Potential new owner - any words of advice?

[MikePRT90]

Hi, midlife crisis in full swing and am considering getting a caterham. Have always had relatively new cars and currently own a Tesla on a lease. Find the thought of owning a slightly older petrol car a bit daunting. Budget is c£15k and would prefer newest/lowest mileage as possible not concerned with outright speed as it ll just be a weekend/summer car.

Any tips or words of advice on what I should look for? The roadsport advertised on here (£17k, 2008, only 2,000 miles) is something like I m looking for. What maintenance should I expect to have to do?

Thanks in advance for any input received.

Mike

Edited by MikePRT90 on Saturday 7th June 09:33

Edited by MikePRT90 on Saturday 7th June 09:34

[Reindeer]

Mike,
Do it!
I was in a similar position to you and spent weeks researching it all.....
I ended up with a Sigma Roadsport 150......
There's a lot of chat about more power and getting a duratec car but I think the Sigma suits the car and to be honest, you can fully enjoy it without constantly breaking the speed limit or worrying about car control. It's just more fun. (I do have to say, the throttle bodies do make a huge difference, the noise is incredible).
The prices are all over the place to be honest. Are you looking S3 or SV chassis?

The one you mentioned is a K series engine......a lot of fans out there but for me it will require more ongoing care and maintenance......I didnt want the extra hassle.....

Edited by Reindeer on Saturday 7th June 09:27

[Reindeer]

Maintenance is generally easy. Think Ford Fiesta type servicing..

[Reindeer]

I'd also have a think about gearboxes......if you plan to do touring/motorways then I'd go 5 speed....

[MikePRT90]

Thanks, I’m coming into this completely new, so your input much appreciated. I ideally I want something with as little maintenance as possible so will rule out the k-series (although my Elise back in the day had one and was fine, although that was 20+ years ago so engines have moved on). Chassis…have no idea what the difference is so will have a google on that. Also unsure what the options are on gearboxes so something else for me to look into.

My use case is simply a weekend car to blast around every now and again. I have 2 young kids so the opportunities for me to do long tours aren’t really there at the moment.

[MikePRT90]

Ok, found a useful topic on PH and being 5’8 and 75kg an S3 chassis would be fine.

This seems to tick the boxes, sigma engine too:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17649637

I can see this becoming a slippery slope…

[WombleCate]

Just do it.

Mine was also an ex Academy car, and, the 125bhp with the Academy ECU is all the car you need for a fun blast.

Potentially, the standard roof may not fit a car with both side impact bars fitted. That said, I think the half roof is preferable.

The Sigma engine and (I assume) Ford Gearbox will be unstressed in 125bhp guise, so, possibly just simple servicing.

If the gearbox had done more miles/ more racing it may need a rebuild, but, that’s not very expensive.

You may want someone to look at the chassis/ dedion tube etc, to make sure the car has been stored in a dry place.

Enjoy

[BertBert]

You should consider whether you want a cage or not. To my mind they ruin the experience of the car as a road recreation car.

I would only have one if I was actually racing.

[AndrewGP]

BertBert said:

You should consider whether you want a cage or not. To my mind they ruin the experience of the car as a road recreation car.

I would only have one if I was actually racing.

Interesting, I have an SLR cage on mine and I think it adds to the experience and the drama. Not to mention the increased safety. Good job we’re all different

OP, I think you’re on the right lines with your research, things to decide are S3 vs SV, which you’ve already done, engine spec and 5 vs 6 speed gearbox. Everything else can be changed or upgraded easily.

I’d also advocate don’t rule out a K Series car, they’re a great, characterful engine and pushing just 500kg along means they’re generally very reliable. The HGF thing came from the sub par cooling system fitted in other cars, something that Caterhams don’t generally suffer from. Best advice is go and drive a bunch of different cars to help make your mind up.

[MikePRT90]

Thanks for the advice so far.

I’m right on the boundary of ULEZ so think that rules out the k series engine, focusing my search on newer sigma fitted models.

I intend on having a look at a few in the coming weeks, hope not to get carried away. Any sort of check list of things I should look out for? I’m torn between as low as miles possible or a cheaper higher mileage one. I’m definitely not hands on or clued up mechanically so won’t be able to sort any issues myself although have seen G&M reed motors recommended on here which is very local to me…so handy if anything does need sorting.

How are these in winter, are the heaters effective?

Also, how different are caterham to westfields? Simply on appearances they look similar but the westfields are considerably cheaper.

[BertBert]

AndrewGP said:

Good job we re all different

I d also advocate don t rule out a K Series car, they re a great, characterful engine and pushing just 500kg along means they re generally very reliable. The HGF thing came from the sub par cooling system fitted in other cars, something that Caterhams don t generally suffer from. Best advice is go and drive a bunch of different cars to help make your mind up.

Let's have different views again

I wouldn't rule out the k series either, I've had several k Caterhams and think it's a fabulous engine. But k's in caterhams certainly have their fair share of HGFs.

I've not heard that they got the cooling system right previously. In fact in debates the opposite had often been claimed!

Not relevant to the OP who has ruled it out anyway

[AndrewGP]

BertBert said:

Let's have different views again

I wouldn't rule out the k series either, I've had several k Caterhams and think it's a fabulous engine. But k's in caterhams certainly have their fair share of HGFs.

I've not heard that they got the cooling system right previously. In fact in debates the opposite had often been claimed!

Not relevant to the OP who has ruled it out anyway

OP, I guess common sense still applies, you want one that’s got a decent service history and an owner that is knowledgeable and enthusiastic, as I find that means they’ve looked after it. Service history could be with Caterham (unlikely), a specialist (likely) or self done (equally as likely). Don’t be scared of the latter, if they’re knowledgeable and enthusiastic it’s likely to have been done to a very high standard. I do all my own servicing and take 1-2 full days every year to do it exactly as per the schedule, plus doing preventative maintenance and fettling anything extra.

Check for corrosion on the chassis underneath and especially at the rear.

Winter running a Caterham is certainly doable, but not my cup of tea so I can’t really comment on that. I prefer to run my car on dry days in the summer

Westfields, again nothing wrong with them per se (despite the rivalry) but I have seen both ends of the spectrum, some are beautifully specced and built, others very ropey. So you’d have to judge each car on its merits and condition accordingly.

[MikePRT90]

Going to try and get to PT sports cars tomorrow for a chat with Iain there…anyone got any experience with them? I would like to think specialist selling these would sort out any major issues prior to sale. As mentioned I’m quite green when it comes to cars so although I could get down and have a look for corrosion not entirely sure what I’d be looking for…so I ideally I would like to buy from a trusted seller, if that means a slight premium then so be it.

The few I have called up about from PT sports cars and GP sevens have already sold…so guess I have to make sure I’m ready when I find the right one.

Insurance only c£200 a year which I’m pleasantly surprised about, track days are cheaper than I though too, so the only thing holding me back is if I think I will use it enough and am I comfortable owning a older petrol car (compared to my easy hassle free Tesla lease).

[Reindeer]

I've heard mixed feedback over the years....their prices are 'strong'......

To be honest....id be buying this one.....(no connection!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/16142252

Private Caterham sellers tend to be enthusiasts and generally knowledgeable.

[BertBert]

Reindeer said:

I've heard mixed feedback over the years....their prices are 'strong'......

To be honest....id be buying this one.....(no connection!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/16142252

Private Caterham sellers tend to be enthusiasts and generally knowledgeable.

agree about the feedback.

That car looks great to me. Pretty good spec.

[MikePRT90]

What reputable caterham sellers are there within a reasonable drive of north London?

That spec of the private sale example does like spot on…just being a complete novice how would I know if it’s a duffer or not though. I can ask about cambelts, servicing, brake changing etc…but I wouldn’t know if been on a track day accident or some other hidden issues that a dealer (with a good reputation) would be able to get on a lift and have hopefully identified and sorted.

[Turn7]

BertBert said:

Reindeer said:

I've heard mixed feedback over the years....their prices are 'strong'......

To be honest....id be buying this one.....(no connection!)

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/16142252

Private Caterham sellers tend to be enthusiasts and generally knowledgeable.

agree about the feedback.

That car looks great to me. Pretty good spec.

I ageee, that car has everything you need in a decent 7 tbh….

[MikePRT90]

Perhaps silly question but do people leave their caterhams parked up without the roof on, say if popping to the shops/pub? When I had a lotus Elise c20 years ago I gave no second thoughts about leaving the car parked up (steering wheel removed) when out and about for a few hours. Nowadays not so sure.

[Turn7]

There aren’t many that I would use , but that’s just me.

Millwood are great , Jon is a good guy.

Callum at Turn7 seems prefer decent as well.

Gp7s and the Maidenhead bunch I have heard mixed views ….

Sometimes , it’s better to buy the seller and go private ….

If you join the club, I’m sure a local would be more than happy to join you on a viewing as well.

[Simon_A]

I did the whole mid-life crisis a couple of years ago and tbh, am so happy that i did (despite the ribbing from the kids and nephews)

I live on the Herts/Essex borders not far from M25 and bought mine from GP Sevens - great service and have been really helpful since i bought it with servicing and repairs. It is a bit of trek to get to so this year decided to get the MOT at GM Reeds - they are really helpful and totally get how the cars are put together. A good old fashioned local mechanic (who has recently restored an RS2000 for himself).

Like you i have trusty electric car for daily use (and going silly fast if in the mood) but nothing beats getting out for an hour or two when the sun is shining and time permits (have even been known to do the Tesco shop in mine) for a bit of escapism. They never fail to put a smile on your face

I have a classic 1.6l Vauxhall (100bhp) which is plenty powerful enough for the lanes but does struggle once it hits about 70 so am thinking of perhaps enlarging to 1.8 (maybe over the winter) as have recently driven a couple with a bit more "grunt" which I liked.

The standard advice is to try a couple. The guys at GP will happily help you chose - they have loads of knowledge of all the different variants. If you have time, go and see them (the roads around them are great for testing as well)

You could also try Sevens & Classics at Brands Hatch

Good luck