Total parts list from Caterham?

[Julian Thompson]

Moving on from the Count's suggestion that he has ordered an R500 spec car based on a Superlite 1.6 and my own conversations with Caterham that they have "a lot of options not listed on the basic price sheet", I wonder if anyone could tell us where to find an exhaustive list of everything available for the prospective Caterham orderer.

 

I mean, I was going to order a Superlite with my own spec from the list but now it turns out I can specify, say, aerofoil wishbones, quick rack (two types and not a mention at all in the list), magnesium sump/bellhousing, carbon sill trims, er etc...

 

Can anyone actually tell us what we can order or does it depend on which of the massively variable staff you speak to.......

 

8JU

[Roland]

Difficult isn't it? Imagine what it is like having bought a 'used' car!!! I know it is a Caterham 7 with a Rover 1.4 Engine. I have since found that it has Ford disc brakes and (I belive) a Siera XR4i 'box and Diff. As for the rest???? Is the diff a LSD? Adjustable shocks? ETC.

[Chrispy]

Have had a lot of information off the Parts CD that you can get direct from Caterham. Go to their website to order. I know it doesn't include all the exotic upgrade stuff but for a novice like me it helps in identifying some of the options especially for a second hand se7en.

[Julian Thompson]

Yes, I've just ordered that.

 

I've not done anything like this before;

 

"Hello, I'd like to spend twentyfourthousandpounds with you on that small bathtub thing."

 

"Um, Yes."

 

"Could I drive it please?"

 

"Um, No."

 

"Er, well how will I know if I like it?"

 

"Um, I'll take you for a spin round the block. That'll do it."

 

"Er, Thanks. I think. What options do you do?"

 

"Here, read this price list"

 

"Thanks. Are these all the options?"

 

"No."

 

"Er, well, what other ones are there?"

 

"What do you want?"

 

"What do you do?"

 

"Not telling you until you tell me what you want."

 

"Is there a list?"

 

"No."

 

"Er, Thanks then. I'll fanny around for 6 months until I decide what to order then."

 

"Okay. Bye."

 

 

All very interesting and certainly not exactly high pressure! Ah well, we all moan life has got too cut and thrust.....

 

8JU

[Gridgway]

if your conversation was like that with Caterham, phone up Andy Noble (sales dir) at the showroom and tell him. He's normally pretty speedy on getting it sorted!

 

Graham

[New Barbie]

I was going to follow up on the other thread having been away a couple of days and saw this from Julian.

 

I'd say a couple of things in advising anyone on ordering a seven. Firstly, I'd undertake the process in the company of someone who knows the cars pretty well and understands what you want.

 

Secondly, I'd also give Caterham a lot more slack at their sales efforts. I dealt with both Jason Sutherland and Andy Noble and whilst they are not like a standard car sales operation, they were very good at getting to know what I was after.

 

I think if you spend some time with Caterham and an equal amount of time perusing cars and questioning other owners etc. you'll get what you want. Caterham were quite happy for me to spend about three weeks after I placed my deposit mucking about with options and pricing. I changed a lot of things on my Superlight and I had no problems getting a price for anything I wanted. There is no list I think because it's not like any other car. I'd guess almost no two Caterhams are the same and that's great, you basically spec exactly how you want your car to be. Caterham need you to have a little knowledge and I think the process of gaining it is useful and enjoyable so I've no issue with that.

 

I changed:

cf dashboard with Stack

22% rack

exhaust

DIY paint (dayglo orange done privately)

extra carbon bits like sill protectors

extra ally bits like gearknob and handbrake

R500 aeroscreen

R500 mirrors

R500 (Tillet) seats

R500 wheels and tires

FIA rollbar (not the R500 one)

6point harnesses

dry sump

honeycomb fuel tank protection

watts linkage (now standard I think)

3.92 LSD

battery isolator

tonneau

 

 

I've also got:

reduced radius wingstays

reduced radius and wider cf wings on the front

smaller headlights

side repeaters in the side of the headlight bowls

clear indicators in place of orange

keyless ignition

silicon hoses

fire putter outer

brake bias adjuster

 

Now if only the kitchen fitters in my house would stop using my garage as their workshop I could get in and finish the car ...

 

I'll dig out my complete options prices and I'll post them, I've been away so the earliest I could do that is tonight but the total is about £25k + and many thanks to the Countess for the check to pay for it.

 

Cheers all

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by - Count on 17 Jan 2002 10:35:32

[New Barbie]

Almost forgot, a really useful thing I did was have all the exposed ally powdercoated, interior panels in the engine bay etc. Looks a lot better and stops the rot but it was pricy

 

 

[Julian Thompson]

Did Caterham do the powdercoating on the exposed bits for you?

How much was "pricey" if you don't mind me asking?

 

Have you got Magnesium sump and bellhousing and aerofoil wishbones?

 

Sack the Kitchen fitter!

 

8JU

[New Barbie]

Powdercoating was one of the bigger markups in the Caterham list. I paid £700 for powdercoating of the interior of all the ally panels on the car. I therefore have no bare ally to corrode anywhere I hope.

 

In particular, this makes the engine bay look a lot smarter and if you look at a car that has had this done from the start and is now older like Arnie's, you'll be impressed at how the condition is retained so well.

 

You cannot do this yourself or get it retro done as the process needs to be done early in the construction of the car, it's too late by the time you get the kit.

 

I would have gone for aerofoil wishbones if I was speccing the car now but I remain unconvinced of the strength compared to a round cross section and the aerodynamics of a seven are a joke anyway so no gain there.

 

I didn't go with the magnesium sump and bellhousing either, I don't know the weight difference but I think I worked it out at only a few kilos for a lot of money. I recall the total difference Superlight R to R500 was 10kg and that was made up of the bellhousing, interior items (seats, STACK dash etc), wheels and tires so the difference was pretty small. I have probably saved a kilo by removing the ignition switch.

 

 

 

 

[Julian Thompson]

Thanks Count! I spoke to Mike@Caterham today who is the best Caterham guy I have yet come accross. He is chirpy, polite and very enthusiastic. Also, he is the only one who never forgets to call you back promptly.

 

He told me some interesting stuff which sort of confirms what you have just said;

 

Aerofoil wishbones : 450 GBP

Magnesium bellhousing : 1009 GBP

Magnesium sump : 415 GBP

 

Ouch! Like you say, a lot of cash but if you want the ultimate then it might be worth it....

 

Also, Mike raised a VERY controversial point; I think I'll post it in the main forum too but basically he said that the Watts link was an extra 200 GBP on a Superlight. I understood that this was now standard?

 

Having heard about your powerdercoating, I find 700 notes a huge amount for this but certainly I am not going to sell my 7 so perhaps this is actually a great idea over the long run.

 

Does it scratch on the wear points inside the car?

 

One final thing. When you go Stack, does your extra 1000 notes get you the complete R500 layout of dash with starter button and switchgear?

 

8JU

[Gridgway]

as an R500 owner I find this quite hard to say, but...wot on earth is the point of airofool (!) wishbones? What a waste of money!

Grahan

[Julian Thompson]

I love it!

 

That is so cool.

 

Purely because they are the best, my man.

 

As you know only too well!!!!!!!!

 

8JU

[dmt1]

hello count,can you let me know where you got your side repeaters inside of headlamp bowls from and how much did they cost?

 

regards darren.