Standard & Upgrade, or hang on for the right car?
Discussion
Hello all
Just a quick view if poss please - I have earmarked some funds for a Caterham in spring 09 (if fuel hasn't hit £9.99 per litre) - and was going to spend around £15-16k hopefully on something close to superlight R300 spec. However a car local to me has come up which looks to be a standard Roadsport 16000 16V for what seems to be a good price (sub £10k).
Anybody got any views on how much (and how easy to source) it would take to get LSD, 6 spd, engine upgrade, R300 exhaust, brakes and suspension over a period of time (reconditioned / second hand etc)??
I am guessing that it is going to equal or surpass the £5k or so I would save initially but wanted to see if anyone has done similar?
Just a quick view if poss please - I have earmarked some funds for a Caterham in spring 09 (if fuel hasn't hit £9.99 per litre) - and was going to spend around £15-16k hopefully on something close to superlight R300 spec. However a car local to me has come up which looks to be a standard Roadsport 16000 16V for what seems to be a good price (sub £10k).
Anybody got any views on how much (and how easy to source) it would take to get LSD, 6 spd, engine upgrade, R300 exhaust, brakes and suspension over a period of time (reconditioned / second hand etc)??
I am guessing that it is going to equal or surpass the £5k or so I would save initially but wanted to see if anyone has done similar?
Greame,
Rough costings using some new and some used parts.
6 speed gearbox 1500
LSD 1000
Supersport engine conv. 1000
wide track 400
big brakes 650
R300 exhaust 1000
As you see, they add up to around your notional £5k.
If you want a better spec. car then I'd look for a car with a better spec. to start with.
Rough costings using some new and some used parts.
6 speed gearbox 1500
LSD 1000
Supersport engine conv. 1000
wide track 400
big brakes 650
R300 exhaust 1000
As you see, they add up to around your notional £5k.
If you want a better spec. car then I'd look for a car with a better spec. to start with.
Edited by Red Seven on Friday 25th July 09:04
Much better (from a cost point of view) to buy a car that somebody else has already upgraded.
Mine is a 1600 supersport, so around 138bhp, with 6-speed, lsd, superlight suspension, big brakes and 4-2-1 exhaust. So close to Superlight spec, without the carbon bits but with all the "luxury" of a Roadsport. With a bit of luck you might get one for around £10k.
Mine is a 1600 supersport, so around 138bhp, with 6-speed, lsd, superlight suspension, big brakes and 4-2-1 exhaust. So close to Superlight spec, without the carbon bits but with all the "luxury" of a Roadsport. With a bit of luck you might get one for around £10k.
GraemeP said:
Christ if something like your spec came up for anywhere near £10k I would be biting the sellers hand off!!
Yes, I think nearer £11k might be correct. But higher mileage cars can be bought for that sort of money and equally, with the recent glut of 6 speed 'boxes courtesy of those racers who upgraded their Superlights to sequentials knocking the price of those 'boxes down to £1200 or so secondhand, it might be easier to find a 5 speed 1.6 or 1.8 Supersport for £9k and swap boxes; that's what I would think of doing.GraemeP said:
Christ if something like your spec came up for anywhere near £10k I would be biting the sellers hand off!!
It did; almost 2 years ago. That's why I bought it. 
It was end of season and it was priced for a quick sale. I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Oh and it had silicon hoses and a Stack ST500 recording rev counter with digital speedometer and sequential shift lights too!
Those upgrade prices are new prices though aren't they???
If you're willing to do it over a period of time & spend your days watching blatchat/ebay things will come up for less.
Other option is to keep your eyes peeled for an ex racer, they tend to have higher spec at lower prices.
Mine is an RSA. LSD, six speed, dry sump, supersport, etc all for several grand less than the cheapest superlight I could find at the time.
Remember that even a basic spec Caterham is an exceptionally quick car. I've been lucky enough to have had a passenger lap with a pro driver in a 120bhp car. Chances are for most of us it's the driver that needs upgrading rather than the car.
idets fer speeeling.
If you're willing to do it over a period of time & spend your days watching blatchat/ebay things will come up for less.
Other option is to keep your eyes peeled for an ex racer, they tend to have higher spec at lower prices.
Mine is an RSA. LSD, six speed, dry sump, supersport, etc all for several grand less than the cheapest superlight I could find at the time.
Remember that even a basic spec Caterham is an exceptionally quick car. I've been lucky enough to have had a passenger lap with a pro driver in a 120bhp car. Chances are for most of us it's the driver that needs upgrading rather than the car.
idets fer speeeling.
Edited by 7SS on Saturday 26th July 10:38
CanAm said:
rubystone said:
Yes, I think nearer £11k might be correct.
Quite close Rubystone! But my budget was £10k and it wasn't much of a stretch over that.
A Blatchat regular paid £11k for a Superlight a few months ago.
These, and your example show that with patience you can pick up a true bargain!
given my time again, I wouldn't consider upgrading, just buy what you want in the first place.
My recently sold caterham (£12k) had £10k spent on it 2 years ago to get it to r300 spec with a few track day goodies on. It started life as a superlight already so that £10k didn't include things like brakes, widetrack etc.
£15k will easily buy a SLR I would think or a superlight that someone has had the engine tuned on, easily to 160 bhp - that is essentially then an r300!
Don't even consider buying 5 speed cars with open diffs and 120 bhp if you want lsd, 6 speed and 160 bhp!
My recently sold caterham (£12k) had £10k spent on it 2 years ago to get it to r300 spec with a few track day goodies on. It started life as a superlight already so that £10k didn't include things like brakes, widetrack etc.
£15k will easily buy a SLR I would think or a superlight that someone has had the engine tuned on, easily to 160 bhp - that is essentially then an r300!
Don't even consider buying 5 speed cars with open diffs and 120 bhp if you want lsd, 6 speed and 160 bhp!
RMac said:
given my time again, I wouldn't consider upgrading, just buy what you want in the first place.
My recently sold caterham (£12k) had £10k spent on it 2 years ago to get it to r300 spec with a few track day goodies on. It started life as a superlight already so that £10k didn't include things like brakes, widetrack etc.
£15k will easily buy a SLR I would think or a superlight that someone has had the engine tuned on, easily to 160 bhp - that is essentially then an r300!
Don't even consider buying 5 speed cars with open diffs and 120 bhp if you want lsd, 6 speed and 160 bhp!
F**k me sideways - I come on here and blatchat weekly and never seen anything close to these prices for this spec car!! I need to start paying more attention and doing less work!My recently sold caterham (£12k) had £10k spent on it 2 years ago to get it to r300 spec with a few track day goodies on. It started life as a superlight already so that £10k didn't include things like brakes, widetrack etc.
£15k will easily buy a SLR I would think or a superlight that someone has had the engine tuned on, easily to 160 bhp - that is essentially then an r300!
Don't even consider buying 5 speed cars with open diffs and 120 bhp if you want lsd, 6 speed and 160 bhp!
Anyway - you are all pushing me the way I thought I would go - hold out for the right car.
I was expecting to have to pay £15k for a compromise of some sorts (although someone local to me has a nice spec car that I may be able to buy if they order a new one from CC in spring - fingers crossed!).
Thanks for all the input chaps!
Hi Graeme check this car out it looks like a very good spec for the money http://pistonheads.com/sales/646874.htm
Nathan
Nathan
Nathan
I was eyeing that up earlier! Never considered ex race car - just need to find out if the goodies were on from day 1 (ie it has had that engine, gbox, diff etc for 10 years and some race time), or if any of these are bolt ons, refreshed etc.
Seems like a good buy, but if it has done 2 seasons, and 20k on track and road, could end up being expensive to maintain.
I think I will ring this one tonight!
I was eyeing that up earlier! Never considered ex race car - just need to find out if the goodies were on from day 1 (ie it has had that engine, gbox, diff etc for 10 years and some race time), or if any of these are bolt ons, refreshed etc.
Seems like a good buy, but if it has done 2 seasons, and 20k on track and road, could end up being expensive to maintain.
I think I will ring this one tonight!
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