First test help
Discussion
Well, first impressions.
We got there at 10am, not so sunny finally. Car was a S3 with the Sigma 125 hp engine and no lowered floor.
So it is a brand new car that just arrived recently. You can see plastic protection on the seats and the stickers still on the tyres, hehe. It had around 35 kilometers in the counter, which I assume were due to the testing from the manufacturer guys. Passenger harness looked as it has not been used before, everything set to the minimum!
First things I can notice: Wow, it is low, and it is tight! Rear exhaust silencer as expected (not very noisy at the end), boot is not so small as I thought, the steering wheel is small (how I like it). It is beautiful! There is an SV near, not that I like it now that I can see one face to face, it looks... I don't know, BIG! Hey, where is the windscreen???
It seems that in France you cannot buy the car with a windscreen because it is too small to certify it, so you have to use the car with aeroscreens
Anyway, they can be mounted at the moment of delivery to the customer. And I hope they change those rear view mirrors, not sure I like them.
Well, let's go! First impressions are great. For the first 500m I am like a wooden stick, trying to brake with my feet. No way, I am in the passenger position! We stop by a near petrol station to refuel. Here you can see the stickers on the tyres and my driver: Bernard, very nice guy from the dealer and owner of a R300.
While refueling a nice guy comes by "Is it new or a classic?". With a Caterham you do a lot of friends, Bernard says...
The roads we took reminded me a lot of the "B roads" in UK, a lot of green surrounding us and little traffic (at least to be France on a sunny-to-be Saturday morning). The car is unbelievable, speeding to 120 in very short time, braking long after seeing the "Stop in 150m" sign and cornering like a do with my Xbox
While I am trying to get familiar with the external dimensions of the car (my turn will be next), Bernard says it is a pity that the car is new, we cannot go over 3.000 revs... well, he was going up to 4.000 some times. The air in the face only makes me smile.
My turn
Legs are a little trembling even. I get in the car and start to accelerate, clutch is quite soft (at least compared to what I expected and to the one I tried in an old R300 they have there), gearing is so easy and confortable, everything is at hand (indicators for example), the car suits me like a glove. Steering is not servoed, so cool, like a kart 
this is what I am really looking for. No assist on the wheel? What did somebody tell me in the forum about the servos...? Oh, a roundabout, I have to brake... Brake!!! Brake pedal is veeeery hard, even if the car is equipped with the 2-piston big disks brakes at the front, and, what is that noise? Ups, even if I took some narrow shoes I am braking and accelerating at the same time, lucky us my other foot is on the clutch 
Good sensations, cornering, accelerating from low revs, braking when I learn how to do it, perhaps a little more hard than I expected; a matter of practising, I guess. We take into a motorway to check "comfort" as I am really wishing my girl to feel great in the car. Only surprises are: how fast I am overspeeding
and how sensible is the steering, I turned my head to say something to Bernard and I was unwillingly invading the side lane, ups. In Bernard words: "This is a car, you came in a train". I would rather say "a tank".
When we are arriving to the dealer I try to pass a "slow" car (now I am really comfortable with the car) and Bernard has to shout at me NO! as I was not going to be the first potential customer coming into a roundabout on the wrong side of the barrier separator
What was that? Half an hour, one hour? For me it was like 5 minutes of big joy...
Debriefing. We had a nice chat with Bernard, he explained to me all the options and so on. As prices are raising a little due to the pound exchange and I expect the opposite to happen in the 3-4 months to come, I want to wait a little. Nevertheless my girl has to try it (and approve it) and if I take the decision in December it will be delivered in March-April, just for springtime
Well, that's all folks! Thanks for all your valuable comments!
We got there at 10am, not so sunny finally. Car was a S3 with the Sigma 125 hp engine and no lowered floor.
So it is a brand new car that just arrived recently. You can see plastic protection on the seats and the stickers still on the tyres, hehe. It had around 35 kilometers in the counter, which I assume were due to the testing from the manufacturer guys. Passenger harness looked as it has not been used before, everything set to the minimum!
First things I can notice: Wow, it is low, and it is tight! Rear exhaust silencer as expected (not very noisy at the end), boot is not so small as I thought, the steering wheel is small (how I like it). It is beautiful! There is an SV near, not that I like it now that I can see one face to face, it looks... I don't know, BIG! Hey, where is the windscreen???
It seems that in France you cannot buy the car with a windscreen because it is too small to certify it, so you have to use the car with aeroscreens
Anyway, they can be mounted at the moment of delivery to the customer. And I hope they change those rear view mirrors, not sure I like them.Well, let's go! First impressions are great. For the first 500m I am like a wooden stick, trying to brake with my feet. No way, I am in the passenger position! We stop by a near petrol station to refuel. Here you can see the stickers on the tyres and my driver: Bernard, very nice guy from the dealer and owner of a R300.
While refueling a nice guy comes by "Is it new or a classic?". With a Caterham you do a lot of friends, Bernard says...
The roads we took reminded me a lot of the "B roads" in UK, a lot of green surrounding us and little traffic (at least to be France on a sunny-to-be Saturday morning). The car is unbelievable, speeding to 120 in very short time, braking long after seeing the "Stop in 150m" sign and cornering like a do with my Xbox
While I am trying to get familiar with the external dimensions of the car (my turn will be next), Bernard says it is a pity that the car is new, we cannot go over 3.000 revs... well, he was going up to 4.000 some times. The air in the face only makes me smile.My turn
Legs are a little trembling even. I get in the car and start to accelerate, clutch is quite soft (at least compared to what I expected and to the one I tried in an old R300 they have there), gearing is so easy and confortable, everything is at hand (indicators for example), the car suits me like a glove. Steering is not servoed, so cool, like a kart this is what I am really looking for. No assist on the wheel? What did somebody tell me in the forum about the servos...? Oh, a roundabout, I have to brake... Brake!!! Brake pedal is veeeery hard, even if the car is equipped with the 2-piston big disks brakes at the front, and, what is that noise? Ups, even if I took some narrow shoes I am braking and accelerating at the same time, lucky us my other foot is on the clutch Good sensations, cornering, accelerating from low revs, braking when I learn how to do it, perhaps a little more hard than I expected; a matter of practising, I guess. We take into a motorway to check "comfort" as I am really wishing my girl to feel great in the car. Only surprises are: how fast I am overspeeding
and how sensible is the steering, I turned my head to say something to Bernard and I was unwillingly invading the side lane, ups. In Bernard words: "This is a car, you came in a train". I would rather say "a tank".When we are arriving to the dealer I try to pass a "slow" car (now I am really comfortable with the car) and Bernard has to shout at me NO! as I was not going to be the first potential customer coming into a roundabout on the wrong side of the barrier separator
What was that? Half an hour, one hour? For me it was like 5 minutes of big joy...
Debriefing. We had a nice chat with Bernard, he explained to me all the options and so on. As prices are raising a little due to the pound exchange and I expect the opposite to happen in the 3-4 months to come, I want to wait a little. Nevertheless my girl has to try it (and approve it) and if I take the decision in December it will be delivered in March-April, just for springtime
Well, that's all folks! Thanks for all your valuable comments!
Edited by Benur on Monday 17th September 12:47
Thanks coppice, I really enjoyed it.
Point with lowered floors is that I was almost sure I wanted it with it, but I was not uncomfortable in this normal floor car at all. To test how it would be with a windshield I came in a R300 with it fitted and I was looking just through the middle of the windscreen. Being around 5 feet and 8 or 9 inches (little Spaniard
) now I think it won't be necessary. Anyway, on next visit I will ask for it, they may have a car with lowered floors around. Ah, the dealer also told me not to go for lowered floors, I cannot remember why now. Also, I am more interested in touring than in racing, so I think the position is not uncomfortable. Not sure if it would be also a problem with the speed bumpers, they are horrible here in France.
One question, does anybody know if after homologation/delivery I can take the exhaust silencer out and attach a little elbow so the exhaust looks and sounds more similar to the "British" ones? I mean, if that exhaust elbow exists and if it is easy to attach having in mind that when I have to go to the technical inspection again I will have to reattach everything... By the way, isn't bad for the rear tyre that the exhaust pipe is just blowing heat at it? Thanks!
Point with lowered floors is that I was almost sure I wanted it with it, but I was not uncomfortable in this normal floor car at all. To test how it would be with a windshield I came in a R300 with it fitted and I was looking just through the middle of the windscreen. Being around 5 feet and 8 or 9 inches (little Spaniard
) now I think it won't be necessary. Anyway, on next visit I will ask for it, they may have a car with lowered floors around. Ah, the dealer also told me not to go for lowered floors, I cannot remember why now. Also, I am more interested in touring than in racing, so I think the position is not uncomfortable. Not sure if it would be also a problem with the speed bumpers, they are horrible here in France.One question, does anybody know if after homologation/delivery I can take the exhaust silencer out and attach a little elbow so the exhaust looks and sounds more similar to the "British" ones? I mean, if that exhaust elbow exists and if it is easy to attach having in mind that when I have to go to the technical inspection again I will have to reattach everything... By the way, isn't bad for the rear tyre that the exhaust pipe is just blowing heat at it? Thanks!
coppice said:
Glad you enjoyed it; when you order I would very strongly recommend lowered floors.Try and sit in cars with and without them and you will see the difference. My car is 2007 and was nearly undriveable without lowering and I am not very tall- 5ft - 11 in
I agree 100%. The lowered floors makes a big difference -- not only if you are big like me, but also it makes it much easier to get in and out (more clearance under the steering wheel).Also, I did a quick calculation on car prices in Germany vs UK and the mark-up is not as big as it looks if you are outside the UK -- I expect Spain or France is similar. I thought there was a bigger difference, but I had been comparing the "headline" figure -- an unpainted basic car with nothing added -- against the car I specced (paint, SV, lowered floors, spare wheel, leather seats, etc). If you compare the same spec car in the UK and overseas, the difference is not so big.
And another recommendation... buy a book of "top motorbike routes". It will tell you where to go for the best country roads. My wife and I spent the weekend racking up around 750km (70% small roads, 30% motorway) and we had a blast. If a road is fun on a bike, it is fun in a Caterham.
Thanks pipnjones. Today's price in France to lower the floor is 405€, and yes, the point of getting in and out the car is to be considered... In the worst case I will put a little cushion under me, hehe... What is the price in UK? For the floor, not the cushion
And very good advice that one to get the book! As I am living near the Pyrenees I am sure there will be plenty of them!!!
And very good advice that one to get the book! As I am living near the Pyrenees I am sure there will be plenty of them!!!
Just my personal opinion, but I think lowered floors look ugly. You can see them from a side view of the car.
I'm 180cm and I didn't need them in my S3 chassis car, even with the hood up. I also had no problem sliding my legs under the steering wheel.
The removable steering wheel is another thing I haven't bothered with this time around.
I'm 180cm and I didn't need them in my S3 chassis car, even with the hood up. I also had no problem sliding my legs under the steering wheel.
The removable steering wheel is another thing I haven't bothered with this time around.
mickrick said:
Just my personal opinion, but I think lowered floors look ugly. You can see them from a side view of the car.
I'm 180cm and I didn't need them in my S3 chassis car, even with the hood up. I also had no problem sliding my legs under the steering wheel.
The removable steering wheel is another thing I haven't bothered with this time around.
There is an important point in the decision making process that I have posted on this forum previously. I am a bit of a porker (6'2" = 1.88m, 18 1/2 stone). Like an outhouse. The lowered floors may not look so pretty from a certain angle, but they work for me. I'm 180cm and I didn't need them in my S3 chassis car, even with the hood up. I also had no problem sliding my legs under the steering wheel.
The removable steering wheel is another thing I haven't bothered with this time around.
My attempt at a test drive involved sitting in a standard caterham classic with my feet behind the pedals thinking "this is going to make it difficult to accelerate. And to brake. And to change gear".
And when I'm in the car, I cannot look from the side....
I also avoided the removable steering wheel but because I don't like the idea of a car moving at 100 mph and then finding the steering wheel isn't attached (due to my own fidgeting/fiddling).
I would be happy to change to non-lowered floors if it involved someone buying my car for the build cost, and then me building a second car. The building bit was fun. And then I could change my mind, sell the car and build another one with the lowered floors again. Happy days.
I can apreciate if you're over 6ft you may need a lowered floor, but below that, I don't think you need it umless you have a very tall body, and legs like Gimley !
Tillets will lower your bum substantialy. I found them realy comfortable.
I drove the car from U.K. to Mallorca, no problem, and I wouldn't have anything else in a Seven.
But you realy need to try them, as some people can't get on with them.
I didn't like the removable wheel, because I didn't want to park the car and leave it on, in case someone realised it was removable and decided to nick it, and I felt like a bit of a cock walking around with it ! + I didn't need to take it off to get into the car. So pointless realy.
If your a 6 plus footer it realy makes sense to get a propper sized car and buy the SV
Even with me being 180 cm, after a year of ownership, I thought my S3 car too small. No shoulder room, especialy with two in the car.
Tillets will lower your bum substantialy. I found them realy comfortable.
I drove the car from U.K. to Mallorca, no problem, and I wouldn't have anything else in a Seven.
But you realy need to try them, as some people can't get on with them.
I didn't like the removable wheel, because I didn't want to park the car and leave it on, in case someone realised it was removable and decided to nick it, and I felt like a bit of a cock walking around with it ! + I didn't need to take it off to get into the car. So pointless realy.
If your a 6 plus footer it realy makes sense to get a propper sized car and buy the SV
Even with me being 180 cm, after a year of ownership, I thought my S3 car too small. No shoulder room, especialy with two in the car.
Edited by mickrick on Wednesday 19th September 22:03
Sorry for my late answer, and thanks for all yours!
Well, being 5 ft 9 inches and weighing around 12 stones (curious English measures :-)) I think I will go for the normal floors. As I said, I can see just through the center of the windscreen (in height), and no real problem getting in the car (well, a little bit only, next time I will bring a thick coat, just to check).
As for the wheel, I still don't know. I have read people lock it to the cage bars if they do not want to take it with them, or you can let it at the hotel or your house, for example, which is extra security. Anyway, the main advantage would be to get in/out of the car, maybe after a couple of tries it is not so difficult. So I still don't know.
And I repeat question (maybe I should open a new topic), does anybody know if after homologation/delivery I can take the exhaust silencer out and attach a little elbow so the exhaust looks and sounds more similar to the "British" ones? Would it be easy? I mean, if that exhaust elbow exists and if it is easy to attach having in mind that when I have to go to the technical inspection again I will have to reattach everything... By the way, isn't bad for the rear tyre that the exhaust pipe is just blowing heat at it? Thanks!
Well, being 5 ft 9 inches and weighing around 12 stones (curious English measures :-)) I think I will go for the normal floors. As I said, I can see just through the center of the windscreen (in height), and no real problem getting in the car (well, a little bit only, next time I will bring a thick coat, just to check).
As for the wheel, I still don't know. I have read people lock it to the cage bars if they do not want to take it with them, or you can let it at the hotel or your house, for example, which is extra security. Anyway, the main advantage would be to get in/out of the car, maybe after a couple of tries it is not so difficult. So I still don't know.
And I repeat question (maybe I should open a new topic), does anybody know if after homologation/delivery I can take the exhaust silencer out and attach a little elbow so the exhaust looks and sounds more similar to the "British" ones? Would it be easy? I mean, if that exhaust elbow exists and if it is easy to attach having in mind that when I have to go to the technical inspection again I will have to reattach everything... By the way, isn't bad for the rear tyre that the exhaust pipe is just blowing heat at it? Thanks!
At 5'9" you probably won't need lowered floors. I'm 5'8 with lowered floors and I wouldn't mind being a bit higher up. You'll also get the added bonus of not scraping your floors on high speed bumps (it's simply unavoidable on some).
In fact, I'm considering having the standard floors fitted at some point in the future.
In fact, I'm considering having the standard floors fitted at some point in the future.
, and as I said before they have very high speed bumps here in France, so it is a real concern (I think I'll have to sort out a route to get in/out of the city somehow).So, have you placed your order yet? We are all waiting to hear what you have chosen!
I had read back through the post and saw you had already listed your height, so the lowered floors won't be a high priority for you. And I know what you mean about the low floors. When I go over a tall speed bump without slowing down properly, I hear a scraping noise, I leave four little scratches and the bolt head holding down the seats get a teeny bit shorter. This winter in the off season, I think I will shorten the bolts a little.
I had read back through the post and saw you had already listed your height, so the lowered floors won't be a high priority for you. And I know what you mean about the low floors. When I go over a tall speed bump without slowing down properly, I hear a scraping noise, I leave four little scratches and the bolt head holding down the seats get a teeny bit shorter. This winter in the off season, I think I will shorten the bolts a little.
Hehe. Well pipnjones, no, I haven't placed my order yet. This is a step by step process and next one is that my girl tries the car so then I will have a GO/NO-GO... I consider that if I really want to enjoy the car, it has to be with her. For the moment she is very excited with the idea, which is very good. I hope test will be on 11 days
Then, as the car takes around 3/4 months to be manufactured, I am planning to place the order (if) in December so I can have the car by March-April and enjoy the springtime. So I will have time to find a proper "home" for the Caterham and the rest of needed preparations.
Another factor is the pound/euro rate, it has to be lower than it is right now; the dealer is charging me with an extra 1.000 euros for the current rate. If we can go under the 1.20 or near 1.15 euros per pound I think I could negotiate a more favorable price.
Don't worry, I'll let you know how things go!
Then, as the car takes around 3/4 months to be manufactured, I am planning to place the order (if) in December so I can have the car by March-April and enjoy the springtime. So I will have time to find a proper "home" for the Caterham and the rest of needed preparations.
Another factor is the pound/euro rate, it has to be lower than it is right now; the dealer is charging me with an extra 1.000 euros for the current rate. If we can go under the 1.20 or near 1.15 euros per pound I think I could negotiate a more favorable price.
Don't worry, I'll let you know how things go!
I have always had a removable steering wheel....OK you do look a bit of a **** wandering around with it...but I normally have a rucksack with me if I'm out for the day so just stick it in there. My little pixie karting boots make me look even more of a **** anyway, especially wearing shorts in the summer !
If you intend to use the car in the wet, removing the steering wheel helps to get in with the full hood when you are my size !
I'm 183cm, 90+ kgs, with tillets and lowered floor.
If you intend to use the car in the wet, removing the steering wheel helps to get in with the full hood when you are my size !
I'm 183cm, 90+ kgs, with tillets and lowered floor.
Well, you have already outperformed me on the test drive planning.
Visit 1: do I fit in the car? Answer: Yes.
Visit 2: test drive. Result: legs were too long and I couldn't operate the pedals in a standard car (but I think the previous owner was rather small and the pedals were adjusted forwards.) Test drive distance: 0 km. I didn't even bother to start the engine.
Follow-on result: I really wanted to build a Caterham, so I bought a kit anyway without a test drive. I justified this decision by saying if I didn't enjoy the driving,I could sell it and I wouldn't lose any money.
But your comment about arranging a test drive with your partner is very well planned. My wife finds the force for operating the pedals is very high. We will find a big car park for another test when we can, but she is really only a passenger at the moment.
Visit 1: do I fit in the car? Answer: Yes.
Visit 2: test drive. Result: legs were too long and I couldn't operate the pedals in a standard car (but I think the previous owner was rather small and the pedals were adjusted forwards.) Test drive distance: 0 km. I didn't even bother to start the engine.
Follow-on result: I really wanted to build a Caterham, so I bought a kit anyway without a test drive. I justified this decision by saying if I didn't enjoy the driving,I could sell it and I wouldn't lose any money.
But your comment about arranging a test drive with your partner is very well planned. My wife finds the force for operating the pedals is very high. We will find a big car park for another test when we can, but she is really only a passenger at the moment.
That's it! My plan was to take the wheel with me all the time, I am usually carrying a backpack. Or I can lock it to the roll cage. It will be some added security, I think. I am still awaiting for quotation, in order to see if it is worth the money or not.
And regarding the test drive for my partner... well, she does not have even a driving license, so it is planned as a "passenger test drive" My thought is that if she does not feel comfortable in it then we will not have the opportunity to enjoy the car together; and sincerely, I will not let her alone on weekends while I go alone in the car, it would kill all the joy and I would stop driving it after few months...
And regarding the test drive for my partner... well, she does not have even a driving license, so it is planned as a "passenger test drive"
My thought is that if she does not feel comfortable in it then we will not have the opportunity to enjoy the car together; and sincerely, I will not let her alone on weekends while I go alone in the car, it would kill all the joy and I would stop driving it after few months...
For your info, I am planning to make my order this week 
List of options will be something like:
1.6 Sigma 125
Titanium silver
Weather equipment
Spare wheel
12 volts
Harness 4 points
Leather seats
Black pack
4 pistons brakes
Black nose band
And I was complaining about the rear view mirrors and the dealer offered the F1 ones for free? Any issue with these?
Expected delivery, not later than April.
I want to say thank you to all who helped and read me in this forum!
List of options will be something like:
1.6 Sigma 125
Titanium silver
Weather equipment
Spare wheel
12 volts
Harness 4 points
Leather seats
Black pack
4 pistons brakes
Black nose band
And I was complaining about the rear view mirrors and the dealer offered the F1 ones for free? Any issue with these?
Expected delivery, not later than April.
I want to say thank you to all who helped and read me in this forum!
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