Guidance for my first Caterham please...

[nick_j007]

Hi all,

A quick rundown for you. I'm approaching 40 and life seems to be settling down and my income increasing now my business is going well. I have loved the look of the 7 since my early 20's, and I am looking forward to being in a position to get a used model in a couple of years. Talk about patience!

I'm uncertain, but I think I will be in the 12-13k region price wise. I love the green/yellow combo with plenty of stainless in there too. I have yet to drive a 7 (!) so my requirements and knowledge remain uncertain. A Roadsport SV may be for me? The Classic may also be right?

I am not looking for a track car, and would appreciate a heater and the wider body I expect as I'm nearly 16 stone...all muscle of course
Is there enough storage for a couples weekend bag? Any pictures of the storage area please?

I am hoping to get to the west midlands dealership in due course and have a poke and prod there to see what's what. Probably also hire one mid week for a couple of days too.

Your thoughts and advice would be much appreciated to get me going in the right direction and to keep my aspirations realistic!

Thank you all.

Nick

[Tango7]

Good idea to get along to Caterham Midlands to try out a few cars for size. An SV (wider body) might suit you whereas I prefer the snugness you get from the standard S3 chassis and I am a bit (actually quite a bit) heavier than you! No problem with getting a decent sized bag in the back for a weekend away. We have done the Le Mans trip several times and other touring trips and don't have any problems carrying the stuff.

Also go along to your local area meet and chat to the owners there. Most owners are so enthusiastic about the marque they love chatting to interested people.

Post on here if you want advice about any cars you are considering

HTH

T

[thinfourth2]

Lots of room in the boot for enough for a weekend away for a couple unless one of the couple has a severe shoe problem.

other tips

try for 13" wheels as they give you a wider and cheaper choice of rubber

The 6 speed box is ace the 5spd not so ace, ignore the lower gearing of the topgear in the 6spd as it isn't as much of an issue as folk make it out to be

leave a few hundred aside for a decent autocom system as it makes the car alot more enjoyable as a couple

Drive one asap that will help you decide

If you love it and want to have it as a polishy weekend use non track car think about building one from a kit

Spec a FIA rollbar as the standard one looks silly due to is thinness and you will want to try one trackday once and you might then want to start competeing

Avoid caterham south as a dealer as i found them uninterested and slightly arrogant about sales

[rubystone]

thinfourth2 said:

try for 13" wheels as they give you a wider and cheaper choice of rubber

The 6 speed box is ace the 5spd not so ace, ignore the lower gearing of the topgear in the 6spd as it isn't as much of an issue as folk make it out to be

If this chap wants the car purely to tour in, he probably doesn't need to spend extra on 13 inch wheels and appropriate wing stays, nor a 6 speed which is more frenetic than a 5 speed at touring speeds. He'll probably not need an FIA bar either - it's only the L7 Club that mandates these.

He's better off investing the money that these options would cost him on a newer car.

Just IMHO and of course if the car comes with these as standard then all the better.

I'd also add that I've never found any stainless steel on any Caterham I've owned...plenty of aluminium to polish in my first car though...never again!

[nick_j007]

Thanks guys

Perhaps I mean chrome then?

I love the look of one I saw with a fair bit of shiny metal on the hood towards the drivers end.

Roll bars. Are you talking about the overt cages overhead? Or something different...any pictures would be welcomed.

Intercom...Is that needed then? How do these work? Same as for bike use I suppose?

I see my use as mainly weekend blatting about around Worcestershire/Shropshire lanes and able to tour for longer weekends when I get the chance.

Thanks again,

Nick

[Tango7]

nick_j007 said:

Thanks guys

Perhaps I mean chrome then?

I love the look of one I saw with a fair bit of shiny metal on the hood towards the drivers end.

Roll bars. Are you talking about the overt cages overhead? Or something different...any pictures would be welcomed.

Intercom...Is that needed then? How do these work? Same as for bike use I suppose?

I see my use as mainly weekend blatting about around Worcestershire/Shropshire lanes and able to tour for longer weekends when I get the chance.

Thanks again,

Nick

Nick,

The roll bar is very different to the (full) cage option which encompasses the cockpit entirely but does mean you have the trouble of clambering in and out of the framework each time you use the car. The roll bar is the frame that sits over the boot area immediately behind the seats and will provide driver/passenger protection in the event of the car becoming inverted. The cage will offer more protection because it forms a better safety cell.

Intercoms are a useful addition for touring. They will allow easy conversation with your passenger, you can listen to an Ipod or MP3 player and also use your mobile phone as handsfree and with surprisingly good / clear results. Most popular ones are either from Autocom or Peltor. Expect to spend around £200-300 for a good quality set.

HTH

T

[nick_j007]

I got you thanks for clarifying!

So one could actively listen (both of you) to an MP3 player, and then talk over the same system? Also use it for phone calls? Do you wear bud type ear plugs?

OMG! This sounds like a fun option!

How many people here have a stereo set up in a 7?

By the way as a divergence, I was driving home today afer a job in Dudley West Mids area, and drove straight past Westfield base. I must live less than 10 miles away as it happens.


Annywaaay, I promptly pulled in and was given a quick tour and introduction there. I'm probably asking in the wrong place, but how do you feel the two stack up aganist each other? The immediate location of them is supremely convenient, but I suppose I could get one serviced at pretty much any dealer...I think they use a Ford engine?

I DO want a Caterham, but thought I would throw this in for interest.

Thank you again.

~~~

Nick

The roll bar is very different to the (full) cage option which encompasses the cockpit entirely but does mean you have the trouble of clambering in and out of the framework each time you use the car. The roll bar is the frame that sits over the boot area immediately behind the seats and will provide driver/passenger protection in the event of the car becoming inverted. The cage will offer more protection because it forms a better safety cell.

Intercoms are a useful addition for touring. They will allow easy conversation with your passenger, you can listen to an Ipod or MP3 player and also use your mobile phone as handsfree and with surprisingly good / clear results. Most popular ones are either from Autocom or Peltor. Expect to spend around £200-300 for a good quality set.

HTH

T
[/quote]

[trotsky]

You should have carried on driving when you saw the westfield place! no seriously I personally always wanted a caterham 7 but was also interested in the westfield as an option . Did loads of research and talked to owners of both types of car and concluded that No it was definitely to be a Caterham .like you I reached my 40's and had the means to realise my dream, more research and with great advice on things that cropped up in my search from the good guys on Pistonheads, I finally bought my car 3 weeks ago. Jaguar racing green with yellow stripe 2.0 HPC with 190 bhp.older style clamshell wings,1 owner(cheers Pete) it looks ace and goes like Hell, sounds absolutely mad! While out blatting the other day I happened across a westfield for sale at the local Suburu dealership nr Otley west Yorkshire, stopped to take a look, So glad i got the caterham, westy felt very kit car and smelled hideous all resin and fiberglass, mine smell sand feels like a sportsCar those who know the smell will know what i mean, it reminds of getting in my dads cars when i was a nipper, the smell that is not the speed. old zodiacs weren't too nippy.Get a caterham you will not be sorry, just do your homework and take advice. i am not suggesting that the westfield is not a good and fun fast car, just they are not for me, you have opened the can of worms with this one , loads of old discussions to read on this subject.

Cats are lithe quick witted and sure footed, westies are dogs aren't they?

[trotsky]

hey nick j007 just checked out your web site, i like em really, got 2 black labs, 14 and 2.love em to bits> just thought you should know, 16 stone n all!!!!

Trotsky

[Tango7]

nick_j007 said:

I got you thanks for clarifying!

So one could actively listen (both of you) to an MP3 player, and then talk over the same system? Also use it for phone calls? Do you wear bud type ear plugs?

OMG! This sounds like a fun option!

How many people here have a stereo set up in a 7?

By the way as a divergence, I was driving home today afer a job in Dudley West Mids area, and drove straight past Westfield base. I must live less than 10 miles away as it happens.


Annywaaay, I promptly pulled in and was given a quick tour and introduction there. I'm probably asking in the wrong place, but how do you feel the two stack up aganist each other? The immediate location of them is supremely convenient, but I suppose I could get one serviced at pretty much any dealer...I think they use a Ford engine?

I DO want a Caterham, but thought I would throw this in for interest.

Thank you again.

I use an Autocom system and it works extremely well even in an aeroscreened VX powered seven with a straight cut Quaife gearbox! Not sure on the Peltor system but the Autocom one automatically mutes the noise level for the MP3 by 50% as you or your passenger speak. With the Pro system, if the phone rings the music almost mutes completely whilst the connection is made and then reverts back when the call ends. There is a cheaper Activ system which mutes for the conversation but doesn't for the phone call - you simply have to switch the music off yourself and I have the remote threaded through the handbrake gaiter where its easy to use.

For the headsets, I use the Autocom ear defender ones which do look quite dramatic when you are out and about. There is a thread on Blatchat though about the lightweight earbud ones that a seven owner has had sorted for other interested people. I reckon these should be a very good alternative to the EDHS ones I currently use. The thread is http://www.blatchat.com/T.asp?id=133945

Regarding the Westfield discussion, I reckon its a personal decision. However, the big thing I reckon in the Caterham's favour is the residual values. For various reasons Caterhams seem to hold their value far better which must be a good thing. It could easily be due to Caterhams being assembled predominantly from new or nearly new parts, most of which have come from Caterham so its a known source. This seems to hold true even on the older cars (80's) where you may have expected to see non-genuine replacement parts.

Caterhams can be serviced easily by yourself esp. the Xflow / VX / K series ones which is a big attraction for some owners that they can actually work on the mechanicals if they so wish rather than have them hidden behind various panels which mean only main dealers can do the work.

Best thing is to have a drive of both and see which suits you best.

T

[Eric Mc]

My Caterham smells like an old Tiger Moth - hot oil and leather (although the only leather bit is the steering wheel cover).

Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 19th March 13:22

[nick_j007]

Thank you so much guys.

I didn't mean to cloud the issue by bringing up the Westfield thing, but it really did happen like that today!

As I say in my opening post I have Benn 'Caterham aware' for over 20 years and I know in my heart that I shall end up with one now.

I am very keen to get up to Caterham west Mids, and am just looking for my diary to pan out that way. I shall certainly be arranging a hire 2 days mid week...any other better way of getting to grips with one people?

Love the description of the intercom thank you very much...that sounds the business! So I could run my business and drive at the same time now!?

I work in dog behaviour yes (gotta love those naughty lab's!) so you can see me carrying all my kit in the back as I turn up to a job in a 7 ! Walkies!

Thank you all very much so far. I think I'm going to lose sleep tonight.

Long racing green bonnets and '7' set in the nose vent...sigh.

Nick

[nick_j007]

Visually this is what I will see in my dreams...it's a look that harks back a bit for me.

What would the expected 0-60 be like (and indeed mid range pull) in this particualr model let's say please?

http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/preowned/pre...

[Eric Mc]

In the region of 6.5 seconds.

The Vauxhall Classics were the last of the solid beam rear axle models (the last Sevens closely linked to the Chapman era). The Classic range dated from the mid 1990s and had originally been powered by either 84bhp single carb 1600cc Ford Crossflows or the 100 bhp Twin Carb Crossflows (the Classic SE).

Crossflow supply ran out in 1997 and Caterham were able to keep that original Classic range going by subtituting the Vauxhall GTE engine. They only ever had a limited supply of the Vauxhall engines (and Ital axles) so, once those ran out, that original style Seven finished for good.

Later on the 1400cc base model Rover K engine (which had been in production since 1991) was rebadged the Classic but it had a De Dion rear axle (as they all have today apart from the CSR which has a fully indpendent rear suspension set up).

[nick_j007]

Thank you Eric.

[trotsky]

Eric Mc said:

My Caterham smells like an old Tiger Moth - hot oil and leather (although the only leather bit is the steering wheel cover).

Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 19th March 13:22

Funnily enough so does my underware!!Trotsky

[trotsky]

It depends what your after performance wise, was advised by someone on here that you should get at least 135bhp or you may be a bit disappointed with the pull. bear in mind that in such a light car adding a passenger is very noticeable, as on a motorbike. Even with 190bhp I notice quite a difference when I have a passenger aboard, tho they don't notice, having not driven it solo and still they are shocked at the acceleration. was talking to my brother just last night on this subject, he says when I'm on the back of his zxr 750 it feels like a 400!! I'm 13 stone. mmm I'm going to get the calculator out and work out some power to weight ratios, my car weighs @530kg i guess, half full

[thinfourth2]

Don't focus purely on power and acceleration its only part of the picture with a 7 other parts is the fun and the handling of it

[Eric Mc]

I'm still happy with my 100bhp.

[RobM77]

trotsky said:

It depends what your after performance wise, was advised by someone on here that you should get at least 135bhp or you may be a bit disappointed with the pull. bear in mind that in such a light car adding a passenger is very noticeable, as on a motorbike. Even with 190bhp I notice quite a difference when I have a passenger aboard, tho they don't notice, having not driven it solo and still they are shocked at the acceleration. was talking to my brother just last night on this subject, he says when I'm on the back of his zxr 750 it feels like a 400!! I'm 13 stone. mmm I'm going to get the calculator out and work out some power to weight ratios, my car weighs @530kg i guess, half full

Passengers are an absolute nightmare in Caterhams. The performance drops right off, but even worse is the handling, because you're both sat practically on the back axle (horrific understeer). I'm 10½ stone and with a passenger of anything more than 10 stone I never used to enjoy driving my road going 7 at all.