£75k Caterham: expensive or decent value ?

[CraigHew]

I'm not into slagging off Caterhams, I nearly bought one until I came to my senses about the price differential with similar spec Westfields.

Looks like they still command a premium.  Not sure if the price on this on reflects aspirational thinking tho.  Sure it has lots of power and a decent gearbox but it looks butt ugly to my eye.

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/caterham/all-models/caterham-s3-ultimate-spec/9498300

 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Tricky one.

First off, it does have lots of expensive, well let’s be honest, eye wateringly expensive, parts on it; the engine and gearbox would have been decent five figure sums, individually. Then it’s been professionally built over the course of a year by, presumably, some specialist. So there will probably be a huge sum of labour in there, too.

However, it will only be the “perfect car” to the guy that commissioned it and a very tiny number of others. Yet it’s at a “perfect car” premium. I suspect the Venn diagram of who it’s the ideal spec for and who has the spare cash lying around, is an even tinier cross-over!

However, my biggest issues with it are twofold. First and perhaps most importantly, it breaks what seems to be the golden rule of good Caterham residuals, it’s heavily, heavily modified, with a very non-factory spec. That means it’s no longer a “known model” within the range. It’s become a bitsa kit car, and that generally hurts the values badly with Caterham.

The second issue, is that while the bits on there that I can see, are generally the best, and regarded in Caterham circles as amongst the best of the best, it also doesn’t appear to be pushing the development of the car, either. Where is the special ness, the one off engineering solutions, the re-development that stands it apart from cars a third of the price, that could have the same bits chucked at them over time, if the owner wished.

Then of course it’s dangerously floating in, (when they occasionally come up for sale) Levante territory! Which does push the boat out with unique development work and special gear, unique to the Levantes. (Although, they’re probably even uglier in most people’s eyes!)

[Steve (sdh2903)]

You would need some sort of mental assessment to pay that.  As Dave says that's a very specific build for a very specific person. Ie a market of 1.

If I had a load of cash and had a huge desire for a mentally quick caterham why would I walk past a 620r/620s at 50k and leave 25k in the bank? They hold their value incredibly well and when your bored they'll be a much bigger market to move it on.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

35 minutes ago, Steve (sdh2903) said:

If I had a load of cash and had a huge desire for a mentally quick caterham why would I walk past a 620r/620s at 50k and leave 25k in the bank? They hold their value incredibly well and when your bored they'll be a much bigger market to move it on.

Exactly! You could do a fair bit of customisation to a 620R if you really wanted and still have cash in the bank. Plus when you came to sell, if you removed the custom bits, it would still be a 620R, with appropriate value.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Mind you, if I had £75k to spend on a Caterham, (which assumes I'd already got or satisfied other car owning urges), I'd be beating a path to the door of all FW400 owners I could find and be trying to get them to sell!!

[Thrustyjust]

I wouldnt touch an FW . Old skool techology has moved on now Dave. Support for needing parts , which wont exist , new wheels , dash switches getting awkward, even if there were production french things, Hewland box parts could be iffy ( we look after Hewlands a/c ) . But saying that , its a far wack of money for one of those Caterhams and with what a 620 S gives for nearly half , is what I would prefer.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

34 minutes ago, Thrustyjust said:

I wouldnt touch an FW . Old skool techology has moved on now Dave. Support for needing parts , which wont exist , new wheels , dash switches getting awkward, even if there were production french things, Hewland box parts could be iffy ( we look after Hewlands a/c ) . But saying that , its a far wack of money for one of those Caterhams and with what a 620 S gives for nearly half , is what I would prefer.

To be honest, an FW400 would be there for its collectability, an ornament that saw an occasional run out. A testament to what small British companies are capable of when they have their own “Kennedy; we will reach for the moon” moment!

[Thrustyjust]

Very true Dave , but I guess I would want a car to use for that kind of money , drive to anywhere ( within reason and not the moon !) and if I get a rock through the nose cone, I order a new one 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Just working on the logic that if I have that money to drop on something like that, I’ve already got the other toys, like the regular driver Westfield, Caterham etc!

To be fair though, I’m just going off the example of clients who do have that sort of money to drop on toys: these sorts of things usually come somewhere down the list after the Mercs for daily drivers, Ferrari’s, Aston’s, Porsche’s etc for “regularly used” sports cars and so on!

[Thrustyjust]

For me, I wouldnt want a car just to get flat spotted tyres and seized up. Luckily I wont be seeing a Fezza or Aston at Chez Thrusts . Weirdly people wave at you in  Westie or similar. Porkers and the like dont seem to get that buzz from joe public, so I'll still with the moving westie .

Mrs TJ's brother hires Astons, Fezza's and the best was the AMG SLS . But I can see having one as getting boring pretty soon. At least with our cars we can tinker and create .

[Captain Colonial]

[CraigHew]

Yes spotted that this morning too, just goes to show they have no real idea about the car or its worth....

[Mark (smokey mow)]

If I was to spend £75K on any sevenesque car I'd at least expect it to be road legal, that's a pretty big wedge to be spending on a trackday toy.

[BigSkyBrad]

If a Caterham and a Westfield had the exact same drivetrain and go fasty bits, side by side the Caterham will always look like an O-level metalwork project. All that extra money for slab-sides, dodgy panel fit, Mr Potato Head attachments, and there's barely a compound curve on it. I just don't see the attraction with Caterbums. A Morgan still looks the same after 50+ years but at least does it with class! Just like Harley Davidson, you're only paying for the name.

[Thrustyjust]

You not looked at a Morgan closely then Brad. My local garage MOT's them for a guy who sells them and they say they are rough under the skin. They said my Westie is far better constructed