Discussion
Hi all
Considering an S2 Elise as my main car. In general, do they need garage/cover when not in use - my main worry is the chassis resilience to rain, salt and general sh*te on our roads.
I believe they are aluminium, but the rear subframe is steel? Any problems with this, does anyone know - or is it something you don't need to worry about, after all, it is only a 4 year old car?!
Ben
Considering an S2 Elise as my main car. In general, do they need garage/cover when not in use - my main worry is the chassis resilience to rain, salt and general sh*te on our roads.
I believe they are aluminium, but the rear subframe is steel? Any problems with this, does anyone know - or is it something you don't need to worry about, after all, it is only a 4 year old car?!
Ben
In terms of the chassis etc... don't worry about it, it isn't going to cause you grief. If the car isn't garaged, I recommend a hardtop, or failing that a cover. Its not that they leak badly, but as with any soft top, in heavy rain you will get some water incursion. S1 is worse than the S2.
Biggest rust problem I've found is on the suspension wishbones as the original cad plating is utter cr*p. I plan to shotblast and powdercoat mine this summer.
Check out the floor under the rubber mats - if fitted on the S2. Get the owner to agree to lift them if they really want to sell the car as they are stuck down on the S1 with doublesided tape (not sure about S2) If all's well and you buy the car chuck the mats in the nearest bin.
Lotus have had problems with water creeping under the S1 mats where it stays and corrodes the alluminium. There have been a few cars with pinholes but usually the worst you see is small areas of powdery oxidization. The S2 has a more weatherproof roof as previously stated but it has been spotted on some of them.
Good luck,
John S.
Check out the floor under the rubber mats - if fitted on the S2. Get the owner to agree to lift them if they really want to sell the car as they are stuck down on the S1 with doublesided tape (not sure about S2) If all's well and you buy the car chuck the mats in the nearest bin.
Lotus have had problems with water creeping under the S1 mats where it stays and corrodes the alluminium. There have been a few cars with pinholes but usually the worst you see is small areas of powdery oxidization. The S2 has a more weatherproof roof as previously stated but it has been spotted on some of them.
Good luck,
John S.
Re: the undermat floor issue. This is a known issue which can and will be sorted by Lotus within the 8 year warranty period for the tub. If you find this but the rest of the car checks out ok by a specialist then I'd ask the owner to get it done as a condition of completing the deal. Saves you the hassle.
S Works said:
Re: the undermat floor issue. This is a known issue which can and will be sorted by Lotus within the 8 year warranty period for the tub. If you find this but the rest of the car checks out ok by a specialist then I'd ask the owner to get it done as a condition of completing the deal. Saves you the hassle.
IMHO, I'd walk away from one that had floor problems. The Lotus repair doesn't sound too clever to me...bonding in another ally subfloor over the damaged one! It makes far more sense to find a good one from the get-go?
John S.
cinqster said:
Re: the undermat floor issue. This is a known issue which can and will be sorted by Lotus within the 8 year warranty period for the tub. If you find this but the rest of the car checks out ok by a specialist then I'd ask the owner to get it done as a condition of completing the deal. Saves you the hassle.
IMHO, I'd walk away from one that had floor problems. The Lotus repair doesn't sound too clever to me...bonding in another ally subfloor over the damaged one! It makes far more sense to find a good one from the get-go?
John S.
From what I've read they don't just slap a new one on over the top of the old corrosion. They clean it off, bond the new panels in and then refit new mat's which will not corrode. Unless you have gaping great holes in the deck (most are apparently simply surface deposits) and the job has been done correctly then I really don't see the problem. It doesn't invalidate the warranty and if anything it's probably in a better state than when it left the factory.
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