Looking at swapping out of my caterham
Discussion
After a little advice. After a couple of cater hams, I'm looking to swap to something different. I do a few track days a year and the caterham is pretty much unbeatable as a travel day tool ( I don't mean fastest ) but I'm ready for something a little more grown up.
So what do I look for?
So what do I look for?
Hi Richard , welcome to the forum , totally different cars in the real world , caterhams are quick and agile and great fun but the Noble is a more complete car , a few of us drive all the way to spa , spend 2 days on track then drive home , something you would not want to do .
With a few upgrades a Noble can also pretty much wipe the floor with a caterham.
Buy the best you can afford , 3 litre cars offer more power and generally the later 6 speed cars require less work and maintenance .
Tux
With a few upgrades a Noble can also pretty much wipe the floor with a caterham.
Buy the best you can afford , 3 litre cars offer more power and generally the later 6 speed cars require less work and maintenance .
Tux
It depends what your intentions are. I'd have to slightly disagree with Tux for once - low £20k's will get you a completely sorted 2.5 that will want for very little over regular maintenance whereas high £20k's or over could get you a 3R that still has factory part related issues. M400 premium is similar to Sierra RS500 over regular Cosworth - it is (was) the ultimate of all models but the reality is their apparent value lies in a standard unmolested garage queen. For track use you could build a GTO3 better than a 400 for considerably less than buying a 400.
Thanks for the replys.
Can anybody be a little more specific as to what are the strong/ weak points of the cars. I'm not interested in getting into modifying them as I've been there and done that before and all you end up doing is chasing the next weakest part.
One of the things I like about the caterham is that you can take it on a track day, drive as much as you want , not worry about watching the brakes ,oil temps and tyres. Can you do this with the noble or do you have to manage them more?
Can anybody be a little more specific as to what are the strong/ weak points of the cars. I'm not interested in getting into modifying them as I've been there and done that before and all you end up doing is chasing the next weakest part.
One of the things I like about the caterham is that you can take it on a track day, drive as much as you want , not worry about watching the brakes ,oil temps and tyres. Can you do this with the noble or do you have to manage them more?
I hired a Caterham R300 a few months ago for an evening at Donnington and completed approximately 90 laps in the session. The sheer competence of the car on track is absolutely phenomenal, there are very few cars that could do that whilst using so little few and barely even touching the tyres, and on the day only the R300 race cars practicing for their upcoming race were faster than me! I actually started looking for cars to buy to replace my car, but I soon realised something...
For the other 99.99% of the year, when you're driving a car on a road for fun, to a trackday or from a trackday there's still nothing that's made me smile as widely or as consistently as my Noble, and I've driven a lot of very very capable cars for a lot of miles in a lot of different conditions. They're different things and whilst the comments about "growing up" may come across as somewhat flippant, they are a much better all round car. You won't regret it.
...but I'd still have a GT3RS if I could afford one
For the other 99.99% of the year, when you're driving a car on a road for fun, to a trackday or from a trackday there's still nothing that's made me smile as widely or as consistently as my Noble, and I've driven a lot of very very capable cars for a lot of miles in a lot of different conditions. They're different things and whilst the comments about "growing up" may come across as somewhat flippant, they are a much better all round car. You won't regret it.
...but I'd still have a GT3RS if I could afford one
HI Again, thanks for reply, I'm hopefully getting myself over to look at an M400 at mole valley later this week. BUt agian, I'd really like to know what to look out for on the cars.
Is the 5 speed box strong enough?
Is the 6 speed box better?
Is the track day sump a MUST HAVE for tracxk days?
Are the standard brakes up to the job for track days or do I need to be looking at changing pads and/or disks?
Is the 5 speed box strong enough?
Is the 6 speed box better?
Is the track day sump a MUST HAVE for tracxk days?
Are the standard brakes up to the job for track days or do I need to be looking at changing pads and/or disks?
RGambo said:
HI Again, thanks for reply, I'm hopefully getting myself over to look at an M400 at mole valley later this week. BUt agian, I'd really like to know what to look out for on the cars.
Is the 5 speed box strong enough?
Is the 6 speed box better?
Is the track day sump a MUST HAVE for tracxk days?
Are the standard brakes up to the job for track days or do I need to be looking at changing pads and/or disks?
My bottom end rebuild says yes to this one. I killed my car in 3 laps.Is the 5 speed box strong enough?
Is the 6 speed box better?
Is the track day sump a MUST HAVE for tracxk days?
Are the standard brakes up to the job for track days or do I need to be looking at changing pads and/or disks?
RGambo said:
HI Again, thanks for reply, I'm hopefully getting myself over to look at an M400 at mole valley later this week. BUt agian, I'd really like to know what to look out for on the cars.
Is the 5 speed box strong enough?
Is the 6 speed box better?
Is the track day sump a MUST HAVE for tracxk days?
Are the standard brakes up to the job for track days or do I need to be looking at changing pads and/or disks?
I COULD be mistaken but I think all M400's came with the 6 speed box and track day sump as standard?Is the 5 speed box strong enough?
Is the 6 speed box better?
Is the track day sump a MUST HAVE for tracxk days?
Are the standard brakes up to the job for track days or do I need to be looking at changing pads and/or disks?
A popular set up brake-wise is the grooved AP discs with Pagid RS29 pads
i had a caterham roadsport, absolutely loved it, then a 911 which i didnt enjoy.
Bought the Noble as a real gamble to be honest, didnt know that muych about them other than the usual great handling, awesome acceleration, sounds like darth vadar, built in a shed in leicester quotes.
best decision i ever made. Its a different experience to the caterham - i want another caterham, but it would have to be a third car as i wouldnt swap the noble for one as its a far more complete and usable car IMO.
Where are you based ? if you are London/Essex area, you are welcome to have a ride in mine.
Bought the Noble as a real gamble to be honest, didnt know that muych about them other than the usual great handling, awesome acceleration, sounds like darth vadar, built in a shed in leicester quotes.
best decision i ever made. Its a different experience to the caterham - i want another caterham, but it would have to be a third car as i wouldnt swap the noble for one as its a far more complete and usable car IMO.
Where are you based ? if you are London/Essex area, you are welcome to have a ride in mine.
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