The four questions I get asked most are
- How much did it cost?
- Did I enjoy building it?
- Would I do it again?
- Whats it like to drive?
How much did it cost?
Way too much is the honest answer. It doesn’t look too bad as a base car but adding in the wide body, lower floor, paint etc jumps the cost considerably. If you add to that the IVA charges and my hefty bill from Gatwick Caterham and the 500 mile service and my 310S was perilously close to the price of a base Cayman. From a service angle it also does feel like Caterham still think they are selling £17K cars.
Did I enjoy building it?
Yes of course. Seeing it come together was very rewarding. There were unnecessary frustrations however that Caterham should sort out at this cost level.
- Exploded diagram instructions are better than the old written ones but by Caterham’s own admission you need to use both – why?
- Part references in manual don’t match those on the packs supplied. One of my most used items during the build was a magnifying glass.
- I had to clean out all the threaded fixtures on the car. At £17K i kinda get this – at twice the price I don’t really think that’s acceptable
- A lot of fit didn’t fit without persuasion- second most popular item in the build process was a rubber mallet
Would I do it again?
It would certainly be a lot easier a second time! The short answer is no. I have wanted to do it for 20+ years so I am glad I have done it but the cost (at least for me) is just too high
Whats it like to drive?
Great fun in the sunshine! I drove it the other day in driving rain on country lanes and it was plain scary!
I love the fact that its not bland like so many cars these days. I have the smaller high revving engine so I have to work it hard. Brakes are great too and the light weight makes for great handling – not sure I will discover the limits of its handling unless on a track.