What to look for when buying?

Baggy · Post by **Baggy** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:56 pm

Some pointers if looking for an S1

check timing belts hve been changed at 4 yearly intervals (most S1s should have been changed twice by now.

look for S2 suspension upgrades...even the last S1s produced whether on red Konis or Lss will need a refresh by now.
There are others available but don't get too excited by spax/gaz/protech suspension as they're not that highly rated (depending on who you ask).
nitrons and ohlins are the gucci set up but you need to consider their condition and whether they need refurbishment. The S2 bilstien upgrade is a good starting point to buy your used car with.

check the red clutch hose has been changed out for braided on earlier cars.

more desirable standard cars are...

Sport 160 (two types SVA and WVA)
111s
135 Sport (there are two types, factory and earlier aftermarket upgrade)

which all have slight performance hike over standard and you'll probably have to pay in the region of 10 to 11k to get one.

all the other variants....millenium, type 49 & the like are just paint jobs.

other than that don't be afraid of buying a modified standard car. most get a bit tweaked.

A lot have hurricane induction kits fitted...they don't do any harm, make it sound a wee bit more fruity and don't bump up your premiums much if at all.

few cars have the original exhaust still fitted so bear that in mind.

if buying a modified car ask if it had any problems with emissions at MOT time.

ask if it has a catlayst or decat pipe fitted and check that you are getting a cat with the car (you'll need it fitted to pass the mot).

familiarise youself with what cars should be fitted with which wheels.
early S1 (standard 5 spokes)
late S1 (Rimstock 12 spokes)
135 & 111s (OZ lotus 6-spokes) slightly wider rear wheels (only the factory 135s have these, the after market 135s will have standard wheels)
Sport 160 (Victory 5 spokes) also slightly wider rear wheels...a lot of these are fitted to other non 160 models cos they look nice.

Close ratio gearbox fitted to factory 135s and 111sâ€™s is well worth holding out forâ€¦

check out pistonheads & don't rush there are a lot of them out there.

good luck

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:08 pm

^+1 whay he said!

Get a local member to check it out with you too if you can.

Rich
/Lacashire detachment

GregR · Post by **GregR** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:12 pm

good effort Baggy!

Only thing to add, is check the tyres. If its on P Zeros, you'll be wanting those changed (but surely on eof the eight owners will have done that laready!) Cars running with Yokohama Advans are good, providing they've got enough tread on them. IIRC they're £380 a set. Take a tread depth guage along with you to see if you're going to have to shell out on those soon and use as a bargaining point

Check that the flexi isn't blowing (the manifold downpipe is flexible and they corrode - can be pricey to get fixed if you're not too repair savvy) by covering the exhaust with a rag or the like when the engine's running. If its blowing, it'll make a noise like gas escaping elsewhere. The engine should (i.e. if the flexi's ok) sound like its about to die.

Other point, ask when the last Geometry setup was done. That can cost you £100 and will transform the feel of the car.

Other thing, is check that the fan cuts in when it should. IIRC it should come on when the engine coolant temp is at 102 degrees. If the fan is goosed (common problem, they come on so rarely that they seize), its a clam off job as its located beneath the radiator - mucho cost. Ask that the car is started and just let it idle away 'till the engine temp rises.

ceejam · Post by **ceejam** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:03 pm

Other thing, is check that the fan cuts in when it should. IIRC it should come on when the engine coolant temp is at 102 degrees. If the fan is goosed (common problem, they come on so rarely that they seize), its a clam off job as its located beneath the radiator - mucho cost. Ask that the car is started and just let it idle away 'till the engine temp rises

Or turn up with your Sykes Pickavant ACR and plug into the ECU to check everything does what it should?

Guessing like most MEMS cars (Minis I have mainly played with) the fan will cut in at 105 ish and off about 97 ish

Anyone know where the diagnostic socket is on an S1? As they run MEMs, I should be able to access it with the software I have for Rover Minis

I'd be quite happy buying one that has been "breathed on" by the tuning fairies - I'm concerned with buying one that's had the early foibles sorted - clutch hose (should be easy to spot), heater pipe/rivet problem - head gasket issues don't really faze me, done quite a few K head gaskets.

It's weird, I know Minis inside out and back to front, but having never spent much time around Elises (not driven one yet!!), I'm most definitely a NOOB

2F45T4U · Post by **2F45T4U** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:12 am

following on from what has been said already...

ask the owner to jack it up and check for play in all directions on every wheel as many had worn balljoints,racks,track rod ends, suspension bushes etc. if the owner refuses or is hesitant, ask yourself why. also look out for the wear pattern on the tyres.

open the doors and lift them to make sure the door hinge bushes arent too worn and make sure the door closes without colliding with the closure pin.

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:29 pm

I actually went to see this car over the weekend. I was planning to earlier but wanted to wait til I could see it in the light, in the end I though fcuk it and went to see it in the dark

A few things that put me off.
It's a 97 and it's first proper service was in 99, the next one in 2003 and then 2005 which isn't a a FSH as it's 9000 miles or 12 months whichever comes first.

Car was pretty tatty, seats ripped, seatbelt socket cover missing, stereo not working. Boot nearly fell off when I lifted it up.

4 nomake tyres on it, with different brands on the front and the rear.

Front end had definately been resprayed at some point, 0 stone chips but the owner knew nothing of one (he hadn't and there were no receipts showing one)

It had an induction kit on it taking air straight in from the warm engine bay, which he didn't even know he had fitted.

Was very rattly and sounded like Jimmy White was under every wheel arch

I'm no S1 expert but could swear they are not all like that?

Also looked like it had the original stuck down rubber mats, lots of white powder around them too....

Good points.
Engine seemed good, Idled nicely, no signs of HGF.
Think it was still on it's originall MMC discs! looked in quite good nick too.
hood looked in good condition.
it's £7k
Guy seems genuine just not very clued in on Elises.[/b]

Andy G · Post by **Andy G** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:05 pm

worth checking if its had the floor warranty work done to sort the corrosion that is common place on ones that haven't had it. Can be a big issue. Pulling the mats back should inidcate this.

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:09 pm

Andy G wrote:worth checking if its had the floor warranty work done to sort the corrosion that is common place on ones that haven't had it. Can be a big issue. Pulling the mats back should inidcate this.

Hey Andy - if it's had the work done will it have stuck down rubber mats? As I couldn't peel them back...

mac · Post by **mac** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:11 pm

If it's got rubber mats then it HASN'T had the work done - they replace them with "breathable" fabric based mats which look like wooly black school trousers from the late 70's/early 80's

Mac

ceejam · Post by **ceejam** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:13 pm

Hmm, Guessing it's now sold, as it's been taken off Ebay and Pistonheads.

If the floor corrosion hasn't been fixed, I take it that would be an expensive one to put right as it wouldn't be done by Lotus under warranty anymore?

I'll keep searching

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:09 am

Lotus will still look at the corrosion and there are reports they will still do them, but you have to wrangle. They know about the problem and didn't recall the cars so it might well be done as a gesture of goodwill and stoip you moaning to trading standards...

Corranga · Post by **Corranga** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:48 pm

What kinda cost would there be for the floor corrosion thing then?

I'm assuming it's basically a replacement floor pan that would be needed, couldn't it just be fabricated up out of an alloy panel anyway?

Would they really still sort a problem on a 10 year old car?!