Which Caterham for £30k?
Discussion
Hello
Looking for a car for weekend road use and occasional track use. Budget of £30k.
Have had my heart set on a new R300 Duratec, but having seen these two I'm not so sure.....
JPE: Too hardcore? Too old and temperamental?
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1867033.htm
CSR200: Suit mainly road use? Less 'fun' than a Superlight?
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/preowned/pre...
Thanks for any advice.
Looking for a car for weekend road use and occasional track use. Budget of £30k.
Have had my heart set on a new R300 Duratec, but having seen these two I'm not so sure.....
JPE: Too hardcore? Too old and temperamental?
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1867033.htm
CSR200: Suit mainly road use? Less 'fun' than a Superlight?
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/preowned/pre...
Thanks for any advice.
Why £30k? I think because that's about the cost of a new R300 and that's what I've been lusting after since they were launched. Also I can't justify spending any more than that on a toy, not without fear of the wife reaping retail revenge.
I'm really after something for weekend blasts. One hour fun drives around the Isle of Wight. I've had an Exige in the past, and loved it, but really fancy something more raw and visceral. I have an old Esprit too, which is great, but it's getting on a bit, so it's driven with careful enthusiasm.
I'm really after something for weekend blasts. One hour fun drives around the Isle of Wight. I've had an Exige in the past, and loved it, but really fancy something more raw and visceral. I have an old Esprit too, which is great, but it's getting on a bit, so it's driven with careful enthusiasm.
So the CSR is the fatboy chassis, so you'll need to decide which size you want, that or the svelte S3.
Then you'll need to decide which feels better to you on the road, so you'll need to drive both.
Then you'll need to decide which engine you prefer, the 2.3 200bhp or the 2.0 175 bhp. You'll need a test drive again.
The caterham range isn't very obvious when you compare the CSR with the S3. I feel (although it's just a feeling) that the CSR's more sophisticated suspension is redundant. I'm not sure what place it has in society. It doesn't seem to be completely mainstream.
Regarding the JPE, that's not likely to be a sensible option. It's a lot of money because it is such low mileage. If you use it, the value will drop. I'd dispense with that idea, it's a bit of a relic.
My advice, stick with plan A - the R300.
HTH
Bert
Then you'll need to decide which feels better to you on the road, so you'll need to drive both.
Then you'll need to decide which engine you prefer, the 2.3 200bhp or the 2.0 175 bhp. You'll need a test drive again.
The caterham range isn't very obvious when you compare the CSR with the S3. I feel (although it's just a feeling) that the CSR's more sophisticated suspension is redundant. I'm not sure what place it has in society. It doesn't seem to be completely mainstream.
Regarding the JPE, that's not likely to be a sensible option. It's a lot of money because it is such low mileage. If you use it, the value will drop. I'd dispense with that idea, it's a bit of a relic.
My advice, stick with plan A - the R300.
HTH
Bert
If you've had an Exige, you're gonna understand what these cars are about, and I reckon you'll come to the conclusion that with the R300 you're getting a lot of car for the money.
Loads of lovely torque, a chassis and suspension that provides delicious adjustability when you're steering on the throttle, and reliability. I'd advise the R300 too.
Good luck!
Loads of lovely torque, a chassis and suspension that provides delicious adjustability when you're steering on the throttle, and reliability. I'd advise the R300 too.
Good luck!
Try an S3 chassis as well as a fatboy one.
I'm far from small (6'4" and have weighed up to 18.5st), but wouldn't give you a thank you for the bigger chassis. Too big IMO. One of the joys of 7 ownership is the intimacy you get, feeling part of the car. To me, some of this is lost with the bigger car.
With 30k to spunk, I'd be looking at something more than an R300 - something with R400 power levels is spot on IMO.
I'm far from small (6'4" and have weighed up to 18.5st), but wouldn't give you a thank you for the bigger chassis. Too big IMO. One of the joys of 7 ownership is the intimacy you get, feeling part of the car. To me, some of this is lost with the bigger car.
With 30k to spunk, I'd be looking at something more than an R300 - something with R400 power levels is spot on IMO.
A mint K series R500 with around 5k in reserve for engine/gearbox/diff refresh.
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/preowned/pre...
http://www.caterham.co.uk/assets/html/preowned/pre...
Edited by rdodger on Wednesday 21st July 18:17
Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff