The Crittenden Automotive Library

How not to advertise a Westfield Seven

Topics: Westfield Seven

How not to advertise a Westfield Seven

Matt Hubbard
Speedmonkey
February 11, 2013

Matt Hubbard spots a Westfield for sale on eBay and wonders if the owner actually wants to sell it

The Westfield 7 was an almost exact copy of the Lotus 7, and is a seriously desirable car. In the 1980s Westfield had to alter the design of the 7 due to threat of litigation from Lotus, which makes those early Westfield 7s all the more attractive, and expensive.

Flicking through eBay the other night I came across this 7, or at least I think it's a 7. The photos are some of the worst I've ever seen and the description minimal to say the least. The price is £3,250 and he's had 10 offers at the time of writing, although we don't know how much those offers are for. Here's the best photo from the ad.

Here's what the owner has to say about it:

"For restoration good winter project last MOT ran out 25th March 1993 stored in the garage gathering dust UNUSED SINCE 1993 WSE 416 with constuction manual car has weather equipment (hood and side screens) adjustable seats and carpets colour red THE ABOVE VEHICLE IS TO BE SOLD AS SEEN NO WARRANTIES IMPLIED OR GIVEN DUE TO IT HAVING BEEN IN STORAGE SINCE 1993 AND NOT USED"

He then went on to say:

"YOU WOULD NEED TO VIEW THE VEHICLE BEFORE PURCHASE IT HAS BEEN IN AN ATTACHED GARAGE WITH THE CENTRAL HEATING BOILER SINCE 1993

PLEASE RING 07799973388 TO ARRANGE A VIEWING/INSPECTION

I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM SALE PRIOR TO THE END OF LISTING"

And then:

"Sorry I have given the wrong phone number the correct one is 07733973388"

And finally, as an afterthought:

"I Have removed a lot of the stuff of the car and uplifted more pictures this afternoon I also removed the spark plugs this afternoon and squirted oil through the plug holes and the engine spin's over fine.

I trust if the carbs were cleaned and new fuel the engine would start and run Ok"

If you and I were to advertise a car the least we would do is remove all the crap that's been stored on top of it (although doing that in the first place must be treason), give it a clean and then write a half decent description.

All we know is that the owner has taken zero care of his Westfield, the engine sort of turns over, it's got a red steering wheel and seats, the switches are falling out of the dashboard, anything that can can rust has gone rusty (it's got a glass fibre body), the battery probably needs replacing and it's got a hood.

I asked Caterham owner Alex Birtwistle what he could ascertain about the car. Alex reckons it's a late 80s/early 90s Westfield with a Ford cross flow engine, and that the seller will be lucky to get £3,000 for it.

If the seller bothered to put at least some effort into selling his car he might get close to the asking price.