"red top" engined Caterham - why is this one not selling?
Discussion
So, I'm looking at coming back to the fold, I thought the Lotus 340R was a good alternative (read easier to live with), but I realized I'm very reluctant to put miles on it. So the 340r will be going.
I want a car that I can use on track but I can get it and drive if I want. I'm used to drive around with an helmet and not much bothers me (bar minimum reliability).
Now, I've been looking at this car for a while:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...
It comes with a trailer as well, it seems to me very fairly priced. I know the can of warms and all that, and I seem to remember the red top to be heavier than the K or the Duratec. But does it "ruin" the car so much?
Thanks
I want a car that I can use on track but I can get it and drive if I want. I'm used to drive around with an helmet and not much bothers me (bar minimum reliability).
Now, I've been looking at this car for a while:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...
It comes with a trailer as well, it seems to me very fairly priced. I know the can of warms and all that, and I seem to remember the red top to be heavier than the K or the Duratec. But does it "ruin" the car so much?
Thanks
Interesting one. It must be "known" by the 7-ers that know stuff. That's quite a lot of car for the money. There is probably near £1000 in the trailer making the car 10.5k or less if a cheeky offer works.
This must be one of the post HPCs that Caterham built with that dodgy batch of VX engines they got. Well of course they weren't dodgy at all, but there was a "last batch of VX engines" story.
There has been loads written about the boat-anchor VX versus the light and cheesy k. I think it boils down to taste. If the form takes your fancy...full cage, no screen, quiet colour, then you'd need to drive it to decide.
If it's hung around for a while, then you'd need to go and check it out. It might have done all its 16k miles on track and be completely shot. Or it may be in brilliant condition, just not flavour of the month.
Bert
This must be one of the post HPCs that Caterham built with that dodgy batch of VX engines they got. Well of course they weren't dodgy at all, but there was a "last batch of VX engines" story.
There has been loads written about the boat-anchor VX versus the light and cheesy k. I think it boils down to taste. If the form takes your fancy...full cage, no screen, quiet colour, then you'd need to drive it to decide.
If it's hung around for a while, then you'd need to go and check it out. It might have done all its 16k miles on track and be completely shot. Or it may be in brilliant condition, just not flavour of the month.
Bert
I'm not too fussed by cage or track use. If properly maintained. But I was hoping for someone to know something more specific about the car. It seems to have been under the radar of any forum (or I missed it), which seems bizarre. I'll go and have a look, to then report. Unfortunately I know nothing about red tops 
Looks like a lot of car for the money to me. I see he's just fitted a new silencer - i'd still be wary about noise if you're planning on using it for trackdays though - even with the worlds biggest silencer - induction noise on those things can be an issue at circuits like Bedford, Brands, Donington, Goodwood etc
Quick car for the money though - and looks great in the Fluro Yellow IMO.
Jonny
BaT
Quick car for the money though - and looks great in the Fluro Yellow IMO.
Jonny
BaT
That's a cracking car, red tops are a little heavier than the k...the duratec isn't s lightweight either though. At 200 hp the red top will go all day long, great engines and reliable. If I was buying id be seriously considering that car, I've had an R300K, R400k and R600D and they come with a premium that over this spec that I reckon wouldn't be worth it once you start using it.......and it comes with a trailer, what are you waiting for :-)
Edited - just as it hasn't been on a forum doesn't mean a lot, there are a lot of good well versed caterham owners that choose not to chat and club!
Edited - just as it hasn't been on a forum doesn't mean a lot, there are a lot of good well versed caterham owners that choose not to chat and club!
Edited by sam919 on Wednesday 9th September 10:17
sam919 said:
That's a cracking car, red tops are a little heavier than the k...the duratec isn't s lightweight either though. At 200 hp the red top will go all day long, great engines and reliable. If I was buying id be seriously considering that car, I've had an R300K, R400k and R600D and they come with a premium that over this spec that I reckon wouldn't be worth it once you start using it.......and it comes with a trailer, what are you waiting for :-)
Edited - just as it hasn't been on a forum doesn't mean a lot, there are a lot of good well versed caterham owners that choose not to chat and club!
Agreed on the forum bit, but usually there are threads talking of specific cars when they are a bit "different". It is not even far from me. I'll go and report!!Edited - just as it hasn't been on a forum doesn't mean a lot, there are a lot of good well versed caterham owners that choose not to chat and club!
Edited by sam919 on Wednesday 9th September 10:17
Cheers all
It does look very good value to me. Even more so when you look at the cost of a trailer etc.
The dry sump tank is not the original caterham item, not a bad thing as they are not the nicest set up in standard form. Not sure what the rest of the dry sump system is but would not hurt to look into that a little bit.
Passenger footwell will be a bit shorter due to the tank but they are plenty long enough for your average sized passenger.
The car was originally built from a kit. And is not subject to any emission tests for the mot so if you did any mods no problems there.
Not sure here but it appears as if the engine uses what looks like an ecu from a vauxhall car (the box on the bulkhead) for the ignition system. I would guess this is due to it being built from a kit and some parts not sourced from caterham. Not necessarily a bad thing but worth looking into a little just to make sure all is as it should be.
The chassis looks to be of the right type for the year ie newer front suspension geometry etc
All the above are observations from a quick look at the pictures and none of the things would put me off buying the car in the least. Some of them I would see as a positive for helping towards future mods if that was your thing.
The dry sump tank is not the original caterham item, not a bad thing as they are not the nicest set up in standard form. Not sure what the rest of the dry sump system is but would not hurt to look into that a little bit.
Passenger footwell will be a bit shorter due to the tank but they are plenty long enough for your average sized passenger.
The car was originally built from a kit. And is not subject to any emission tests for the mot so if you did any mods no problems there.
Not sure here but it appears as if the engine uses what looks like an ecu from a vauxhall car (the box on the bulkhead) for the ignition system. I would guess this is due to it being built from a kit and some parts not sourced from caterham. Not necessarily a bad thing but worth looking into a little just to make sure all is as it should be.
The chassis looks to be of the right type for the year ie newer front suspension geometry etc
All the above are observations from a quick look at the pictures and none of the things would put me off buying the car in the least. Some of them I would see as a positive for helping towards future mods if that was your thing.
Yes, car is sold, and not to me unfortunately (for me), yesterday afternoon, I was due to view it today!
Yes James, it was me, shame you sold it. I'm sure you did manage not to loose any money
Abd as you guessed, I do regret it, that 200hp K was a peach of an engine. I wish the VHPD on my 340 sounded like that
Yes James, it was me, shame you sold it. I'm sure you did manage not to loose any money
Abd as you guessed, I do regret it, that 200hp K was a peach of an engine. I wish the VHPD on my 340 sounded like thatIt was a fantastic car all round and utter madness on my part to have sold it. I called a dealer in Kent, agreed a deal then took it out for a drive on the Saturday. I immediately emailed them and said I didn't want to sell, but they were keen to see it through, and a deal is a deal. I sold it for what I bought it for and then saw it on their website for over £20k! It sold quickly too, though they told me they gave it quite a lot of paint and prep.
It was such a fantastic engine, and set up, wasn't costing anything and could give me more driving pleasure in the 1 mile to the pub than any other car could in a two hour drive. I have no idea why I sold it - pure madness. I now people are sometimes down on K series engines - I can only assume they haven't driven a good one. I still have the cage if you want it for your new car and happen to be anywhere near the Marlow area
Hope all is well with you Luca.
James
It was such a fantastic engine, and set up, wasn't costing anything and could give me more driving pleasure in the 1 mile to the pub than any other car could in a two hour drive. I have no idea why I sold it - pure madness. I now people are sometimes down on K series engines - I can only assume they haven't driven a good one. I still have the cage if you want it for your new car and happen to be anywhere near the Marlow area
Hope all is well with you Luca.
James
Edited by james S on Thursday 10th September 21:51
Hi Tom, yes it was your car. As you might remember I bought it at around 13 (just over, not sure about the number). Did some work on it, sold for the same to James (regretting it immediately). I believe James again sold for the same to the dealer. Great car, but the dealer did well to get 20k!!!
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