driving home

[kinderrr]

Hi forum
All new here.
Got a question. Am about to buy af Cateham a 1600 k from the Netherlands and planing to drive it home to Denmark Copenhagen. Really looking forward to the adventure. But could use some friendly advise. Is it safe or insane and should i wait for better winds or get transport? (Probably not driving the cat home in a blizard and not sure if the autobahn is a safe bet?But otherwise am pretty confident) Alle advise will be appreciated
Michael

[Toaster]

Its not Mad just plan your stops, I have toured Denmark in my 7 Harwich to Esbjerg then touring staying in Youth hostels etc, Denmark feels a little like East Anglia so I understand why England was refer to by some as the 'old country'.

Just make sure you take it easy if its wet

Edited by Toaster on Monday 2nd February 08:16

[Gingerbread Man]

Upon driving mine home, the first time I had driven it on a cold, extremely heavy rain day.

You'll need thin shoes to work the pedals. The rear tyres maybe more summer orientated, so mind out of aquaplaning, the road surface condition. If it has the full roof, it's an art to put on, you can roll the rear window down to help, but often the screen and doors mist up. They're pretty noisey, depends on how experienced you are with them. The lights aren't remarkable as standard. They can be quite hot, but it's winter for you guys now. Long drives can take more of a toll on you than a typical refined car. In a harness, you might not be able to move around as much to look around as much.

All in, I drove mine daily for many years through all conditions. If you treat them with respect, realise there's no aids to reply on. They're fine.

I went from driving a 1.2L Fiesta to bringing the Caterham home 2 hours on a dark and ridiculously rainy winters night after work as I couldn't wait to get it. In hindsight, I probably should have waited until the weekend as the car was completely new to me, quite a shocking difference to the Fiesta! The driving position, the power, the noise, the cramped cabin, the buttons (plus in the dark so no help while looking around at the dimly lit dash), basically every experience.

You'll remember it anyway.

[framerateuk]

I'd advise that you give yourself enough time to get home before it's dark.

If the weather is clear, you'll be fine, but if you get a dark,rainy drive in a 7, it can be quite unpleasant. Oncoming lights are dipped right into your eyes, and the rain over the road creates almost a mirror effect. The outcome is that when someone is driving towards you with lights on, it's almost impossible to see where the road is.

Assuming it's not raining though, wrap up warm. You'll need narrow shoes and some grippy gloves. The rear tyres will break away quite easily with higher revs in the cold, so just take it easy and you'll enjoy it .

[Borstel]

Hi Kinderrr,

I have the same "problem" and I am still struggling - I have only 500km on the autobahn, almost the whole trip at night and no experience with the Seven beforehand. The main problem I see in the weather at the moment and the autobahn is covered with salt - aluminium and salty mist doesn't sound as a good combination. Try to pick up a day which might be dry - the other problems should be solvable, don't rush and get some breaks.

[spanky3]

My first drive back was 3 hours at night through fog in December. The first 10 minutes were a bit uncomfortable but after that the journey flew by. All the advice above is good. Take a hat and also gloves - I didn't and had very cold fingers. Take ear plugs or an ipod. I went with the latter.

If you can it might be useful to carry a full petrol can as well to avoid the anxiety that goes with having no fuel, no trust in the fuel gauge and no idea where you might get some. Above all don't worry and you'll get used to it surprisingly quickly.

[Toaster]

Kindeeer just a thought make sure you wash the car throughly when you get home particularly between the chassis rail and the ali so no salt is left in/on the car

[BertBert]

for me it would depend on the weather. If it's dry then it'll be fine. If there is liklihood of bad weather, bad rain, ice, snow, then don't.

A cold, dry, daylight drive will be fun. A dark, wet, snowy, icy drive will be a nightmare.

Bert

[kinderrr]

Thx for input. much appreciated. Main concern is salty roads and the damage it will do to the car. So i'll take a return flight and test the car and hopefully buy it come monday. Then have it shipped home. so excited!!!!