Considering a Caterham 7 170S
Discussion
Hello. I’m from Spain and I’ve been interested in the Caterham 7 for many years. When the 160/165 was released years ago now, I immediately felt in love with it. I loved the looks with those narrow tires (more friendly and not like an aggressive track weapon),and the concept closer to the original idea of a low weight sport car with a low powered engine. It also fits my needs better, because I want it for street use, for cruising at legal speeds (and having fun every now and then) and never for track days. It’s also more affordable, although 40000€ is still a lot for what it is.
The current entry-level Caterham is the 170. I must say I had to pay attention to spot the differences and improvements. It seems it’s a little bit more powerful (84 hp instead of 80). There are also some new features such as rear led lights and the suppression of the auxiliary rear lights. I suppose they have integrated somehow the lights, indicators and brake lights in the same unit. The ugly steel wheels were replaced with allow wheels. Other details are also the front badge, now rounded instead of rectangular and the removal of the rear decal that says "powered by Suzuki".
One change that I’m not sure about is the front headlamps. Most of the photos I have found of the 170 show that the headlamps are painted in the same colour used for the rest of the car (when the car has not the "black pack" option installed). The 160/165 had the headlamps unpainted, with a nice reflective metallic finish. Actually, when using the configurator in the Caterham webpage, the image shows the headlamps in chrome finished, not painted. Can anyone clarify this?
Another detail is the colour of the seats. Some photos, as well as the configurator and the information, say the leather seats are black. However, some models show brown seats. Is that an option? Free or cost? There´s nothing to chose the color of the seats in the configurator.
As regard the paint, is there any difference in quality or durability between the standard, premium and exclusive paint colors that justifies the price differences? Can all colors be chosen in solid and metallic finish? Same price? I am especially interested in the riviera blue and I don’t understand why I have to pay so much for the color I like. Do you know if metallic colours are more durable than solid colours. Where I live the sun shines all the year and it is like hell’s fire during the summer. Although I would keep my car in a garage and I only would drive during the weekends, I don’t want to chose a basic red or yellow and see it fading very quickly.
Finally, for those of you who have tried it, do the narrow tires make the car less grippy and easier to slide without so much power? Does it really handles bad on bends when you don’t have a LSD fitted or should I only worry in that sense if I wanted it for track use?
The current entry-level Caterham is the 170. I must say I had to pay attention to spot the differences and improvements. It seems it’s a little bit more powerful (84 hp instead of 80). There are also some new features such as rear led lights and the suppression of the auxiliary rear lights. I suppose they have integrated somehow the lights, indicators and brake lights in the same unit. The ugly steel wheels were replaced with allow wheels. Other details are also the front badge, now rounded instead of rectangular and the removal of the rear decal that says "powered by Suzuki".
One change that I’m not sure about is the front headlamps. Most of the photos I have found of the 170 show that the headlamps are painted in the same colour used for the rest of the car (when the car has not the "black pack" option installed). The 160/165 had the headlamps unpainted, with a nice reflective metallic finish. Actually, when using the configurator in the Caterham webpage, the image shows the headlamps in chrome finished, not painted. Can anyone clarify this?
Another detail is the colour of the seats. Some photos, as well as the configurator and the information, say the leather seats are black. However, some models show brown seats. Is that an option? Free or cost? There´s nothing to chose the color of the seats in the configurator.
As regard the paint, is there any difference in quality or durability between the standard, premium and exclusive paint colors that justifies the price differences? Can all colors be chosen in solid and metallic finish? Same price? I am especially interested in the riviera blue and I don’t understand why I have to pay so much for the color I like. Do you know if metallic colours are more durable than solid colours. Where I live the sun shines all the year and it is like hell’s fire during the summer. Although I would keep my car in a garage and I only would drive during the weekends, I don’t want to chose a basic red or yellow and see it fading very quickly.
Finally, for those of you who have tried it, do the narrow tires make the car less grippy and easier to slide without so much power? Does it really handles bad on bends when you don’t have a LSD fitted or should I only worry in that sense if I wanted it for track use?
I would view Caterham ownership as a learning journey. One thing you see time and time again with new owners is that what appeals to them before they buy is often changed by with the actual experience of ownership. So my advice would be not to get too concerned about the detail of the specification, or spend a fortune on extras - just go with what you like in general terms. Most people then get pleasure out of making the car the way they want it - be that upgrading it with factory items, or their own aftermarket modifications,
As far as paint is concerned, the quality is modern 2K product and professionally applied. It seldom gives problems but finish is typical of a hand built car. The cost of non standard paints are really associated with extra work of one-off paint jobs rather than a different quality of paint.
As far as paint is concerned, the quality is modern 2K product and professionally applied. It seldom gives problems but finish is typical of a hand built car. The cost of non standard paints are really associated with extra work of one-off paint jobs rather than a different quality of paint.
Edited by DCL on Saturday 19th August 12:06
I'll offer an answer to one of your questions: I'm pretty sure that the brown seats are a cost option, and they're offered by the Caterham Signature personalisation scheme. I can't find anything on Caterham's own website about Signature, but here's one dealer's overview: https://krazyhorse.co.uk/pages/caterham-signature
My guess on the headlight question is that the default (without black pack) is chrome, and that body-colour headlights is another option.
I'm building a Caterham 170R at the moment - loving it :-)
My guess on the headlight question is that the default (without black pack) is chrome, and that body-colour headlights is another option.
I'm building a Caterham 170R at the moment - loving it :-)
This will give an idea of some of the options avaipable as part of the Signature selection: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&...
I currently own a 160 S having upgraded from my last Caterham which was a 220 BHP durance car , with 8" rear tyres and an LSD fitted I can say that the 160 has very low grip , however it handles as you would expect in the corners, there is more difference from it being live axle than there is from lack of LSD. you only need the LSD for track or doughnuts, or bragging rights
All the modern paints are pretty robust these days and you will have no issues with either plain or metallic colours, the only issues have been with some off the 'day glow' yellows and oranges which use to loose their zing with too much UV, my metallic blue car looked fine after 75K miles
Black seats is the standard , if you want anything different you will have to pay more, unless you go for one of the limited addition sprint models
Headlamps will be Chrome unless you go for the backpack, again the coloured ones come with the 'sprint' limited edition but can be added mod extra cost
yes the new LED lights are an improvement on the old caravan lights and as you say integrated the fog and reverse lights into th Ewing mounted units
yes the new alloy wheels are an improvement but mots importantly save about 6kg per wheel, hence its a 170, and not a 160 anymore, a little more over but also its lighter
but remember the 170 bhp/ ton will only be for a car with no carpets, no windscreen, race seats ,,,etc
overall its a great car, and you can have 95% of the fun that you can have in a 420R, but everything happens at slower speed, you won't see much more than 160kph in a 170, where as a 420 will do 200kph happily
the gearbox is 'interesting' and very low geared, you will be in 3rd gear at 60 kph, where as my old Car would be 100kph in first!
All the modern paints are pretty robust these days and you will have no issues with either plain or metallic colours, the only issues have been with some off the 'day glow' yellows and oranges which use to loose their zing with too much UV, my metallic blue car looked fine after 75K miles
Black seats is the standard , if you want anything different you will have to pay more, unless you go for one of the limited addition sprint models
Headlamps will be Chrome unless you go for the backpack, again the coloured ones come with the 'sprint' limited edition but can be added mod extra cost
yes the new LED lights are an improvement on the old caravan lights and as you say integrated the fog and reverse lights into th Ewing mounted units
yes the new alloy wheels are an improvement but mots importantly save about 6kg per wheel, hence its a 170, and not a 160 anymore, a little more over but also its lighter
but remember the 170 bhp/ ton will only be for a car with no carpets, no windscreen, race seats ,,,etc
overall its a great car, and you can have 95% of the fun that you can have in a 420R, but everything happens at slower speed, you won't see much more than 160kph in a 170, where as a 420 will do 200kph happily
the gearbox is 'interesting' and very low geared, you will be in 3rd gear at 60 kph, where as my old Car would be 100kph in first!
number2 said:
This will give an idea of some of the options avaipable as part of the Signature selection: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&...
Thank you. That was very helpful. I didn't know about the Signature options. I'm not really interested in them but maybe some capricious customers don't mind spending some extra money in creating a unique car.I'm glad the default headlamps bowls are not painted. The black pack is nice but the effect of the world reflecting on the headlamps as you drive is really cool and I think it goes better for the road version of the car.
Tiddy7 said:
you only need the LSD for track or doughnuts, or bragging rights
I’m not convinced by this. I appreciate my LSD every time I drive the car.While I wouldn’t say a LSD is an essential addition to a Seven (I drove my first Seven for over ten years with an open diff), they do add an extra level of predictability that I find very appealing. I wouldn’t want to go back to an open diff now.
Speak with a Caterham dealer - they may well be able to provide an LSD with the 'S pack'.
There would be an additional cost, which would need to be less than £1,800 (which I think is the cost of switching to leather seats and weather gear from the 'R pack') to make it financially worthwhile.
There would be an additional cost, which would need to be less than £1,800 (which I think is the cost of switching to leather seats and weather gear from the 'R pack') to make it financially worthwhile.
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