Buying advice 111S S2

[tonyhetherington]

Hi everyone,

I don't use these Lotus forums at all, so if I post something dupicated, my apologies!

I'm considering getting myself a S2 111S. I am getting very confused though as to the different model nomenclature and what it means.

I see a 135R advertised which is supposedly more sporty but then see it has 30bhp less than the 111S!? Have I read something wrongly? I see the 135R does have adjustable suspension though.

In particular I have seen 2 x S2 111S' in black with magnolia leather (phwoooooor!), both with hard top, one with air con one without...both approx 20k miles,both 52 plate, the former £20k from private, the latter £21k from dealer (Adrian Blyth). It really does look good and I'm now in a position to buy instantly (cash waiting). However, I don't want to rush in to anything!!

So really I wanted to ask for a pat on the back and for you all to say do it, but also some sort of idea of if they're in the correct price range.

I have looked at SELOC, elisebuyersguide.com, and all the other similar sites and they have been very useful, but essentially I guess it's the PH massive I need persuading from.

Your thoughts truly appreciated
Thanks
Tony

These are the two cars I have in mind....

www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=37907&s=12

www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=35649&s=12

[windman]

I bought an S2111S last August and have used it as my everyday car since....apart from when the friggin snow was at its most persistant!

I havent regretted it one bit....if you plan to use your new aquisition daily/often I think you'll find the 111S will suit more. The 135 will be a little more 'raw'. The 111S has some basic creature comforts, ie carpet throughout, leccy windows, central locking, leather seats and plenty of grunt to boot.

Go on....take the plunge!

[c4rlh]

Hi,

I bought a black 111s about six months ago and cannot fault it, it is an excellent car.

I think that new ones can be bought for approx £25,500 (with a two year warranty, 1 year AA assistance, hard top is standard) so bear this in mind when paying £20K+ for a two year old model.

Check out the prices on sites such as;
http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/
to see if the cars you are looking at are competitively priced.

Good luck.

Carl

[tonyhetherington]

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I appreciate what you say about the price. I think the list price is £28k for a 111R (totyota engined admittedly), and that's without £1100 air con or a hard top.
It seems the depreciation isn't too bad either.

I think I'm going to go ahead with this. Is there anything I should be specifically aware of with regards to a S2 111S ?

Those cars I've linked above do look good...

I'm not too sure what I'mn asking really, but I just didn't want to do anything without running through the usual resources of online FAQ's, buyers guides etc, and more importantly the PH contingent which is very important in any decision!!!

Thanks again guys

[tonyhetherington]

stupid queston...should a 135R cost more or less than a 111s? I'm having difficulty understanding the differences

[bogie]

Id get the private one with aircon, and try and knock it down a bit on price, or get the hardtop thrown in. S2111S owners were hit hard with depreciation when Lotus launched the 111R and lopped over £3K off the list or 111S.

The aircon actually works, but more useful is that the heater/fan is much more powerful than the std effort, that cant even clear the screen/heat the cabin in winter

as above - a top spec, or 6 month old 111s can be had from dealers at sub £25K with nearly 2 years of warranty left...something to bear in mind

[DPR]

111S Get one, you wont regret it. I use mine as a daily drive, even in the chaotic London traffic

Some of the early ones didn't come with aircon, leccy windows or central locking - mine hasn't any of those,

[djroadboy]

The 135R will potentially fetch more money as they are limited edition and very desirable. They have quite a lot of goodies too and are just as fast as the 111S in the real world. More track orientated tho.

If you're looking for a daily driver/only car then the 111S would be your best choice.

As Bogie said, I'd go for the private one and knock them down on price a bit.

HTH

Dan



>> Edited by djroadboy on Saturday 12th March 19:54

[lotusnick S2]

I have an S2 111s with AC and hardtop.
I think the AC is more important than the hardtop.

As everyone said, if want a daily driver you should go for the 111s. It is the quietest and easiest to live with Elise variant.
If you want a track oriented Elise go for the 135R.

I know the car on the private advert.
It belongs to a felow Selocer (www.seloc.org).
He is a true enthusiast and he keeps the car in top condition.
I would definetely go for the private one since I know that specific car and it is cheaper.
However I must warn you that last time we met, Phil was not that fussed to sell and I would not expect him to lower his price.
Still I find the car good value at 20K with the hardtop.

I wouldnt pay 5K more for a nearly new car. Because then you end up close to 2nd hand 111r teritory and then that would be another dilemma.

[peter450]

the 135r has lotus sport suspension an a few other bits the aftermarket value of the upgrades is around 2500 - 3000k i guess. it was a track orientated limited edition model an will have better future resale value as the for power there quoted at 135 but they actually had around 138 - 142 + a close ratio box so they have very similier performace to the 111s even though it has an extra 15 hp or so if you gonna track it a 135r if u want more of a road orientated version the 111s

[mustard]

135R's maybe rarer, but 111S's resell a lot easier, particulary 'off season'

[peter450]

ya think mustards right on this one but long term the 135r will be worth more but were talking smallish sums here so jus buy the one that suits you best

[apprentice]

Make sure you give the 135R a thoroughly good test drive - it's important that you determine that you are going to be able to live with its very focused ride and handling dynamics - if it is also to be pressed into service as a road car.

As has been stated previously, it has a far more track biased set up than other S2s. If you intend to use it primarily for track use, then dynamically the 135R will not disappoint.

We had a beautiful low mileage 135R on our books last spring, but after repeated approaches by numerous potential buyers, followed up by subsequently enlightening test drives; it failed to find any takers. We traded it to a respected main dealer... and I note it is still available.

apprentice

[bogie]

yep - a 135R is in a niche market, within a niche....like all of the 'Sport' Elise models - S190, S160, new S240R Exige etc ...great trackday tools, but comprised a little for day to day use.

[DanH]

The thing about the 135R is that it doesn't have the understeer the other S2s have. It may or may not bother you, but after 2 years ownership I was either going to have to upgrade suspension + wheels to solve it or change car (I did the latter).

If I were buying a rover engined elise, I'd ideally want a 111S with Oz wheels, nitrons/LSS & aircon. That would be about perfect and you can upgrade the power fairly cheaply without binning the VVC mech these days.

[tonyhetherington]

Guys, thanks all so much for your comments.

To be honest, I am quite "extreme" in my tastes, and always welcome handling over comfort - which makes the 135R seem appealing. However the few (if any) I've seen on the market compared with nice 111S' is a huge difference - which says alot.

I'm glad somebody knows the private car (thanks for your comments). I am anal about cleaning and so a car in good condition is a must. If you speak to him, I will be e-mailing later to setup a viewing for the car. I did see his profile on SELOC, (spotted the track day pic too ) but to be honest to me that says enthusiast, which is what sort of car I am after.

I will not be doing 'mainly track days' so to speak. I will do one or two, if at all, and the Eurohoon for exmaple. As such, a track focused car would perhaps not be as wise as a 111S which, following all the info I've read (and all your kind replies), seems to be a fantastic trade off for great road use and the odd extreme fun time I am seeking!

Thanks so much guys - really appreciate the comments!

Tony

PS: Welcome any more should you have them!

[Lotusnick S2]

I forgot to add that I also bought my 111s from a fellow Selocer and it was a very positive experience.
He knew his car and he had fixed some slight problems of the car during his ownership.
The price I bought it for was fair and reflected the condition and the mileage of the car.
He marketed the car at that price knowing it was fair and stating that he would not accept something lower.
I think that true Elise enthusiasts know the value of their cars and I knew the value of what I was buying.
He was in the same condition as Phil is he would not sell unless he would get a fair price.

Still I checked the car at a reputable specialist and I would advise you do the same.

You wont regret owning the 111s as it seems to have the best combination of power handling and every day comforts.

Good luck
Nikos

[tonyhetherington]

What specialists do you know in the Hertfordshire area that would perform that sort of check? I assume you take the car to them?

Oooo, and what are the recommended service intervals for the S2 111S Elise, and which ones are the major ones?! (i.e. 10k minor / 20k major ?)

Thanks again every one

[MJK 24]

Servicing is:

A
A
B
A
A
C
etc...

A is an oil and filter + check over
B is oil and wilther with air filter, plugs and check over.
C is all of the above plus cambelt and fuel filter.

Intervals are every 9k miles or 12 months.

[tonyhetherington]

Thanks!