£8,000 budget - what do I get
Discussion
Hi,
I am in the market for a Caterham. My budget is limited to £8,000 maximum. What do you recon I should go for? Useage would be the normal weekend blats, a couple of track days, etc.
I am bemused by the choice and options out there. X-flow, Vauxhall, Dedion, live axle, FIA roll bar, s type seats, 4 or 5 speed.
Can you recommend the things to avoid and the things worth hanging out for?
Where's the best place to look. PH seemd to have the biggest selection, Blatchat has a few.
I am based in Reigate, Surrey.
Many thanks,
Nigel
I am in the market for a Caterham. My budget is limited to £8,000 maximum. What do you recon I should go for? Useage would be the normal weekend blats, a couple of track days, etc.
I am bemused by the choice and options out there. X-flow, Vauxhall, Dedion, live axle, FIA roll bar, s type seats, 4 or 5 speed.
Can you recommend the things to avoid and the things worth hanging out for?
Where's the best place to look. PH seemd to have the biggest selection, Blatchat has a few.
I am based in Reigate, Surrey.
Many thanks,
Nigel
Normally for this budget, choice would be fairly limited to a 1600 Xflow or 8V Vauxhall car with a live axle. However, prices are still quite low at the moment and a friend has just sold a 1700 Xflow Supersprint with an LSD De Dion rear for only a small increase in your budget. Try Blatchat/Pistonheads/Autotrader or even pop along to your local area meet and have a word with the people over there as often they might know of a car or two that is available but not yet advertised.
As a minimum I would expect to get a 5speed Xflow, probably around mid-90's reg. There is a 1997 car 1600 Classic P reg advertised for £8500 in this month's Low Flying (club magazine) with 15k miles. If its got the 5 speed and S type seats, this is an excellent introduction to sevens.
However, the one I would be interested in is a 1992 car that is advertised as a 2-litre HPC spec with its leather seats. trackday roll bar, cycle wings, weathergear and tonneau. This is priced at £8k and located in London.
The thing with Caterhams is to buy on specification and condition. Cars on the whole tend to be very well looked after and cherished with many cars only doing a 2-3k miles a year. If you don't have access to Low Flying, drop me a line and I will send over the advert telephone numbers.
As a minimum I would expect to get a 5speed Xflow, probably around mid-90's reg. There is a 1997 car 1600 Classic P reg advertised for £8500 in this month's Low Flying (club magazine) with 15k miles. If its got the 5 speed and S type seats, this is an excellent introduction to sevens.
However, the one I would be interested in is a 1992 car that is advertised as a 2-litre HPC spec with its leather seats. trackday roll bar, cycle wings, weathergear and tonneau. This is priced at £8k and located in London.
The thing with Caterhams is to buy on specification and condition. Cars on the whole tend to be very well looked after and cherished with many cars only doing a 2-3k miles a year. If you don't have access to Low Flying, drop me a line and I will send over the advert telephone numbers.
I've just recently purchased my first Caterham 7 - a lovely 1994 1.4 Super Sport and I love it! It was a little over your budget - I spent £8.7k.
I started looking back in Sept last year and saw a fair few before making up my mind. Couldn't decide on webers vs. fuel injection and obviously in the end decided on fuel injection. Sure I don't get the lovely induction roar that a set of twin 40's give, but on the upside I can turn my car over without having to sit in it and catch the webers just right when it fires. Plus it idles smoothly from the point it first starts and I don't have to worry about the carbs going out of tune etc.
The other bonus with my car is the De Dion back axle (very comfortable) and disc brakes all round.
At the end of the day, you pays your money and takes your choice. What I will say is at the £8k end you really have to look around as there are some pretty dodgy motors out there. There are also some good ones but you have to sniff them out!! ;-)
Let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with, having just been thru' the buying experience!
I started looking back in Sept last year and saw a fair few before making up my mind. Couldn't decide on webers vs. fuel injection and obviously in the end decided on fuel injection. Sure I don't get the lovely induction roar that a set of twin 40's give, but on the upside I can turn my car over without having to sit in it and catch the webers just right when it fires. Plus it idles smoothly from the point it first starts and I don't have to worry about the carbs going out of tune etc.
The other bonus with my car is the De Dion back axle (very comfortable) and disc brakes all round.
At the end of the day, you pays your money and takes your choice. What I will say is at the £8k end you really have to look around as there are some pretty dodgy motors out there. There are also some good ones but you have to sniff them out!! ;-)
Let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with, having just been thru' the buying experience!
Edited by Spingo on Monday 24th March 20:12
Tango7 said:
However, the one I would be interested in is a 1992 car that is advertised as a 2-litre HPC spec with its leather seats. trackday roll bar, cycle wings, weathergear and tonneau. This is priced at £8k and located in London.
Now that sounds like a good car....Thing about 1400s is that to get the best out of them (and this assumes you bought a Supersport and not the asthmatic 110 bhp standard one) you need the 6 speed 'box. To be honest, I'd rather buy a 135 bhp crossflow withh a 5 speed than a 1.4 with a 5 speed (even a 130 bhp Supersport)....
Mine is a 128bhp Super Sport.
Either a X-flow or a Supersport would make a great first Caterham. The things is you need to decide between 60's technology (or older?) that need regular maintenance (adjustable tappets anyone?) or 80's technology that is comparatively reliable (head gaskets aside - eek!).
There is no right or wrong answer here, no matter what ANYONE tells you. You have to try for yourself and decide what you like best. Like I said before, just be very choosy and don't buy the first you see unless it is an absolute minter!
Either a X-flow or a Supersport would make a great first Caterham. The things is you need to decide between 60's technology (or older?) that need regular maintenance (adjustable tappets anyone?) or 80's technology that is comparatively reliable (head gaskets aside - eek!).
There is no right or wrong answer here, no matter what ANYONE tells you. You have to try for yourself and decide what you like best. Like I said before, just be very choosy and don't buy the first you see unless it is an absolute minter!
Edited by Spingo on Monday 24th March 20:13
I bought mine for £8k earlier this year. I went for a 1.6 Vauxhall on carbs. By going for the older technology I managed to get a newer car with less miles on it than I would if I'd gone for a k-series. You can see a picture by following this link: http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2788514000053309943KbEIpz 
Like Spingo, I went for a 1400 supersport with 128bhp. By choosing an ex race car you can save some money and get extra kit (I have a LSD, brake bias valve and dry sump).
Mine was actually under your budget, low mileage and mechanically excellent, just a bit tatty (slowly working on that).
Yes, the 5 speed isn't as good, but the longer top gear is quite nice on long runs, besides, you can always add a 6 speed or change the gearing on the 5 speed. The problem with the gearing is that 1st is too short and second is then too long. 3rd and 4th are fine, with 5th being a long touring gear. For fun on roundabouts(!) 1st runs out too soon and second too long to be able to drift easily with the power available.
The 1400 K series is reliable, always starts and very good on fuel. Oh, and it's cheap tax too. Ok, these are sports cars, so some may say you shouldn't be bothered by mpg, but it's a concern for me. I love going for a blat with a mate and his Tuscan knowing he uses at least twice the amount of fuel as me, despite not being any faster on many roads. I have had some good little battles with other Caterhams on track, and I don't find the gearing so much of a problem, with most tracks only using 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.
Don't be put off by the thought of such a small engine, they certainly sound much bigger than the 1.4 suggests. Plus it gives you a perfect excuse when something else is faster ('only' having a little engine!).
The FIA roll bar (not to be confused with a full cage) is stronger than the standard road bar and looks more up to the job. Mine has the Dedion rear end, but having never driven a live axle i can't really compare.
Ref. seats, I have an S type passenger seat and a Tillet drivers seat. The Tillet is very comfortable, despite looking otherwise. However, if you have wide hips/arse you will not fit! I like the Tillet for its comfort, lightness, support and how low it lets you sit. the S type is softer and lets you sit on rather than in it. It's probably more partner friendly, but not as good for trackdays.
As for other extras, well, the dry sump is good for trackdays beign more G safe, with the limited slip diff being both fun (donuts, woo hoo!) and better for track use, without spinning up the inside wheels out of chicanes.
Further recomendations are to ditch the standard hood and fit a half hood, and fit track tyres. The 13" wheels whilst small do mean you can get nice cheap tyres (R888s are £55 delivered). Many recommend ditching the screen and fitting an aeroscreen. Well, I thought of it, but have picked up 4 cracks on my screen in the last 8 months - wouldn't have wanted to have taken these to the face! No doubt it does improve the top speed and thrill though.
Cheers, Dave
Mine was actually under your budget, low mileage and mechanically excellent, just a bit tatty (slowly working on that).
Yes, the 5 speed isn't as good, but the longer top gear is quite nice on long runs, besides, you can always add a 6 speed or change the gearing on the 5 speed. The problem with the gearing is that 1st is too short and second is then too long. 3rd and 4th are fine, with 5th being a long touring gear. For fun on roundabouts(!) 1st runs out too soon and second too long to be able to drift easily with the power available.
The 1400 K series is reliable, always starts and very good on fuel. Oh, and it's cheap tax too. Ok, these are sports cars, so some may say you shouldn't be bothered by mpg, but it's a concern for me. I love going for a blat with a mate and his Tuscan knowing he uses at least twice the amount of fuel as me, despite not being any faster on many roads. I have had some good little battles with other Caterhams on track, and I don't find the gearing so much of a problem, with most tracks only using 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear.
Don't be put off by the thought of such a small engine, they certainly sound much bigger than the 1.4 suggests. Plus it gives you a perfect excuse when something else is faster ('only' having a little engine!).
The FIA roll bar (not to be confused with a full cage) is stronger than the standard road bar and looks more up to the job. Mine has the Dedion rear end, but having never driven a live axle i can't really compare.
Ref. seats, I have an S type passenger seat and a Tillet drivers seat. The Tillet is very comfortable, despite looking otherwise. However, if you have wide hips/arse you will not fit! I like the Tillet for its comfort, lightness, support and how low it lets you sit. the S type is softer and lets you sit on rather than in it. It's probably more partner friendly, but not as good for trackdays.
As for other extras, well, the dry sump is good for trackdays beign more G safe, with the limited slip diff being both fun (donuts, woo hoo!) and better for track use, without spinning up the inside wheels out of chicanes.
Further recomendations are to ditch the standard hood and fit a half hood, and fit track tyres. The 13" wheels whilst small do mean you can get nice cheap tyres (R888s are £55 delivered). Many recommend ditching the screen and fitting an aeroscreen. Well, I thought of it, but have picked up 4 cracks on my screen in the last 8 months - wouldn't have wanted to have taken these to the face! No doubt it does improve the top speed and thrill though.
Cheers, Dave
Edited by Fishy Dave on Saturday 22 March 21:37
I have a 1994 1400SS with the 6 speed box and I love it. For £8K I would either buy an early 1400 K series (preferably the 1400SS - 128 bhp) or a later 1600VX. The 1600VX will have a live axle but they are fine with the 100bhp the engine delivers and the ride is OK with 13" wheels and 70 profile tyres. Buy on condition and not age. My car is 14 years old but is in excellent condition. One advantage of buying a K series car is that you can upgrade it easier than a VX car. The exhaust, sump, and engine ancillaries from the 1400 can be fitted to the larger 1600 or 1800 later on if you want more power.
I would also recommend getting a car with a painted body if possible.
Best of luck.
I would also recommend getting a car with a painted body if possible.
Best of luck.
It's great that these days £8k can give you such a choice of fun machinery however if you're after a Caterham then options are limited somewhat.
Depending on what your buying attributes are it is definitely worthwhile considering that you may get better value by looking at alternative marques that are either 7-esque or meet the requirement of weekend / track day tool just as well.
Depending on what your buying attributes are it is definitely worthwhile considering that you may get better value by looking at alternative marques that are either 7-esque or meet the requirement of weekend / track day tool just as well.
Bobo W said:
It's great that these days £8k can give you such a choice of fun machinery however if you're after a Caterham then options are limited somewhat.
Depending on what your buying attributes are it is definitely worthwhile considering that you may get better value by looking at alternative marques that are either 7-esque or meet the requirement of weekend / track day tool just as well.
Depending on what your buying attributes are it is definitely worthwhile considering that you may get better value by looking at alternative marques that are either 7-esque or meet the requirement of weekend / track day tool just as well.
I was in this position too.
All i wanted was a caterham,loved the looks,heritage the whole ethos but for my money (c10k)
was the classics,maybe an old hpc etc.
Jibbed out and bought a zetec westie(8.5k)1999 t plate,all the right bits etc.
It`ll never handle as well as a cat,won`t ever look as good as a cat but i don`t think i`ve done too bad do you think?
with the same budget i was looking around December/January time and bought a 1600 8v Vauxhall Live Axle.... great car, basic mechanicals so i can look after it with very little experience etc, and i love the look of the carbs sticking out compared to the k-series injection....
i also wanted something that i can track any maybe race if i go that way, so i was always looking for an ex-Scholarship car, it means it comes with all the trimmings, if a little battle scared. I`m not too sure of the history of mine, but looks like one of the rear arches has been ripped off and replaced at some point, other than that its good.
i was lucky to find a 1999 car with 4k miles, and factory built....
with an 8k budget you are fairly restricted to 1.4 K series, xflow or vauxhall, all are good cars depends what you want to do with it i guess...
my advice, after a couple of cold but fun months of motoring, what ever you choose, do it sooner rather than later, you wont regret it!
Andy - www.andysteele.net
i also wanted something that i can track any maybe race if i go that way, so i was always looking for an ex-Scholarship car, it means it comes with all the trimmings, if a little battle scared. I`m not too sure of the history of mine, but looks like one of the rear arches has been ripped off and replaced at some point, other than that its good.
i was lucky to find a 1999 car with 4k miles, and factory built....
with an 8k budget you are fairly restricted to 1.4 K series, xflow or vauxhall, all are good cars depends what you want to do with it i guess...
my advice, after a couple of cold but fun months of motoring, what ever you choose, do it sooner rather than later, you wont regret it!
Andy - www.andysteele.net
h4muf said:
I was in this position too.
All i wanted was a caterham,loved the looks,heritage the whole ethos but for my money (c10k)
was the classics,maybe an old hpc etc.
Jibbed out and bought a zetec westie(8.5k)1999 t plate,all the right bits etc.
It`ll never handle as well as a cat,won`t ever look as good as a cat but i don`t think i`ve done too bad do you think?
Cracking car All i wanted was a caterham,loved the looks,heritage the whole ethos but for my money (c10k)
was the classics,maybe an old hpc etc.
Jibbed out and bought a zetec westie(8.5k)1999 t plate,all the right bits etc.
It`ll never handle as well as a cat,won`t ever look as good as a cat but i don`t think i`ve done too bad do you think?
looks great in black. Would look even better with a plain mesh nosecone imo.I've been round in circles with this for the last couple of months myself, but as I can only comfortably stretch to £7k ish, I think I'll probably end up going Westie too.
As a sunny days car for mainly road use with the odd airfield day it seems a pretty good compromise.
That's the plan this week anyway, I'll probably have changed my mind again by next week
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