Thoughts on this Caterham?
Discussion
Pondering a Caterahm but to be honest I know shag all about them but do know that I want a driving experience that's second to none and a bit more involving than an MX5 or a Boxster (I've had both). Spotted this on eBay and just wondered what initial thoughts might be?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-Caterham-Seven-ROA...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-Caterham-Seven-ROA...
hmmm, well it looks nice, factory made (though that doesn't necessarily mean better built than a well finished kit), track-day rollbar, harnesses. Doesn't look to have adjustable dampers. other than the fancy paint/roof combo, looks to be a basic car which is not a bad thing. I like the rover engines as they are very upgradeable and suit the seven well being lightweight and revvy. Will have the ford type9 box and sierra diff compared to the newest ones which have mazda mx5 box and bmw diff which are a bit heavier. This vintage is future classic. hard to tell much about this one without close inspection.
If you are new to caterham and not in a rush, it might be less risky to rent one from caterham for a day, or visit a specialist like gpsevens.co.uk or https://www.sevensandclassics.com at least you could view a few and compare. If you are of tall or of big frame, you may also want to see how well you fit; you might need lowered floors or even the SV model which is a bit bigger, but the original S3 fits most. Be ware these cars are cramped and basic at best, but more the fun for it.
In addition to pistonheads, you could also try the Lotus7 club or follow the facebook group 'Caterham and Lotus 7 Owners Group'.
Good luck!
If you are new to caterham and not in a rush, it might be less risky to rent one from caterham for a day, or visit a specialist like gpsevens.co.uk or https://www.sevensandclassics.com at least you could view a few and compare. If you are of tall or of big frame, you may also want to see how well you fit; you might need lowered floors or even the SV model which is a bit bigger, but the original S3 fits most. Be ware these cars are cramped and basic at best, but more the fun for it.
In addition to pistonheads, you could also try the Lotus7 club or follow the facebook group 'Caterham and Lotus 7 Owners Group'.
Good luck!
It looks a bit overpriced to me. You are giving two or three grand premium to the vendor in my opinion. I'd look for a private sale.
Looks like this car would need tyres pretty soon, and unfortunately the wheels are 14" which is less preferred than 13".
Looks like this car would need tyres pretty soon, and unfortunately the wheels are 14" which is less preferred than 13".
Edited by HustleRussell on Wednesday 15th April 12:51
I had two Westfields so maybe a bit heavier than the Caterham, but not by too much.
The 1.6 CVH had 115bhp and was very nippy and great fun. You could get the rear end out quite easily, but it always felt as if it needed a bit more.
The second had a Scholar 1.8 Zetec with 170bhp, and that was fast.
If you are looking for mainly road use I would say 170 is more than enough, but for track use you might be left wanting for a bit more.
The 1.6 CVH had 115bhp and was very nippy and great fun. You could get the rear end out quite easily, but it always felt as if it needed a bit more.
The second had a Scholar 1.8 Zetec with 170bhp, and that was fast.
If you are looking for mainly road use I would say 170 is more than enough, but for track use you might be left wanting for a bit more.
Edited by Monkeylegend on Friday 17th April 11:41
BertBert said:
Were the later ones designated "FIA bar"? I thought that Caterham only got the original single cross bar with petty strut actually FIA approved.
Bert
Hi Bert, the FIA sticker was on the the main roll over bar initially but then moved in later years to the petty strut so that the strut had to be fixed in place to be compliant. People used to get their roll bars -re-powdercoated and then have to send off to get the stickers replacedBert
Osinjak said:
I've done a little bit of reading around and quite a few people say not to go balls out and buy the fastest silliest one with lots of power but aim for somewhere in between. What's the sweet spot with these fellows do you think?
A 1600k with around 135 bhp such as the supersport ones or the original Superlights. I've had 120bhp academy cars though and that's perfectly fine to have a lot of fun in and start Caterham ownershipDoubleD said:
Most seem to say about 130bhp
Mainly those who only have 130bhp......... 
For me it’s around 220. ( guess what I’ve got?)
Seriously, there’ve been so many proclaimed ‘sweet spots’ over the years the term has lost its meaning, IMO. Even CC regularly change their mind about it.
Just make sure you don’t get too little power when you buy. Much easier to lighten your foot than your wallet.......
HustleRussell said:
It looks a bit overpriced to me. You are giving two or three grand premium to the vendor in my opinion. I'd look for a private sale.
Looks like this car would need tyres pretty soon, and unfortunately the wheels are 14" which is less preferred than 13".
+1 Caterhams are so simple, it's really not worth paying 2-3k more to buy from a dealer IMO. The problem is, the vast majority of them are for sale at dealers! Looks like this car would need tyres pretty soon, and unfortunately the wheels are 14" which is less preferred than 13".
Edited by HustleRussell on Wednesday 15th April 12:51
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