Seven Ownership

[efaul]

Hello everyone, another long time lurker here with some questions.

For me it all started a few years back when I was having a father daughter day in Aspen and there was some informal exotic car show, I was talking to a gentleman from Ft Collins that let my daughter sit in his Ferrari 360 and he said to me "you know if you are into cars you should go up to Snowmass they are having the yearly LOG up there." So we went and it was total role reversal with my daughter. Lets just say she wasent into it and I could have stayed there all day. Since then part of my daily routine is to visit this site and see whats new and I only now I know what an opportunity I missed by not spending more time and takling with people in Snowmass.

So here I am a few years later having endured the economic downturn and feeling comfortable with life in terms of family and finances and I just cant get the Seven idea out of my head.

I am an extremely practical person and save money like I will be out of work next week (i'm a finish carpenter, and my employer own's a 61 elite that he put a LS-1 into, it's a monster, and this Seven idea is partly his fault). So I cant quite get my practical head arround buying one of the most impractical cars out there. When I try to explain it to my wife I just laugh.

My idea of Seven ownership would not just be about driving a car it would be about tinkering, upgrading, meeteing people, making relationships.

So I guess my main question is this, How has Seven ownership ben? Is it everything that you thought it would be?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Give me the push that I need.

 

Eric

[slomove]

........

So I guess my main question is this, How has Seven ownership ben? Is it everything that you thought it would be? .......

 

Happy to comply ;-)

 

And yes, it has been as expected so far and got me into new things....it is my toy and a hobby that I don't take totally serious. I lost sight of Sevens that I liked back when they were still made by Lotus and when I rediscovered that there were still people building them I happened to get some unexpected workers comp money. I bought one that was technically used but practically new (600 miles). Spent the first few years driving, upgrading, tinkering and just enjoying it. Until I got the Seven I was not really a gearhead or much into sports cars anyway but can now competently dis- and reassemble the car and rebuild the engine. I also use it a lot for weekend trips and long distance touring (buy one until summer and join our Black Hills trip). So after all, highly recommended. But be careful, some of the upgrades will cost you a bundle

[James A]

Building my car was a lot of fun and driving it is even better! I use my car for autocross and track days.

And now my 17 year old son is racing a Caterham in SCCA E Production, winning his first three races.

I waited far too long to build mine, should have done it 20 years earlier!

Better late than never. Awesome cars, I bought an Elise and only kept it six months as the 7 was so much more fun.

Don't wait like I did, get one and enjoy.

[scannon]

Welcome aboard Eric.

 

Like James said, building the car is a lot of fun but driving it is better. I've had a lot of sports cars but I can't think of any other car I would rather own and drive unless I could afford one of the super exotic cars.

 

Next time you come to the Denver area, contact me and come out to Erie for an afternoon and we'll take a drive and then put the car on the lift so you can take a closer look at the mechanicals.

 

Look around at the various kits available, see and drive as many as you can and then just GO FOR IT! You won't regret it.

 

As Gert said, get yourself a car and join us for the Black Hills trip.

[powderbrake]

I had retired and wanted to build a car, and for many reasons decided on a Seven. It was more of an "assembly" from a kit, rather than a "build". That in itself was great fun, and the source of great satisfaction, but the real fun began when I fired it up for the first time. WOO HOO the first drive was a blast!!!

 

I had thought that I would race it or autocross it when I finished. I did do a few track days and a couple autocrosses, and they were great fun and exhilirating. The real fun has been as an (expensive) toy used for blatting around, driving twisty roads, going to the grocery store, taking friends for rides, going to an occasional car show, and meeting other seven owners.

 

The seven is an experience in itself. The tinkering, deciding which tires to buy, communicating and receiving helpful suggestions on the USA7s forum, the 7/7/07 meet at the Tail of The Dragon, the kids leaning out of minivans and giving a big thumbs up, the guys in rat rods or duece coupes giving a big thumbs up, the people who swarm around at the gas station, the explaining what it is, all these are part of a wonderful experience.

 

Of course the best part is the driving. The sense of freedom, the domination of the twisty road, the wind in your face, the sounds of the engine, you feel like you have just died and gone to car heaven. It's like a mototorcycle ride, but better.

 

The ownership experience has been much better than I expected, particularly in the relationships which came with the car, and primarily through this Forum. I'm pushing you, don't wait, do it NOW, you won't regret it.

[slngsht]

Hello everyone, another long time lurker here with some questions.

For me it all started a few years back when I was having a father daughter day in Aspen and there was some informal exotic car show, I was talking to a gentleman from Ft Collins that let my daughter sit in his Ferrari 360 and he said to me "you know if you are into cars you should go up to Snowmass they are having the yearly LOG up there." So we went and it was total role reversal with my daughter. Lets just say she wasent into it and I could have stayed there all day. Since then part of my daily routine is to visit this site and see whats new and I only now I know what an opportunity I missed by not spending more time and takling with people in Snowmass.

So here I am a few years later having endured the economic downturn and feeling comfortable with life in terms of family and finances and I just cant get the Seven idea out of my head.

I am an extremely practical person and save money like I will be out of work next week (i'm a finish carpenter, and my employer own's a 61 elite that he put a LS-1 into, it's a monster, and this Seven idea is partly his fault). So I cant quite get my practical head arround buying one of the most impractical cars out there. When I try to explain it to my wife I just laugh.

My idea of Seven ownership would not just be about driving a car it would be about tinkering, upgrading, meeteing people, making relationships.

So I guess my main question is this, How has Seven ownership ben? Is it everything that you thought it would be?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Give me the push that I need.

 

Eric

 

I feel the urge to meet this person :rofl:

 

welcome aboard... definitely take up offers from members to go for a few rides to get a feel for the different variants, and then take the plunge.

[Kitcat]

Ditto what the others say.

 

The thing that is hard to convey abt a se7en is just how different it is than anything else you have ever driven. Both good and bad. It is exhilarating , yet can be extremely hot/loud, etc.

 

For me the high of a 15' drive to work lasts all day and vastly offsets any inconveniences occasioned by the car's lack of practicality.

 

And you better like people, because EVERYONE one will want to talk about it.

 

I agree a ride is in order. I was shocked during my first test drive how unlike anything I had ever ridden in it was. It took me a few weeks to process the experience (neighboring cars' hub caps being at eye level, deafening noise, people hanging out of car windows snapping cell-phone photos, instantaneous acceleration/braking/turn-in-it was total sensory overload).

 

Mike M.

[yellowss7]

Do it Eric!

 

I assembled mine 10 years ago. My face hurt the first time I drove it, from smiling so much. 10 years later, it still makes me smile just to walk by it in the garage. Driving it is an experience unlike almost any other. Not only do you drive around with a silly grin, but everyone that you pass along the way either waves, yells, gives you a thumbs up or yells nice car.

 

They handle great, accelerate like supercars, are easy to work on. You become a part of a very unique group. No two cars are exactly alike, and from the sampling of the owners on this site, I'd have to say that we too are a little eclectic.

 

There are several nice cars listed in the for sale section that you should start your search with. Enjoy the process.

 

Tom

[efaul]

Thanks everyone. I think that I could have predicted what you all would say but just needed some reinforcement. It put a smile on my face to read your replies.

I should have added that I have never driven or ridden in one. Ben at Caterham USA had me sit in a partially built one and that's it. By the way I can't say enough about Ben, he spent about 4 hours with me answering all sorts of questions. nice guy and ambassador for caterhams. even pointed out a few used ones that I wasn't aware of.

I love the idea of building one but the practical side of me is saying try a used one first and see if it's what i've built it up to be.

Skip, I'll be taking you up on the offer. I grew up in Greeley and need to make a long overdue visit to my mother. Late March or early April? The wife is taking the kids to see the inlaws in New Zealand. 4 week hall pass!

Any others on the western slope of Colorado?

 

Thanks again everyone and Let the Games Begin

 

Eric

[slomove]

There is Keith with his Locost in Grand Junction. I believe he is on this list but not sure if active.

 

I guess with your location you just got to buy a Seven. You have all the most glorious roads right at your door.

 

But you should indeed drive or at least ride with a few. Most people really like and keep their Seven but I know a few who sold the car after only a few months. Maybe wrong expectations and good for the used Sevens market ;-)

[scannon]

By the way I can't say enough about Ben, he spent about 4 hours with me answering all sorts of questions. nice guy and ambassador for caterhams. even pointed out a few used ones that I wasn't aware of.

 

Ben is the man. Driving his SV demo on the Woody Creek track was responsible for getting me going on a long time dream.

 

Skip, I'll be taking you up on the offer. I grew up in Greeley and need to make a long overdue visit to my mother. Late March or early April? The wife is taking the kids to see the inlaws in New Zealand. 4 week hall pass!

Any others on the western slope of Colorado?

 

Thanks again everyone and Let the Games Begin

 

Eric

 

Give me a little lead time once you know when you are coming to the front range and I will see if I can gather the Colorado Sevens for a ride and BBQ or something. We had nine Sevens at my shop last April for the debut of Tom's (Alaskossie) new ESL.

 

Brandon who works with Keith at Flyin Miata in Palisade has a BEC Locost and Bill Cardell. the owner of FM has a Westfield. He is also a dealer for Westfield and can build you a turnkey car with Miata power. Tom Carlin has a Birkin in Eagle (IIRC).

 

PM me your email and I will put you on the Colorado Sevens mailing list.

Edited February 14, 2011 by scannon

[Alaskossie]

Eric,

 

I finished my four-year project assembling my 2007 Series 3 Caterham Seven in Greeley, CO just this last July. Too bad you didn't make your affliction known before now -- we would have had you over for the shakedown runs. (I drove the car 6150 miles to Alaska in August).

 

By all means, act now, and don't put Seven ownership off any longer. I first desired a Lotus Seven in September of 1962, and it took me until late 2006 to do something about it besides drool and dream. Thankfully, I didn't lose most of my critical driving faculties through old age in the meantime, but there are no guarantees in life.

 

And be sure to schedule a test drive/demonstration with Skip in Erie, CO. But you should be forewarned: Skip's car is quite a bit faster than the average Seven. Don't let that fact terrorize your outlook!

 

Tom

2007 Caterham Seven Executive Superlight (ESL)

[DeanG]

Seemingly you should involve your daughter in the decision. If she wants to be involved with a build I would build, if she is interested in a driver I would probably tend toward that end. Either way you can have fun with am exceptional daughter and an exceptional car.

 

I'm glad that you liked visiting LOG.