Looking to buy a Caterham 420R coming from Exige 410
Discussion
Hi there
Not properly test drove a 420R yet due to current cold conditions, but have sat in all the various models and specifications at Oakmere with Tom who was very helpful, I am pretty much decided on this specification:
- Narrow chassis (I fit just right, snug but comfy)
- R spec so LSD, Carbon dash, sports suspension
- Sport suspension
- 2.0 Duratec
- Lowered Floors (for extra leg room, I am 6ft)
- Front screen / weather kit
- 13” 6” front and 8” rear or 15" ??
- Comfort leather seats with harnesses
- Heater
- Bright colour
- Front brake upgrade
A new spec is coming to basically 50k OTR, so its a lot of money for a Caterham, I will be coming out of my 20th Anniversary Exige 410 so that easily pays for Caterham with cash left over.
My use will be road driving, the odd commute and hopefully a lot of track days at places like Oulton, Donington, Curborough etc. as all local to me.
Do people have any preference over 15" or 13" wheels, does one size offer better comfort, handling, gearing, performance and tyre choice over the other?
I was settled on a 420R as everyone I speak to seem to say its the perfect sweet spot, ample power but not too much unlike the 620.
I guess then other things to ask are, who is the best insurer with track cover and what to expect to pay? What is typically yearly running cost with servicing etc. ?
Should I forget new and buy used? Does anyone plan on selling towards end of Summer here?
Not properly test drove a 420R yet due to current cold conditions, but have sat in all the various models and specifications at Oakmere with Tom who was very helpful, I am pretty much decided on this specification:
- Narrow chassis (I fit just right, snug but comfy)
- R spec so LSD, Carbon dash, sports suspension
- Sport suspension
- 2.0 Duratec
- Lowered Floors (for extra leg room, I am 6ft)
- Front screen / weather kit
- 13” 6” front and 8” rear or 15" ??
- Comfort leather seats with harnesses
- Heater
- Bright colour
- Front brake upgrade
A new spec is coming to basically 50k OTR, so its a lot of money for a Caterham, I will be coming out of my 20th Anniversary Exige 410 so that easily pays for Caterham with cash left over.
My use will be road driving, the odd commute and hopefully a lot of track days at places like Oulton, Donington, Curborough etc. as all local to me.
Do people have any preference over 15" or 13" wheels, does one size offer better comfort, handling, gearing, performance and tyre choice over the other?
I was settled on a 420R as everyone I speak to seem to say its the perfect sweet spot, ample power but not too much unlike the 620.
I guess then other things to ask are, who is the best insurer with track cover and what to expect to pay? What is typically yearly running cost with servicing etc. ?
Should I forget new and buy used? Does anyone plan on selling towards end of Summer here?
benp1 said:
I'm currently building a 420r
I went with 13" wheels with staggered widths. I actually think the 15s look pretty good but all the advice was to go for the 13s, they're better on all fronts. Staggered widths are OK on the 420 but less so on the lower powered models
Yeah configurator is 13" with 6" and 8" rear, Tom at Oakmere did say on less powered one its best to run 6" square setup all round for better balance.I went with 13" wheels with staggered widths. I actually think the 15s look pretty good but all the advice was to go for the 13s, they're better on all fronts. Staggered widths are OK on the 420 but less so on the lower powered models
Thank you for the reply.
Deadbod said:
Sounds a similar spec to my 420R, I took delivery from Oakmere (who were brilliant btw) in August '22 - 12 months after ordering in August '21, not sure what the ordering times are like now though.
100% go for the 13's, they make the car! If they still have the same orange SV demonstrator on 15's I didn't think it felt anything like as lively as my car - could've been in my head but I swear it didn't feel quite as quick somehow, I put it down to a combination of bigger wheels & chassis...
Also have the big brakes fitted to mine, but not had the chance to use in anger yet, I only just managed to get it run in before putting it away for winter.
One thing I will say is I love the padded carbon seats in mine - really, really comfy; never felt the need for the comfort leather ones, even after hours of driving so they might be worth considering.
As for insurance, I went through Lloyd & Whyte (Caterham Insurance Services) - 5x trackdays included and able to add more as you go.
That looks stunning! Is that Ultra Violet, or a custom purple? Any more picture and the bucket seats yours has is that the default option on configurator?100% go for the 13's, they make the car! If they still have the same orange SV demonstrator on 15's I didn't think it felt anything like as lively as my car - could've been in my head but I swear it didn't feel quite as quick somehow, I put it down to a combination of bigger wheels & chassis...
Also have the big brakes fitted to mine, but not had the chance to use in anger yet, I only just managed to get it run in before putting it away for winter.
One thing I will say is I love the padded carbon seats in mine - really, really comfy; never felt the need for the comfort leather ones, even after hours of driving so they might be worth considering.
As for insurance, I went through Lloyd & Whyte (Caterham Insurance Services) - 5x trackdays included and able to add more as you go.
number2 said:
Nice looking car!
I'm spec'ing a 420r factory build for October delivery. While I'd like to have it sooner, it has given me a chance to save up for it.
Options are over 40% of base price, which is crazy, but they do add up. Carbon heated seats, 13" wheels, special paint, carbon wings, LED headlights, track-day exhaust etc.
There is a heated seat option, I've not found this on configurator???I'm spec'ing a 420r factory build for October delivery. While I'd like to have it sooner, it has given me a chance to save up for it.
Options are over 40% of base price, which is crazy, but they do add up. Carbon heated seats, 13" wheels, special paint, carbon wings, LED headlights, track-day exhaust etc.
Hi there
So I’m now proud owner of a 420R purchased privately so saved a huge chunk of money, as I’ve paid £39,800 for a 2022 car with 900 miles. 420R S3, padded carbon buckets, lowered floors, heater, trackday exhaust, and loads of other extras totalling £54,000 on configurator and I love the colour.
I’ve also drove cars with leather seats, basic tillet buckets and now own a car with carbon padded buckets, my views are:
Tillet buckets: Too tight and uncomfortable for me, also cold.
Padded buckets: perfect fit and comfortable, also not cold and look awesome.
Leather seats: comfortable but don’t hold you too well.
Worth sitting in them all!
So I’m now proud owner of a 420R purchased privately so saved a huge chunk of money, as I’ve paid £39,800 for a 2022 car with 900 miles. 420R S3, padded carbon buckets, lowered floors, heater, trackday exhaust, and loads of other extras totalling £54,000 on configurator and I love the colour.
I’ve also drove cars with leather seats, basic tillet buckets and now own a car with carbon padded buckets, my views are:
Tillet buckets: Too tight and uncomfortable for me, also cold.
Padded buckets: perfect fit and comfortable, also not cold and look awesome.
Leather seats: comfortable but don’t hold you too well.
Worth sitting in them all!
Chuffy said:
Congratulations, looks like you got a bargain there and I can completely understand your choice.
I'm going to be impatiently waiting 11 months, but the building is half the reason I'm getting a Caterham, so I'm stuck really.
Your views on the seats matches what I've read elsewhere, also what I have experienced with the leather seats, especially in an SV. In an S3 I think it's snug enough to not need the extra hold from the seats, but in the SV I would want a little more support than the leather seats I test drove, although the car I test drove didn't have a harness and was a standard seat belt. I was told that with the harness you don't need the seat support so much.
I also believe that the standard Tillets and the leather seats come in two widths for S3 & SV, but the padded buckets only come in one width and are the same in S3 and SV.
The challenge, certainly at oakmere is that everything in stock had leather seats, even the 620S. I'll be either popping to silverstone or seeking out others to sit in before I confirm the spec.
Get to a Caterham meet, am sure owners would let you sit in the cars.I'm going to be impatiently waiting 11 months, but the building is half the reason I'm getting a Caterham, so I'm stuck really.
Your views on the seats matches what I've read elsewhere, also what I have experienced with the leather seats, especially in an SV. In an S3 I think it's snug enough to not need the extra hold from the seats, but in the SV I would want a little more support than the leather seats I test drove, although the car I test drove didn't have a harness and was a standard seat belt. I was told that with the harness you don't need the seat support so much.
I also believe that the standard Tillets and the leather seats come in two widths for S3 & SV, but the padded buckets only come in one width and are the same in S3 and SV.
The challenge, certainly at oakmere is that everything in stock had leather seats, even the 620S. I'll be either popping to silverstone or seeking out others to sit in before I confirm the spec.
For me tillets are the most uncomfortable, plus no padding means you get a cold bottom too.
Leather seats are very comfy, perfect for road.
Padded buckets also comfy for road with great hold, you can also option to have them heated as well.
Hi there
OK it has been a few weeks now and done a few drives, nowhere near found the limits of the car yet simply because road conditions do not really permit to do so with the current 3-6c ambient temps and odd damp patches.
What I will say is the ZZS tyres seem very grippy even when cold, very impressive!
So as an element of fun, the Caterham is far more an event than the Exige, every junction, every red light, corners can be turned into sideways and burn out fun, it is an absolute hooligan of a car. This is what makes it such an event you can have so much fun even without exceeding 30mph.
1st gear in the Exige was savage, 2nd and 3rd really impressive mid range but the revs felt they were over a bit quick the engine in the Exige almost felt like it needed to rev towards 9000rpm, alas if that ever happened you'd have a Toyota Camry engine in many bits. Whereas the Caterham engine feels far more race car, from the cammy idle and it is far keener to rev higher, I am guessing the fuel cut is around 7500-8000rpm but it all revs so fast it is hard to know, your just focused on next gear and the power delivery is far more top end than the Exige, but been so light and a 2.0 Duratec it still has torque to get going well from 3000rpm, but not like the Exige, but I'd not want more power in a Caterham I feel it would make the experience less fun, so 620 a big no.
If you can afford to have a car that is just a toy, severely compromised, the Caterham is the more fun car, I am yet to track it but I feel its learning curve will be far higher and it will take a lot of time to find my speed in it, no form of TC or ABS means it is all on me and as such it will take some learning, of course I am yet to experience what levels of grip there are on a 20c plus sunny day.
The Exige can pass as a very versatile car, you could use one as a daily, its got a roof, boot, AC, ABS and your enclosed in a shell.
I can only say going from an Exige to a Caterham is like going from say a BMW M5 to an Exige, in a straight line it is all similar but the M5 is a big boat of an overweight comfort barge with numb feeling, the Exige turns it into a hardcore, focused track or race car for the road but is no faster, even slower but the feel if you like your drivers cars is what it is all about. Going Exige to Caterham is like that transition all over again, you truly are in a racing car for the road, its no faster, maybe even slower but the whole feel of the car is ramped up again massively and you have so many options and a whole lot of a fun, but the Caterham cannot be a daily, anyone doing so is totally bonkers but respect.
OK it has been a few weeks now and done a few drives, nowhere near found the limits of the car yet simply because road conditions do not really permit to do so with the current 3-6c ambient temps and odd damp patches.
What I will say is the ZZS tyres seem very grippy even when cold, very impressive!
So as an element of fun, the Caterham is far more an event than the Exige, every junction, every red light, corners can be turned into sideways and burn out fun, it is an absolute hooligan of a car. This is what makes it such an event you can have so much fun even without exceeding 30mph.
1st gear in the Exige was savage, 2nd and 3rd really impressive mid range but the revs felt they were over a bit quick the engine in the Exige almost felt like it needed to rev towards 9000rpm, alas if that ever happened you'd have a Toyota Camry engine in many bits. Whereas the Caterham engine feels far more race car, from the cammy idle and it is far keener to rev higher, I am guessing the fuel cut is around 7500-8000rpm but it all revs so fast it is hard to know, your just focused on next gear and the power delivery is far more top end than the Exige, but been so light and a 2.0 Duratec it still has torque to get going well from 3000rpm, but not like the Exige, but I'd not want more power in a Caterham I feel it would make the experience less fun, so 620 a big no.
If you can afford to have a car that is just a toy, severely compromised, the Caterham is the more fun car, I am yet to track it but I feel its learning curve will be far higher and it will take a lot of time to find my speed in it, no form of TC or ABS means it is all on me and as such it will take some learning, of course I am yet to experience what levels of grip there are on a 20c plus sunny day.
The Exige can pass as a very versatile car, you could use one as a daily, its got a roof, boot, AC, ABS and your enclosed in a shell.
I can only say going from an Exige to a Caterham is like going from say a BMW M5 to an Exige, in a straight line it is all similar but the M5 is a big boat of an overweight comfort barge with numb feeling, the Exige turns it into a hardcore, focused track or race car for the road but is no faster, even slower but the feel if you like your drivers cars is what it is all about. Going Exige to Caterham is like that transition all over again, you truly are in a racing car for the road, its no faster, maybe even slower but the whole feel of the car is ramped up again massively and you have so many options and a whole lot of a fun, but the Caterham cannot be a daily, anyone doing so is totally bonkers but respect.
Edited by Gibbo205 on Friday 3rd March 09:54
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