 | Home > Off Topic > The Problem with Caterhams! |
 
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6346   
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the only bad thing I've got to say is.........
selling mine is the biggest regret of my life ! hope that helps. 
the blat chat forum I seem to recall is kind of freee but you need to subscribe to the monthly magazine - if that makes sense? if you're thinking of buying new and building yourself from my experience you can't go wrong in so much as my first superlight R300 lost c£50 over roughly 1 - 2 years. perhaps I'm biased.......surely not. things could have changed a lot since my experience which were generally all very good. I have a mate who still owns his so can ask him for any info you may require etc. (he's a fan of them also) |
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21st Mar 2013 2:40pm |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5026 
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Thanks, It was reading 'Blatchat' that has put me off. One guy bought a factory built one for 37K and it spent 6 months out of 20 off the road once he had finally got Caterham to sort it, other examples as well but then this is the nature of forums as we also see on here e.g. problems are highlighted more than reliability!
It's a lot of money to do today, 22K for a Kit, my spec would be 25K as I would go for the wider SV base model (known as the FB... er Fat   ) It's 4" wider for more pedal and elbow room but still 5.9 sec 0-60.
I would still like to build one despite the negative comments, a few laps around Brands Hatch and a few Sunday blasts in the country sounds great to me. Got any pics of your old one Caterham? |
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21st Mar 2013 2:58pm |
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| jerseyman Member Since: 21 Jul 2009 Location: Jersey Posts: 279 |
I had a 1984 factory built Caterham when Arch built the chassis, the finest welding I have ever seen, it looked as if it had been cast. I had it for 17 years and can truly say that it never had a single fault that was not down to my own stupidity.
The most reliable and best built car I have ever owned - and I am a seriously critical sort of chap. (The rust proofing could have been a bit better, but a chap on this forum has suggested some reasonably good answers for that....) I have no idea what the current build quality is like I'm afraid. |
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21st Mar 2013 3:10pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6346
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agree with jersyman
if you can put up with the build quality of a defender for a few weeks I can't imagine you not being able to live with a caterham. mine also was an ARCH built chassis which is now an automated affair in house (or so I understand). things may have gone down hill but if they have I've not heard of any significant issues (that probably doesn't count for much to be far though). as you say a significant amount of money however from my experience they hold their money far better than even a defender 
and to be honest in my opinion are actually very reasonably priced. I bought a kit replica many many moons ago and tried to build it up to be a close copy of the caterham....although I had a higher spec engine the overall cost was not too different to a caterham only I ended up loosing far more money on it. I beleive the additional cost for the caterham is more than reflected in the quality and the fact that the base kit is almost built already. good luck. |
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21st Mar 2013 3:39pm |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555 
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 The boat didn't last long did it! Why not just buy a new Defender again? An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"  |
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21st Mar 2013 7:05pm |
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| tookaphotoof Member Since: 18 Mar 2013 Location: dordrecht Posts: 1279  
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I have a Caterham myself. Having an engine conversion done at the moment. If you have a small garage yourself and you can place it on 4 axle stands there isn't a single thing on the car you can't reach. Utterly simple car to work on.
If you don't have time to work on the car yourself, choose your specialist wisely. I got hold of a new Defender yesterday. These two cars are everything I need in life. Completely different and both totally awesome to drive around in!  |
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21st Mar 2013 9:38pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20919
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Because it's smaller and won't be such a chore to meticulously clean.  ____\We|Will|Win/___
____/🇬🇧🇺🇸\____ _//*⛽ï¸ðŸ›¢ï¸âš™ï¸ðŸ§°*\\_ |
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21st Mar 2013 9:41pm |
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| Phoenix90 Member Since: 04 Mar 2012 Location: Cornwall Posts: 377 
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Also consider Westfields.... Caterham are good but your paying quite a bit for the name. Check out the westfields sports car club forum for more info. I have one for sale soon
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21st Mar 2013 9:46pm |
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| DLK Member Since: 12 Mar 2013 Location: Scheveningen Posts: 70 
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My first "fun" car was a 1990 Westfield SEi. Just a simple little thing with the Ford Crossflow engine in it.
I loved it! It did have some downsides though. I live in Scheveningen and when I parked it somewhere, random people just got in... Or the seagulls would on the seats.
Also the lack of doors, roof, locks, and everything else got me to sell it. When I sold it I got a 2004 Lotus Elise 111R. It gives the same sort of "kick" driving it, but motorway driving is OK in the Lotus but the Westfield was down right scary! {ANY excuse to post a photo }
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated  |
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21st Mar 2013 10:14pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6346
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i'm guessing by the roll over bar you've got a very hard head instead ?
looks lovely. |
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21st Mar 2013 10:18pm |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5982 
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They are great things, I used to work for a racing team building them, and as pit crew.
Just build your own, that way it's done correctly, you won't have warranty issues, and you'll earn money. Andy |
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21st Mar 2013 10:37pm |
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| tookaphotoof Member Since: 18 Mar 2013 Location: dordrecht Posts: 1279
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DLK, if you live in Scheveningen I guess I've seen that car a couple of times.
I sold an Opel Speedster (VX220 for the Brits) so I could buy myself a Caterham. I love the driving experience without the hood and the doors. From now on you might spot a grey 130 from time to time at the harbour when i go visit my parents in law.  |
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21st Mar 2013 10:51pm |
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| DLK Member Since: 12 Mar 2013 Location: Scheveningen Posts: 70
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Yep, thats me! I had it from 2006 to 2009. The Elise replaced it in 2009.
I will keep an eye out for the 130
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21st Mar 2013 11:13pm |
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| Zagato Site Supporter Member Since: 08 Jan 2011 Location: Billingshurst West Sussex Posts: 5026
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OK a Cateham self build is definitely going to be the next toy
I still have my other smaller boat so it all makes sense - thanks for the replies |
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22nd Mar 2013 6:41pm |
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