OpenRoadHire - Caterham 7 Hire Specialist

We NEED a Caterham Seven

openroadhire — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:40:43 +0000

Andrew,

Hope you are well. Just a short line to say that our weekend with the Yellow Caterham was absolutely fantastic. I think we experienced the best and worst weather for the Caterham. Roof off all day Saturday and roof on all day Sunday because it was lashing it down! Whether in the wet or the dry it performed fantastically and sounded brilliant! Its a quick car up to 5,500rpm, but a really quick car from there up to 7,500rpm…!

Every single time we parked up people came over to speak to us and ask about the car – even a group of bikers were intrigued by it and showed us some respect…well sort of!! At traffic lights people waved, pointed and smiled, and the attention was great. I don’t think we’d have had the same sort of reaction if we’d have been in something like a Ferrari.

The only problem now is that we’ve both agreed that we NEED a Caterham and its looking like we’ll go 50:50 on one. It won’t be for a couple of years though so we’ll be in touch next year book another weekend!

Once again many thanks for the excellent personal service, quality cars and tremendous scenery – check out the background in the attached photos – A861 West from the Corran Car Ferry, alongside Loch Sunart.

Best regards and see you again

Matt Crofts and Rob Bales

Thanks for a great weekend in the Caterham

openroadhire — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:37:20 +0000

Hi Andrew,

Yep we made it home safely after a great weekend – i have to say i think i enjoyed the day in the Caterham more than Knockhill the more i think about it - and i had a very good day at Knockhill! I guess thats testament to openroadhire and a combination of other factors; yourself and the way you look after customers, the cars, the incredible roads, and the amazing scenery – it all adds up to a great day out.

Heather had a great day too and can now see the appeal of owning (or hiring) something as unique as a Caterham, i’m sure the memory of driving the Caterham on those empty roads near Glenshee and Braemar will stick with her for a long time.

Thanks again for everything

Barrie

Caterham experience gift voucher

openroadhire — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:27:38 +0000

“I really had a fantastic day, it was one of the best and most thoughtful presents I have ever had. It was a great day to remember in a car that kept the smile on my face all day. It has been my dream car since the age of 17 and very much still is! Thank you very much”. Euan Caldwell

Kit-car? No, it’s a Caterham Seven original!

openroadhire — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:05:27 +0000

If you’ve seen one of these little cars pass on the street then you’ll know the effect it has; heads turn, everybody smiles and small boys shout, “nice car mister”. Believe me it’s even more fun when you’re behind the wheel or even in the passenger seat. Suddenly driving is exciting again, just like when you got behind the wheel of your first car.

There are now several conventional cars available where you can remove the roof but nothing comes close to the sensation of the Caterham Seven. Originally designed as the Lotus Seven in 1957, it retains the designer’s philosophy of basic simplicity and minimum weight. Engines, brakes and comfort have improved greatly over the years, but the aerodynamics weren’t tuned in a wind tunnel so you feel the wind, there’s no sound-proofing so you hear what’s going on under the bonnet and the car’s light weight, tuned engine and track pedigree makes it ultra responsive without being intimidating. You will be surprised at how quickly you become comfortable and confident with this little car. They are great fun within the legal limits and such is the impression of speed that you’ll probably drive slower than normal. Just ignore the white van on your tail and enjoy the world going by.

OK, the buses and lorries do look bigger than usual, but leave them behind as you explore Perthshire’s ‘B’ roads and exciting single tracks. The scenery is even better viewed from a Caterham and the mountains look bigger too.

Driving one of these used to be the exclusive reserve of a few lucky enthusiasts but now anyone* can hire one for a day or two of real motoring. Open Road Hire Ltd of Perth offer four of them in a choice of colours for daily hire enabling anyone, over 25 and with no more than 6 penalty points, to experience the thrill of this ultimate fun car. Rates are £160 for the first day with reductions for additional days. Guaranteed to keep two people smiling all day long.

Your day starts with a briefing on the car’s controls, all very straight-forward, and instructions on how to erect the hood, just in case it rains. It’s a push-button affair: 24 buttons to be precise, but it is surprisingly effective.

Also for visitors unfamiliar with Perthshire, the owners have prepared a range of suggested routes with descriptions, turn-by-turn instructions, recommended stops and eating places ensuring a really great day out.

Just into his second year in business, Andrew Still, reports as very gratifying and encouraging, the number of people who have returned for a second time often bringing friends along.

Next time you’re wondering what to do on a sunny day, give Andrew a call on 01738 622 411 and hope there’s still a car available.

“Nice car Mister” – typical day out in a Caterham Seven

openroadhire — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:06:01 +0000

Andrew

Just a short note to thank you for the excellent day we enjoyed a few Sundays ago. The car was nothing short of awesome, the route was perfectly worked out, and how you organized a summer day in mid April is still impressing me…

Strapping myself into the harness and pressing the starter button to hear the roar of the exhaust a few inches away was just fantastic! I have to admit to being a little nervous as I eased out of the driveway but the car is remarkably easy to drive, and as we drove out of Perth to the shouts of “nice car mister” I could tell we were in for a good day.

We followed your suggested route over to Loch Tay which took us on some beautiful single track roads with the sun shining and snow on the mountain tops – magical! We only met a couple of other cars all morning – and the Caterham has a strange effect on other drivers – they just pull over with a smile and wave you past, with a look of “If Only” on their face.

In fact even the bikers we met at the Post Office cafe were all taking notice of the little Caterham, and I’m sure there was a hint of jealousy in their questions – although that may have been because I was enjoying the sunshine in a T-shirt and they were sweating in their full leather suits!

The afternoon run back down to Loch Tay was great, and a blast along a couple of A roads really clears the senses. The most fun in this car seems to come from the acceleration and noise you experience getting up to 60, and I am well and truly hooked – even my new Mazda RX8 seemed a little tame in comparison!

I will definitely be booking again, hopefully in August with a few friends, so I look forward to speaking to you then.

Regards,

MIKE HUNT

Early birds enjoy roads at their best in three Caterham Sevens

openroadhire — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:28:07 +0000

I received vouchers from my wife to hire one of Andy’s Caterhams for Christmas 2007. I then decided to invite to other friends who promptly hired another 2 cars. So we had the whole Caterham SV 150 fleet out in the respective red, yellow and blue colours. The service from Andy and his wife was first class and we were offered a tea &coffee before we began the simple briefing. We were initially concerned about taking the cars out in the middle of February but our gamble paid off and high pressure prevailed. I seriously suggest a mid-week hire when the tourists aren’t out en-masse. We virtually had the roads to ourselves with no rain whatsoever.The cars are incredible ( torquey with a nice short through gear box and grippy Avon rubber with a steering wheel the size of a small dinner plate) and are extremely entertaining yet safe and predictable as long as you treat them with respect. The cars have been specced nicely too and you can tell that Andy has not gone for the basement models and instead purchased these with the customer in mind. It was 5°’s all day when we were out and we very more than cosy once we had donned some decent headwear.So we had the fleet out towards Crief (see below) and then headed North. The induction roar of these cars heading through narrow roads was spine tingling and the occasional pop-bang from exhaust pipe which exits 1 foot away from your head was intoxicating. I cannot describe how much fun we had.The fuel tank and mpg gives a surprisingly long range which allows you to roam far and wide. The fact that we had 3 cars out was fun especially when passengers can be insured for a very small additional fee too.So all in all we had a fantastic day and shall no doubt be back. For fans of the motion lotion this is an absolute MUST.Pictures from our session can be viewed here :- http://calum-shand.fotopic.net/c1457218.htmlRegardsCalum Shand, Aberdeen p.s I have no affiliation with Andy but I felt obliged to submit a testimony after being treated so wellMorning Route – Perth, Lochearnhead, Killin, Fortingall, Tummel Bridge, Aldclune, Pitlochry(103 mi – about 3 hours– nice single track & sweeping B-roads)http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=PH1+2DG&daddr=crieff+to:lochearnhead+to:kiltyrie+to:bridge+of+balgie+to:invervar+to:fortingall+to:dalchalloch+to:aldclune+to:pitlochry&mra=pr&dirflg=h&sll=56.664152,-3.701706&sspn=0.13773,0.375938&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=0Lunch @ Pitlochry Afternoon Route EASY – Pitlochry, Angus Glens, Kirriemuir, Dunkeld(91.4 mi – about 2 hours 37 mins)http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=pitlochry&daddr=moulin+to:Bridge+of+Lintrathen+to:Clova,+United+Kingdom+to:rottal+to:kirriemuir+to:dunkeld&mra=pi&mrcr=5&dirflg=h&sll=56.584448,-3.230667&sspn=0.276043,0.751877&ie=UTF8&ll=56.795614,-3.084412&spn=0.549,1.503754&z=10&om=0

Caterham v Ariel Atom

openroadhire — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:42:04 +0000

Read what MSN reviewers have to say on the relative merits of these two extreme machines.

http://cars.uk.msn.com/News/twin_tests.aspx?cp-documentid=7378501

If you also agree on the Caterham then check out our website: http://www.openroadhire.co.uk/

We have miles of great roads here in Scotland to enjoy our Caterhams.

Caterham takes on Lotus Exige

openroadhire — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:13:19 +0000

See VBH compare the latest Lotus and Caterham on Channel Five’s Fifth Gear.

Guess which wins! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JldoEhkWZ1w

Valentine’s Day

openroadhire — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:00:31 +0000

What could get your petrol-head partner going more than a romantic day out in a Caterham. Buy him or her a Caterham Gift Voucher and you can both enjoy a day out with the two items you love most! Ground sheet/ tarpaulin provided, bring your own blanket. Please don’t try anytyhing too romantic in the car. This is not a challenge – and NO I don’t want to see your photos!

Sandy Ellen

openroadhire — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 09:14:27 +0000

I purchased a voucher from Andrew of Open Road Hire as a birthday present in May 07. We finally got round to taking the Caterham out on the road on Saturday and, despite it being a slightly chilly and damp day, it was fantastic. Despite the weather we didn’t put the roof on as the experience of feeling the fresh air, hearing the sounds and smelling the scents of the countryside (albeit very briefly as we whizzed past!!) totally outweighed requiring a hat to keep the noggin warm. And with the fab heater blasting warm air at our feet it didn’t matter that it wasn’t the middle of summer. I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a gift for someone, or even as a treat for themselves, as it is a cracking day out. You get to see the countryside with the wind in your hair, enjoy the experience of complete strangers smiling and waving to you, and to top it all get to drive a car that is just beyond belief – the acceleration and cornering of the Caterham takes your breath away! Andrew has been exceptionally kind when we have been trying to arrange the best day to take the car out and the whole experience from booking to, reluctantly, taking the car back was very relaxed.

It’s an experience everyone should try at least once – although we’re already planning our next trip and I can’t wait!

Sandy Ellen