Superlight R

[Matt Shears]

I have been thinking about upgrading for a while and having driven an SLR today I decided the time has come!

 

I am looking for a tidy SLR, not too fussed about the age but do not want a high mileage car. I will be using it on track so I would prefer a car with a dry sump.

 

I would also consider a simillar powered (190bhp) R300.

 

Thanks,

Matt.

[V7 SLR]

R400 surely? The R300 isn't 190bhp as standard.

[Bafty Crastard]

Perhaps he mean's a non standard R300 with 190 bhp

[Matt Shears]

Yeap, I'm thinking of a non standard R300 as I've been told its a good basis to start from , is not too temperemental and can be picked up for a reasonable price.

 

Bafty have you got an R300?

 

V7, do you think I would gain by spending the extra money on the R400 as opposed to the SLR or are you saying that the R400 is a more simillar match to the SLR?

 

Matt.

[V7 SLR]

R400 came with dry sump as standard. The SLR did not. I wouldn't be without a dry sump.

 

Generally the R400 has a few other enhancements over the SLR which are certainly worth having, at a price:

 

Wheels - SLR wheels were temperamental. There's a choice of R400 wheels (cast ali or mag ali).

Dry sump - as mentioned

Stack dash - was only a £1K option on the SLR. Well worth having.

 

Engine:

 

The SLR Throttle Bodies weren't the last word in sophistication, although in truth they worked OK. The R400 has Caterham's Roller Barrels which are OK although still far from optimal (they're heavy and excessively expensive and God-only knows why Caterham went down this route when better options exist).

 

Also the ECU in the SLR was TERRIBLE because it implemented a MAP sensor *inside* the ECU itself. A number were found to have failed causing all sorts of problems and because the MAP sensor was inside the box, it was inaccessible (i.e. junked). It also soft-landed the engine (revs don't die very quickly when you lift off the accelerator to change gear) which was a pain. And the idle... Basically the SLR ECU (called MEMS) was ****e leading to many owners buying an Emerald (if you get one with an Emerald, it has great potential). The R400 uses a programmable MBE which is leagues better than the MEMS but still suffers from poor maps supplied by Caterham. Poor economy, emissions and "holes" all through the torque plot. A remap is possible though (for about £500 from a 3rd party) which has proved massively invaluable to the few people I know that have gone down this road.

[Sven Justin]

Have a look here

 

It's engine was rebuilt by Caterham about 7 months ago, and as such has really only covered 3000 miles or so since.....

 

Email me if you think this would be of interest. It would cost well over £30k new, and really is good value!!

 

 

 

Edited to correct tewwible English - Sven Justin on 12 Apr 2005 08:54:46

 

Edited by - Sven Justin on 12 Apr 2005 08:56:47

[masha]

Wow there's a coincidence I'm Matt Stears and I have a SLR

[Matt Shears]

Matt - were you and your yellow SLR in last months LF?

 

 

[Matt Shears]

Nice car Sven. Although I am 6ft 3" I am not looking for an SV as I like the standard body. Have you had many enquiries?

 

Good luck with the sale.

 

Matt.

 

 

[masha]

possibly - only I didn't get last months low flying but others told me I was in it too.

[masha]

and... not wishing to start a huge debate/conflict but, I'm always pleased when people choose to steer away from the SV - it will always look all wrong to me: as a couple of 6-footers, my brother and I have never had a problem in a 7 of the correct proportions (SVs look like Dax Rush's or similar replicas to me - sorry SV owners I guess its a personal preference). I agree with the original 'long cockpit' mod over the earlier cars but I'd like to see all other dimensions remain the same.