Kit car running costs
Discussion
Petrol costs as much as you drive them, a Pinto/Zetec engine will give over 30mpg on a run or 15mpg when ragged ! 
Bike engines are probably similar, maybe slightly better mpg.
Tyres are usually quite cheap, because of the low mileage you'll do they won't need changing often. Exception is if you have fancy Yoko/Avon semi race rubber and these are £100 or so each for 15".
Get a bike engine and pay lower road tax !
Servicing can be a once a year oil/filters change and general inspection if you like, nothing major to do if you're doing 3000-5000 miles a year.
Insurance will be in the region of £300/year fully comp, depending on your history. Kit Car insurance is *much* cheaper than road car insurance, given the performance of the cars.
The engines last ages in kit cars because they're usually less stressed than in the heavier road car and access is usually better should the odd part need changing.
The biggst cost is when you decide to upgrade them, new carbs, switch to injection and throttle bodies, change the gearbox etc . . . if you keep it as you bought it then you can run a Tiger/Dax/Westfield/MK etc for £1300ish a year including petrol, insurance, tax and a couple of track days. Everything to do with the Caterham is more expensive except petrol and some of the tyres
Bike engines are probably similar, maybe slightly better mpg. Tyres are usually quite cheap, because of the low mileage you'll do they won't need changing often. Exception is if you have fancy Yoko/Avon semi race rubber and these are £100 or so each for 15".
Get a bike engine and pay lower road tax !
Servicing can be a once a year oil/filters change and general inspection if you like, nothing major to do if you're doing 3000-5000 miles a year.
Insurance will be in the region of £300/year fully comp, depending on your history. Kit Car insurance is *much* cheaper than road car insurance, given the performance of the cars.
The engines last ages in kit cars because they're usually less stressed than in the heavier road car and access is usually better should the odd part need changing.
The biggst cost is when you decide to upgrade them, new carbs, switch to injection and throttle bodies, change the gearbox etc . . . if you keep it as you bought it then you can run a Tiger/Dax/Westfield/MK etc for £1300ish a year including petrol, insurance, tax and a couple of track days. Everything to do with the Caterham is more expensive except petrol and some of the tyres
white_van_man said:
Im thinking of buying a caterham/tiger kitcar and i was just wondering what the average running costd are for one of these?
Alex.
I can only speak from personal experience, obviously, but I have a three year old Tiger Supersix with less than 3,000 miles on the clock...
Tax £165...pa
Insurance obviously depends on your personal circumstances, but I pay £198 per annum FULLY COMP with Hill House Hammond, limited to 3,000mpa..
The car runs a 2 litre tuned pinto with twin 40 webbers, petrol consumption is not great at around 22mpg, but that will be because of the low gearing, but against that, the acceleration puts a smile on your face
I would imagine a Caterham would be something similar, but the inital purchase price would probably be a lot higher, but they hold their value very well, as do Tigers and Westfields.....
Hope this helps........
Alan.
I'm 20 and own a Marlin roadster (little background for you 
) Insurance is £600 TPFT with Graham Skyes, unlimited mileage.
Everything else is what the others have said, although remember the repair budget. I bought a "good" car, and so far in the 5 months I've owned it have spent around £200 on repairs (I've only driven 1000 miles in her and she's been laid up for 2months).
To give you an indication of running costs, I'm a uni student (with loan saved as much as possible or used for Uni things) and I'm running the car on a part-time job which pays £40 a week. Luckily holidays are frequent and I can put longer hours in at work.
) Insurance is £600 TPFT with Graham Skyes, unlimited mileage. Everything else is what the others have said, although remember the repair budget. I bought a "good" car, and so far in the 5 months I've owned it have spent around £200 on repairs (I've only driven 1000 miles in her and she's been laid up for 2months).
To give you an indication of running costs, I'm a uni student (with loan saved as much as possible or used for Uni things) and I'm running the car on a part-time job which pays £40 a week. Luckily holidays are frequent and I can put longer hours in at work.
white_van_man said:
Im thinking of buying a caterham/tiger kitcar and i was just wondering what the average running costd are for one of these?
My Sylva Fury originally did 20ish mpg when it had its original 1600 XFlow and twin Webbers.
This got changed to a Zetec 2000 with Webber injection which has managed 40mpg on a run.
I first got the car when I was 22, since production car and motorbike insurance costs were then silly. Less than £300 to insure a 5 sec 0-60 did it for me.
Driving quickly in a lightweight kit car will be cheaper on tyres than a production car due to the low C of G and lack of weight.
docevi1 said:
I'm 20 and own a Marlin roadster (little background for you
Everything else is what the others have said, although remember the repair budget. I bought a "good" car, and so far in the 5 months I've owned it have spent around £200 on repairs (I've only driven 1000 miles in her and she's been laid up for 2months).
To give you an indication of running costs, I'm a uni student (with loan saved as much as possible or used for Uni things) and I'm running the car on a part-time job which pays £40 a week. Luckily holidays are frequent and I can put longer hours in at work.
[a bit o/t] Are you still selling it? I thought it had gone already. PM me with spec and price if you are as i might be interested.
Cheers,
Pete
>> Edited by pistol pete on Sunday 18th January 19:39
this is all good news all i need to do now is find someware to keep it and im sortedpistol pete said:
I'm 20 and own a Marlin roadster (little background for you
Everything else is what the others have said, although remember the repair budget. I bought a "good" car, and so far in the 5 months I've owned it have spent around £200 on repairs (I've only driven 1000 miles in her and she's been laid up for 2months).
To give you an indication of running costs, I'm a uni student (with loan saved as much as possible or used for Uni things) and I'm running the car on a part-time job which pays £40 a week. Luckily holidays are frequent and I can put longer hours in at work.
[a bit o/t] Are you still selling it? I thought it had gone already. PM me with spec and price if you are as i might be interested.
oh sorry, I wasn't really serious, well I was, but thats more to do with a depression than actually wanting to sell my car. It broke, lots, but I can't wait to repair it and get it back on the roads again (until it breaks again
) Sorry for the confusion.
www.student.ncl.ac.uk/stefan.carlton/index.php for details on the car btw.
white van man what about one of these to keep it in www.carcosy.co.uk/
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