The weather's coming, go buy one (Caterham 7)

Name: slapster

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Product:	Caterham 7
Date:	03.04.01 (1025 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: stunning driving experience

Disadvantages: dangerous in the wrong hands (feet?)

You just cannot beat the grin you get from a Caterham. You may be considering one for purchase right now, and perhaps, deciding between it and say a Lotus Elise or maybe even a Westfield.

Go for the Seven, every time.

The Elise may be more practical but it gives you the feeling of driving a "proper" car badly built. The Westfield is poorly constructed against the Caterham and depreciates far faster than the Seven and drives like a bacon sandwich in comparison.

Now, which one should you buy???

If you have never driven a Caterham, do so. Driving a Seven is a bit like balancing a pen on your finger tip. It's what makes them thrilling to drive but a novice road sport driver could come a cropper going for an R500 first off.

Go to the Caterham sales centre if you can. They are very helpful and will give you a test run if you book it in advance.

Once you have had the first experience with a Seven you will be in love. No to choose your lover!

1. The 1.6K series. Get this if you are a novice raod sport driver and wnat the thrills with a built in life presever, ie. the 1.6 engine. Dont forget that this is still a very quick car and can be made quicker if you get the engine management upgrade for £1000 turning it inot a 1.6 supersport.

2. The 1.8K series. This is a great car and the supersport is even better. This is best considered for drivers who have some track experience. You do not want to learn about opposite lock on the A316 at rush hour.

3. 1.8VVC. This is superb ( and the one I have) The high rev range means this is everybit as quick and grunty as the 1,8supersport, but much better for longer distance runs too. A lovely "go to France for the weekend a whilst driving like Steve McQueen" motorcar, beauty.

4. R500. This is a mental car coming in many guises and scared me too much to buy it as a road car, probably best suited to the track or spee
d junkies who have no families to take care of.

5. Blackbird. This is a totally mental Seven and runs on the Honda motorcycle blackbird engine. Sub 4 second 0-60 means this is track only although legal for the road. I will try this out in the summer at a track day and let you know just how crazy it is.

Practical points.

No luggage companrtment

They leak like hell in all but gentle drizzle

They are not fond of being driven hard on wet roads

They will mean a long stay in hospital if you have a side impact despite recent enhancements to impact protection.

Good points

They depreciate so well they are practically an investment

You will wander around with a warm glow within you forever

You can beat a 911, 355 and any Elise of the lights grinning furiously as you do so.

If you can afford one buy it. I did and now happier than I have ever been!

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