Sad, sad day, waved bye bye to the CSL.

[glendog74]

I'll also be interested in your findings Shane - always liked these and they go well around the Ring!

I suppose if someone buys one of these whilst they're still relatively new then they undoubtedly have the means to run one ok. Tracking the car would incur a whole host of additional costs of course!

Without doubt a massively capable car, my biggest concern with owning one would be the potential lack of driver involvement due to all it's electronic gizmos keeping things in check...

[shimmy]

i think to track them (more than once or twice) is a false economy as then you will void warranty eventually or incur the wrath of the Nipon Gods and a whole heap of huge costs will folow (£15k front bumper)

As Shane said earlier it will make a superb GT cruiser (and more importantly it has SMG/auto)

Im not so sure about the bike engined track car though!

[M5 Powered]

Would love one, but I as mentioned earlier, I'd go the Porker route first.

From a pal who owns one (and in the proper colour as yours ) the dealer told him that GPS locations are apparently stored and the warranty voided if you take it anywhere near a track. Gulp!!

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by dontdobends

Nice one shanewe are gona need binoculars now to spot yer on track, sub 1.50 at oulton

Thats the plan John,

Originally Posted by Bealo

Congrats on your choice Bigman... something i have thought about but the running cost horror stories have put me off so far but i will be listening with eager ears on your findings..

Enjoy

Ill keep everyone posted,

Originally Posted by glendog74

I'll also be interested in your findings Shane - always liked these and they go well around the Ring!

I suppose if someone buys one of these whilst they're still relatively new then they undoubtedly have the means to run one ok. Tracking the car would incur a whole host of additional costs of course!

Without doubt a massively capable car, my biggest concern with owning one would be the potential lack of driver involvement due to all it's electronic gizmos keeping things in check...

On my test run in the demo car, the salesman let me open the taps and I gave her a bit through the roundabouts as well, I was surprised as my initial feedback was that it felt like a RWD car, even felt the back end loosen slightly which was nice. And all the reviews/tests show a tail happy beast if needed.

The feel aspect is all relative I suppose, the CSL, gives great feedback and is a drivers car, but after my stint in my mates Caterham @ oulton I got back in the csl and took Jim out, the CSL compared to the caterham felt like a bus. Its not as we all know, but as I said its all relative.

After my evo X experience I was anxious/scared that the GTR would feel similar, lifeless, but it doesnt, Its far superior. And the power, all I can say is WOW.

Time will tell how good it is, if its not good I will tell you guys, dont worry.

Originally Posted by shimmy

i think to track them (more than once or twice) is a false economy as then you will void warranty eventually or incur the wrath of the Nipon Gods and a whole heap of huge costs will folow (£15k front bumper)

As Shane said earlier it will make a superb GT cruiser (and more importantly it has SMG/auto)

Im not so sure about the bike engined track car though!

It helps if you have friends in the right places Shim, my business partner used to work @ middlehurst motorsport and we fix any Mercs they get in, .

And to be truthful my CSL experience has hardly been cheap, if you track them and drive them like I did mine then tyres and brakes dont tend to last long. I imagine it will cost me more to track but not as much as some of the scaremongers may suggest.

The bike engined car will be good fun, cheap too I hope, a set of brand new 888's just cost me £290., the brakes cost £25 per set of pads and £30 per disc, and brakes/tyres should last me maybe 2 years. Set of used slicks £75 for 4. Bargain. And fuel bill should be halved too. 35mpg with car on C class on trailer, then hopefully twice as good on fuel as the CSL on track. Parts are peanuts. ...................... well thats the plan, we will see.

But for fun factor these caterham/ caterham style cars take some beating in my eyes. Surely you have had a go in your kids caterham? What did you think?

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by M5 Powered

Would love one, but I as mentioned earlier, I'd go the Porker route first.

From a pal who owns one (and in the proper colour as yours ) the dealer told him that GPS locations are apparently stored and the warranty voided if you take it anywhere near a track. Gulp!!

All scaremongering too, Middlehurst do trackdays for the GTR customers, £75 premium on top of normal day, but you get gtr tech support on the day, pre check, post check and tuition from Andy Middlehurst thrown in too. Not bad.

Its all to do with the temps all the oils get too, if they reach certain temps then an oil change is needed. But it does not cost as much as some think. I will be putting a few quid aside as a GTR running cost fund

[shimmy]

Originally Posted by lawsy

Surely you have had a go in your kids caterham? What did you think?

yep, around BEdford and also beena few times on the Jonathan Palmer ones at Bedford Autodrome corporate thingy

Its a lowly caterham academy 1.6 zetec so a bit sluggish especially at the higher speeds but amazingly engaging to drive.

the cockpit is pure 1950s though and a real unpleasant experience so the car is not for me but i can see why he really enjoys it, noise is great, dry grip is great, (wet grip is scarey)

i think if i was to have a simple track car i would have to go for an Atom or Lotus just because the Caterham is so uncomfortable

[glendog74]

I must admit to having a hankering for a Radical SR8 - they always look good on track days

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by shimmy

yep, around BEdford and also beena few times on the Jonathan Palmer ones at Bedford Autodrome corporate thingy

Its a lowly caterham academy 1.6 zetec so a bit sluggish especially at the higher speeds but amazingly engaging to drive.

the cockpit is pure 1950s though and a real unpleasant experience so the car is not for me but i can see why he really enjoys it, noise is great, dry grip is great, (wet grip is scarey)

i think if i was to have a simple track car i would have to go for an Atom or Lotus just because the Caterham is so uncomforable

I have been on track against Atoms and wondered what the fuss was about as I beat them comfortably.

But at Oulton tuther week there was an Atom on slicks running 1.47 full circuit. It was rather rapid and the grip it generated was fucking unreal. My CSL was almost as quick on the straights but the way that thing handled was madness. So a good choice the Atom would be.

Its like the GTR's, everyone I have seen on track I have passed comfortably, wondered what the hype was about. I just forget that not everyone pushes to near the limits like others.

I will agree about the comfort part, I know I will be sore the next day after a full day on track and ill most definitely sleep well that night.

[shane@mbtech]

Originally Posted by glendog74

I must admit to having a hankering for a Radical SR8 - they always look good on track days

I thought long aand hard about a radical, but knew I wanted a GTR so track day car budget was slashed then. I picked my year old track beast for 8kish, and ill spend 3k on upgrades, wheels tyres, trailer etc. So 11k it will have cost me.

[alexk]

Originally Posted by lawsy

All scaremongering too, Middlehurst do trackdays for the GTR customers, £75 premium on top of normal day, but you get gtr tech support on the day, pre check, post check and tuition from Andy Middlehurst thrown in too. Not bad.

Its all to do with the temps all the oils get too, if they reach certain temps then an oil change is needed. But it does not cost as much as some think. I will be putting a few quid aside as a GTR running cost fund

Well a guy here in CH tracks one and the costs are immense (compared to a Porsche for example).
The car overheated in Hockenheim in 8 minutes (differentials / gearbox).
The tyres wear out very fast.
The brakes wear out very fast (discs went to the bin in less than 7000km and only a small part of them were track kilometers).
Gearbox oil costs 500 euros (for this special gearbox).

Another Swiss guy that I met in Anneau Du Rhin, would do only 4 laps per 30-minute session ?
Coincidence ? I don't think so...

I am not sure why people claim that these are myths. These are facts.
Of course, your opinion and experience will be very good, provided that you will say the full truth (because it might end up being silly).

Shane, please don't take my thoughts wrong.
I am happy for you and congratulate you for the new car.
I find it a bit strange given your background (I know about the CSL and the 996 turbo, I guess you had other good cars) to get a car that was build to attract people's attention for being fast + cheap and rape them with the service costs.

Last but not least, it's much cheaper to own and track a Gallardo Superleggera than a Nissan GTR in Switzerland.
Costs double to buy the Superleggera though... so if you are planning to keep the car for ever (like me), it will be much cheaper in the long run.
And it will be a lambo not a datsun