Reliant Scimitar SE5 3.0 GTE V6 Reviews

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Good Points: Cheap to buy and Run
Reliable and easy to repair
fun to drive and live with being very practical but still looks like a beast and turns heads without trying
There are more of these about than most large scale production cars of the era yet there were only a handfull made in comparison (like under a 1000 in the case of the SE5)

Bad Points: A good Paint job can be expensive as the GRP body ideally requires 2 pack paint and an awful lot of hand rubbing down, the body being GRP can flex and cause very light stress cracks in the paint, but as the paint is purely decorative this isnt too much of a downer. Cooling system needs to be updated but most have had this done already as with the electrics (no relays were fitted originally) the sealed beam headlights also need to be updated but alternative Halogen head lights are readily available.

Seats are really not great, especially the fronts but this isnt something that cant be replaced with alternatives such as porsche 928, 944, 924 or the early jag XJS seats.

Needs Power Steering ideally when carrying out manoevres but otherwise very responsive and direct.

General comments: Reliant Scimitar SE5 3 litre V6 GTE:
Chassis is Rock solid 2 RSJ style beams straight down the middle with out riggers bolted on either side and at the front all parts still available, the chassis was designed to compensate for GRP body which not only doesnt rust, but is lighter than metal and NO TIN WORM, can be easily repaired when bumped using cheap GRP cloth and filler. The cars were hand made so easy to unbolt even major bits of chassis and being a small manufacturer Reliant raided the parts bins of large manufacturers so the parts are cheap and easy to find, also there are books of alternative parts floating around.

Being a Grand Touring estate its very practical having folding rear seats and a boot space big enough for the lady in your life to get all her luggage in for that weekend away. Always mentioned but much over played is the Royal connection, owned and loved by Princess Anne for much of the 70's.

The centre of gravity of the car is very low having all the weight in the chassis so cornering especially with new Spax suspension is unbelievable, the Ford Essex 3.0l V6 gives good performance and is relaible and lively if not a beast at 138Bhp. Many have been successfully converted to run with unleaded petrol.