Newbie - Indecisive!

[Dominic]

[j2 lot]

& another vote for the Evora as a great choice.

[PM26]

So after a bit of soul searching, and some sage advice from both Dave and Ali (who very kindly took me out in his car), a lot of test driving of alternative options, and also a visit to Leven Lotus, I have my heart set on an Evora S Sport Racer, manual.

Issue being, these are few and far between at the moment (couple of IPS cars and 2 manuals - one in matte black which isn’t for me, and a white one, but I’m not sure about the dealership it’s at!). Could be a bit of a wait to get the opportunity to buy something that fits the bill! If anyone knows or hears of anything though, then please do let me know

[campbell]

Keep in touch with Ali on here. If his is 2+2...

My former 2+2 (2010, only NA though...plenty fast!!) is also still, owned on here by CJM, IIRC.

[j2 lot]

I wouldn't rule out a NA if the right one comes up, they are as quick as you need for day to day use and only lacking the extra oomph if you're really on it.

[Shug]

Yep, agree an NA would be fine *as long as* it has a c/r gearbox. The 'long' box is what lets Elaine's down. Basically 3 usable gears when trying to press on, on Lotus-y roads. I appreciate others views differ here, but the longer I use that gearbox, the more I hate it.

But if you're after an S, there's probably more choice these days - albeit if you're after a genuine Sports Racer, not so much.

Great cars, worth a search.

[mik]

Good choice.

For info - sonething like 103 Sports Racers built. 53 of them were both manual-box and 'charged - the spec I was looking for. Took 5 months of waiting for one to appear in one of 3 colours I was prepared to look at.

[PM26]

Thanks again folk for the good feedback. There is an S Sports Racer in white (copying you I think mik by the looks of your pic!) and manual down in Peterborough I’m currently enquiring about. Was due a 4 year service in Dec last year but has been missed, although only 7,000 miles covered since its last service which was at the point of previous sale at Bell and Covill. After speaking to them, they also replaced the clutch at 15,000 miles due to slippage which is handy to know. 4 owner car which isn’t ideal but nothing too exciting, think it was traded against a Ranger Rover hence where it is now!

Spoke to Craig Moncrieff, really helpful chap, who gave me some more confidence, and would be getting the car to service for its 4 & 5 year services on my way home with the car if possible.

Did the sports racer have the option of a long ratio box or were they all the sport ratio box? I guess I could possibly enquire with supplying dealer if there was the option of either from new!

[mik]

Sports racer were all close-ratio box.

CraigM is a genuine star.

[PM26]

That’s handy!!

Aye Craig was great, told me what to look out for and to get on the phone to him if there was anything I was unsure of whilst I was there!

Only unknown quantity really is brake and tyre life, could be good or bad I guess depending on how the previous owners drove! Surely should be some reasonable life left at 22,000 miles unless it’s been tracked a lot, although no idea what a slipping clutch at 15k says about how it was driven before!

[campbell]

Found mine fairly easy on tyres and brakes. Even with some trackdays. All depends how you treat it of course.

Full set of Avon ZZ-5 was barely £400 IIRC and brake pads reasonable too.

Long box on NA is an interesting debate. Lovely for touring. 1-3 were plenty for the limited backroad stuff I did. I see Shug's point tho.

[rawsco]

Must admit that the 'box on the exige v6 suffers the same challenge on back roads... 3rd is all you need in all but the slowest corners. The power delivery in the v6 is as such that its properly rapid at basically any RPM above 2000 whereas the s2 didn't come on song till about 6k and needed work

[PM26]

When we were out in Ali's car I was asking him if he had the long box - third seemed really long in that so it must be a fair gear in the touring box!

[Shug]

That’s handy!!

Aye Craig was great, told me what to look out for and to get on the phone to him if there was anything I was unsure of whilst I was there!

Only unknown quantity really is brake and tyre life, could be good or bad I guess depending on how the previous owners drove! Surely should be some reasonable life left at 22,000 miles unless it’s been tracked a lot, although no idea what a slipping clutch at 15k says about how it was driven before!

Clutch wear is a known issue with the Evora - I *think* tuned out in time, but lots of stories of sub 40K mile clutch changes.

Elaine's is over 50K miles on the original, but it's got a long pedal - always has though and hasn't changed in over 10K miles, so not sure how many are actual dead clutches and how many are an odd feel combined with the common "wisdom" that the clutches all go and just changing when the first hiccup occurs.

[Shug]

Long box on NA is an interesting debate. Lovely for touring. 1-3 were plenty for the limited backroad stuff I did. I see Shug's point tho.

100% a personal choice thing mate - totally agree. The long 6th is great that you can coax it well into the mid thirties on a long run. It's the fact that the ratios from 1-5 are just all over the bloody place. Wouldn't piss me off so much if 1-4 were evenly spaced and well-judged, but that 2-3 gap grates every time I'm driving it briskly!