Scottish Elises

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:12 am**

Hi all! Doesn't seem so long ago that I was joining a forum for the fiesta zetec-s as an aspiring owner! Now that the fester is almost paid and I have a proper job I'm looking for a second car for a bit of fun.

I've been a fan of the Elise since I passed my driving test and my earliest encounter was with a red S1 that belonged to a friend of my dad's (John Purves anyone?). The car appeared on a "who drives a car like this?" type show on T.V. (John is a man of the cloth!). My cousin's husband also had one and has since defected to Noble ownership.

Anyway, I test drove a 135R at Murray in Edinburgh last August, fell in love and began working double shifts from that point until the present! The funds availible I now browse Autotrader on a daily basis, stalking would-be vendors! Having come to terms with the cost of insurance (I'm only 24) I'm looking for a 111R, and have arranged a viewing of one example for Monday.

Hoping to join you all in Lotus ownership soon!

Craig

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:12 am**

Nice to have you on board, good luck in finding a car remember though you can bend 3 S1's for the price of an S2.
And the S1 is the pretty one - speak to ed.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:02 am**

Good luck with ur search, keep an eye on the classified section here for an Elise you can be sure of geting an honest account of its history.

scott

P.S. Stephen, Ed's done a Gareth

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:13 am**

Welcome

and good luck with the search.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:23 am**

I was refering to the s1 EXIGE of course!! the elise is a hole different kettle of fish!

good luck with the search!

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:35 am**

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:58 am**

welcome and good luck.

As said, I would look for a "known" car, be it from here, or another club like pistonheads - I got my exige from a pistonheader and its useful to be able to look through their posts and see whats happened or not.

Andy G might have a 111r coming up for sale soon......

As for insurance, my insurance this year on the exige was 1020 which at 22 isnt bad atall, so I would have thought you could get the 111r insured for a good bit less. Saying that, the only sensible quotes I had were from admiral / elephant.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:03 am**

So you test drove my 135R?
Seems everyone and his dog have....

make me an offer

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:23 am**

Welcome! Don't listen to all that S1 talk, everyone knows the S2 is prettier

anyway it's what underneath that counts so I've been told...

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:26 am**

Yup - there's less tonnage of pig-iron under the S1 skin

Welcome along mate. You may be able to guess that there's healthy banter between the classique owners and the overweight S2's

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:54 am**

My S2 has been struggling with eating disorders for some time now and takes offense to those comments!

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:49 am**

Does anyone here work for a living?!!!

I'm wary of potentially spending thousands on someone's track day dinger so I'm being pretty cautious. The 111R I'm viewing on Monday has FLSH and has 7,000 miles on the clock. Tried to ring Graeme Robertson today to get verification of the car's history but haven't been able to get a hold of him yet, i suppose its a bit of a cheeky request

. Had an HPI check done and I was considering getting a mechanical inspection done by the RAC (£230!), although our man in the orange boiler suit is unlikely to be very familiar with anything as technical as an Elise. Anyone know a decent mechanic familiar with the lotus that would give the car the once over?

I laughed when it was suggested I buy a car from someone on here.. Initially I only joined the forum to check if the car had been mentioned in relation to track-days etc. If it had belonged to one of you nutters I wouldn't be interested!!

Gareth; I test drove the 135R last August, mica silver, registration AU03...?

Craig.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:55 am**

laughed when it was suggested I buy a car from someone on here.. Initially I only joined the forum to check if the car had been mentioned in relation to track-days etc.

If it had I cant see how that would be an issue. I would rather buy a known car from an enthusiast than an unknown car. Murrays will no doubt inspect a car you take to them and charge a couple of hours labour for doing it, most lotus dealers will.

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:57 am**

greedyboythomson wrote:Does anyone here work for a living?!!!

I'm wary of potentially spending thousands on someone's track day dinger so I'm being pretty cautious. The 111R I'm viewing on Monday has FLSH and has 7,000 miles on the clock. Tried to ring Graeme Robertson today to get verification of the car's history but haven't been able to get a hold of him yet, i suppose its a bit of a cheeky request . Had an HPI check done and I was considering getting a mechanical inspection done by the RAC (£230!), although our man in the orange boiler suit is unlikely to be very familiar with anything as technical as an Elise. Anyone know a decent mechanic familiar with the lotus that would give the car the once over?

I laughed when it was suggested I buy a car from someone on here.. Initially I only joined the forum to check if the car had been mentioned in relation to track-days etc. If it had belonged to one of you nutters I wouldn't be interested!!

Gareth; I test drove the 135R last August, mica blue one registration AU03...? I nearly bought it but I was a bit wary when the sales bloke mentioned that the present engine had just had extensive work done as a result of HGF. Has it given you any problems?

Craig.

See, now that's where you're wrong

Buy a tracked car. Road cars tend to have led an easy life - that's no problem (and an advantage for a normal car) Thing is The Elise needs constant TLC to keep it tip top. Things like balljoints and track rod ends (which last 80-90k miles on a normal car) can be shagged inside 10 on a road Elise. There's no fore-aft give in the suspension, which gives these components a hard time on our pockmarked roads.

So why would a track car be better? Well, if you track it, you notice it and guys who track their cars replace everything regularly.

So a cosseted garaged road car is likely to need work, where a tracked car isn't. See my point?

RAC is a waste of time. They don't specialise in the Elise and 90% of their tests are a total waste of time with it. Get Graeme to provide you with proof of history (or an HPI check) it's not cheeky (well not as cheeky as saying you wouldn't touch our cars with a bargepole anyway

)

HGF is something you expect with the Elise. If it's fixed right, it's not a problem. It's almost like a belt change on other cars!

Posted: **Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:16 pm**

I'm just not too sure I'd feel comfortable about buying a car that's been thrashed round knockhill, but I can see where you're coming from. I've already done an HPI check. The car's registration is N3LK.. and the owner's name is Neil Paterson (Lanark); anyone know the car?

(Gareth, was only kidding about the 135R having HGF; Guess I'd better come clean if I'm looking for some honesty from you lot! Was pmsl when I wrote that!)

Cheers!
Craig