R400 versus CSR 260

R400 versus CSR 260

Author
Discussion

Brett Nield

Original Poster:

79 posts

127 months

Sunday 3rd May 2015
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Anyone got any opinions on the CSR 260 road car. Toying with the idea of swapping from my R400K. Don't use it on the road but ii might if I did change. I drove 260 race car shortly after they came out and was impressed with power and the brakes but didn't feel it was as exiting as the 500k I had at the time. Ideally the R400 D would be my first choice but they are still strong money.
Anybody out there made this choice and regretted it?

JeffC

1,688 posts

212 months

Monday 4th May 2015
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I have previously owned a Csr 260, the Csr is a very good car, they are quite a lot bigger which is handy if you struggling with S3 proportions, the engine and low final drive gearing makes the car very easy to make progress without trying and a great cruiser to do distance in, the 2.3 is like a big diesel with low down grunt however my issue with the Csr is I never gelled with the looks of it , from certain angles looking back at the wide tub it reminded me of a Robin Hood that I once owned , I sold mine after about a year and replaced it with an R400d and was much happier .

Value wise you should be able to get an R400d for similar money to a good Csr

James.S

585 posts

212 months

Monday 4th May 2015
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CSR runs rings around the S3 on a track.

sjmmarsh

551 posts

220 months

Monday 4th May 2015
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I have a 260 - it depends on what you want from the car. The CSR is a much calmer beast than the S3!R400 - you can cruise around in top if you are touring or turn the revs up if you want ta sporty blat - it isn't like the R400 that almost eggs you on to go faster. Both are great cars.

Steve

JeffC

1,688 posts

212 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
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James.S said:
CSR runs rings around the S3 on a track.
I personally preferred the S3 on track, has a looser feel, the Csr certainly seems to have more grip though, I blew my diff out of mounts first time at Oulton park in my Csr redface

Brett Nield

Original Poster:

79 posts

127 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
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Well interesting opinions! My thinking now is that as I live only 2 miles from Anglesey circuit and close to some of the best driving roads in the UK the CSR looks attractive as a dual purpose tool . At the mo I don't use the R400 K on the road as it's set up for the track and just too darty and fizzy for the A And B roads.
There is a CSR at Millwood that looks interesting at 25 K
Thanks for the input folks

Brett Nield

Original Poster:

79 posts

127 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
Well interesting opinions! My thinking now is that as I live only 2 miles from Anglesey circuit and close to some of the best driving roads in the UK the CSR looks attractive as a dual purpose tool . At the mo I don't use the R400 K on the road as it's set up for the track and just too darty and fizzy for the A And B roads.
There is a CSR at Millwood that looks interesting at 25 K
Thanks for the input folks

James.S

585 posts

212 months

Thursday 7th May 2015
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Yeah, never understood the loose S3 comments, that is a poor setup.,The CC Race 300's are a delight. Properly bolted down round a circuit.......just what you want.

A sorted tS3 is sublime around 200 hp mark, the R300 is my personal favourite Caterham but after that power a CSR all the way

JeffC

1,688 posts

212 months

Friday 8th May 2015
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James.S said:
Yeah, never understood the loose S3 comments, that is a poor setup
Having owned and driven both regular on track I would disagree James, all my cars have been corner weighted and set up for me and they do feel very different , the CSR is physically wider and has a longer wheel base hence it feels more stable , on the limit I found my S3 moved around more on the rear and felt a little easier to control compared to the Csr when pushing hard on track.

James.S

585 posts

212 months

Friday 8th May 2015
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Sorry Jeff, i have misunderstood your 1st post. When you said your S3 felt looser on circuit i took that to mean all the time.

The S3 limitations are easier to expose on circuit than those of the CSR especially with big power - i assume this is what you are referring to by loose. The biggest difference i find, is how much bigger the car feels, doesn't take long to get used to but it is striking. Not bagging off either car, i love both.

Big power CSR race car, dry day and the Ring is about as good as it can get for me, only beaten by an R300 race car, wet day and Spa........the ultimate pleasure.


JeffC

1,688 posts

212 months

Friday 8th May 2015
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James.S said:
Sorry Jeff, i have misunderstood your 1st post. When you said your S3 felt looser on circuit i took that to mean all the time.

The S3 limitations are easier to expose on circuit than those of the CSR especially with big power - i assume this is what you are referring to by loose. The biggest difference i find, is how much bigger the car feels, doesn't take long to get used to but it is striking. Not bagging off either car, i love both.

Big power CSR race car, dry day and the Ring is about as good as it can get for me, only beaten by an R300 race car, wet day and Spa........the ultimate pleasure.
yep agree with above but for me having had duratecs of 175/215/260/280 and 300 bhp the 215bhp in the R400D is the best one Ive owned just enough power not to spoil the experience.

James.S

585 posts

212 months

Friday 8th May 2015
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JeffC said:
yep agree with above but for me having had duratecs of 175/215/260/280 and 300 bhp the 215bhp in the R400D is the best one Ive owned just enough power not to spoil the experience.
Would agree with that.