Can Cats be left for weeks...
Discussion
... without being used?
Insurance in London is bonkers. I'm considering getting a Caterham and leaving it at my Mums house. Insurance will be a LOT cheaper, and its easy to get there by train.
Are Caterhams fine to leave for a few weeks in a garage, then turn the key and they're fine?
I know TVRs etc work a lot better with regular use, is this the same for Caterhams?
Any particular engine models better for this kind of use?
Cheers, Rico who REALLY needs a car soon...
Insurance in London is bonkers. I'm considering getting a Caterham and leaving it at my Mums house. Insurance will be a LOT cheaper, and its easy to get there by train.
Are Caterhams fine to leave for a few weeks in a garage, then turn the key and they're fine?
I know TVRs etc work a lot better with regular use, is this the same for Caterhams?
Any particular engine models better for this kind of use?
Cheers, Rico who REALLY needs a car soon...
I'd say yes: mine sometimes goes a few weeks without seeing the light of day.
I'd recommend having a battery cut-off switch though: I'm able to leave mine with no power at all so preventing battery drain.
Having said that, I've never experimented to see what happens if you leave the battery cut-off switched on.
Oh, and
BUY THIS ONE. Looks to be an absolute steal.*
* I've no connection withy the car, nor do I even know it - just looks like a good 'un.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Wednesday 9th February 23:21
I'd recommend having a battery cut-off switch though: I'm able to leave mine with no power at all so preventing battery drain.
Having said that, I've never experimented to see what happens if you leave the battery cut-off switched on.
Oh, and
BUY THIS ONE. Looks to be an absolute steal.* * I've no connection withy the car, nor do I even know it - just looks like a good 'un.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Wednesday 9th February 23:21
Rico, I'm surprised you aren't looking at that cheap Ferrari on ebay at the moment - £14,500 of 28,000 km lhd Swiss GTBi - OK so it's lhd, a GTBi and in white, but the interior is mint. I do know that it has some rot in the doors and the gearbox needs rebuilding but it can be bought for cheap money - about the cost of a decent spec Superlight.
Anyway, back to Caterhams. The K Series cars are your best bet for on the button start and no hassles. The immobilisers do drain the battery over time, but on on my last car I just removed the battery master switch to stop the immobilier draining it...Even if someone had a master key, the immobiliser would still have kicked in once they'd restored power...
A decent outdoor cover protects them fine - if you've got a garage for it and a trickle charger you're laughing. as I say, a 1.6 K de dion 5 speed Roadsport is your best bet - visit www.blatchat.com for more pearls of wisdom :-)
Anyway, back to Caterhams. The K Series cars are your best bet for on the button start and no hassles. The immobilisers do drain the battery over time, but on on my last car I just removed the battery master switch to stop the immobilier draining it...Even if someone had a master key, the immobiliser would still have kicked in once they'd restored power...
A decent outdoor cover protects them fine - if you've got a garage for it and a trickle charger you're laughing. as I say, a 1.6 K de dion 5 speed Roadsport is your best bet - visit www.blatchat.com for more pearls of wisdom :-)
Ruby... don't tempt me into a Ferrari... i'm ever so tempted by a 308. The insurance works out cheaper than a VX220, ClioV6 and other more mundane cars. Insane.
(edit - just seen that 308. Tempting... tempting... but i still think a Caterham is the way forward)
However, since I've had a lot of driving fun in FWD cars, i think a Caterham is a good start for RWD fun. Once i'm competent at handling the Cat, I'll move onto the Ferraris
Jeremy - the car you linked to looks great. Seems a good price as well.
As always, I'm spending money before having it. Putting a lot into my business at the moment so no spare £10k lying around 'yet'... mebbe in the summer
>> Edited by rico on Wednesday 9th February 23:44
(edit - just seen that 308. Tempting... tempting... but i still think a Caterham is the way forward
) However, since I've had a lot of driving fun in FWD cars, i think a Caterham is a good start for RWD fun. Once i'm competent at handling the Cat, I'll move onto the Ferraris
Jeremy - the car you linked to looks great. Seems a good price as well.
As always, I'm spending money before having it. Putting a lot into my business at the moment so no spare £10k lying around 'yet'... mebbe in the summer
>> Edited by rico on Wednesday 9th February 23:44
rico you can get a lowered floor fitted which would drop you below the height of the cage. Ask Caterham aftersales.
You can leave Cats unstarted for weeks but a trickle charger makes a lot of sense (no battery like to go without charge for long periods). Also check the humidity of the garage a car that doesn't get started very often is more prone to damp. Definitely second the K-Series option.
You can leave Cats unstarted for weeks but a trickle charger makes a lot of sense (no battery like to go without charge for long periods). Also check the humidity of the garage a car that doesn't get started very often is more prone to damp. Definitely second the K-Series option.
) thats a good starting point. Jeremy. That is who provided me the quote.
They did say that if i could provide proof of being a named driver without any accidents they could use that as a NCB... seem a great company to work with. I would assume that would bring my quote down to sub £1k.
Now i know its realistic I'm working on getting the cash together.
They did say that if i could provide proof of being a named driver without any accidents they could use that as a NCB... seem a great company to work with. I would assume that would bring my quote down to sub £1k.
Now i know its realistic I'm working on getting the cash together.
Dave Spragg's a good guy, but MSM are not always the cheapest, nor can they offer track day cover. Try Eggar Lawson too (but waste of space as far as I was concerned) and Flux - bloody cheap and as we know, generally offer youg 'uns a decent quote - I used Flux in my youth - they got to know me by my voice - I changed cars that often!
If you join L7 Club GB you should get a 10% discount with all the companies
If you join L7 Club GB you should get a 10% discount with all the companies
Rico,
I have a 1600K Supersport which I now only get to drive at weekends thanks to living in london and the car is up in Hertfordshire. I have left it 2 weeks and managed to start it.
I would suggest however getting a trickle charger/battery maintainer to look after the battery,
the immobiliser will drain the juice after a while.
keep looking on the for sale section on blatchat and also in the lotus 7 club magazine low flying as cars are up for sale every month. (you should join the lotus 7 club ( you can get there from www.blatchat.com))
plus don't forget the caterham dealership and also the other companys like woodcote cars.
I actually found my car on blatchat but by the time I sorted out finances and spoke to the owner it was on sale and return at caterham south. sure this adds cost to the car but it allowed me to get a warranty on the car, which has just paid for itself thanks to a minor engine rebuild!
prices will start to go up as summer approaches and people fancy having one last summer in the car.
I'm with MSM for the insurance (just turning 25) as they were the only ones to offer sensibles costs. plus they have a very friendly attitude to customers - you feel like a customer rather than a number - certainly a benefit in this call centre world.
Where abouts are you based in london? I would suggest getting yourself along to one of the area caterham club meets. check out the lotus 7 club for this.
good luck!
I have a 1600K Supersport which I now only get to drive at weekends thanks to living in london and the car is up in Hertfordshire. I have left it 2 weeks and managed to start it.
I would suggest however getting a trickle charger/battery maintainer to look after the battery,
the immobiliser will drain the juice after a while.
keep looking on the for sale section on blatchat and also in the lotus 7 club magazine low flying as cars are up for sale every month. (you should join the lotus 7 club ( you can get there from www.blatchat.com))
plus don't forget the caterham dealership and also the other companys like woodcote cars.
I actually found my car on blatchat but by the time I sorted out finances and spoke to the owner it was on sale and return at caterham south. sure this adds cost to the car but it allowed me to get a warranty on the car, which has just paid for itself thanks to a minor engine rebuild!
prices will start to go up as summer approaches and people fancy having one last summer in the car.
I'm with MSM for the insurance (just turning 25) as they were the only ones to offer sensibles costs. plus they have a very friendly attitude to customers - you feel like a customer rather than a number - certainly a benefit in this call centre world.
Where abouts are you based in london? I would suggest getting yourself along to one of the area caterham club meets. check out the lotus 7 club for this.
good luck!
agent006 said:
That ad's now showing up as SOLD. Is tehre something you want to tell us rico??!
I wish... My second email from the guy was to tell me he had just sold it.
At least i now know that Caterhams are affordable insurance wise, although a career change might mean i need a more sensible car...
geewhizz said:
I'm with MSM for the insurance (just turning 25) as they were the only ones to offer sensibles costs. plus they have a very friendly attitude to customers - you feel like a customer rather than a number - certainly a benefit in this call centre world.
I agree. Will be going with MSM when/if i get one
geewhizz said:
Where abouts are you based in london? I would suggest getting yourself along to one of the area caterham club meets. check out the lotus 7 club for this.
Right bang in the centre. Westminster. Hopefully there will be a Caterham at Virginia Water on sunday so i can bug the owner!
>> Edited by rico on Tuesday 15th February 17:43
Like Jeremy's, our Caterham has an electrical cut off switch so is left with no power at all. Which was fine for the first...hmm, five years or so, being left as described, but it died last year.
Fair enough, really. It now has a Redline racing battery which 1)holds it's charge very well and 2)fitted without having to lose fingers or remove the engine (due to mad battery placement).
ps the 7s in green with yellow nose cones are fastest
Fair enough, really. It now has a Redline racing battery which 1)holds it's charge very well and 2)fitted without having to lose fingers or remove the engine (due to mad battery placement).
ps the 7s in green with yellow nose cones are fastest
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