Ex Academy or Roadsport? Help
Discussion
Hi
I am looking to buy my first caterham and have a budget of 12.5k. The car will be for road use only.
I have been keeping an eye on piston heads, carandclassic and classiccarsforsale for a couple of weeks and am now in a position to buy. I am aware know two caterhams are the same which makes this process a bit of a challenge. As it is my first one and being realistic I have been looking at both roadsport and ex academy cars
So the question is .... Do I go with a slightly older roadsport or a newer ex academy car? The academy cars vary and I would be looking for one that someone had done a few bits to making it more suited to road use?
I would also be interested what people thought to how the residule values would compare when i come to sell either type car in a year or two?
I am looking to buy my first caterham and have a budget of 12.5k. The car will be for road use only.
I have been keeping an eye on piston heads, carandclassic and classiccarsforsale for a couple of weeks and am now in a position to buy. I am aware know two caterhams are the same which makes this process a bit of a challenge. As it is my first one and being realistic I have been looking at both roadsport and ex academy cars
So the question is .... Do I go with a slightly older roadsport or a newer ex academy car? The academy cars vary and I would be looking for one that someone had done a few bits to making it more suited to road use?
I would also be interested what people thought to how the residule values would compare when i come to sell either type car in a year or two?
Edited by dj1online on Thursday 16th April 08:44
No idea on residuals, but mine was an ex-academy car when I bought it at 10 months old.
Not sure what mods you would want to make for road use, the spec seems much more suitable to me. 13" rims means you can switch to a much wider range of grippy tyres, harnesses are more comfortable than reel seatbelts, and for me at least the Tillet seat is better than the leather one.
The extinguisher bottle is removable to increase boot space. And I wouldn't want to drive a 7 without a full cage.
Go for it if you can find one at the right price, mine came from ebay and I would have probably been looking 5 years older to get the same spec on a Roadsport.
pm me if you want more info.
TC
Not sure what mods you would want to make for road use, the spec seems much more suitable to me. 13" rims means you can switch to a much wider range of grippy tyres, harnesses are more comfortable than reel seatbelts, and for me at least the Tillet seat is better than the leather one.
The extinguisher bottle is removable to increase boot space. And I wouldn't want to drive a 7 without a full cage.
Go for it if you can find one at the right price, mine came from ebay and I would have probably been looking 5 years older to get the same spec on a Roadsport.
pm me if you want more info.
TC
Keep an eye on http://graduates.org.uk/ too - it's the race series for ex-academy cars so there's usually some for sale on there.
me personally I'd get the ex academy car. Cars are normally well looked after with regular oil changes. So long as you check it properly for chassis damage you can end up with a good purchase. Each to their own though.
Last years cars have the sigma engine and metric chassis, but before that they had metric chassis and K series, and before that imperial chassis and K series. RS A spec cars, wide suspension all the bits go for £10k north.
Last years cars have the sigma engine and metric chassis, but before that they had metric chassis and K series, and before that imperial chassis and K series. RS A spec cars, wide suspension all the bits go for £10k north.
As I am always very predictable on the topic. Especially as a first time buyer, do not fall for the sentiment that if it's an ex-race car it'll have been well looked after. A well looked after one will have been, but the ones that are crap will be crap. And I have seen some appalling stuff on race cars. You have to make sure it's a good 'un.
As to which is best for you, it just depends on what you want versus what you find. If like one of the posters you wouldn't drive a caterham without a cage, then that'll push you one way. If you are happy without a cage, then you have a different choice.
At 12.5k you should have a reasonable choice of 1600/1800 k-series caterhams road and race. You need to decide what spec you want...
Screen or not
Heater or not
5 speed or 6 speed
race seats or leather seats
Carbon-tart or ma n pa fibreglass
Stack dash or ordinary
Big brakes or not
A baseline good spec would be the 1600 k-series supersport with widetrack, LSD, 6 speed, big brakes, apollo tank, quick rack, FIA bar, leather seats, standard dash, screen and weather gear.
You can then mod that kind of spec as you see fit.
Then see what's around in the market as closest match.
Bert
As to which is best for you, it just depends on what you want versus what you find. If like one of the posters you wouldn't drive a caterham without a cage, then that'll push you one way. If you are happy without a cage, then you have a different choice.
At 12.5k you should have a reasonable choice of 1600/1800 k-series caterhams road and race. You need to decide what spec you want...
Screen or not
Heater or not
5 speed or 6 speed
race seats or leather seats
Carbon-tart or ma n pa fibreglass
Stack dash or ordinary
Big brakes or not
A baseline good spec would be the 1600 k-series supersport with widetrack, LSD, 6 speed, big brakes, apollo tank, quick rack, FIA bar, leather seats, standard dash, screen and weather gear.
You can then mod that kind of spec as you see fit.
Then see what's around in the market as closest match.
Bert
"Standard" race car won't have LSD, 6 speed or big brakes and I'd be surprised if you could find these specified on a K engined car for £12.5.
Not sure that I would regard them as necessary or even desirable on a road car in any event.
If you are buying an ex-race car knowing who provided race support might tell you a bit about how they have been looked after. Not saying a "privateer" wouldn't look after his car but a strong support team might indicate more of a willingness to spend money on keeping it at the front of the grid.
Not sure that I would regard them as necessary or even desirable on a road car in any event.
If you are buying an ex-race car knowing who provided race support might tell you a bit about how they have been looked after. Not saying a "privateer" wouldn't look after his car but a strong support team might indicate more of a willingness to spend money on keeping it at the front of the grid.
Don't need big brakes, 6 sp or LSD for a road car, tbh wouldn't bother with them on a roadsport track car.
Race cars tend to be pretty honest, ie if it looks like a shed it normally is a shed. Ex academy cars are a good place to start as they have hardly been used. If you go to RSA you get the benefit of widetrack front suspension but if its a race car mak sure you get the lights adn screen and any weather gear included.
Some other nice extras on the RSA's are
Lower front wing stays
Triple pass radiator (a must)
Brake bias control
Quick steering rack (a must)
Forged pistons (a must)
A recent engine refresh from minister is always nice aswell.
Good luck
Race cars tend to be pretty honest, ie if it looks like a shed it normally is a shed. Ex academy cars are a good place to start as they have hardly been used. If you go to RSA you get the benefit of widetrack front suspension but if its a race car mak sure you get the lights adn screen and any weather gear included.
Some other nice extras on the RSA's are
Lower front wing stays
Triple pass radiator (a must)
Brake bias control
Quick steering rack (a must)
Forged pistons (a must)
A recent engine refresh from minister is always nice aswell.
Good luck
I have been looking for something very similar to the spec (listed above by Bert) with the exception of supersport upgrade, LSD and 6 speed. 6 speed cars are generally rare and outside my budget.
I am quite flexible and not discounting cars for not having a heater for example.
Each day I have been checking all the websites frequently and suitable cars are few and far between. It doesnt help when Caterham buy cars off pistonheads then put it up for nearly 3k more!
I am quite flexible and not discounting cars for not having a heater for example.
Each day I have been checking all the websites frequently and suitable cars are few and far between. It doesnt help when Caterham buy cars off pistonheads then put it up for nearly 3k more!
Edited by dj1online on Thursday 16th April 16:18
dj1online said:
I have been looking for something very similar to the spec (listed above by Bert) with the exception of supersport upgrade, LSD and 6 speed. 6 speed cars are generally rare and outside my budget.
I am quite flexible and not discounting cars for not having a heater for example.
Each day I have been checking all the websites frequently and suitable cars are few and far between. It doesnt help when Caterham buy cars off pistonheads then put it up for nearly 3k more!
If you're not fussed about history there's some top-spec track day superlights coming up for sale at cheap money in the next couple of months. Mail me if you want more info.I am quite flexible and not discounting cars for not having a heater for example.
Each day I have been checking all the websites frequently and suitable cars are few and far between. It doesnt help when Caterham buy cars off pistonheads then put it up for nearly 3k more!
Edited by dj1online on Thursday 16th April 16:18
Jonny
BaT
ewenm said:
Are BaT renewing their fleet of hire-7s?
Yes - only gradually though. The R300 has really impressed us - offers a good performance gain over the K-superlights for not *that* much more money - and isn't any thirstier either. The aim is to shift the 2 oldest Superlights by end of Summer and have 3 x R300 race cars in time for the Spa Championship round in September.Jonny
BaT
some mad things said here.
a 6 speeder is the best "upgrade" by far and you can definitely go there in your budget. Do not even consider a 5 speeder. This one for example http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/961673.htm ot this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/935641.htm
Bert
a 6 speeder is the best "upgrade" by far and you can definitely go there in your budget. Do not even consider a 5 speeder. This one for example http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/961673.htm ot this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/935641.htm
Bert
BertBert said:
some mad things said here.
a 6 speeder is the best "upgrade" by far and you can definitely go there in your budget. Do not even consider a 5 speeder. This one for example http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/961673.htm ot this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/935641.htm
Bert
Spot on BertBert. I think especially with a 1.6 or below, the 6 speed box is a must.a 6 speeder is the best "upgrade" by far and you can definitely go there in your budget. Do not even consider a 5 speeder. This one for example http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/961673.htm ot this http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/935641.htm
Bert
I had an ex academy (vx) and bought it at a price less than a road going vx car of similar spec. When I sold it on it was at the lower price of the road car v race car bracket so I didn't lose anything nor make anything.
Assuming the black car is straight and you could get the price down to 10-11k (depending on the seller) then I think its a good spec car. If it doesn't have the power you want then you should discount all 1.6's and look at cars like the yellow one BB lists. My opinion is if the car is priced below non race cars and the spec is good I would happily buy it. Personally I think it is.
Does it have a 6 speed (I can't see you have mentioned). If you haven't driven a 5 or 6 speed you should try. You could love/hate either box in equal measures and its very much personal preference.
Assuming the black car is straight and you could get the price down to 10-11k (depending on the seller) then I think its a good spec car. If it doesn't have the power you want then you should discount all 1.6's and look at cars like the yellow one BB lists. My opinion is if the car is priced below non race cars and the spec is good I would happily buy it. Personally I think it is.
Does it have a 6 speed (I can't see you have mentioned). If you haven't driven a 5 or 6 speed you should try. You could love/hate either box in equal measures and its very much personal preference.
Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff