Atoms for sale - information thread

[phil4]

Wings front and rear, roll bar, screen, and side panels, but non-adjustable suspension and no charger.

Slightly un-usual options imo.

All show and no go


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[John Scherrer]

The riveted ends on the standard exhaust were supplied on my Aug 2011 build Atom '3', so not just the 3.5

[razbox]

Wings front and rear, roll bar, screen, and side panels, but non-adjustable suspension and no charger.

Slightly un-usual options imo.

All show and no go

Just like me then

[Stotty]

Hi all, does anybody know any of the history to this atom....?

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds ... hp/9686354

The MOT history is interesting. It failed its first MOT (in October 2012) with 2063 miles with some very basic stuff:

Reason(s) for failure
Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)
Parking brake not fitted on at least two wheels (3.1.1)
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)
Advisory notice item(s)
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

This includes not having a handbrake, which it still doesn't have. That would suggest either a "friendly" MOT station who ignored this or that the factory MOT it each year (most likely whilst it is being serviced) and fit a handbrake for the MOT. Mine had this arrangement for its first 9 years (at £80 a pop) but I asked the previous owner to have one fitted (permanently) by the factory - it cost £954 inc VAT fitted.

Interestingly it wasn't taken back to be retested in 2012 as the first MOT it passed was in July 2015 at 2679 miles. The MOT from then have all been passed with no problems.

This would strongly suggest that it was a track only car for the first 5.5 years. Given the mileage, probably not an experience day car, but most likely privately owned and not very well looked after, at least for the first 3 years.

This doesn't make it bad car or a bad buy by any means, but this will have a bearing on its value and future desirability.

Does anybody think this is worth buying and if so what do you think its worth.

I'm in the market for an Atom at the moment so doing plenty of research, they don't seem to come up for sale often and this is the only supercharged one I've seen for sale so far. I'm going to use it for track days with some competitive sprint events. What are the must have options? I'd quite like the windscreen & lexan sides and front & rear wings. I'm hoping the factory will fit any options that I'm after as I'm sure I won't find one with my perfect spec in mind.

[Peter255]

Not sure that car is supercharged.

Cup cars weren't charged and the advert doesn't say it is now.

My car is still for sale.

[Stotty]

Its listed on Autotrader too and claims to be supercharged on there. Very odd that they have missed that out of the Pistonheads add though isn't it!

I've seen your Atom and it is beautiful, looks to be in fantastic condition but I'm hoping for an Atom 3 unfortunately or you would have already had a call!

[woza]

Not supercharged but seems a good price?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... obcid=soc4

W.

[Peter255]

Not supercharged but seems a good price?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... obcid=soc4

W.

Avoid! Obviously an ex-cup race car. Mileage is irrelevant. It will have been thrashed 24/7 and probably damaged. Cup springs are too hard for the road unless re-valved. I personally don't like the cup chassis. Extra bars look clunky to my eyes.

[phil4]

Looks to me like a track car... indeed it's listed as an Atom Cup Car with the DVLA, what with the low milage, welded in rollcage, tow strap and FIA light at the rear, plumbed in extinguisher, velcro on the steering wheel, smaller passenger seatbelts etc.

The pics don't show if it has a mechanical handbrake, if not, it really should have one for the MOT which will be coming up. Not sure why they've replaced the rears with new ones but not the same as the fronts.

There's something that doesn't stack up about this car, it looks to me like one that's been ragged senseless around a race track.

The price is reasonable, but before you do anything I'd:
1) Phone the factory and see if they've been servicing it, and what they know about it.
2) Check that it has all that's needed for it's MOT (such as handbrake) as that's due in Oct.
3) Decide if you wanted the cup car/track extras, as you'll paying for them.

If you're not primarily focused on track driving there are better cars out there for similar money.

[hamtt]

Not supercharged but seems a good price?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... obcid=soc4

W.

It's not a real 3.5, it's an ex-cup car that's beenc converted to look like a 3.5. The mudguards are still the original longer mudguards as used on the cup cars. The mileage probably isn't correct either as it was probably on 0 when teh new dash was installed and registered for road in 2016 presumably.

[Peter255]

Definitely no handbrake if you look closely. Well spotted Phil. Definitely an MOT fail and not cheap to fit either for the upcoming MOT.

Discussion with the factory will probably bring up other issues.

[Anon]

It looks too good to be true, but worth looking into for sure.

[HenryJS]

If you want to know more... Someone get the VIN (no plate doesnt come up) and I can shed what light we have.

[John Scherrer]

"I purchased the car new ..."

Then it says 2 owners .. ?

Aero screen missing from passenger side.

[atomiser]

Same background and factory as this one https://www.ariel.club/forum/viewtopic. ... vl#p290607

The guy that try to sell me this mentioned his boss had another one - maybe this is it