Buying my first seven

[Colin Greenough]

Good afternoon all, 

I am looking to buy my first 7 and would appreciate any (constructive) advice. There appears to be a few around for sale but not particularly close to me in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. A company in Lymington on the south coast (MandMAutomotive) has a 1933 Austin 7 (AME805) for sale for £7950. Would anybody have any knowledge of this company or vehicle, would this seem a reasonable price and would the brass headlights and radiator surrounding be correct? 
I am fairly mechanical but not the bearded wonder of all things automotive, so if I do go and look what should I be looking at especially. 

Thanks in advance for any pointers, 

Colin.... 

[Reckless Rat]

Take someone with you that knows Austin Sevens. A 33 car should have chrome radiator and headlights (over brass). According to the Clubs Register AME 805 should be a 1933 RP Saloon in Dove Grey. It would have to be in pretty good nick to fetch £8K and if the rad & shells are brass then it's not, the chrome has been stripped off.

[Colin Greenough]

Hi, 

Thanks for your prompt response. You have confirmed my guess that the brass wasn’t correct. 
The prices do seem all over the place but I guess the dealer will be worst. 
Probably best I keep searching then! 

Colin

[Colin Wilks]

Unless the red mist has come down and you feel you really have to buy one right now I would join your local PWA7 Club and get to know a few people, who will most likely have decades of experience between them. I have little doubt that somebody will take you under their wing and be prepared to view potential purchases with you. £7,950 for a nice RP from a dealer doesn't sound out of the way, but bear in mind that originality is much more important than whether everything works exactly as it should (which it probably won't!). In my mind you're not getting much from a dealer besides a slightly inflated price. I wouldn't be scared to buy privately with the right advice on hand.
I just bought my second Seven a few weeks ago. It's a 1932 RP, so if you want to discuss things pm me.
Good luck.

[Rick F]

Definitely join a local club. I think your nearest would be the Thame Valley group of the Austin Seven Owners Club (London). They meet at Huntswood Golf Club, Taplow Common Road, Burnham, SL1 8LS – 1st Tuesday of each month. This is their Web site

[Colin Greenough]

Thanks for all the input guys. Advise taken, I'll join the local club then!

Colin..... ?

[Martin Prior]

As Colin says, join an A7 Club - there's a list at a7ca.org.

Dealers will, of course, be adding their mark-up, so prices will be higher than a private sale.

If you're buying your first Seven, don't go it alone. Many club members have a vast amount of knowledge and would be happy to help you find a good car at a realistic price. They will also have a fair idea of who and what to avoid (I'm not referring to the dealer that you mentioned).

Re-chroming the lamps and radiator will cost £500 or £600, so something not to be ignored! An original registration is good; it always astonishes me that people think that flogging the number for a couple of thousand doesn't devalue the car by a similar amount, or more.

Good luck with the search!

[Nick Salmon]

My advice - on top of all the good advice already given above (especially about joining a club and finding someone to help you choose a car) is this:  Don't buy the first one you see. Go to some auctions; have a look at what is on Ebay; visit some dealers. Crawl in, under and over, as many A7s as you can. Drive some if you can - the various models have varying characteristics. Then whittle down the desired options and begin seriously looking at the model/s you have plumped for. You'll be glad you did your homework...

[Robert Leigh]

Certainly get advice from someone in the know preferably with experience particularly of the model you may be interested in. I would recommend getting the most original car you can afford. There are lots of cars out there which may look attractive, but have been modified in too many ways to be worth what may be asked for them. An experienced advisor can help you avoid an expensive mistake.
Robert Leigh

[Douglas Alderson]

The A7 in Lymington sold in March 2019 for £6,710, link below to the sale, the description may give a view of its condition.  At this auction there were a number of A7 for sale so may give a view on auction prices.  Would agree with everyone who said join a club first, they should be able to give you some pointers on a good car.  It is a good idea to decide if you want a car which is correct e.g. chrome rad etc or just an A7, as long as you know what you want and what you are buying you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.dvca.co.uk/sale-results-view....Saloon1911