I'm contemplating swapping the Elise for a a Cat 7.

Has anyone else done this?

Good move?

All comments welcome!

I've not tried a caterham myself, but I've also thought about it. There's been a few threads on SELOC about it and my recollection of things to bear in mind: A few people comment that the elise is more enjoyable on british roads as it's a bit more settled on bumpy B roads, whereas the caterham is perhaps a bit too twitchy to properly enjoy. Also comments that the elise is still pretty raw and fun (certainly the S1), but is also more usable because it's a little more practical. These aspects, plus having a proper-ish roof, mean the elise may get used more of the year than a caterham would (i.e. there may be some days/journeys where some people would drive an elise but wouldn't a caterham - but that's down to the owner of course!). For track days a point made is that it's a less tiring drive to the track day in an elise if it's a longish journey (so with the caterham there may be an inclination to trailer it, or the downside of being less fresh).

There are of course people who love the extra rawness and responsiveness of the caterham, will happily drive it in all weathers, love the ease of access to the mechanical bits to tinker, etc etc! If you've got a login on SELOC worth looking out the threads there about it as you have owners of both and people who've switched both ways contributing.

I did the opposite a few years ago, going from an early Caterham with a 1700 Supersprint engine and 4 speed box to a standard 1999 Elise. The Elise, to me, was a modern 7 but more practical, having a better ride, wind up windows, effective heating and demisting and a lockable boot! The Elise was also quieter on long trips (no side exit exhaust!) and slightly easier to drive as the steering and clutch were lighter. The Elise was great fun and, like the Seven, was used as an everyday car and for the occasional track day. I never had the roof on the Caterham but did use the roof on the Elise, partly because i'd also changed girl-friends I loved the Elise and only sold it because I moved to NZ but I still can't decide which I miss the most, the Elise or the Caterham. The Elise was definitely easier to live with but was also more expensive to run - although it was more economical than the Caterham servicing and parts (especially tyres) cost more and it wasn't as easy to work on myself. I used to do all the routine servicing on the Caterham, only going to the specialists for the annual check over and the odd thing I couldn't do. For the Elise I had all the servicing done by a specialist - partly because the undertray meant that even getting at the oil filter was almost impossible without a pit or a hoist!

Been driving Caterhams for 10 years and currently have a 1.6K Superlight which I think is a brilliant road/track package. I have driven faster Caterhams and also 3 different Elises. The 7 is more hardcore by quite a long way and for me far more fun. Heavier steering, greater agility and overall the faster car with a far greater sense of occassion.

However the Elise was much more useable and comfortable. It is the little things re. the Caterham which I find a real pain - Having no lockable doors in the Cat meant I could not leave anything in it and carrying a steering wheel around is also a bit of a pain. My car is very noisy so need earplugs and an ipod which is annoying as are the harnesses. And the fact it is twitch in the wet and can't be used in the winter (unless you are willing to thoroughly wash it after every drive). And you can't hear what your passenger says. But I bloody love it and will probably never sell it.

Interestingly I am thinking of getting an Elise/911/M3 as my everyday wheels.

Ok depends upon your expectation, the elise is probably more livable certainly pretty in comparison, Things to consider

Roadsport.......these are quick and good for touring they are just optimised that way are they slow, nope on a track day a 18K series will easily keep tabs on a exige with the right Driver.

Superlight....an article once wrote about a old Superlight R as being all Fur and Claws Superlight R is very quick quicker than you can exploit on the road fully same goes for the R400 which is essentially in the same line powerwise I can only say it feels like it rips a hole in time and space :-) R500 even quicker
The inside of the K series gets hot on the passenger side (mainly the superlights) the roadsports are not so bad, the more recent duratec the Driver gets the heat.


So if you are going for a Caterham decide what you are mainly going to use it for, can you tour in a Caterham yes you can, Softbits for sevens http://www.softbitsforsevens.co.uk/ provide good accesories such as tunnel bags and half hoods.

One thing that can happen is that if you drive into standing water, the water comes up along the body between the doors and in my case came in like a fountain, I could not have got any wetter if I had jumped in to a lake, (its only happened once).

But and I have to say its a huge but.......They are so joyfull to drive you forgive the basic nature of the car and what has been said many times if you 'get' what they are about you wont go back they are stupendus I have had two over the past 15 years and would never ever give mine up..........like most 7 owners you find you would turn to crime to keep it :-)

(only joking about the crime bit)

You have probably seen thhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tN6_xUL8j4ese but if not

R500 K http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYkXJaxmMSA
R500 Duratec http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tN6_xUL8j4
CSR vs Exige VBH review http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruTxbjUbRhs
Roadsport 5th gear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNa_LiDSsXg
Caterham survival of the fastest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIrtwZ-DV58

Now go and try...............and buy :-)