Caterham as a daily!

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BennoWilson

Bronze Level Poster
Hey guys!

This is my first post on our forums that isn't about PCs haha! But I am debating quite a big decision now.

Do I get a Caterham 1700 Supersprint as a daily car or not?!


Having been lucky enough to drive one around Silverstone last year in TERRIBLE rain, I fell in love with it!
The car was capable of taking every corner at speed without twitching at all, until you want it to, then you can sideways all you want and feel totally in control.

Only thing I'm unsure about is the winter. Snow and ice can't be good in this car, although I have seen videos of them with snow tyres on and they look to handle it well.
LOOK AT THIS!
[video=youtube;iXVYFmnJmno]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXVYFmnJmno[/video]

What are your thoughts? The insurance costs the same as what I pay on my boring 1.9JTD Grande Punto.
 
keynes

keynes

Multiverse Poster
Only thing you are unsure about is winter? don't know much about cars but it looks like it is expensive to maintain/repair. May I ask how much is it?
 
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BennoWilson

Bronze Level Poster
The car itself would be around £10,000.
Insurance around £1000.
Parts are really cheap, including tyres etc.
Running costs aren't too bad as the car is REALLY light.
And the cars are built on the most simple of metal chassis, so it's really easy to work on.

Honestly, the repair & maintenance costs aren't really an issue. Especially when my current car has eaten 2 radiators in as many months...
 
steaky360

steaky360

Moderator
Moderator
The costs are not going to be the thing that will do you in (at least not at first). I would imagine the car will perish as a daily driver relatively quicker than a 'normal' car with it being stripped down to the bare minimal essentials. Big thing would be lack of insulation etc. If it gets cold, its going to be very cold, granted you can just get to your destination quicker so might not worry but still it would be a big consideration for me (but I live in Aberdeen, so its likely colder here :))

Also you'll probably acquire more fines / etc. in points once you start drifting round corners (sideways is the new forwards afterall).
 
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BennoWilson

Bronze Level Poster
The maintenance is something that will have to be a lot more hands on than your usual car. But I have many friends who are mechanics, and have always worked on my own cars, so I will be able to keep it running myself :)

Yeah, it will be terribly cold to drive on a cold morning, but at the end of the day, I'll be driving a Caterham to work, so the cold won't be too bad haha!
Drifting is the only way to take a corner isn't it?
 
mishra

mishra

Rising Star
In Spain, Italy, Greece - absolutely yes. In UK ?...as a daily with roughly 10 months of rain.. well it's your call. I think novelty of the new car is going to wear quickly. This is a fantastic car, but it's not really a daily is it?
 
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BennoWilson

Bronze Level Poster
I'm not sure why you feel it's a bad car in the rain. Snow I understand, rain is not really an issue.
I've been giving this some thought for a while now, and think it is probably something that will happen, maybe around March time next year though :)
 
mishra

mishra

Rising Star
No wait, I don't feel this car is bad in a rain. I just don't think this is a good car to be daily, especially in UK where it rains a lot.
This sort of car is amazing on a track or on a weekend where, if the weather is nice, you can enjoy yourself with the biggest smile on your face. This is an epic feeling ^^

Using it as a daily? Speed bumps, cameras, traffic and potholes all over the place... it may get tiring. Also, over time parts will get expensive as there are not many of these cars around.
Great car on track for sure, but to/from work mileage is a different thing (depending on your mileage and local traffic).

In the end of the day, it is your choice. I think the car is great and I'm sure you will enjoy it a lot. If you can afford it, hell why not?!

It's just, there are some alternatives out there for a daily car... ah, and you can fit only one girl there, where you could have four instead ^^
 
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Wozza63

Biblical Poster
The experience you had on a track will be different to that on real roads. You aren't going to have much opportunity to throw it round corners and put your foot down on the real road. The car may be great on a summer afternoon on an empty motorway but its the last car i want to be in stuck in gridlock on a January evening with rain/snow. the car next to you will have heating and a radio. while you will be freezing cold.

I would love one of these myself (although I prefer Ariel Atom's) but I would only ever buy it as a second car to bring to a track or use in the summer.
 
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