If you had to get your first seven all over again...

[slngsht]

what would you do differently?

your response will help some n00bs looking to get into their first.

 

NOTE: this is just about the car (buy new/used, build, powertrain, etc...), not dealings with dealers/sellers, etc...

[slomove]

Difficult to say.....buying such an expensive toy is not fully a rational decision. Even after doing a lot of research and looking at other Sevens I bought the one I have now on the spot when I saw it. Even drove 80 miles to the next Washington Mutual bank and back (3000 miles from home) to pick up a cashiers check and seal the deal.

 

Anyway (and assuming to be in full control of my "must-have urge" ) if I was still a Sevens-Noob I would again buy a used Seven, Birkin or otherwise in good nick and upgrade as required. Preferably and also assuming I have the money I would like to find one that has the goodies already that I had to put in myself at substantial cost like EFI, close ratio, tuned engine, LSD etc. Besides less potential trouble with registration this will give immediate driving satisfaction. Did I mention that I am an impatient person?

 

However, since I do not consider myself a full noob anymore I would probably buy a well developed kit and build my dream Seven (once again assuming to have the required dough). I would like another Birkin, especially the elusive IRS model but new rollers are exceedingly rare. As for the other kits........that would require just another round of fun research.

 

Fortunately that does not have to worry me. I still love the car that I have

 

Gert

[Boxologist]

nothing. all my information and insight comes from being an owner. very few se7en owner remotely close, and therefore all the advice i give of getting hands on, tactile sense of these cars is for naught with regard to me.

[EburgE]

I would have bought it in my 20's instead of in my 40's.

 

Even if it meant eating more mac and cheese.

 

:cheers:

[slngsht]

I would have bought it in my 20's instead of in my 40's.

 

Even if it meant eating more mac and cheese.

 

:cheers:

 

Amen to that

[MHKflyer52]

what would you do differently?

your response will help some n00bs looking to get into their first.

 

Could not afford one in the late 60's an early 70's and then career and family kept the ownership of a 7 in the background till the late late 90's. Went looking to buy and found that buying a new Caterham was out of the question for my wallet at the time so started looking for a well used one to rebuild and drive. Found that was going to even more expensive so decided to build my one for my self from scratch after looking at a cut-a-way of a Lotus 7 in a book. Used an MGB for the major components and wound up buying a nose cone, two seats, the gas tank and the little things like lights and switches built the rest and stayed well under what I had planed for a budget to buy and restore a used 7 which kept the wife very happy.

So what would I due differently? I would not wait the 25 or so years that I did and would buy or build one to enjoy it while one is growing UP (if we ever do grow up) and if that meant eating a lot of PB&J or working Saturdays for a couple of years then that is what I would due. I am not sure if I would build my own again or just buy a new Caterham as the Caterham’s are really very refined and beautiful machines, not that my car is not, in its own way but it is not as refined and who would not want a Caterham Superlight R400 if one has the money to spend on a fun car.

[Alaskossie]

Folks have told variants on the theme already -- I would have somehow found a way to buy a Seven (probably a Lotus S2) shortly after I first learned about them when I was 18 years old, rather than procrastinating until I was past 64 to buy one. Think of all those miles untraveled, and adventures unexperienced.....

 

Living the Seven life vicariously is just a waste of valuable time. Who knows, the next five decades might have turned out totally different for me (not that I'm complaining, but.....).

 

Tom Meacham

[Kitcat]

I waited til my 60's to buy one too. I am not sure that was so bad. I enjoyed reading about them and anticipating driving one for decades.

 

I wld recommend finding one nearby and talking the owner into a ride or maybe even drive. Maybe its not all you imagine-maybe more. Then, buy the best you can afford. I believe the difference between a normal car and a Seven is vastly greater than a state of the art Seven and something more rudimentary (Translation-even a clapped out underpowered Seven is pretty exotic compared to a "real" car).

 

I notice, BTW, that Sevens and Elans has a Caterham for sale for abt $20K. Not that I am trying to tempt a callow youth into such an irrational purchase.

[Al N.]

Okay, I'll be the first to say I'd do things differently (besides buying one sooner)...

 

While I love my Superlight R and dig the fact that it was Caterham's top dawg when I bought the car (loads of carbon, 6 speed, and pretty hot motor)...if I had to do it over, I'd probably buy a previously-loved original Lotus Series 2 or other Se7enesque car that was registered as a emissions/inspection exempt model year.

 

In my state (NJ), I had to register my car as a Collector Car, which limits my miles and usage. I have a 6000 mile limit that is checked every 2 years. Not that I have ever been at risk of even approaching that limit....

 

The other nice things about getting a car that isn't fresh out the wrapper new is that A) you won't feel so bad driving the heck out of it, B) it will hopefully be fully or close to fully sorted.

 

While I think that the build quality of my car (Speed Classics in AZ- no hesitation in recommending Rex M.!) is among the best that I have seen, little things went wrong in the first year or so that were a pain to sort. And not so easy to explain to my very tolerant wife.

 

And finally, I'll say that I do regret dumping a lot of money (like, I could have built a Locost with it) into the car in the first year upgrading various and sundry things that perhaps did not need upgrading at that moment. For example, while I appreciate the peace of mind of having a fuel cell (I take my kids in the car once in a while), when all was said and done, that was a multi-thousand dollar process that perhaps I should have held off on doing (and spent that money on a hotter head and cams!!!!)

 

So my advice is buy used and live with the car for at least a year before touching it (unless, of course, it requires repair to be roadworthy).

 

---

 

Oh wait, one more thing...I bought right around the time the Duratec was coming into the market here...that motor would have been nice. But the car was already built, and the price was right.

[xromad]

I think I would do most of it the same.

 

Only thing I can think of is: I would have taken my wife to a gathering much sooner. She hated the car from the day she learned I was saving to build it. After the "777 event" and the "Stalker Ambush" last year, she now loves the car (and the people we meet) so much that she frequently talks me into going for a drive....not like I need a lot of arm-twisting in the first place.

 

Brent

[soareyes]

Since I've owned two Birkins in four years, you would think I would have done things differently if I had to do it all over again. But in reality, it was probably a good way to go and I might suggest it for a newbie too.

 

My first Birkin was 2 years old when I bought it, very stock, and under $20,000. It was great as a "starter" Seven to see if a Seven was something I would want to own for the long term. Of course I loved it, and when I started planning the inevitable upgrades, another 2 year old Birkin became available locally that had pretty much all the upgrades I wanted at a good price. So, I bought it and sold the first car. It did take a few months to sell so I was lucky enough to have two Sevens in my garage for awhile! :7drive: :7drive: Financially it was a bit of a stretch though till the second one sold.

 

Before I bought the first Birkin, I was on the wait list for a Stalker kit and I would have had kit #48. Registration difficulties in California, my own limitations as a mechanic, and the availability of an already built and registered Birkin at a good price conspired to convince me to cancel my order! I still have the desire to build my own Seven someday, maybe even go the Locost route from scratch.

 

 

 

 

[S1Steve]

 

The biggest factor was getting my 6'3" 240 pound body in a 7. I wanted a very early Lotus 7 when I started looking.

I was walking around Indy, the weekend of the 2000 F1 race and came across the Superformance booth and they had one of the first S1's sitting there. So I jumped in and found it to have a lot of room for a 7. And I thought the S1 looked good.

And when the time came to buy ,I always came back to the S1 as being my top pick.

And I am happy to say , I still feel it was the right 7 for me , and the price was OK.

A Stalker was my second pick, Lotus 7, not a good fit for me.

 

Buy what makes YOU happy !!!

 

 

Steve Novelli:cheers:

[Mondo]

I'm crossing my fingers.... this is the most money I've ever spent with the least info

 

I've had a Triumph TR6 and completely rebuilt a Lotus Europa (rewired it to get rid of the Lucas wiring and made custom dash etc...).

 

I saw the 7s at lotus meets but thought they were a little too bare and kind of funky looking (really wanted an Elan). Then came house, family... This was in the late 80s.

 

Planned a GT40 kit for a while but the pricing really went up the last few years and I couldn't afford it. Then I saw a black S2K on Ebay and I really liked the look of it.

 

Found it came with a 240hp Honda (power & reliabilty) and it was a little bit bigger than the Caterham (4in wider). It was also about half the GT40 cost.. Since I've gotten older I'm less into building and more into driving so it's being built. Nice to just pick colors, accesories etc and have it done.

 

I haven't driven one or actually seen one in person. Big leap of faith... But I've talked to some owners and had some modifications that they recommended done. I'm coming off sportbikes (it's only a matter of time before the big getoff) so I figure this is the closest thing with 4 wheels:reddevil:

 

I do agree with Al that if there would of been one for sale already registered in California I probably would of bought it. 2 out of 3 of us got the SB100 smog exemption this year.... I was the odd man out:cry: . So now I'll have to look at my options once it's here.

 

I'm not usually this impulsive but it's my retirement gift to myself and it can go to just track days for a while if necessary (I live near 2). Actually coming to this site and reading all your comments has made me more comfortable with my decision too.

 

Wish me luck

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian7]

" NOTE: this is just about the car (buy new/used, build, powertrain, etc...), not dealings with dealers/sellers, etc..."

 

I'm not sure you can separate the two with these cars, given the hands-on nature of them, however...

 

my .02 : in hindsight I shoul'da kept my first one.

 

Turns out upgrading to newer/faster/lighter/better/etc really wasn't worth the extra money to me in the end, and the lost time without the car between the two merely added to the wasnt-worth-it.

 

See Al's comments above, get something nice NOW rather than perfect later, and just enjoy it.

[JBH]

I am surprised I did so well on my first purchase - dumb luck I suppose. I went for a Caterham Superlight because it was a hotter car, it should have decent resale value and I figured parts and expertise through dealers would be readily available.

 

Other than a leaking oil pressure sender, loose radiator hoses, and difficulty with cold start (below 40 F) the car has been trouble free. Part of the reason for the lack of problems was because I had the car inspected and evaluated from top to bottom before completing the purchase.

 

Parts availability remains an issue and Caterham USA has been pretty much useless in getting me what should have been simple parts: a new set of wheels, DeDion ears, a gas cap and some touch-up paint. Now the dealers I talked to/worked with (RMSCi and GT Classics ) have been very good.

 

So if I had to do it again, I might look harder at the USA manufacturers/suppliers.

 

Just to expand on Al's comment about registration and classification, my advice to any first timer is to buy used where the car has been titled by the previous owner. It doesn't solve all the problems, but it sure helps.

[EburgE]

I'm crossing my fingers.... this is the most money I've ever spent with the least info

 

For me it was the most money for the least car I'd ever spent. I think that's part of the package of Seven ownership. You're really paying for the experience instead of gadgets and features.

 

Good luck!

[sparecr]

Even though I love my Series 3 Caterham, it would have made more sense to buy the real thing Like and S2 or S3 Lotus. But of course it would not be twin-cam etc... I always describe my car as as close as you can get to a real Lotus 7 without having a Lotus. But have driven it over 1000 miles no a single problem. So I can't complain. I even came with an extra set of fiberglass in another color in case I want a different car. Would I sell it to get a S2 or 3 yes, would I sell it just to sell it, no.

[JohnCh]

I’ve kind of owned two Westfields. The first was purchased used nearly 7 years ago and served to get my feet wet with se7ens. The second I built to my spec two years later based on everything I learned during round one of ownership.

 

The original car was very stock, and fitted with a mild crossflow. After a little altercation in a parking lot (long story) I stripped it down to the frame and replaced virtually every component until the only thing the “new” Westfield had in common with the old was the exterior color. It was now much lighter, much faster, and no longer felt vintage. I loved the first one, but the second car puts an even bigger smile on my face whenever I drive it – or even when I am just sitting in the garage making vroom vroom noises (hey, this has been a tough winter in the PNW!) It was a great way to go, and I wouldn’t do it any differently.

 

-John

[Taber10]

Apologies toSlngsht, but as Ian7 and Al indicate, the topics are inseperable. Regardless of your approach, and mine lasted from my first test drive in 1978 until ordering in 2007, I advise talking to Ben and Nate at RMSC first. The face-to-face knowledge is irreplaceable, in what was also one of my largest cash purchases. Even if you don't go with them--and cost would be the driver--the knowledge gained is worth the trip to Denver. I realize how fortunate I was to have the ability to order a Caterham. I wish I had picked up the used one in the UK in the late '70s, but I've finally overcome my mistake.

Taber10

[locostv8]

what would you do differently?

your response will help some n00bs looking to get into their first.

 

NOTE: this is just about the car (buy new/used, build, powertrain, etc...), not dealings with dealers/sellers, etc...

 

The option not mentioned is to build, for those of us without he re$ource$ to buy. This is a longer path though with planning you can get the equipment desired initialy.

 

I should have traded my AC Bristol for the Lotus 11 years ago when I had a chance.