Not funny haha either. I keep looking at the caterham website…
It’s happened a few times over the last few weeks since the anglesey trackday but then I saw the team lotus one and my cough problem got worse.
I have never liked them until now but the more I see how great they are as a track toy the more I want one…
Help.
don’t try one on track or you will be definitely lost.
My only challenge would be why own one with all the issues of ownership and dragging to circuits, etc? Arrive & drive with a BAT cat and get the best of both worlds.
[quote=stevegreen] Arrive & drive with a BAT cat and get the best of both worlds.
[/quote]
That would be my choice as well 
I’d love to drive one for the day - in fact I even looked at BAT website to book one - then I saw the prices and changed my mind !
I believe if you speak to Jonny you can get deals on Bat cats.
I must say I do fancy trying one.
With regards to dragging to tracks I figured I would drive it there… Am I being silly?
[quote=Boothy]…
I have never liked them until now but the more I see how great they are as a track toy the more I want one…
Help. [/quote]
Have you considered a 2-Eleven ?
Check out drivers republic 2-eleven, atom, caterham test on you tube at anglsey
Andy,
As a former S1 Exige owner and now moved over to the dark side, (Caterham r300)i know where your coming from, absolutely loved the Exige ans still do, but must say i personally prefer driving the Cat, even on the road, the driver involvement is much more than the exige, find myself setting the alarm at 6.00am and planning routes for the day, arriving home for lunch.
Downsides, roof is a joke, i bought a half hood which is much better, but only used it once so far, also it would be a good idea to invest in ear plugs, as the buffeting can get pretty bad above 80ish,
best thing would be to go and test drive one and see what you think ?
my car has 160 bhp which is more than enough for me at the moment, would quite like a Duratec R400 at some stage in the future though.
Mark
Have you ever resally added up the costs for a track day?
[quote=Boothy]Not funny haha either. I keep looking at the caterham website…
It’s happened a few times over the last few weeks since the anglesey trackday but then I saw the team lotus one and my cough problem got worse.
I have never liked them until now but the more I see how great they are as a track toy the more I want one…
Help. [/quote]
Dynamically they are attractive but to look at ??? FUGLY if you ask me 
Also look very fragile and I have seen a few that after a minor incursion into the gravel/barries etc have a corner missing etc
If I wanted more perfomance/handling etc I’d be going down the 2-11 route or failing that a Radical + trailer
Not spreadsheet wise, but I think it’d be well under 900 quid per day for me (which is what is was looking like for a day in a nice Caterham).
Trailer hire and petrol is all I spent in Anglesey… I guess a bit of pad/tyre wear and a bit of wear and tear on the car…
Don’t get me wrong, I understand where the prices come from, but when you’ve already got your own track car, it’s an expensive option.
Caterhams are ace. Personally, I could have one as an everyday car, just as much as I could my Exige…if pushed. However, after owning both, I’d put the Exige as number one all round choice.
For a trailered trackcar, the considerations change. IMHO Radicals are not trackday cars, but 211s are tres bon!
I think it was Chris Randell(sp?) from Hofmanns - used to be on here as Randy - who added up all the costs for a trackday, or series of trackdays, and it was a lot more than the obvious costs on the day.
Although overly simplistic, I like the comparison that the long term effects on your car mean 1 track mile equals 20 road miles.
Having said all this, I would be very sad if nobody tracked an Exige - love to see them on track.
[quote=chrisexigegt]Also look very fragile and I have seen a few that after a minor incursion into the gravel/barries etc have a corner missing etc
If I wanted more perfomance/handling etc I’d be going down the 2-11 route or failing that a Radical + trailer [/quote]
Not sure they are that fragile - using them as a hire vehicle for trackdays would be a very bad business model if they were.
Sure the front wings may pop off from time to time but they seem easily repairable - the square tube chassis appears to be able to be chopped and repaired ad infinitum.
Not wanting to pick a fight but interesting you talk fragile and then talk about a Radical. I don’t think I’ve ever seem a Radical complete a trackday without the spanners coming out.
Don’t you have to declare a previous interest?
What criteria are you using?
Yep, had 3 Caterhams in the past 
Radical criteria - imho just too fast (when they’re running!!!) for trackdays. They are without any doubt fantastic in terms of performance, but on trackdays I do think that the speed differential is just too great. Am I alone in this?
Edit - Should have said earlier that Chris & Phil were not a problem at Anglesey, & in fact it was great to see them there demonstrating the huge speed differential! I was referring to Radicals, in the wider sense, on trackdays - especially if there a few of them!
Speed differentials is an interesting point …
On the Exiges day there was some differences and for sure the radical was quick through the fast corners but I thought it was OK and trusted everyone as the awarness was high … well apart from Stan trying to keep Gav behind him 
On the Sunday it was quite different … there were some very slow Locaterfields with total blindness to a black Exige that beamed itself to their rears ( and I am by no means that quick ) … had I been a) in an even faster car b) have talent C) been more cars on track … then I could see a dangerous situation happening for sure … My answer was back off, take a rest etc
Have to say that is why a BAT day works - less cars on track …
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT !!! 
Agree - Radicals are as fragile as ming vase on a washing machine but for a pure track day weapon I’ve not seem much pass them - a JP1 might be a better choice though 
I’m sure Caterhams are easily repaired but a knocked off corner will definately ruin the rest of your TD and abort any chance of a drive home
I just can’t get past the fact they look like a kit car - which they are, and 20 or 30K for a kit car is too much money
I know the Lotus build quality is not great but just watch that episode of Top Gear when they build a Caterham :crazy:
Let me ask this - would you rather hit a barrier @ 80mph in an Exige or a Caterham ??? - I’d rather not hit anything but if I did I rather be in a Lotus. Example below :crazy:
Caterham crash at Castle Combe - YouTube
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That ones a warning for Aug boys and girls
I look at my Exige and it looks great - could never buy an fugly car no matter how fast it was
Most Caterhams are fine for the twisty circuits - Oulton, Anglesey etc but let’s see which is faster round Silverstone - never had a Caterham trouble me there
Standing by for the barrage of R400, R500 etc and power to weight etc
My feeling exactly. A friend sadly lost his son in a Caterham during a MC750 race a (good) few years ago. Even with a full cage you’re just too close in a side impact. I know in an accident you can be lucky/unlucky but it’s a step too far for me (as much as I love the dynamics of the Cats).
Ian
Ps. Plus, I like a roof to keep the weather out (mostly).
I actually thought that the Caterhams came off really well in both of those incidents - especially the 1st one.
I think the rear support for the standard Exige rollover hoop is made of liquorice stick (and I should know living in Pontefract and it’s been commented on by various people when stripping down to do various refreshes how poor the condition has been.