Caterham Seven: PH Fleet
Heaterless Seven too raw for everyday use? Not a bit of it!
Garlick regrets wanting to go for a drive
It's not been perfect but living with a Caterham has been tremendous fun. The key is compromise. Approach it like a normal car and it will be hugely frustrating; accept that it will take a minute or two for the harnesses, that you must take a cut-off switch and all occupants bring their own ICE then you're fine. Mostly.
But it's actually been far more usable than I ever expected. Of course the visibility is great, especially with the roof off, and having such immediate response from all the controls is really reassuring on the road. There's nothing to alter your inputs or dilute the feedback. Which is especially useful out in the rain for the first time! The first (and so far only) time the fuel consumption was measured the Seven returned, appropriately enough, 37mpg. I'll keep an eye on that now; someone's got to offset Dan's profligate AMG use after all.
Just in case it wasn't visible enough!
Being brutally honest, the noise reaches intolerable levels at time. Around town it's great as the exhaust gurgles along next to you and having it parp along a B-road thrash is predictably amusing. But I'd underestimated how loud it is at a constant rpm; motorway cruising is particularly torturous, slightly ameliorated by some decent over ear headphones. Audiobooks are out of the question though, I've tried and they don't go loud enough. Singing at the top of your voice to maintain sanity on the M40 does work though. Apologies if that sounds hopelessly naive but using the Caterham really is an entirely new driving experience.
Hood on too much right now; bring on summer!
Moreover, any complaints have been totally offset by the great positives of using a Caterham regularly. The waves from pedestrians, putting a huge smile on the face of my 79 year-old Grandad, throttle matching every gear change; it's all just wonderful.
What next? Well with the summer hopefully on the way, the Caterham should see even more use. I want to do some track days to prevent too much embarrassment in the Academy, Dan wants a go as well, Wales would probably be quite cool and I need to attempt a drive-thru. Can't wait!
FACT SHEET
Car: 2014 Caterham Academy Seven
Run by: Matt
On fleet since: March 2014
Mileage: 2,345
List price new: Academy package from £21,495, our car £26,335 as tested including £3,000 for factory build, £330 for 'Side Screens only', £300 for Momo quick release wheel and column, £60 for push button start and £1,150 for paint (!).
Last month at a glance: A Caterham really can make viable everyday transport. Sort of.
 |
 |
One questions though, can you actually get in or out of one with the roof on??
I have no problem with the roof being a short-arse, OH has issues since she's 5' 11", but has got the hang of it. Having a half hood helps.
Likewise ear plugs for long journeys, doesn't detract too much from the theatre of it and you don't end up with the booming tinatus (spelling?) for hours afterwards.
I don't think I could use mine as a daily driver, it gets hot in traffic jams and being an old K-series, that sometimes worries me. But agree with Matt, it certainly gets a good response from most people.
I've taken to wearing a helmet for long motorway runs with an in-ear headphone on the noisy side for entertainment. Looks a bit 'overkill' with a screen, but is much less tiring over a long slog. It's also obviously safer if anything ever did happen to drop off/bounce up from the vehicle in front and managed to clear (or God forbid pierce) the screen. Easy to forget that anything that would clatter the grille or bonnet of most cars would be about chin-level in a 7.
I'd love to use it every day but instead I have to use the train. Oh joy.
It's part of ownership as far as I'm concerned. Just hope nobody burns their leg on the exhaust.
Ill out it this way, my motorbike is more practical than the caterham, in every way.
Reckon I stay drier too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2WWXPgoDeQ&lis...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff