Caterham 310R - a departure from the world of Porsche
Discussion
In June last year after 10 years in Porsches I decided for my use (trackdays) the cost was all just getting a bit silly and also way too fast for the road.
My last car - 996 GT3 which I adored but doing 10 trackdays a year including days at Spa and the Ring just became a bit of a money sucker. As much as I did love that car.
Many of the guys I do trackdays with have Caterhams and in June this year I left the GT3 go and searched out a caterham.
I was originally after a 420R but finding one with the spec I wanted became a bit of a challenge. However a rental day in a 310 showed actually that could be a goer as I loved the engine and character.
Luckily I found a car - a very last of the line 310 which was the ex press car and most importantly had everything I wanted and more.
Picked the car up from Oakmere Caterham whilst doing some work up in Liverpool and drove it back to Kent. Pleased as punch and really quite comfortable.
Since I bought it I have done the following
2x Brands Hatch (10 mins from my house)
2x Nurburgring trackdays with Destination Nurburgring (I drove the car there)
2x Spa days with Circuit Days (again drove)
1x Snett
So it's clocked up some use in its time with me wit plenty of track action and loads of Sunday blasts. I have absolutely fallen head over heals for it and whilst I miss owning a GT3 I have no regrets at all.
A selection of pics
First trackday is booked for Bedford on 4th Feb with Max (peppermint 420r) and another mate. Then for plans for next year work on a bit of car setup and maybe a bit of premier power fettling.
Thanks
My last car - 996 GT3 which I adored but doing 10 trackdays a year including days at Spa and the Ring just became a bit of a money sucker. As much as I did love that car.
Many of the guys I do trackdays with have Caterhams and in June this year I left the GT3 go and searched out a caterham.
I was originally after a 420R but finding one with the spec I wanted became a bit of a challenge. However a rental day in a 310 showed actually that could be a goer as I loved the engine and character.
Luckily I found a car - a very last of the line 310 which was the ex press car and most importantly had everything I wanted and more.
Picked the car up from Oakmere Caterham whilst doing some work up in Liverpool and drove it back to Kent. Pleased as punch and really quite comfortable.
Since I bought it I have done the following
2x Brands Hatch (10 mins from my house)
2x Nurburgring trackdays with Destination Nurburgring (I drove the car there)
2x Spa days with Circuit Days (again drove)
1x Snett
So it's clocked up some use in its time with me wit plenty of track action and loads of Sunday blasts. I have absolutely fallen head over heals for it and whilst I miss owning a GT3 I have no regrets at all.
A selection of pics
First trackday is booked for Bedford on 4th Feb with Max (peppermint 420r) and another mate. Then for plans for next year work on a bit of car setup and maybe a bit of premier power fettling.
Thanks
MDifficult said:
Yeah, that's how it's done!
Looks like a great car (loving the colour) and it's magnificent that it's not being trailered everywhere - well done you.
That's two new Caterham threads in as many days in Readers Cars I think. Bodes well!
Looks like a great car (loving the colour) and it's magnificent that it's not being trailered everywhere - well done you.
That's two new Caterham threads in as many days in Readers Cars I think. Bodes well!
Yup certainly no trailer queen (albeit a bit jealous of mates with trailers when it pees down on the autobahn)
Joehow said:
MDifficult said:
Great shot! Although to be really impressed I want to see snow and no windscreen 
I'm cold just looking at that I'm a wimp and drive mine minimal miles to the track.
OP, I'd say the Caterham is a far better track car for most UK tracks, but Silverstone, the Ring and Spa would be good hunting ground for the Porsche. thoughts?
Joehow said:
I'm cold just looking at that
Yup, well below freezing with wind chill. I know the Caterham has luxuries like a body, a windscreen and a heater, but if you plan to do anything really chilly I can highly recommend Keis Heated gear. Mine's wired into the Atom and I've got the vest and gloves - absolutely brilliant kit.
CABC said:
I'm scared just looking at the Discovery in lane 2!
I'm a wimp and drive mine minimal miles to the track.
OP, I'd say the Caterham is a far better track car for most UK tracks, but Silverstone, the Ring and Spa would be good hunting ground for the Porsche. thoughts?
You are bang on the GT3 is amazing at Spa & the ring I'm a wimp and drive mine minimal miles to the track.
OP, I'd say the Caterham is a far better track car for most UK tracks, but Silverstone, the Ring and Spa would be good hunting ground for the Porsche. thoughts?
But.... It was getting more and more expensive to insure on track and the consumables arent cheap on a 20yr old GT3. Plus if I bin the caterham it's fixable you come off in the GT3 and it's game over.
So therefore the fun goes up in Caterham without the worry of the GT3. Only place the Caterham needs more punch is the Kemmel at Spa and and the back hill at the ring.
Joehow said:
Ha yes true. Hence the full cage and harnesses help a little on the 310.
The other non track thing is just how much fun the caterham is at legal speeds in the road
100% - Same for the Atom. Even trundling through a town it's great fun, but 60mph feels like 200 and anything over that is absolutely hystericalThe other non track thing is just how much fun the caterham is at legal speeds in the road
Great thread, I love both your old and the new cars. The Caterham looks like great fun.
I was in a similar situation, albeit slightly less extreme both before and after.
I had always done track days my daily drivers, M3's, Cayman, R8 and lastly a 991.1 Carrera 4S. In the end I just had to stop doing track days in the 911 though, as the cost of tyres and brakes was simply to much to justify.
I sold the 911, got a leased electric Peugeot for daily duties, and bought a Lotus Exige 410 to take on track. I don't regret it for a second, both cars are brilliant at their respective jobs.
I was in a similar situation, albeit slightly less extreme both before and after.
I had always done track days my daily drivers, M3's, Cayman, R8 and lastly a 991.1 Carrera 4S. In the end I just had to stop doing track days in the 911 though, as the cost of tyres and brakes was simply to much to justify.
I sold the 911, got a leased electric Peugeot for daily duties, and bought a Lotus Exige 410 to take on track. I don't regret it for a second, both cars are brilliant at their respective jobs.
Paul_M3 said:
Great thread, I love both your old and the new cars. The Caterham looks like great fun.
I was in a similar situation, albeit slightly less extreme both before and after.
I had always done track days my daily drivers, M3's, Cayman, R8 and lastly a 991.1 Carrera 4S. In the end I just had to stop doing track days in the 911 though, as the cost of tyres and brakes was simply to much to justify.
I sold the 911, got a leased electric Peugeot for daily duties, and bought a Lotus Exige 410 to take on track. I don't regret it for a second, both cars are brilliant at their respective jobs.
I'm lucky that my old man still has a 997.2 GT3 Clubsport so I can still nick that occasionally however I've stopped taking him up on tracking it when he does as I'd have to sell my house to pay him back. I was in a similar situation, albeit slightly less extreme both before and after.
I had always done track days my daily drivers, M3's, Cayman, R8 and lastly a 991.1 Carrera 4S. In the end I just had to stop doing track days in the 911 though, as the cost of tyres and brakes was simply to much to justify.
I sold the 911, got a leased electric Peugeot for daily duties, and bought a Lotus Exige 410 to take on track. I don't regret it for a second, both cars are brilliant at their respective jobs.
Love those exiges - great things!
Joehow said:
I'm lucky that my old man still has a 997.2 GT3 Clubsport so I can still nick that occasionally however I've stopped taking him up on tracking it when he does as I'd have to sell my house to pay him back.
Love those exiges - great things!
The difference in consumables cost is massive between a Porsche and something light.Love those exiges - great things!
I could ruin a set of tyres in 2 or 3 track days in the 911. The Exige got 12 track days (and 9000 miles total) out of it's rear tyres. The fronts still have life left, and that's after the 13th track day.
Your Caterham will be even better, to the point where you probably barely think about the cost of tyres and brakes I guess?
Paul_M3 said:
The difference in consumables cost is massive between a Porsche and something light.
I could ruin a set of tyres in 2 or 3 track days in the 911. The Exige got 12 track days (and 9000 miles total) out of it's rear tyres. The fronts still have life left, and that's after the 13th track day.
Your Caterham will be even better, to the point where you probably barely think about the cost of tyres and brakes I guess?
Yeah a 295/30/18 Cup2 rear was a lot in the end and hard to find the 215/13s on the Caterham not only cost buttons they don't wear at all! I could ruin a set of tyres in 2 or 3 track days in the 911. The Exige got 12 track days (and 9000 miles total) out of it's rear tyres. The fronts still have life left, and that's after the 13th track day.
Your Caterham will be even better, to the point where you probably barely think about the cost of tyres and brakes I guess?
I've got the big old AP 4 pots on mine and pads are still cheap!
Bit of work on the little car before the first trackday of the year on 4th Feb. Only 1500 miles since the last change but it has done two days at Spa and two days at the ring plus a wet day at Brands in between.
Kept to the same spec Motul 5w-30 going in that caterham recommend.
Whilst only on 7k miles its the 5th service the cars had now...perks / perils of being an ex press car.
Couple of thoughts ahead of this year. I'm going to get the geo changed as it has a hint of oversteer in high speed corners so a bit more camber might be needed. I'm also thinking that a LWFW to match the wonderful little sigma.
Finally I'll change the gearbox and diff oil just before we get to summer.
Overall still super happy with it all and looking forward to a full year of use!
Bonus pic!
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