Caterham Superlight

Caterham Superlight

Author
Discussion

WestieMan

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
Hey all. I been away from Pistonheads for quite some time after I sold my Elise and my beloved Westfield.........stay with me now haha.
Young family and new business ventures forced on selling my beloved "toys".......but now 8 years later and 8 years older I have that itch and that I need to scratch!

I been looking to get my first Caterham, a car I always wanted but low budget preventing me of getting my ultimate 7.
So I been offered a lovely looking Superlight. Is a 2000 model #11_ with a 1.6 K series engine. The vehicle has done 3000 miles from new and checked with the MOT history and proved correct.
Seller send me the spec......but you guys know those anyway.

6 speed box
Caterham 4 pot calipers
De-Dion axle
Full weather kit
Heated windscreen
Carbon nosecone
Carbon on arches
Carbon dash
FIA roll bar
Anti-roll bars front and back
Momo removable wheel
Leather seats
Heater

My question is, what I should be paying for something like this? Or is there another way that I can value the vehicle?

Many thanks in advance.
Here is picture of the car.


Turn7

23,502 posts

220 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
Get onto Arnies FB group.....

WestieMan

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
Thanks....what would be the advantage by doing this?

Turn7

23,502 posts

220 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
Fast moving, busy, well populated Caterham specialist group

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
I've got no idea how to get a proper value. but those front tyres have worked hard recently!

Do you trust the 3k miles? What sort of miles? Road, track?

For me, it feels like 18k if it is in the condition that it should be at 3k miles. But I know nothing and I wouldn't be surprised to see it at 20-21k.

HTH
Bert

WestieMan

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
BertBert said:
I've got no idea how to get a proper value. but those front tyres have worked hard recently!

Do you trust the 3k miles? What sort of miles? Road, track?

For me, it feels like 18k if it is in the condition that it should be at 3k miles. But I know nothing and I wouldn't be surprised to see it at 20-21k.

HTH
Bert
Thanks Bert.
I did noticed the tyres but not sure if is just the picture or they look dirty of the gravel is been parked on.
The seller is asking 18.5k. Not sure if that's a fair price or not though.

Turn7

23,502 posts

220 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
quotequote all
Price doesnt sound far off the mark tbh....but as previous - unless you are on Blatchat, the FB group is the default place for C7 knowledge...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/318610305307075/

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Thursday 8th August 2019
quotequote all
WestieMan said:
BertBert said:
I've got no idea how to get a proper value. but those front tyres have worked hard recently!

Do you trust the 3k miles? What sort of miles? Road, track?

For me, it feels like 18k if it is in the condition that it should be at 3k miles. But I know nothing and I wouldn't be surprised to see it at 20-21k.

HTH
Bert
Thanks Bert.
I did noticed the tyres but not sure if is just the picture or they look dirty of the gravel is been parked on.
The seller is asking 18.5k. Not sure if that's a fair price or not though.
I would say that's a fair price - bearing in mind the mileage, I imagine that would be 20-21k at a dealer. My Superlight #115 sold for 17k at a dealer - that was eight years ago and it had 33k on the clock.

WestieMan

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Thursday 8th August 2019
quotequote all
Thanks guys, very helpful.

I'm in a pickle really . Do I spend 18.5k on a 2000 superlight or 19 k on a 2011 Supersport 1.6 Sigma 140bhp!!!

This is so difficult lol



HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Thursday 8th August 2019
quotequote all
Superlight! Supersport ten a penny. The Ford engine is pretty boring in 140bhp guise in stark contrast to the K-series which is a 'modern day' Lotus Twin Cam by comparison IMO.

Human

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Thursday 8th August 2019
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
Superlight! Supersport ten a penny. The Ford engine is pretty boring in 140bhp guise in stark contrast to the K-series which is a 'modern day' Lotus Twin Cam by comparison IMO.
You're spot on mate..... I just needed someone else to say the same thought I had lol.

Superlight it is then ;()

Human

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Thursday 8th August 2019
quotequote all
Human said:
You're spot on mate..... I just needed someone else to say the same thought I had lol.

Superlight it is then ;()
Sorry I might confused you guys..... I changed my username as I don't own Westfield anymore

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Thursday 8th August 2019
quotequote all
WestieMan said:
Thanks Bert.
I did noticed the tyres but not sure if is just the picture or they look dirty of the gravel is been parked on.
The seller is asking 18.5k. Not sure if that's a fair price or not though.
Looking at the pic full size, I'd say that was rolled tyre tread from hot track use. Doesn't make it a bad thing as they are meant to do that. Just adds to the normal need to make sure it is as described. It's not hard to disconnect the speedo.

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
Superlight! Supersport ten a penny. The Ford engine is pretty boring in 140bhp guise in stark contrast to the K-series which is a 'modern day' Lotus Twin Cam by comparison IMO.
yes



super7

1,922 posts

207 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
Is that really car 11 from 2000? Especially as car 34 sits on a R-plate. 2000 would be a W.

The first Superlight was produced in 1996. My original Superlight was car 8 and I ordered that the day the car was released in Autocar back in November 1996. My car was delivered Feb 1997.

As to the spec of the car, with Paint, full windscreen, leather seats, heater etc etc, it's more like a highly specced Roadsport from the period than a Superlight. The original Superlight came in at under 500kgs, I guess that one is well over 500kg. With 136bhp engine the extra weight will sap the performance.

Looks like the rear wheels are far too big for the arches aswell? Is it on 13" rims?

Look at http://www.thecaterhamregister.net/superlights/

As for prices..... I sold mine to a friend for 8k back in 2012 ish. I had been through a divorce and the car was based at my old house and probably needed a new chassis as it was rusted to fk. Car was a right mess for which i'm eternally gutted about and was a miserable ending to Caterham ownership including racing in the acadamy. The Superlight was by far the best Caterham I ever had the pleasure of driving!

Edited by super7 on Friday 9th August 11:32

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
super7 said:
Is that really car 11 from 2000? Especially as car 34 sits on a R-plate. 2000 would be a W.

The first Superlight was produced in 1996. My original Superlight was car 8 and I ordered that the day the car was released in Autocar back in November 1996. My car was delivered Feb 1997.

As to the spec of the car, with Paint, full windscreen, leather seats, heater etc etc, it's more like a highly specced Roadsport from the period than a Superlight. The original Superlight came in at under 500kgs, I guess that one is well over 500kg. With 136bhp engine the extra weight will sap the performance.

Looks like the rear wheels are far too big for the arches aswell? Is it on 13" rims?

Look at http://www.thecaterhamregister.net/superlights/

As for prices..... I sold mine to a friend for 8k back in 2012 ish. I had been through a divorce and the car was based at my old house and probably needed a new chassis as it was rusted to fk. Car was a right mess for which i'm eternally gutted about and was a miserable ending to Caterham ownership including racing in the acadamy. The Superlight was by far the best Caterham I ever had the pleasure of driving!

Edited by super7 on Friday 9th August 11:32
I think it must be #111, as mine was #115 and that was registered in September 2000.

Mine had leather seats, full paint, windscreen, doors and heater and weighed 520kgs with a quarter tank of fuel. An aeroscreened, bare ali car with no heater and Tillets would be sub 500kgs for sure.

The rear wheels look correct; 6 x 13. The 8 x 13 wheels fill the rear arches a lot more.

Human

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
super7 said:
Is that really car 11 from 2000? Especially as car 34 sits on a R-plate. 2000 would be a W.

The first Superlight was produced in 1996. My original Superlight was car 8 and I ordered that the day the car was released in Autocar back in November 1996. My car was delivered Feb 1997.

As to the spec of the car, with Paint, full windscreen, leather seats, heater etc etc, it's more like a highly specced Roadsport from the period than a Superlight. The original Superlight came in at under 500kgs, I guess that one is well over 500kg. With 136bhp engine the extra weight will sap the performance.

Looks like the rear wheels are far too big for the arches aswell? Is it on 13" rims?

Look at http://www.thecaterhamregister.net/superlights/

As for prices..... I sold mine to a friend for 8k back in 2012 ish. I had been through a divorce and the car was based at my old house and probably needed a new chassis as it was rusted to fk. Car was a right mess for which i'm eternally gutted about and was a miserable ending to Caterham ownership including racing in the acadamy. The Superlight was by far the best Caterham I ever had the pleasure of driving!

Edited by super7 on Friday 9th August 11:32
Looking back to my original post looks like I used my sausage finger when I was typing that!!!!
The Superlight is # 119. My fault and I do apologise!

Thanks for your reply mate.

super7

1,922 posts

207 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
That explains it...... Didn't want you buying something it wasn't! Lot's off people take a Roadsport, make a few changes and call it a Superlight.

The basic car back in 1996 weighed 480kgs. That was with no windscreen, no heater, fibreglass seats and no spare wheel. It also used to run on Avons Formula Ford, slightly modified for the road. Im sure the fronts were the same size as the rears although these changed with the Superlight R.

Human

Original Poster:

136 posts

179 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
super7 said:
That explains it...... Didn't want you buying something it wasn't! Lot's off people take a Roadsport, make a few changes and call it a Superlight.

The basic car back in 1996 weighed 480kgs. That was with no windscreen, no heater, fibreglass seats and no spare wheel. It also used to run on Avons Formula Ford, slightly modified for the road. Im sure the fronts were the same size as the rears although these changed with the Superlight R.
Many thanks to all of you replied to my post.
I'm flying to Scotland on Tuesday to have a look at it and make sure is exactly as the seller advertised it. If all good, I will be putting down a deposit and flying up there again on Friday with my son and driving it back on the Saturday....450 mile trip back to somerset......... father and son bonding the right way smile


Edited by Human on Friday 9th August 14:38

V7SLR

456 posts

185 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
Definitely the Superlight, the original numbered cars are very sought after so retain their value well. And when you've bought it send me some pictures and I'll add it to the Caterham Register.

(I've been having some upload problems but hope everything will be up and running again soon).