New to Caterhams

[Bund]

Hi,

Im thinking of buying a Caterham and wanted to know if there is a R3/400 and an R3/400 Superlight or are they one and the same.

thanks for your help

[_TC]

Morning sir, i too am new to Caterhams. The way i read it now though is that there are roadsports and superlights. then superlight R's ie; R300 R400 etc.

I hope some one comes along and tells us for sure.
Whatever they are, they are bloody good fun.

[Bund]

_TC said:

Morning sir, i too am new to Caterhams. The way i read it now though is that there are roadsports and superlights. then superlight R's ie; R300 R400 etc.

I hope some one comes along and tells us for sure.
Whatever they are, they are bloody good fun.

Iv had some nice cars in the past but for some reason im more looking forward to owning a cat. Super quick, great fun and hopefully not to expensive to own. Just need to find a good car now. My budget was around 15k but i want a R3/400 so may have to up it a bit.

[Pugsey]

Bund said:

_TC said:

Morning sir, i too am new to Caterhams. The way i read it now though is that there are roadsports and superlights. then superlight R's ie; R300 R400 etc.

I hope some one comes along and tells us for sure.
Whatever they are, they are bloody good fun.

Iv had some nice cars in the past but for some reason im more looking forward to owning a cat. Super quick, great fun and hopefully not to expensive to own. Just need to find a good car now. My budget was around 15k but i want a R3/400 so may have to up it a bit.

Bund me old fruit! Excellent - you won't regret it. I collected me new R400 from the factory yesterday - see under my seperate topic. You prob. know that I got an F430 after the GT3 and the two rear ends - one VERY red, one VERY yellow - side by side in the barn look awesome but it's the yellow (Mango actually!) Cat. that I'm most excited about! TBO, after your various cars I'd go for an R400 not an R300. The R300 is still blindingly quick A to B but is really all about momentum and I think you'd miss the out and out grunt a bit. However there are those on here much more qualified in all things 7 than me. Go for it!

Edited by Pugsey on Tuesday 7th August 08:17

[jeremyc]

Bund said:

Im thinking of buying a Caterham and wanted to know if there is a R3/400 and an R3/400 Superlight or are they one and the same.

They are one and the same. Originally they were simply known as "Superlight" and "Superlight R" but with the advent of the R500 they renamed them: the Superlight became known as the R300, and the Superlight R the R400.

As you'll soon discover when looking at Caterhams, it is much more about the specification of a particular car rather than the badges it wears: upgradeitis is rife so many cars have the desirable features of the Superlight range added at some point.

Anyway, it's the Superlight R/R400 you want.

[Bund]

Problem is im picking something up very similar to Pusgey'd red arse but black with no top on tomorrow or Thursday and without a garage(still) my bird is putting her finger down on how many cars i can buy in one week. She has said that i can only spend 15k on a cat(which means 20k to me) but am i going to find a good R400 or equivalent for that money? I wouldnt mind getting a private one.

[Noger]

Not so sure that is right either !

The difficultly is that Superlight has been both a "model" (if Caterham can really be considered to sell models as such) and a "spec level".

Thus there is a CSR Superlight which is a CSR not a Superlight. And then there is a Superlight spec of the Roadsport 150 (The R400) and the old Roadsport 1.8 VVC (the R300). Which are Superlights.

ISTR people un-Superlighting their SLRs (putting all the comfy bit back on) which were joking refered to as SLR Executives

I would say you would have to look fairly hard to get a sorted R400 for £20K, but they do come up privately - Caterham would want a whole lot more. Might be better off looking for a Superlight R ?

Edited by Noger on Tuesday 7th August 09:06

[Bund]

Is the superlight R an older R400?

Edited by Bund on Tuesday 7th August 09:35

[jeremyc]

Bund said:

Is the superlight R and older R400?

There will still be variations in spec. though due to the huge options list from Caterham when new and rampant upgradeitis from subsequent owners.

[Gad-Westy]

I'll have a stab at this. Dates may be wrong.

97 ish - Original 1.6 Superlight, later replaced by 1.8 superlight. Both around 140 bhp. This was a model in its own right, not a trim level.

98 ish - Superlight R with the 1.8 VHPD Engine, 190ish bhp.

99-01 ish R500 Superlight(230bhp) closely followed by the R300 Superlight(160 bhp), closely followed by the R400 Superlight (200 bhp), this is more or less the same as a superlight R but with Roller Barrel throttle bodies. All models in their own right again.

Then came the R500 evo (250 bhp 2.0) of which there are about none.

Now, you have the R400 with the Cosworth engine.

Hope that clears things up rather than just confusing things.

Edited by Gad-Westy on Tuesday 7th August 10:02

[Bund]

Gad-Westy said:

I'll have a stab at this. Dates may be wrong.

97 ish - Original 1.6 Superlight, later replaced by 1.8 superlight. Both around 140 bhp. This was a model in its own right, not a trim level.

98 ish - Superlight R with the 1.8 VHPD Engine, 190ish bhp.

99-01 ish R500 Superlight(230bhp) closely followed by the R300 Superlight(160 bhp), closely followed by the R400 Superlight (200 bhp), this is more or less the same as a superlight R but with Roller Barrel throttle bodies. All models in their own right again.

Then came the R500 evo (250 bhp 2.0) of which there are about none.

Now, you have the R400 with the Cosworth engine.

Hope that clears things up rather than just confusing things.

Edited by Gad-Westy on Tuesday 7th August 10:02

thats great, thanks.

So what am i best off trying for with the budget 15/20k? I have seen a nice R300 in the private classifieds but now thinking this may not be enough. There is hardly any on Autotrader. Do caterham have that much of a mark up on the cars they sell and do they give warrantys on the car they sell?

[JakeR]

Bund, I note you are from Surrey... come along to Dunsfold on the 8th of September and there will be loads of cars to look at...

[Bund]

JakeR said:

Bund, I note you are from Surrey... come along to Dunsfold on the 8th of September and there will be loads of cars to look at...

Hay Jake,


What and where is Dunsfold? I have lived in Surrey for a few years so forgive my ignorance if its a well known place. Will there be cars for sale or more of a show?

thanks

[JakeR]

Hi Bund,

it's just a 7 club meet at the top gear test track. Loads of knowledgeable blokes to talk to... the organiser is a PHer too. Dunsfold is here:

http://www.dunsfoldpark.co.uk/

cheers...

[Pugsey]

JakeR said:

Hi Bund,

it's just a 7 club meet at the top gear test track. Loads of knowledgeable blokes to talk to... the organiser is a PHer too. Dunsfold is here:

http://www.dunsfoldpark.co.uk/

cheers...

Is using the track part of the meet? Love to come down too if it is.

[JakeR]

It's really a handling day. There is a timed 0-60 run, a donut area and a handling course/slalom. The last time I went, you could go on the top gear track if you paid extra, but the day's insurance constraints meant it was ducks and drakes and the laps were 'warm'. If you want to take a car, you'll need to be quick in applying as it seems to get booked up pretty quick...

cheers

JakeR

[Murph7355]

Whilst the SL/R300 is a sweet car (possibly one of the best all round 7s ever made), with the cars you've had I think you'll find the sheer grunt a bit disappointing. It's not really the point with these cars, but if you can have it, why not.

As a result, I think you need to be looking at an SLR/R400.

I live round the corner from you (literally - round the corner from the Crown ). My SLR-esque car is just being rebuilt (deserved some TLC after 11yrs of abuse) and should be back in a couple of weeks. If you can wait until then, you're more than welcome to have a good look round one, have a go in it and I can help you look at cars if you like.

An SLR will likely be ~16-18k, and R400 will likely start a few k more.

As a pure driving sensation, nothing you've owned will match one. But it's unlikely your other half will appreciate it

[Bund]

Murph7355 said:

Whilst the SL/R300 is a sweet car (possibly one of the best all round 7s ever made), with the cars you've had I think you'll find the sheer grunt a bit disappointing. It's not really the point with these cars, but if you can have it, why not.

As a result, I think you need to be looking at an SLR/R400.

I live round the corner from you (literally - round the corner from the Crown ). My SLR-esque car is just being rebuilt (deserved some TLC after 11yrs of abuse) and should be back in a couple of weeks. If you can wait until then, you're more than welcome to have a good look round one, have a go in it and I can help you look at cars if you like.

An SLR will likely be ~16-18k, and R400 will likely start a few k more.

As a pure driving sensation, nothing you've owned will match one. But it's unlikely your other half will appreciate it

Andy,

Im more than happy to wait so thanks that would be great. The Crown, is that the one opposite Cannons car park?

[Murph7355]

Bund said:

...Andy,

Im more than happy to wait so thanks that would be great. The Crown, is that the one opposite Cannons car park?

YHM

[Bund]

This has just come up and looks good and close to the money i want to spend but it such a long way away.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/230015.htm

also love the colour on this but not the R

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/224455.htm