Used Caterham Acadamy
Discussion
Hi all,
I have been a member for a number of years, but have not posted up to this point (please be gentle).
At the weekend I attended my 2nd track day at Croft (the previous one was 3 years ago at Elvington). So far I have used my MR2 Roadster (feel free to throw a few hairdresser gags my way), which has a few modifications but standard power of around 140BHP. The MR2 has performed very well, even managing to get passed a few much faster cars. However it is massively short on power down the straights and doesn't have enough power to provoke any slides in the dry.
I feel I am now at a point where I would like to do a few more track days and need the next step up on the ladder. My question is would a used Caterham Acadamy be a good option? Or will it not be a big enough jump in power. If so what would be a good option? Roadsport, R300, Superlight R?
I would ideally want to use this on the road as well and would plan to keep it for a long time. Therefore it needs to either be something I can increase the performance of as I improve, or something with initially a little more BHP than ideal.
Cheers
-Chris
I have been a member for a number of years, but have not posted up to this point (please be gentle).
At the weekend I attended my 2nd track day at Croft (the previous one was 3 years ago at Elvington). So far I have used my MR2 Roadster (feel free to throw a few hairdresser gags my way), which has a few modifications but standard power of around 140BHP. The MR2 has performed very well, even managing to get passed a few much faster cars. However it is massively short on power down the straights and doesn't have enough power to provoke any slides in the dry.
I feel I am now at a point where I would like to do a few more track days and need the next step up on the ladder. My question is would a used Caterham Acadamy be a good option? Or will it not be a big enough jump in power. If so what would be a good option? Roadsport, R300, Superlight R?
I would ideally want to use this on the road as well and would plan to keep it for a long time. Therefore it needs to either be something I can increase the performance of as I improve, or something with initially a little more BHP than ideal.
Cheers
-Chris
The thing with a Caterham is that you are already buying a very well sorted track car - even the roadsports. Whatever spec you get it will be at the faster end on a track day (ignoring the radicals, single-seaters, and other race specific stuff).
Because a Caterham is already such a capable machine, driving one quickly becomes more about yourself and improving your skills rather than bolting on more mods whenever you reach the limit of the car (you wont).
To give you an example, I was at Castle Combe recently in my Superlight 150. The Academy cars (125bhp, no LSD, narrow van tyres) were out testing that day and they were making me look silly! My point here is that you dont need the higher spec'd cars and that an academy car will keep you entertained for a very long time.
If you're the type of person who likes to upgrade your car as a project then an academy car may be a good starting point. This is because there is plenty left to 'upgrade' and the ex racers are pretty good value. However, just remember that you'll likely just be fitting the parts that come standard on something like a R300. In the process you'll end up spending more long term than if you just bought an R300 from the beginning.
By the way, I think the difference between a 140bhp MR2 and an Academ car is a huge jump in power! We're talking at least double the power to weight!
Because a Caterham is already such a capable machine, driving one quickly becomes more about yourself and improving your skills rather than bolting on more mods whenever you reach the limit of the car (you wont).
To give you an example, I was at Castle Combe recently in my Superlight 150. The Academy cars (125bhp, no LSD, narrow van tyres) were out testing that day and they were making me look silly! My point here is that you dont need the higher spec'd cars and that an academy car will keep you entertained for a very long time.
If you're the type of person who likes to upgrade your car as a project then an academy car may be a good starting point. This is because there is plenty left to 'upgrade' and the ex racers are pretty good value. However, just remember that you'll likely just be fitting the parts that come standard on something like a R300. In the process you'll end up spending more long term than if you just bought an R300 from the beginning.
By the way, I think the difference between a 140bhp MR2 and an Academ car is a huge jump in power! We're talking at least double the power to weight!
Edited by mharris on Wednesday 26th August 10:33
Hi,
Thanks for the response.
The reason I asked if a 125bhp Caterham would be enough is at the track day at the weekend, I did hassle and eventually get let through by a Caterham.
I presume he was just a novice lacking in confidence, but it did make me worry that it would't be enough car after a couple of years, and as I said I want to keep this long term.
Cheers
Thanks for the response.
The reason I asked if a 125bhp Caterham would be enough is at the track day at the weekend, I did hassle and eventually get let through by a Caterham.
I presume he was just a novice lacking in confidence, but it did make me worry that it would't be enough car after a couple of years, and as I said I want to keep this long term.
Cheers
Yes, in terms of overall lap times a low-power Caterham will be a lot quicker than the vast majority of road cars. However on trackdays given that you can't pass on corners/under braking I found that in a lower-power Caterham (like the old 1.6k Supersport we had - c.135bhp) you would catch (some!) people under braking/cornering, and then had to rely them lifting off on the straights in order to get past. I found this applied to anything from modern hot-hatches upwards, and was due to a combination of not that much grunt and rubbish aerodynamics. We ended up getting a 185bhp 1.8K series (for the same money as the 1.6k Supersport) for use on road and track - it was a rougher car but had lots of upgrades - that extra 50bhp meant we were at least quick on the straights!
Notwithstanding the above, I'd be tempted to start with an Academy car and see if you like it, then (rather than spending a lot on upgrading the car you have) sell it and buy a faster one. Personally I think 160-190bhp is about the sweet spot for road and track use.
ETA - I wouldn't get too set on keeping the car long term - strong residuals and plenty of choice available mean you can chop and change for little extra cost.
Notwithstanding the above, I'd be tempted to start with an Academy car and see if you like it, then (rather than spending a lot on upgrading the car you have) sell it and buy a faster one. Personally I think 160-190bhp is about the sweet spot for road and track use.
ETA - I wouldn't get too set on keeping the car long term - strong residuals and plenty of choice available mean you can chop and change for little extra cost.
Edited by _Neal_ on Wednesday 26th August 15:59
I will probably be in the minority here but sweet spot for me on track is 140hp supersport spec.
I'm having much more fun in this than my previous Caterham which was a 200hp r400.
Much more enjoyable to work on driving technique and extract every bit of performance rather than relying on stacks of power and constantly getting held up in traffic. Overtaking after nailing corner exit is much more satisfying than blasting past someone because you have an extra 50hp!
My advice would be 125-140hp shod with Avon ZZR's + get some tuition. You will have a blast.
I'm having much more fun in this than my previous Caterham which was a 200hp r400.
Much more enjoyable to work on driving technique and extract every bit of performance rather than relying on stacks of power and constantly getting held up in traffic. Overtaking after nailing corner exit is much more satisfying than blasting past someone because you have an extra 50hp!
My advice would be 125-140hp shod with Avon ZZR's + get some tuition. You will have a blast.
XGT said:
Much more enjoyable to work on driving technique and extract every bit of performance rather than relying on stacks of power and constantly getting held up in traffic. Overtaking after nailing corner exit is much more satisfying than blasting past someone because you have an extra 50hp!
I completely agree that it's much more satisfying to nail a corner exit and overtake because you've carried so much more speed into and out of the corner, but I certainly found with more power it gives you options if someone's trackday etiquette isn't the best and they don't lift on the straight. And you'll still get stuck in traffic in a decently-driven Caterham, regardless of its power, because you'll be quicker on the lap as a whole. Additionally, I found that to overtake on corner exit in the lower-powered car, I had to be positioned very close to the rear of the car in front mid-corner - not something I was ever fully confident doing on a trackday, and it does feel quite aggressive to the car being overtaken.
To put it in context, I found that in a 185bhp Caterham it was about level, c.80-110mph, with an E46 M3, and then much slower-accelerating above that - i.e. not ballistically quick - so you still have to rely on corner speed and being able to be much later on the brakes compared with normal road cars. I like to think I didn't drive the more powerful Caterham in a "slow round the corners, fast on the straights" way either - although I could well be wrong there
I bought a 120bhp K series ex Academy last year (with proper 13" wheels and rubber) and have tracked it twice this year, once as I bought it and the second time after upgrading it to 140 Supersport spec by changing cams and ECU plus vernier pulleys while I was at it.
Even at 120hp I was flying past the majority of cars. You carry so much corner speed that power becomes less important and people end up letting you past. Once upgraded there was a noticeable gain at high revs - the stock engine ran out of puff by 6k whereas the supersport just keeps pulling.
Key thing with Caterhams is that they're like lego, or maybe meccano. Everything can be replaced, tweaked or upgraded and you'll never work on anything that's easier or quicker to maintain.
Even at 120hp I was flying past the majority of cars. You carry so much corner speed that power becomes less important and people end up letting you past. Once upgraded there was a noticeable gain at high revs - the stock engine ran out of puff by 6k whereas the supersport just keeps pulling.
Key thing with Caterhams is that they're like lego, or maybe meccano. Everything can be replaced, tweaked or upgraded and you'll never work on anything that's easier or quicker to maintain.
Edited by spanky3 on Thursday 27th August 22:02
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