Caterham Gatwick

[Smitters]

daifly said:

Any recommendations for somewhere to the West of London (Berkshire, Surrey, Hants) that offers good servicing to give them a shot next time?

Thanks

Talk to Ian at PT Sports Cars. I've found them friendly and enthusiastic and happy to spend time discussing what's right for you (e.g. is the service schedule relevant if you do five track days a year, for example.)

[BigCol]

Smitters said:

daifly said:

Any recommendations for somewhere to the West of London (Berkshire, Surrey, Hants) that offers good servicing to give them a shot next time?

Thanks

Talk to Ian at PT Sports Cars. I've found them friendly and enthusiastic and happy to spend time discussing what's right for you (e.g. is the service schedule relevant if you do five track days a year, for example.)

The chaps at PT were very helpful to me last year and I have also used James Whiting in Ashford... am sure you could be confident in the work done by either!

[justleanitupabit]

Roblot said:

Thought I would have a quick word at this point. I bought a new 360 S SV from caterham towards the end of last year, The car was terrible to drive, very bad shunting no matter how careful you were with the clutch. Excessive clonking and terrible transmission noise. I was forced to sell the car with only 200 miles on the clock. Caterham did not want to take the car back at all,(at any price) and in the end I lost a significant amount (£8000) of money by selling to another dealer.
Just a work of caution, win some loose some!. If the caterham did not have the clonking and transmission noise problems it would be a great car to drive and probably is to those who track the car or can overlook the inherent problems.

Was this your first Caterham?

[Roblot]

Hi there.
About 40 years ago!. I had two caterhams ( one was a Lotus) both twin cams 110 and 150 BPH; Both had live rear axle and 4 speed ford box. Great to drive no clunking and no transmission noise or whining. I thought I would try to recapture my youth and buy a Caterham again. I had for a few weeks a old roadsport 140 ( 5 speed) which did not whine or clunk but had terrible transmission noise on overrun. I ordered the new 360 thinking it would be better, but it was a lot worse in all directions and murder to drive on the road. To add insult to injury, I was told I would be better off with a newer road sport with a 6 speed box; which I decided to buy as one last try ! ( ok I know more money than sense!). This was also a disaster, no clunking but terrible whine which I could not live with on the road which was my main reason for getting a Caterham. The dealers did not want to know when I requested they buy the cars back ( and I was prepared to take a reasonable loss). In my opinion instead of trying to add more and more power some work should be done to sort out the transmission problems, especially for road use.A number of other cars such as the Elise do not have these transmission problems and they are pretty much stripped down. To just say 'they all do that sir' and saying it is all part of the character is not acceptable to some people.All the best to all

[BertBert]

Do I understand this right...

You had a Roadsport 140 which you didn't like the noise, then
Bought a 360 which you hated, then
Bought another roadsport that you hated because of the noise

You know what they say about fools and money!

Roblot said:

Hi there.
About 40 years ago!. I had two caterhams ( one was a Lotus) both twin cams 110 and 150 BPH; Both had live rear axle and 4 speed ford box. Great to drive no clunking and no transmission noise or whining. I thought I would try to recapture my youth and buy a Caterham again. I had for a few weeks a old roadsport 140 ( 5 speed) which did not whine or clunk but had terrible transmission noise on overrun. I ordered the new 360 thinking it would be better, but it was a lot worse in all directions and murder to drive on the road. To add insult to injury, I was told I would be better off with a newer road sport with a 6 speed box; which I decided to buy as one last try ! ( ok I know more money than sense!). This was also a disaster, no clunking but terrible whine which I could not live with on the road which was my main reason for getting a Caterham. The dealers did not want to know when I requested they buy the cars back ( and I was prepared to take a reasonable loss). In my opinion instead of trying to add more and more power some work should be done to sort out the transmission problems, especially for road use.A number of other cars such as the Elise do not have these transmission problems and they are pretty much stripped down. To just say 'they all do that sir' and saying it is all part of the character is not acceptable to some people.All the best to all

[g7jhp]

BertBert said:

Do I understand this right...

You had a Roadsport 140 which you didn't like the noise, then
Bought a 360 which you hated, then
Bought another roadsport that you hated because of the noise

You know what they say about fools and money!

Roblot said:

Hi there.
About 40 years ago!. I had two caterhams ( one was a Lotus) both twin cams 110 and 150 BPH; Both had live rear axle and 4 speed ford box. Great to drive no clunking and no transmission noise or whining. I thought I would try to recapture my youth and buy a Caterham again. I had for a few weeks a old roadsport 140 ( 5 speed) which did not whine or clunk but had terrible transmission noise on overrun. I ordered the new 360 thinking it would be better, but it was a lot worse in all directions and murder to drive on the road. To add insult to injury, I was told I would be better off with a newer road sport with a 6 speed box; which I decided to buy as one last try ! ( ok I know more money than sense!). This was also a disaster, no clunking but terrible whine which I could not live with on the road which was my main reason for getting a Caterham. The dealers did not want to know when I requested they buy the cars back ( and I was prepared to take a reasonable loss). In my opinion instead of trying to add more and more power some work should be done to sort out the transmission problems, especially for road use.A number of other cars such as the Elise do not have these transmission problems and they are pretty much stripped down. To just say 'they all do that sir' and saying it is all part of the character is not acceptable to some people.All the best to all

I'm not sure why you didn't do an extended test drive first to ensure you were happy with the transmission noise.

OK, even if you made the mistake once, I can't understand how you went on to make it again and again!

[Roblot]

I agree with you. The early cars with the live axle were fine. The first roadsport I only drove round the block and the grinding noises on the overrun were noticed after purchase. I thought a new car would not have any untoward noises !, dealers are not keen on allowing exhaustive test drives in new cars
( perhaps understandably). The last road sport I bought in desperation after being told that these cars (2006) would not clunk or judder ( which in fairness it did not) however I could not live with the terrible whine. I just wanted a car which drove the same as my eary cars, I could not understand how these were fine and all the later ones had transmission noise issues. I have been told the switch to De dion suspension and the associated diff and gearboxes, especially limited slip diffs do have the noise problems, (which of course do not matter on the track). Don't get me wrong but the driving and road experience of the 7 is sublime, but with traffic to contend with on the roads today a clunky and noisy car can be a problem. It was not just me, others who were a passenger in the car and who owned other high powered cars thought the transmission noise unacceptable; on the other hand the induction noise and exhaust are great!.

[Master Bean]

Ear plugs solve the problem.

[anonymous-user]

Roblot said:

I agree with you. The early cars with the live axle were fine. The first roadsport I only drove round the block and the grinding noises on the overrun were noticed after purchase. I thought a new car would not have any untoward noises !, dealers are not keen on allowing exhaustive test drives in new cars
( perhaps understandably). The last road sport I bought in desperation after being told that these cars (2006) would not clunk or judder ( which in fairness it did not) however I could not live with the terrible whine. I just wanted a car which drove the same as my eary cars, I could not understand how these were fine and all the later ones had transmission noise issues. I have been told the switch to De dion suspension and the associated diff and gearboxes, especially limited slip diffs do have the noise problems, (which of course do not matter on the track). Don't get me wrong but the driving and road experience of the 7 is sublime, but with traffic to contend with on the roads today a clunky and noisy car can be a problem. It was not just me, others who were a passenger in the car and who owned other high powered cars thought the transmission noise unacceptable; on the other hand the induction noise and exhaust are great!.

I have some sympathy for you. When I tested a couple of R400s at C Midlands I never noticed any whine or shunt.

I think the first time I took my car out after building it it seemed very evident!

I live down a bumpy lane and that’s where it’s at it’s worst. I guess the test drives didn’t have such issues.

But I’ve got used to it; it’s manageable and with RBTBs and the exhaust so close, earplugs are a necessity in any case, IMO.