be Dover and then what happens if it fails the MOT?

By 'point of departure' I assume they meant you should have had the test done locally. This is incorrect and if you've been fined I wouldn't pay it. Most Police don't know the law regarding what I've said. In fact hardly anyone knows it...
If you are travelling to a pre-arranged mot appointment at an mot station the journey length is immaterial. Yes, of course, it is intended for you to take it to the nearest one but the law doesn't state that! There is no mention of any distance limitations. I have bought many cars with no mot and driven them home, often many hundreds of miles. I was told by a Police Traffic Officer that I was 'taking the piss' but he admitted there was nothing he could do. Obviously, if the car is plainly not roadworthy (i.e. bald tyres, no headlamps etc) then you'd be prosecuted for driving an unroadworthy vehicle on a public road but that can happen even if you have an mot; it's nothing to do with it. But as long as you check all the basics and the car is safe to drive there is nothing they can do.
If it fails, well, you get it fixed, same as ever. Whether it passes or not has no bearing on the legality of you driving it to the test, or back home afterwards.

Ah understood. Still wish you good luck in your search.