by Fastlane » Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:54 pm
First of all, that sounds like a great trip. The previous owner of my Atom 3 took it from London to Sicily and back and didn't have any issues.
£30k will get you into a good supercharged Atom 2, or a 245 Atom 3. The balance shafts in the engine of the 3 make for a more relaxing drive, so that would be my choice. If you can stretch to £35k that will open up a 3.5 245, or a supercharged 3.
Given your budget and the likely age of any Atom that you are looking at, I would strongly suggest you focus on cars with a full factory service history or if not, then get the factory to check it over thoroughly. A poorly maintained Atom can easily rack up a £5k+ bill.
Atoms are very easy to drive when you are taking it easy - the Civic engine and gearbox help with that, so you don't need any tuition, just take it easy at first.
In terms of running costs, I would budget £1k a year for annual servicing/maintenance, plus petrol at 30mpg. Rear tyres last 5-10k miles depending on how soft the compound is (the Yokohama Advan AD08RS is a good all round tyre for road use) and a lot more for the fronts. Brakes last a long time, but pads can be quite expensive for the Alcons. Insurance can be expensive if you don't have experience with a similar performance car and an Atom will need to be garaged. I pay £360 for 3k miles.
On the Atom 2 and 3, the weak points are the wheel bearings which can last only a few thousand miles and the lower rod ends can also wear in a few thousand miles. Again, I would suggest you get the factory to fully inspect and service any purchase before your trip. They can be booked up months ahead, so bear that in mind too.
There are quite a few people who have done long European in their Atoms with the Ariel Club, so hopefully they will chime in.
Best of luck.
First of all, that sounds like a great trip. The previous owner of my Atom 3 took it from London to Sicily and back and didn't have any issues.
£30k will get you into a good supercharged Atom 2, or a 245 Atom 3. The balance shafts in the engine of the 3 make for a more relaxing drive, so that would be my choice. If you can stretch to £35k that will open up a 3.5 245, or a supercharged 3.
Given your budget and the likely age of any Atom that you are looking at, I would strongly suggest you focus on cars with a full factory service history or if not, then get the factory to check it over thoroughly. A poorly maintained Atom can easily rack up a £5k+ bill.
Atoms are very easy to drive when you are taking it easy - the Civic engine and gearbox help with that, so you don't need any tuition, just take it easy at first.
In terms of running costs, I would budget £1k a year for annual servicing/maintenance, plus petrol at 30mpg. Rear tyres last 5-10k miles depending on how soft the compound is (the Yokohama Advan AD08RS is a good all round tyre for road use) and a lot more for the fronts. Brakes last a long time, but pads can be quite expensive for the Alcons. Insurance can be expensive if you don't have experience with a similar performance car and an Atom will need to be garaged. I pay £360 for 3k miles.
On the Atom 2 and 3, the weak points are the wheel bearings which can last only a few thousand miles and the lower rod ends can also wear in a few thousand miles. Again, I would suggest you get the factory to fully inspect and service any purchase before your trip. They can be booked up months ahead, so bear that in mind too.
There are quite a few people who have done long European in their Atoms with the Ariel Club, so hopefully they will chime in.
Best of luck.