Advice please!
Discussion
Hello all!....
It's gonna be 'new car time' soon and i have a shortlist of cars which i am looking at. The list only really consists of a Caterham, an Elise 2, or a VX220. Have 20K+ and a bit to spend. I have visited Caterham several times, spoken to staff, sat in cars etc, organising a test-drive...
My heart says 7 but the brain says Elise! The car will be doing about 8-10K a year, but it seems that mileage really affects the value of the 7. I get the impression that many are purely weekend play-things for people who have lots of money to spare (NO offence intended to anyone here). Fortunately for me i will be running two cars (the other being a 'hack' to get me to and from work).
How much does it cost to service a K-Series engine at Caterham? How does a leather interior fare in rain? I'm not bothered about the cold, i drive a convertible with the roof down in winter anyway (not saying what it is so you all don't take the p**s!). I suppose it's just the usual "how usable every day is it" stuff you get on here all the time...
Have been looking at SV's for pure practicality reasons (i'm spoilt and want the space and looks of a newer 7, sorry!) Any advice re Caterham ownership will be much appreciated (not a 'tourist', seriously looking at 7 ownership)...
Many many thanks in advance......
Want you really want to do is post the same question on www.blatchat.com in the chit-chat section. There's probably 100 people online as we speak several of whom will have owned the cars you mention and will happily give you their point-of-view.
"Reg"
"Reg"
all i'd say about the S2 elise is take a drive first, and put it through some corners which unweight the car at speed. i did and thought it terrible - very different to an S1, it didn't inspire confidence and i felt that my chimaera ( which admittedly has had some work done on the suspension ) handled better. i was very dissapointed.
nice choice to make - good luck.
nice choice to make - good luck.
I would go for the Seven not that I am biased.
The Elise will be more epensive to run than the seven. The insurance will be without a doubt far more expensive for the Elise. I remember someone on Blatchat was quoted about £1200 for an Elise and about £300 ish for a Seven!
If you venture on track offs are very expensive in Elises. The front and rear clamshells cost a mint (£1000 plus) and if you bend the chassis it is REALLY expensive. Sevens by contrast are almost never a total write off and the Caterham insurance scheme even includes 4 approved track days in the price.
The seven will be more fun without a doubt. Just do it I did and have never looked back.
The Elise will be more epensive to run than the seven. The insurance will be without a doubt far more expensive for the Elise. I remember someone on Blatchat was quoted about £1200 for an Elise and about £300 ish for a Seven!
If you venture on track offs are very expensive in Elises. The front and rear clamshells cost a mint (£1000 plus) and if you bend the chassis it is REALLY expensive. Sevens by contrast are almost never a total write off and the Caterham insurance scheme even includes 4 approved track days in the price.
The seven will be more fun without a doubt. Just do it I did and have never looked back.
The SV is hard to tell apart from a regular car - unless it's in a lighter colour, so your choice is hardly a "newer" Caterham!
High miles do make a difference to the values (never put me off though) but it's more the result of high miles that impacts the values - the suspension powder coating will flake over time, as will that on the chassis. The car will acquire stonechips, the leather will crease (but will resist the weather well, as does the cloth interior as it happens)the bodywork is easy to ding and the paintwork is easy to scratch. I've not seen a high mileage car yet that doesn't show that mileage somewhere in its overall condition.
I think the Elise S2 handles well, but it definitely feels more "tippy toe" than the S1, but that's down to the tyres more than anything else and in fact if you drive through that skittishness it's fine. FWIW I also prefer the S1's handling though.
Buy an Elise, get it out of your system and get used to a noisy unrefined car, that way the step up to a Caterham won't feel so extreme, you'll have had some experience with a K series (the Toyota engined Elise is above your budget) and will have become fed up with Caterhams pi**ing all over you on track!
The Elise to Caterham route is a well troddden path!
High miles do make a difference to the values (never put me off though) but it's more the result of high miles that impacts the values - the suspension powder coating will flake over time, as will that on the chassis. The car will acquire stonechips, the leather will crease (but will resist the weather well, as does the cloth interior as it happens)the bodywork is easy to ding and the paintwork is easy to scratch. I've not seen a high mileage car yet that doesn't show that mileage somewhere in its overall condition.
I think the Elise S2 handles well, but it definitely feels more "tippy toe" than the S1, but that's down to the tyres more than anything else and in fact if you drive through that skittishness it's fine. FWIW I also prefer the S1's handling though.
Buy an Elise, get it out of your system and get used to a noisy unrefined car, that way the step up to a Caterham won't feel so extreme, you'll have had some experience with a K series (the Toyota engined Elise is above your budget) and will have become fed up with Caterhams pi**ing all over you on track!
The Elise to Caterham route is a well troddden path!
Many thanks for the help and advice so far folks. I've already been to Blatchat, Seven Torque, and various other owners sites which have really helped. It's the mileage and practicality thing which is kind of putting me off at the moment, but then again i think Elises suffer just as much from paint chipping and general untidiness with mileage. Maybe the hire day in the Caterham will change my mind, because my heart still says go for one. I just think they're the most individual car out there and the sign of a true Pistonhead. I already drive a mid-engined *ahem* convertible sports car (leave it!), so i have some idea of the handling limits on something like an Elise. The 7's obviously a different matter. Thanks again........
Do you own an MR2 then?
You're right about paint chipping on Elises - pebble dashed clams are common.
The lower powered K series Caterhams are quite happy doing high mileages and make better cruising cars than SLRs and above. Despite my hunger for power, I think that the Superlight is the best car Caterham have ever made - 138 bhp K series engine, light car with 6 speed and LSD - perfect combination. Superlights start at £13k.
The best bargain recently has been Trackmeisters/POORCARDEALER's Supersport 6 speed with LSD at £11k. The Supersport has the same engine as the Superlight - it's just a tad heavier and doesn't come with carbon wings, dash and nosecone as standard (which the SL does).
5 speed Supersports are relatively cheap too and again make a good starter Caterham. I went from 964 RS to 138 bhp Supersport as my first Caterham and the car I bought had racked up 35,000 miles and was as sweet as a nut.
Incidentally, I've not seen you on Blatchat - what's your id on there?
You're right about paint chipping on Elises - pebble dashed clams are common.
The lower powered K series Caterhams are quite happy doing high mileages and make better cruising cars than SLRs and above. Despite my hunger for power, I think that the Superlight is the best car Caterham have ever made - 138 bhp K series engine, light car with 6 speed and LSD - perfect combination. Superlights start at £13k.
The best bargain recently has been Trackmeisters/POORCARDEALER's Supersport 6 speed with LSD at £11k. The Supersport has the same engine as the Superlight - it's just a tad heavier and doesn't come with carbon wings, dash and nosecone as standard (which the SL does).
5 speed Supersports are relatively cheap too and again make a good starter Caterham. I went from 964 RS to 138 bhp Supersport as my first Caterham and the car I bought had racked up 35,000 miles and was as sweet as a nut.
Incidentally, I've not seen you on Blatchat - what's your id on there?
rubystone said:
Do you own an MR2 then?
You're right about paint chipping on Elises - pebble dashed clams are common.
The lower powered K series Caterhams are quite happy doing high mileages and make better cruising cars than SLRs and above. Despite my hunger for power, I think that the Superlight is the best car Caterham have ever made - 138 bhp K series engine, light car with 6 speed and LSD - perfect combination. Superlights start at £13k.
The best bargain recently has been Trackmeisters/POORCARDEALER's Supersport 6 speed with LSD at £11k. The Supersport has the same engine as the Superlight - it's just a tad heavier and doesn't come with carbon wings, dash and nosecone as standard (which the SL does).
5 speed Supersports are relatively cheap too and again make a good starter Caterham. I went from 964 RS to 138 bhp Supersport as my first Caterham and the car I bought had racked up 35,000 miles and was as sweet as a nut.
Incidentally, I've not seen you on Blatchat - what's your id on there?
ah! 11k for a supersport??!!! hello!
i was looking to spend up to about 10k, but could stretch a wee bit above that for the right car. can someone please tell me what i can get for around 11k? on my other thread i said i'm looking for a classic, but, if a decent supersport is on the go for around 11, i'd go for that.
If you are patient, you will find a K series for your money. As an everyday car that starts when you want it to, doesn't stall at junctions when you switch on the lights, heater blower and heated screen and handles the lumps and bumps in the frost damaged roads that you might find in your part of the world, IMHO a K would be a far better bet than a 1.6 VX.
ISTR a high mileage K on Blatchat recently. If it's too highly priced it won't sell and it's well worth you doing a search on the For Sale section to sniff out some (overpriced) cars. Chances are high that they haven't sold. Good cars like Matt's, which are sensibly priced, don't hang around for long.
ISTR a high mileage K on Blatchat recently. If it's too highly priced it won't sell and it's well worth you doing a search on the For Sale section to sniff out some (overpriced) cars. Chances are high that they haven't sold. Good cars like Matt's, which are sensibly priced, don't hang around for long.
Can only really echo Rubystone's comments ..........138 BHP really is plenty in a car that weighs so little..... in my view a six speed gearbox makes the car, really worth waiting for if you can find one within budget, my Supersport sold for £11.5K and I had buyers knocking down my door for it, if you get a car with a six speed box, LSD etc it will be much easier to sell when you have finished with it..........Elise S1 is a great car, bit skittish on the limit in my view, but excellent all the same, get that out of the system then progress to a 7, it will make the Elise feel blunt. Good luck.
I have had both Caterham (1.6K Supersport & 1.6K Superlight) and Elise (S2 111s) as well as an older Westfield, with a xflow engine.
I would agree with what people have said here...
The Elise would be a much better day to day car and girlfriends can go out in it looking good and get out at the other end still looking good.
The Caterham is more of a blokes car and your girlfriend won't go anywhere with you where she wants to look good when you get there.
But the Caterham is one hell of a fun car and is certainly a car ever petrolhead should have owned in his lifetime.
I would suggest you visit the Blatchat forums stated below. You can then get in touch with people who live near you that own Caterhams.. The Lotus 7 Club has meetings all over the country. I help run one in the Midlands..
Over the past couple of years I have helped a number of people purchase their first Caterham and have oftern helped them get into a much better car than they had hope to get for their money.
Caterham have a lot of cars for sale between their 2 showrooms but they always charge top dollar.
By coming along to an area meeting you will meet a number of people who have Caterhams of many different specs.
I have known people who have known Porches & TVRs and disregaurded a 1.6 K-series with 133bhp because they look purely at the BHP and the engines cc and think its rubbish.
I have then sat them in a 1.6K-series with 133bhp and a speed gear box to see them come back totaly gob smacked.
Once you have gotten past the BHP figure and been for a fast ride in one and meet a number of owners you will have a good idea about what you will want.
There will always be a person in your local area meeting who will help you find a car on the second hand market and look over it for you as a second opinion.
This way you will get a far better car for your money.
I have help several people in this way who are glad that they didn't get the first car they felt they could afford from Caterham Cars second hand sales department.
This way you won't lose as much money as you would when reselling.
Feel free to email me with where you live and a contact number and I will put you in touch with the Lotus 7 / Caterham owners club Area organiser that is nearist to you. Or if I can give you any other advice .. Add a phone number to your email and I will give you as much advice as you could ever want.
>> Edited by Snapper7 on Tuesday 28th December 02:15
>> Edited by Snapper7 on Tuesday 28th December 02:23
>> Edited by Snapper7 on Saturday 8th January 19:59
I would agree with what people have said here...
The Elise would be a much better day to day car and girlfriends can go out in it looking good and get out at the other end still looking good.
The Caterham is more of a blokes car and your girlfriend won't go anywhere with you where she wants to look good when you get there.
But the Caterham is one hell of a fun car and is certainly a car ever petrolhead should have owned in his lifetime.
I would suggest you visit the Blatchat forums stated below. You can then get in touch with people who live near you that own Caterhams.. The Lotus 7 Club has meetings all over the country. I help run one in the Midlands..
Over the past couple of years I have helped a number of people purchase their first Caterham and have oftern helped them get into a much better car than they had hope to get for their money.
Caterham have a lot of cars for sale between their 2 showrooms but they always charge top dollar.
By coming along to an area meeting you will meet a number of people who have Caterhams of many different specs.
I have known people who have known Porches & TVRs and disregaurded a 1.6 K-series with 133bhp because they look purely at the BHP and the engines cc and think its rubbish.
I have then sat them in a 1.6K-series with 133bhp and a speed gear box to see them come back totaly gob smacked.
Once you have gotten past the BHP figure and been for a fast ride in one and meet a number of owners you will have a good idea about what you will want.
There will always be a person in your local area meeting who will help you find a car on the second hand market and look over it for you as a second opinion.
This way you will get a far better car for your money.
I have help several people in this way who are glad that they didn't get the first car they felt they could afford from Caterham Cars second hand sales department.
This way you won't lose as much money as you would when reselling.
Feel free to email me with where you live and a contact number and I will put you in touch with the Lotus 7 / Caterham owners club Area organiser that is nearist to you. Or if I can give you any other advice .. Add a phone number to your email and I will give you as much advice as you could ever want.
>> Edited by Snapper7 on Tuesday 28th December 02:15
>> Edited by Snapper7 on Tuesday 28th December 02:23
>> Edited by Snapper7 on Saturday 8th January 19:59
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