Wee flight over to Caterham Cars

[mike150]

i decided to take a trip over to Caterham with an unhealthy idea of buying another one. Much nicer car to drive than an Atom imo.



Drove an R500d, fantastic, real attitude filled car with lots of noise, pops, bangs, flames and a fair bit of go.

This is the famous top gear R500d chassis 01

A fair few 620R's and s models

Finally test drove the 620s demo car, Omg! Second gear, mid revs, floor is and it just instantly lights the tyres and hits the limiter while wagging it's tail.......it holds traction in 3Rd, just! It's the grey one that all the press tested, it's for sale at £49995!

I'd love a 620 but it might just be too much, 310bhp, I think it's 1000 sports bike fast to 100mph. The last one I had was an R400 duratec with 210bhp and it was enough for road use.

Thinking................

 

[DriftnSlide]

Very nice. A mate had a Super 7 for a while, serious piece of kit.

 

[A-ron]

Merely from a safety perspective the picture showing the inside chassis of the car scares the life out of me, should you have a mishap

Unbelievable cars all the same, I would love to be in the position to have one as a 'toy'

 

[IL]

Merely from a safety perspective the picture showing the inside chassis of the car scares the life out of me, should you have a mishap

Unbelievable cars all the same, I would love to be in the position to have one as a 'toy'

It's about the closest thing to a bike with 4wheels but still a hell of a lot safer.

Nice trip, so did you come home empty handed?

 

[mike150]

It's about the closest thing to a bike with 4wheels but still a hell of a lot safer.

Nice trip, so did you come home empty handed?

For now, yes, 140bhp cars and SV (bigger chassis cars rather than S3) are easier bought but I'm looking for at least an S3 R400 and there are very few for sale in the UK.

If I do buy it will be getting shipped home as it a lot of mileage on boring roads in winter.

I have an offer on one.........

 

[IL]

Good man. Wouldn't have less than a csr260 or R400 myself..

 

[Neil_M]

I'd love to build one too .

Westfield always seem that bit better value though...

 

[mike150]

No doubt a Westfield is better value but it doesn't have the quality or the driving dynamics of the equivalent Caterham IMO. The smaller size of the S3 and the Di-Dion suspension just make a Caterham feel so alive to drive. A Caterham is normally about twice the price of the Westy.

My FW bodied Westfield with 180bhp Duratec and all the top notch extras like Nitron shocks, 4 pot brakes, Team Dynamics rims, Toyo 888's, Digi dash, carbon exhaust......................was not a very quick or fun car...................looked good though............

My 2007 Caterham R400, 210bhp Duratec, 6 speed, carbon wings and nose, 4 pot brakes, Avon CR500's (not a great tyre)........................great fun car and fairly fast............................D***HEAD for selling it!..................

 

[Neil_M]

Both lovely cars!

I've only been out in a few Westfields and driven neither.

But I did hear that the Caterham's do have the edge.

Definitely on my bucket list to build one.

 

[mike150]

I would like to build one too but the problem is that Caterham sell you a kit and then its your problem to get it home, much easier if it's on wheels as factory built when you live in NI.

I just need to find the 'right' car. I enquired about a new 420R today and have talked to sellers about a 620s and R500. There are just lots of variations of a Caterham and very few that fit my wish list.

There's a 10 month waiting list on a factory ordered one.

BTW when you do own a Caterham and people ask how much it is, when you tell them (if you choose too as it's emabarassing!) they normally pull this face -

 

[Neil_M]

It's mega money to get them to send it to you. I spoke to them at Goodwood a few times about it...

Ultimately you're best renting a van and doing it yourself IMO.

They certainly aren't cheap .

 

[Rob]

We took a long wheelbase transit to the Westfield factory, over and back same day, good craic!

I would love an r500, purely because it beat the Veyron on Top Gear!!

 

[EF Ian]

I still fancy one of these as my next fun car. Those R500's are really nice but I really want a 620R, they just look so mental to drivel it would suit me perfectly.

I would probably want to do something stupid and pointless though like trying to put an RB26 in one. Having said that, an 13B or 20B would be able to fit in one and would make for some drive.

 

[mike150]

After looking at a few more R500's that weren't in the condition I wanted one in and deciding I couldn't justify 50k on a 620s I took a big step and ordered a band new 420R.

13" wheels - for comfort, handling and looks
Leather seats
Full weather + aeroscreen
Black pack
Lowered floors
4 pot brakes
Heater
Quick release Momo

Hopefully have it in January waiting for nice weather................and waiting............ and waiting...........

 

[Lappintyre]

Jealous....!

 

[mike150]

Jealous....!

LOL.........

Skint!

 

[IL]

Very nice, Fairplay! Good choice.

 

[Boabybooster]

LOL.........

Skint!

Silly question but are you getting it in kit form? That's if it comes in kit form.

 

[mike150]

No, factory built, you can get it as a kit and I would love to build one but it's awkward when you have to get a load of boxes shipped to NI

 

[Boabybooster]

No, factory built, you can get it as a kit and I would love to build one but it's awkward when you have to get a load of boxes shipped to NI

What's the difference price wise for factory self build? Percentage saving, if you don't want to say.

 

[mike150]

What's the difference price wise for factory self build? Percentage saving, if you don't want to say.

£2500 for factory build

All the prices are on the Caterham website and Caterham don't do discount, what you see is what you pay otherwise, if you don't like that they aren't worried.

They have a 10 month wait on factory orders.

 

[pablo]

is it SVAed and all in that price? If so 2500 is a bargain to have it ready to drive.

 

[jimcupra]

I don't believe that for a second . Congrats Michael get your daughter out for a fee track days, start her young

LOL.........

Skint!

 

[mike150]

is it SVAed and all in that price? If so 2500 is a bargain to have it ready to drive.

Yes, they IVA it but there's not that much to building a Caterham, 100 hours or so does it, it's just an assembly job unlike most kits that involve drilling and cutting fiberglass.

 

[nobby]

very nice!!!