Roadsport-a good idea?

[mrh3113]

Hi all, first time on the Caterham forum-normally live over at the lotus one.

I've put my Exige up for sale as I'm looking for something lighter and simpler; originally I was going to move over to an S1 Elise-either 111s or Sport 160. I has thought about the Caterham option but not in any depth.

However I've had an offer to p/ex for a Roadsport against the Exige of the following spec:

actual car: (http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/preowned/preowned_track_details.html?ID=294)

spec:

1600 K series engine producing 120bhp
3,700 miles
0-60 in 5.6 secs
top speed 115
13" Wheels riding on A048's
braided hoses all round
Mintex 1144 pads
Blistein Shocks - fully adjustable - pretty aggressive setup at the moment
Full FIA rollcage
Quick release steering wheel
Immobilisor
Fire extinguisher
Starter button
6pt harnesses for the driver
4pt for the passenger
Internal fuel pump cut off switch

Would this be a good intro to Caterham ownership? Unsuprsiingly, I'm a little bewildered by the multitude of specs available.

Can much more power be tweaked out of the 1.6 K series if I find myself after more oomph?

Thanks in advance for any advice

PS any idea what would the likely residuals be? just asking as a decent S1 Elise is hardly going to depreciate at all now.

PPS can anyone point me towards the best/most concise idiots guide to all the Caterham variants? Ta!

Edited by mrh3113 on Thursday 3rd July 10:32

Edited by mrh3113 on Thursday 3rd July 10:42

[MarchHare]

Presumably an ex race car? Absolutely nothing wrong with that providing it's straight (i.e. no knocks) and engine is OK. Race cars are usually very well maintained so should not be an issue although it will somewhat restrict secondary market values. Not everyone wants to take the chance.

My main question would be what you intend to do with the car. if it's going to see a fair amount of track time it would certainly be a good starting point and, providing it is competitively priced, should be an economic way into Caterham ownership.

As far as residuals go I'd say £13-15 K at present depending on condition and age (at less than 4,000 miles I'm guessing it's 2-3 years old).

If you want to use the car primarily on the road then you might find a full cage a bit of a pain.

As far as engine tweaks the standard Caterham Supersport upgrade (cams and ECU) takes it to around 130-135 bhp I think. You could take it further with more adventurous work on cams, porting the head, programmable ecu etc. but I think that 130 bhp is plenty in most real world situations for a car as light as the caterham. The race cars run with 120 bhp and you will find very few cars (even with much more power) are able to put in lap times close to what a bog standard Roadsports manages.

[rubystone]

MarchHare said:

As far as residuals go I'd say £13-15 K at present depending on condition and age (at less than 4,000 miles I'm guessing it's 2-3 years old).

I'd knock it back by a couple of grand on that price as it's a 2005, especially if he's partexing it with you. I'd think about owning that car at £10k against your Exige. But it looks like it's sold in any case.

[mrh3113]

Cheers guys.

He actually bought it off Caterham and is now selling it on, I believe.

He wants approx 11-11.5k for it which fits with what you just said. I know its a crystal ball job but estimate of value in 2y time?

I assume even the gruntier Caterhams hit the aerodynamic brick wall over 100mph - I realise its not all about max speed.

Would this car be practical enough for blats on weekends/days off?

[rubystone]

mrh3113 said:

Cheers guys.

He actually bought it off Caterham and is now selling it on, I believe.

He wants approx 11-11.5k for it which fits with what you just said. I know its a crystal ball job but estimate of value in 2y time?

I assume even the gruntier Caterhams hit the aerodynamic brick wall over 100mph - I realise its not all about max speed.

Would this car be practical enough for blats on weekends/days off?

Value in 2 years? I think I'm correct in stating that this car is ex Academy? At the end of an Academy season, some of those cars are released onto the market and inevitably depress the prices of those cars on the market (or owned by others). In some ways, investing more money in the likes of a Superlight is a better investment if you are concerned about depreciation; those cars have a desirable level of spec too.

[James.S]

The car in the pic has AO48 tyres on, which suggests its spent some time in the Grads series, but panels look straight so i could be wrong.

If you want it for track work make sure it is Roadsport spec, ie widetrack suspension, bin the tyres and put cr500's back on and make sure the engine has forged pistons and the uprated head.

If you want enjoyment out of driving it rather than bragging rights screww all the fancy stuff, you don't need it so why blow money on it if your budget is limited, spend that money on an extra set of wheels, a couple of track days and a session or two with a pro instructer like Simon Mason. You will get more speed/enjoyment from that than saying you xtra bhp or fancy carbon dangley bits......

Best of luck........


Or you could try racing it.......it is a race car after all. Check out RSB/RSA or Grads.....makes trackdays look tiresome;)

[BertBert]

Whenever anyone posts that race cars are well looked after I feel duty bound to point out that only the well looked after ones are well looked after. It's the same as any other car, you have to find good ones.

Poorly looked after race cars are horrible.

Bert

[OJ]

James.S said:

The car in the pic has AO48 tyres on, which suggests its spent some time in the Grads series, but panels look straight so i could be wrong.

Ooh you bh!

That is indeed a Grads car, it belonged to a friend of mine in fact. I can tell you that he always looked after his car and was never a 'panel basher' driver... He actually kept the car inside his house too (hard to explain)! It might have a couple of typical racing 'battle scars' but its not a risky buy. And its very cheap compared to some of the ropey sheds some of us flog!!

It may also come with a brand new set of tyres... I know as I bought some for him after borrowing his wheels! Don't be so quick to ditch the 48's, while they don't offer the 'feel' or wet weather grip of the CR500's, they're miles better in the dry and far more durable. I prefer them on track.

EDIT: AND the 48's are half the price!!

Edited by OJ on Friday 4th July 09:42

[James.S]

Point taken on the tyres. If its track only wearing a set down of CR500 for dry and a newish set for wet is ideal but no reason not to use tyres already on.

Bert - take your point but people are too easliy fooled by paint and panels, it doesn't mean it's in good nick. Generally the cars in RSA/RSB are of a very high standard mechanically, cosmetics are just that...cosmetic and can be fixed relativly cheaply.

I would put my RS against anything on the market for condition......and it will be up for sale at the end of the season

[OJ]

James.S said:

people are too easliy fooled by paint and panels, it doesn't mean it's in good nick

Very true, but I can vouch for this particular car!

[James.S]

Didn't mean it like that OJ. Meant people are put off by the scars a race car will have, overlooking the face that they are generally very well maintained, or else they wouldn't run like they do.

You doing the Euro round at Donnington this time. If this R300 thingy is ready and the schedule is right I fancy giving it a whirl. Should be a failry even match you in a 400 and me in a 300....

[h_____]

Thats Matts old car isnt it? Yeah, its true lived in his kitchen, pretty much. Was always a pretty car, and been well looked after. I understand he bought a R500. I'm sure he'll be back to grads though.