Elise S1 Millennium Edition, 1 owner from new...

Elise S1 Millennium Edition, 1 owner from new...

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moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Tuesday 29th April 2014
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It certainly is, and that's my Larini manifold hanging off it. I saw the same silver wishbones, hopefully mine will look just like them by the end of the week - can't wait smile

They've told me they've steam cleaned the underside as well and it's come up like new. They were surprised how much is still original underneath given the age and miles. Probably going to need to replace the wheel bearings next, they're 14 years old too.

The bodywork will have to wait until next year now. I'm going to be all spent up after this!

wevster

765 posts

157 months

Wednesday 30th April 2014
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moribund said:
It certainly is, and that's my Larini manifold hanging off it. I saw the same silver wishbones, hopefully mine will look just like them by the end of the week - can't wait smile

They've told me they've steam cleaned the underside as well and it's come up like new. They were surprised how much is still original underneath given the age and miles. Probably going to need to replace the wheel bearings next, they're 14 years old too.

The bodywork will have to wait until next year now. I'm going to be all spent up after this!
Cool, the car is in good hands then!

hondansx

4,569 posts

225 months

Wednesday 30th April 2014
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A nice little read that. Looks like a keeper!

Think my old S1 could beat you for stonechips though...


moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Wednesday 30th April 2014
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Blinking hell, what did you do to the poor thing? (I'm guessing from your profile that you raced it to within an inch of it's life hehe)

Yes, this car is a keeper for me. That's why I'm prioritising hardware over cosmetics right now - the cosmetics will only get tatty again when I use it...

Edited by moribund on Wednesday 30th April 18:18

PaulG40

2,381 posts

225 months

Wednesday 30th April 2014
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You've got a really nice car, glad it's a keeper. smile


moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 12th May 2014
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Turned into a bit of an epic this, still don't have it back! Hopefully soon...

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 26th May 2014
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Had the car back a bit over a week. Looks like this underneath now which is a massive improvement. Ready for the next 14 years!





Managed an evening dales run to try it out, feels pretty good although I have to say to day the difference isn't like night and day. I guess the dampers would have to be swapped too for the full as-new sensation.

Lione1 Richie

173 posts

183 months

Monday 26th May 2014
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I just put a deposit down on a millennium yesterday. I've gotten home and am having a bit of a wibble regarding the colour....

Mechanically the car was spot on, in retrospect I'm not sure the colour suits the car?

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 26th May 2014
quotequote all
This one?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...

For me this is my favourite colour, but then I've always liked blue. Titanium would be my second choice, then Black, Azure and Purple.

I prefer the dark colours to the more sporty red etc, I think the Atlantis Blue highlights the curves really well. Shows chips though!

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 26th May 2014
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Just seen your profile, looks like you only have an S1 to get to complete the set! What's drawing you to an S1 after an S2 if you don't mind me asking?

Had a ride in a VX220 on Thursday, back to back with mine. Was amazed how quiet and civilised it was and it gave me pause for thought about mine. I've since decided that more raw is good, a weekend car needs to be a contrast to the daily driver...

Lione1 Richie

173 posts

183 months

Monday 26th May 2014
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That's the one. I'm not sure why I have the crisis of confidence about the colour, I think it hides the curves somewhat!

I thought I might as well try an S1 as I don't need to use the car for anything other than track days and jollies so refinement take a back seat to involvement smile

I'm still on the fence as to the colour, what to do?!?!

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Saturday 28th June 2014
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Time for another update...

It sailed through it's MOT - I should coco, given what I've spent on it.

I entered another Bolton-Le-Moors Car Club autosolo - and was the fastest clubman! smile



Well chuffed, it's the first one I've won. Don't be fooled by the humble cars making up the competition, those hatchbacks are very fast round the cones in the right hands.

Then this morning went for a dawn drive with a friend in his 911.



The weather wasn't great, but just dry enough for me to leave the roof off. Had a fantastic drive, managed to avoid hitting any of the abundant wildlife but also found my brake lights were not working frown

Spent an hour this afternoon removing the brake light switch, dismantling it, cleaning it and re-fitting it. More skinned knuckles but saved £10 as it all works again now!

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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While the sun has been out and my MG ZT 260 has been for sale I've been using my Elise as a daily with no issues at all ... then this morning 30 minutes before the MG was collected by it's new owner the Elise dumped a 2 foot by 3 foot puddle of hydraulic fluid on the road.

I suspect the clutch but as the clutch and brakes share the same reservoir and as the engine bay is a very hot place I'm not going to drive it anywhere and am going to try and get the car recovered to a garage on Monday.

Doubly annoying as now I have no car at all, and I'm also booked on the PH Classics Trackday on Friday.

Hope I get it fixed by then!

Tiger Tim

1,810 posts

222 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Are you planning on replacing the Koni's? They will have pretty much bitten the dust by now.

Pretty easy to come by some s2 bilstein's for a couple of hundred or nitron or quantum's for about a grand.

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Probably, but not yet. They were replaced about 4 years ago I think, so aren't the originals.

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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Beware numpties like me making panicky diagnoses. Turned out to be water weeping from the inlet manifold. Still not ideal but caught in time.

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Wednesday 30th July 2014
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Now fixed and back home, hopefully all set for the trackday on Friday! smile

Also this evening had a look at why my passenger window has started rattling. Turned out to be an easy fix. The rubber had come off the rear channel. Took the door panel off and the rubber slotted straight back in and seems to be staying put - pleased with that result for 10mins work.

moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Wednesday 6th August 2014
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In the end the car performed faultlessly at the trackday smile

The days was run by MotorPunk and if they do it again next year I'll be first in the queue. It attracted an amazing/bonkers array of cars and a really nice bunch of owners.

The Elise was just fantastic on track. The balance was perfect and it sounded great.

MotorPunk trackday, August 2014 by giveitfish, on Flickr

A couple of pics stolen from MotorPunk:




And here's a short vid (with terrible sound, sorry) of me catching then following PH'er Benjj in his E12 M535i


moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 29th December 2014
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Have not used the Elise much recently, instead I seem to have put 7000 miles on my Scirocco in under 5 months.

It gets out for the commute sometimes but somehow me having time for a recreational drive and the weather being worth the effort does not seem to have lined up for me of late. I'm beginning to think sod the risk of ice and the pain of washing it, I'm just going to drive it about in the rain for a while just to enjoy it again.

In the meantime I thought I'd have a play with my SLR and light painting. Need to practice some more, and boy does it hightlight the stone chips smile

Light painting attempt by giveitfish, on Flickr




moribund

Original Poster:

4,031 posts

214 months

Monday 16th March 2015
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Been using the Elise for the odd commute and run over the winter, but nothing very interesting.

Entered the Mini Miglia again on Saturday. Had a great drive in the country getting the car very very muddy in the process and had a go at the Autotests too.









Check out this video, this little Imp was properly flying - https://youtu.be/mkGflc_pScY

The day was not entirely without incident, two of the tests were very rough and left my passenger side mudguard hanging off each time, plus taking off the rally plate at the end of the day removed yet more paint.

I think that's the tipping point now. I'm really going to have to get it resprayed then be a bit more careful with it. Got a quote today of a minimum of £2k so will have to think about it.

In the meantime it also needs the fuel pipes looking at. Brimming the tank leaves a puddle on the floor and left-handers make the car stink of petrol.