Thought I'd post this up as an example for anyone looking at a £2-3K well sorted coupe and thinking it's overpriced.
This is a list of what I've done to my cheap (£700) coupe since I got it:
- New Cam cover gasket fitted
- New Lambda sensor fitted
- New bonnet gas strut fitted
- Forge alloy dump valve fitted
- Tracker system causing major battery drain removed
- Major short in wiring @ driver's footwell fixed
- Split or missing engine bay electrical connecter boots repaired/replaced
- Various missing engine bay bolts/brackets fitted
- Nearside mirror (damaged) replaced
- Boot lid (dented) replaced
- Both front wings (dented) replaced
- New Handbrake cables fitted
- Steering rack gaitor (split) replaced
- Track rod end nut replaced
- Both door check straps (broken) replaced
- Rear wing internal Pininfarina badge mounts cleaned and sealed
- Nearside headlight pod (damaged) replaced + both headlights refurb'd
- New high intensity headlight bulbs fitted
- Both front foglights (badly chipped) replaced
- Induction kit replaced with new standard airbox + filter
- Idle control valve cleaned + gasket replaced
- Service including spark plugs, oil + filter, air filter, brake/clutch fluid, coolant
- Complete respray
- New number plates fitted
- Full wheel refurb + respray in black
- 2 new front tyres fitted
- New "fiat" wheel centre caps fitted
- New set 16 x wheel bolts fitted
- Fuel cap replaced + refurb'd
- Windscreen washer bottle (leaking) replaced
- Plastic cover at ECU diagnostic connector (broken) replaced
- Front grille (damaged) replaced with honeycomb "plus" grille
- Turbo oil return pipe replaced + leak on pipe fixed with threadlock
- Full silicon coolant hose set fitted + conversion to late style bleed pipe
- New Thermostat fitted
- All locks + engine/immobiliser ECU's replaced to give full key set
- Remote locking system fitted
- Driver's door card (damaged) replaced
- Loose rear view mirror fixed
- Illegal window tint removed from front windows
- Aircon condenser + drier replaced
- Aircon Re-gas
- Sparco strut brace fitted
- New engine undertray fitted
- Pace side mount intercooler fitted
- Intercooler duct (damaged) replaced
- New Bosch battery fitted
- Seats refurb'd with liquid leather kit
- Dash clock replaced with voltmeter
- New Blaupunkt headunit + Infiniti speakers fitted
- LE side skirts fitted
- New "coupe" mats fitted
- New gear knob fitted
- New Bosch front wipers fitted
- Rear wiper + motor removed
- New front + rear brake discs and pads fitted
It's taken 8 months to bring it upto a good standard, total cost is now over £3K and as you can see there was nothing even major mechanically wrong with it (and no advisories on last MOT). Even without the respray the total is up over £2K now.
Oh and thanks to Nigel, JBT and Paul for parts, advice and encouragement.