Ariel Atom - 1 week on
Discussion
Well it has been incredibly difficult despite the weather not to take the car out, seeing as it is using an odyssey battery the factory told me that if you leave it for two weeks without starting it - it will drain to nothing and evidently become useless as they can only cope with 1 real drain. So I have purchased a trickle charger but as there is no plug close enough to the car I need to buy an extension lead, fortunately every time I have been in a position to do this B & Q has been closed.
So instead I have taken the car for a blast around Coventry in the pitch black, very impressed with the new dual xenon lights - they are fairly level dip wise but as you sit so low you can see everything you need to, though im still unsure how visible I am to other people.
Trying to find a good balance for the suspension, the rear is set at 5 (out of 10) front set to 3 - seems to understeer a little but the roads are very cold - should the rear be stiffer than the front?
trying to sort out the trickle charger and failing !
hot exhaust
new digital dash for the 3.5 - no gps plugin yet as that's another £600 but it is set up ready to take the license
will try and get some video soon...
So instead I have taken the car for a blast around Coventry in the pitch black, very impressed with the new dual xenon lights - they are fairly level dip wise but as you sit so low you can see everything you need to, though im still unsure how visible I am to other people.
Trying to find a good balance for the suspension, the rear is set at 5 (out of 10) front set to 3 - seems to understeer a little but the roads are very cold - should the rear be stiffer than the front?
trying to sort out the trickle charger and failing !
hot exhaust
new digital dash for the 3.5 - no gps plugin yet as that's another £600 but it is set up ready to take the license
will try and get some video soon...
Demanvilles said:
softer front=less understeer,
stiffer front=more understeer
softer rear=more understeer,
stiffer rear=less understeer
At least I think so! Not absolutely, but general rule!
Great Atom! I can imagine the night drives being pretty refreshing! Uber cool!
Ok I might try another click on the rear then in this sort of dry/sloppy weather I don't want to soften the front any more... stiffer front=more understeer
softer rear=more understeer,
stiffer rear=less understeer
At least I think so! Not absolutely, but general rule!
Great Atom! I can imagine the night drives being pretty refreshing! Uber cool!
It certainly blew the cobwebs off me - took the visor up for a second and seem to have a fly lodged up my nose now
Ive been waiting all week for you to update the original thread! Have you seen the thread in the Ariel section where the new owner ended up driving through pouring rain, slush and snow to get his pride and joy home? Now thats an interesting read!
There is no way I could go any long period of time without driving that, keep this updated please!
How do you clean these btw, are all the electricals fully sealed up so you can jetwash or whatever or do you have to be careful and just wipe it down?
There is no way I could go any long period of time without driving that, keep this updated please!
How do you clean these btw, are all the electricals fully sealed up so you can jetwash or whatever or do you have to be careful and just wipe it down?
Tom Ford drove one through a car was on Fifth Gear...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W54RPTjb34M
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W54RPTjb34M
Edited by vx220 on Sunday 1st February 10:37
coopedup said:
Such a cool car, what is the real world performance like? I cannot imagine many things would touch it
Difficult to say, when you are just trundling along it is happy doing 30mph in 6th, when you want to overtake it doesn't seem to matter what speed you or they are doing you just put your foot down and your past them... I imagine that it is similar in other quick cars.. but on a whole different level to the impreza the Mrs has... be interesting to see how it does on the trackmd. said:
Ive been waiting all week for you to update the original thread! Have you seen the thread in the Ariel section where the new owner ended up driving through pouring rain, slush and snow to get his pride and joy home? Now thats an interesting read!
There is no way I could go any long period of time without driving that, keep this updated please!
How do you clean these btw, are all the electricals fully sealed up so you can jetwash or whatever or do you have to be careful and just wipe it down?
Factory told me to ensure that I wash it down when driving through gritted roads or anywhere with salt as it will ruin the chassis/engine, just recommended sticking a plastic bag over the dash and the air intake and just pressure washing it There is no way I could go any long period of time without driving that, keep this updated please!
How do you clean these btw, are all the electricals fully sealed up so you can jetwash or whatever or do you have to be careful and just wipe it down?
Very difficult to dry...
MrLizard said:
seems to understeer a little but the roads are very cold - should the rear be stiffer than the front?
If its set up like the ones at Palmer Sport then the handling might take a while to 'get'. At Palmer coming from a Caterham to the Atom the Atom initially just understeered horribly. Then as the tyres warmed and you learnt to work with the weight transfer of all that mass at the back it seemed to gain a huge amount of grip and turn-in. When it let go though (at very high speed to be fair) it did so spectacularly. I ended up with one of the quickest times in it but it was the only car I didn't quite feel in control of all day.
Might be worth taking it on an airfield day with big runoff areas or invest in a Palmer half day before mucking around with the settings too much.
stuthemong said:
Awesome car.
If you're struggling with charging just buy a car battery and plug that in instead of a trickle charger - use a fuse. It will give a month or so and you can carry it home, charge it, take it back out. No faffing with mains
Agree. Thank you OP for sharing. I've been enjoying taking my Elise out all through the winter with roof off. Not anything like as hardcore as yourself though!If you're struggling with charging just buy a car battery and plug that in instead of a trickle charger - use a fuse. It will give a month or so and you can carry it home, charge it, take it back out. No faffing with mains
Stumong - I have a qu....how does one connect another battery via a fuse?
OP: just order extension next day from amazon. I believe car batteries are £45-80 quids.
Edited by Mike22233 on Sunday 1st February 11:41
This is a great video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyCVlrtPtbM
He has an optional windscreen too which must make it more usable.
He has an optional windscreen too which must make it more usable.
Great car, you are a lucky man!
If it helps, I run an Odyssey battery on a couple of cars and as long as you disconnect the earth they will last for months without discharging.
Also if you do buy a trickle charger Odyssey advise it must be more than 2.0 AMPS and that you should charge it to full and then disconnect the trickle charger and not leave it constantly running. I do this and then just disconnect the earth lead. Hope that helps
If it helps, I run an Odyssey battery on a couple of cars and as long as you disconnect the earth they will last for months without discharging.
Also if you do buy a trickle charger Odyssey advise it must be more than 2.0 AMPS and that you should charge it to full and then disconnect the trickle charger and not leave it constantly running. I do this and then just disconnect the earth lead. Hope that helps
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