Advantage of Caterham to build car?

[tezza]

Considering selling Subaru UK300 for a new superlight, and wondered whether to get Caterham to build it or let Rat Race do it. Advantage for me with Rat Race is that they are on my door step so could see how things are going etc, plus they seem to have a lot of time for people and I would get my services done there. Just wondered if car is considered to be "better" if Caterham do the job (re-sale etc) or not?

Terry

[Anthony Micallef]

Rat Race are one of Caterham's authorised service centres so I don't think you will find any disadvanteges letting them build it for you.

 

At last I own one teeth.gifteeth.gifteeth.gif

 

[Psycho man]

Be practical. A Se7en is for life [njfc), so the relationship you will have with your servicer is important.

[Bob Corb]

If an agent or private individual builds the car then it leaves the factory as a "kit" and has a K as the 6th character in the VIN number. This makes it officially amateur built on the log book. Once your through SVA you can remove the cat (I borrowed one) from the exhaust and dont need to worry about it ever again as amateur built cars dont need cats I'm told (although I've never heard that from any official source. Just make life a bit easier in future and allows you to have a tidy looking and efficient exhaust.

 

Factory cars do command higher prices but cost more in the first place. Caterham dont appear to mind selling "kit" built cars so future trade in shouldn't be a problem.

 

Dont you fancy having a go at building it yourself? It isn't too difficult, I managed it.

 

Bob

[Fred]

not sure if you are right bobquestion.gif if you are going to register it as a new vehicle

you will have to comply IE not a Q plate

what i mean is for mot in 3 yars time new at first reg 2002 is what is on your log book

fredid=blue> smile.gif

 

Edited by - FRED on 4 Apr 2002 17:34:37

[Casbar]

MOT stations are being fitted with a computer link to the DVLA or somewhere. They are then going to have to enter the engine number of the car being MOT'd. The data will then tell them among other things, if the engine should have a Cat fitted and what the emissions should be. So regardless of if the car is home built or factory built, if the engine should be running with a Cat, you will need one for the MOT.

[Peter Carmichael]

Section 4 of the MOT book states the emissions exemption for amateur buit cars. They are to be treated as though the engine was pre '74, regardless of the actual engine age. That is the current regulation.

 

While this might be correct for MOT, "construction and use" regulations might have legal implications for using the car on the road - they just aren't tested at MOT. Having an MOT does not make a car road legal.

[tezza]

Bob Corb

I don't have a garage to undertake any kind of build on the car(this may prove a problem later no doubt). As mentioned Rat Race will get to service it so may as well get them to handle car from the start. Thanks for advice.

While on the subject of de-cat how much more power would be gained in real terms ie on the road not hp amounts. Plus I have only been in a 1.6 roadsport and found when car got going conversation ended, so how much louder can it get before eardrums burst.

Terry

[Mick Day]

They are then going to have to enter the engine number of the car being MOT'd.

Rover K series engines get their engine numbers ground off during the modifications to fit the starter on the L hand side of the engine. Caterham then stamp their unique engine number on the block. If an MOT technician does a dial-up the engine number won't relate to the original Rover number.

Mick

[Bedazzled]

I had my new Caterham Classic built by a third party and it was fine, but a bit of a hassle. The main differences I found were :

 

1. Privately built cars are exempt from emissions tests but factory built ones aren't. I think this is why Caterham can't factory build the Classic

2. Privately built kit cars only have a parts warrenty from Caterham whereas factory built cars have both parts & labour

3. Getting a third party to build the car is cheaper (in my case by about £700) but you may lose this advantage when you sell

4. The third party can liase with Caterham for you if there are any problems with the kit and it helps if Caterham know them

5. There's a bit more hassle for yourself in terms of filling out SVA test and registration forms etc

 

Overall I think I'd use the same route again in future because my car is just as good as a factory built one and Caterham will check the car and sort out any problems afterwards (although they charge for labour costs - see the point above about the warrenty). I would suggest you try to get a parts and labour warrenty from the third party to guarantee their work.

 

Hope this helps....

[EFA]

"2. Privately built kit cars only have a parts warrenty from Caterham whereas factory built cars have both parts & labour"

 

I had Caterham fix my gearbox and carry out all removal/refit labour on my car when it was new!

 

I believe Keith Jecks had Caterham replace the bearings in his engine, and Caterham did all the labour FOC.

 

I can undertstand engine builders might not renmove and fix their engines if things go worng, but if there is a direct material loss and its a warranty liability on the part of a supplier I think they are on sticky ground.

 

Caterham of course are more customer focussed and I think they would see the sense in fixing the car for you if it were obviously a component fault not resulting from misuse.

 

Fat Arn

Visit the K2 RUM siteid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[Bob Corb]

Back to the exhaust, Fred I know what you mean, I've only been told by a man in the pub about the cat for SVA but not for MOT thing, PC backs me up but I've never actually seen it written in black and white .

 

Simply removing the cat from a std SL exhaust would probably be worth just 2 or 3 BHP which you'll never notice and because the cat is built into the silencer you'll have to change the whole silencer to do it. The SLR exhaust has the cat in a separate pipe which can be swapped out in minutes, but the main advantage of the SLR exhaust is that the manifold protrudes through the side skin of the car (which I think looks nicer) and this allows the design of the pipes to be optimised for performance whereas the std SL exh manifold is designed to fit under the bonnet and is therefore compromised in length.

 

Swapping from a std SL setup with cat to an SLR without will release maybe 7 or 8 BHP which will be able to notice (just). Count and Robmar have gone this route and Kiwi has just swapped too.

 

BC

[TonyR]

Can the standard SL system be replaced with the SLR exhaust without any changes to the ECU?

 

I have a SL on order and may change if no further mods required.

 

TonyR

[New Barbie]

My SL has the R500 exhaust, no ECU changes and no problems - much better if you are going to upgrade as well.