Tiger/MK/Westfield/Caterham/etc
Discussion
All,
I am potentially in the market for a seven (if I can find one that I can fit in). I can go and look at them but I am rather suspicious of the driving experience of the "lesser" sevens. Have any of you out there had experience of all (more than one of the above) and would like to comment?
I spoke to the chap at Tiger's place near Wisbech and he admitted that Caterhams are better but then they would be, they cost a lot more. I have driven a Caterham a new 150bhp engined one but none of the others....
I am potentially in the market for a seven (if I can find one that I can fit in). I can go and look at them but I am rather suspicious of the driving experience of the "lesser" sevens. Have any of you out there had experience of all (more than one of the above) and would like to comment?
I spoke to the chap at Tiger's place near Wisbech and he admitted that Caterhams are better but then they would be, they cost a lot more. I have driven a Caterham a new 150bhp engined one but none of the others....
All these marks are very very very sensitive to set-up, so you could drive any one of them and find one that is better than another marque in terms of handling.
I used to run a westy and at 6'5" fitted with some slight mods - raised and lengthened steering column. I could drive the standard car, but hand knee clearance was a little tight. Swerni used to run a standard caterham without problems and is the same height as me, so you may fit one of those as well, although they are a lot smaller than westy unless you opt for the SV.
At the more budget end of the market - All of the Jeremy Fisher designed cars are excellent handlers. But again, set-up is key.
I used to run a westy and at 6'5" fitted with some slight mods - raised and lengthened steering column. I could drive the standard car, but hand knee clearance was a little tight. Swerni used to run a standard caterham without problems and is the same height as me, so you may fit one of those as well, although they are a lot smaller than westy unless you opt for the SV.
At the more budget end of the market - All of the Jeremy Fisher designed cars are excellent handlers. But again, set-up is key.
Spleeble said:
jason61c said:
The GKD cars have good size cockpit areas and use modern bmw running gear too. Might be worth a look 
Oh none of the above are 'lesser' cars, they just cost less than half the price.
Mmmmmmmm, M3 powered 7. Sounds good to me!Oh none of the above are 'lesser' cars, they just cost less than half the price.
One of the things that is putting me off is the unsophisticated dedion rear suspension used in most other than Caterhams. I am guessing that a relatively unsophisticated driver such as myself would find it difficult to tell the difference between a seven with dedion and one with independent rear suspension?!
minerva said:
One of the things that is putting me off is the unsophisticated dedion rear suspension used in most other than Caterhams.
This may not be a quite correct assumption......... I believe most of the 7 clones are independant rear suspension, if not sierra then bmw even mx5, few are dedion.I could be wrong though.
Only one thing for me to add, be very wary of anecdotal "I'm 6'X" and I fitted ok in a xxxxx". Different people are different. They get their height in different ways. I'm 6'3" and even thinking about trying to get in a standard (not wide) Westfield sets off my claustrophobia, fear of getting wedged in an unable to get out.
It's a question of proportions, some tall people have extra leg length, some have extra trunk length. You need to try for yourself to be sure.
It's a question of proportions, some tall people have extra leg length, some have extra trunk length. You need to try for yourself to be sure.
minerva said:
One of the things that is putting me off is the unsophisticated dedion rear suspension used in most other than Caterhams. I am guessing that a relatively unsophisticated driver such as myself would find it difficult to tell the difference between a seven with dedion and one with independent rear suspension?!
As mentioned before most are of a IRS design.Hi
Caterham Westfield Sylva Raw all have development that gives good handling. Off the rest the majority are designed with inbuilt flaws that lead to poor handling leaving the customer to sort out the problems for themselves once the car is fully built. However the best of the rest is the Aries motorsport basic simple with good handling just lacks the finer little points that the likes of Westfield Caterham have.
Cheers Matt
Caterham Westfield Sylva Raw all have development that gives good handling. Off the rest the majority are designed with inbuilt flaws that lead to poor handling leaving the customer to sort out the problems for themselves once the car is fully built. However the best of the rest is the Aries motorsport basic simple with good handling just lacks the finer little points that the likes of Westfield Caterham have.
Cheers Matt
procomp said:
Hi
Caterham Westfield Sylva Raw all have development that gives good handling. Off the rest the majority are designed with inbuilt flaws that lead to poor handling leaving the customer to sort out the problems for themselves once the car is fully built. However the best of the rest is the Aries motorsport basic simple with good handling just lacks the finer little points that the likes of Westfield Caterham have.
Cheers Matt
Nice sales pitch there.Caterham Westfield Sylva Raw all have development that gives good handling. Off the rest the majority are designed with inbuilt flaws that lead to poor handling leaving the customer to sort out the problems for themselves once the car is fully built. However the best of the rest is the Aries motorsport basic simple with good handling just lacks the finer little points that the likes of Westfield Caterham have.
Cheers Matt
On what do you base the statement "However the best of the rest is the Aries motorsport basic simple with good handling"
Hi No sales pitch as i don't work for any of the companies mentioned above. That statement comes from the fact that the Aries/ST has proven to be the better car in the handling department time and time again because it dose not come with any of the inbuilt problems that the majority of the rest do. As i say it's nice n simple and proved it's self time and time again on the road and track.
Cheers Matt
Cheers Matt
I currently have and am selling a Quantum Xtreme this one in fact. It is very spacious, I'm 6'3" and fit in with no problems what so ever, OK i'm not partcularly wide, but others who have driven it, like pies 
Having had a hand in building quite a few different 7 alikes and owning 3 different ones in the past, i'd stick with either the westy or a caterham, both will have sensible depreciation and are generally more desireable to prospective buyers, You won't keep the car forever so bear this in mind.
Both the westy and caterham, will do what all the others do, only better, and in the case of westy, for similar money.
Both the westy and caterham, will do what all the others do, only better, and in the case of westy, for similar money.
Edited by indy2000 on Thursday 11th November 21:28
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