Sadly any car is only as reliable as its maintenance. If you buy a cheap shed of a car, its going to be nothing but trouble. However if I was to build another one, I'd be tempted to go down the MX5 donor route as its just a better donor car. The engine is straight forward to fit and produces plenty of power for its size. You can still get loads of spares for the Sierra donor, but little bits and pieces are getting tricky to find (dust caps for front uprights anyone!)
People use the Sierra for the IVA because using all the parts its easy to pass the IVA, get catalyst exempt emissions test and get an age related plate. Buying a flat pack is more expensive than buying your own steel, but saves you A LOT of time and hassle.
If I was to do it all again, I'd buy a welded chassis and wishbones. I saved a lot of money doing it all myself, but it added months to my build time.
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