bash my lotus :-(
Discussion
...leaving a roundabout last night, its raining, being very careful as i always am, when the back end goes away from me....couldnt believe it!
I would estimate my speed in the roundabout to be around 20 / 25 but as i left it was when it spun. i am guessing as i accelerated.
managed to mount a kerb and just about came to a full stop all intact when.....the back end hits a lamp post! Wing is well knackered, just hoping everything else will be okay?
Any ideas?
Its off to the garage tonight.
Cheers
Web-dude :-(
I would estimate my speed in the roundabout to be around 20 / 25 but as i left it was when it spun. i am guessing as i accelerated.
managed to mount a kerb and just about came to a full stop all intact when.....the back end hits a lamp post! Wing is well knackered, just hoping everything else will be okay?
Any ideas?
Its off to the garage tonight.
Cheers
Web-dude :-(
Hard luck mate, gutted for you. 
If it's any consolation, Andrew of 1st Lotus Driver Training reckons the majority of elise accidents happen when the back end goes at 20-30mph.
Incidentally, what tyres are you on? I had countless scares on Pirelli P-Zeros but can't budge the back on the Lotus Designed Yokohama Advan Neova LTS boots that my car is wearing at the moment.
If it's any consolation, Andrew of 1st Lotus Driver Training reckons the majority of elise accidents happen when the back end goes at 20-30mph.
Incidentally, what tyres are you on? I had countless scares on Pirelli P-Zeros but can't budge the back on the Lotus Designed Yokohama Advan Neova LTS boots that my car is wearing at the moment.
My wife, who is a very cautious driver, lost the back end of our Sport 135 coming off a wet roundabout in France. Fortunately, her reaction was to correct with a bit opposite lock, and it all felt relatively controlled. It was also at about 30mph.
In the dry, even with 145bhp, I've never had the back go, no matter how hard I leave a roundabout.
Was yours on Pirellis, or Yokohamas?
Anyway, bad luck, hope the damage isn't major.
In the dry, even with 145bhp, I've never had the back go, no matter how hard I leave a roundabout.
Was yours on Pirellis, or Yokohamas?
Anyway, bad luck, hope the damage isn't major.
I can only assume you still have P0's on it?
I'd agree about the P0's - they are dead leathal around 20-30. The Advan's haven't managed to come unstuck - even when ploughing through 2" puddles. I think the tread pattern on the P0's isn't suited to the lightness of the Elise and tends to "ride up" even on a small amount of water.
While your getting the back end fixed (if it needs a new clamshell then you'll be looking at the £2-3k mark - you can get them repaired for much less money (£300 upwards)) seriously think about swapping to Advan's.
J
I'd agree about the P0's - they are dead leathal around 20-30. The Advan's haven't managed to come unstuck - even when ploughing through 2" puddles. I think the tread pattern on the P0's isn't suited to the lightness of the Elise and tends to "ride up" even on a small amount of water.
While your getting the back end fixed (if it needs a new clamshell then you'll be looking at the £2-3k mark - you can get them repaired for much less money (£300 upwards)) seriously think about swapping to Advan's.
J
Bonce said: Hard luck mate, gutted for you.
If it's any consolation, Andrew of 1st Lotus Driver Training reckons the majority of elise accidents happen when the back end goes at 20-30mph.
Incidentally, what tyres are you on? I had countless scares on Pirelli P-Zeros but can't budge the back on the Lotus Designed Yokohama Advan Neova LTS boots that my car is wearing at the moment.
Agree, those PO were real trouser killers.
But with the Yokos, you just seem to be able to keep pushing your luck. (not wanting to tempt fate).
Unlucky, by the way with the ding. hope it all works out ok in the end.
One positive thing (maybe) at least it happended in winter, so you will not lose out on summer fun. I smacked mine up in April and missed the whole summer (4 month repair!).
Sympathies, a couple of weeks after I got my s1 this year, in the first bit of rain, I put my foot down off a roundabout and ended up sideways, fortunately the road was wide enough to give me time to correct, and I didn't hit anything, spent the next few days driving like my gran and changed to Yokos (from p-zero) as soon as poss afterwards.
Lesson was learnt, car is much better on the Yokos, but I'm still very careful in the wet nonetheless.
I wonder if the people who claim not to have any probs with the p zeros have non-standard suspension settings?
anyway, again, sympathies, hope it's not too expensive a repair!
Clive
Lesson was learnt, car is much better on the Yokos, but I'm still very careful in the wet nonetheless.
I wonder if the people who claim not to have any probs with the p zeros have non-standard suspension settings?
anyway, again, sympathies, hope it's not too expensive a repair!
Clive
Joust is right about the Pzeros A tyre expert friend told me tah the tyre was designed for a much heavier car so the Elise would not get rid of the water.
Anyway sorry for your accident. To answer your original query, with you mounting the pavemnet you will should also have your suspension set-up checked. At that speed you would be unlucky if you have damaged it but its worth checking the alignments etc.
Hope that helps. and have a better day!
Anyway sorry for your accident. To answer your original query, with you mounting the pavemnet you will should also have your suspension set-up checked. At that speed you would be unlucky if you have damaged it but its worth checking the alignments etc.
Hope that helps. and have a better day!
I have the opposite problem. I love going sideways, Im driving an exige at the moment, but getting the back unstuck is quite tricky. You have to have loads of revs on the clock to get it moving and then it tends to go really quick. I think this is a combination of loads of grip from the tyres (yokos) and too soft on the shocks at the back. I wish it had an engine with a bit of torque, it would make the car much more progressive.
900bhp! Have a look at www.philstott.co.uk Thats the website for the guy who prepares the Nissan, amongst some other very tasty kit.
Thanks for the comments guys.
Re the tyres:
I have the orginal Potenzas on there (i think..excuse my ignorance) but after reading your posts will change to the Yokos soon as budget allows.
135sport...you said your car was off the road for 4 months! Was this just to have the rear clamshell repaired? Surely not! Please say something else happened! What are typical repair times for these things?
Should hopefully hear from the repair shop today what the damage is.
I still cant believe it happened as when its wet and I hit corners I am always thinking, take it easy etc.
I saw a gritter truck about an hour or so on the same road so maybe it was a bit icey too.
Cheers
Web-dude.
Re the tyres:
I have the orginal Potenzas on there (i think..excuse my ignorance) but after reading your posts will change to the Yokos soon as budget allows.
135sport...you said your car was off the road for 4 months! Was this just to have the rear clamshell repaired? Surely not! Please say something else happened! What are typical repair times for these things?
Should hopefully hear from the repair shop today what the damage is.
I still cant believe it happened as when its wet and I hit corners I am always thinking, take it easy etc.
I saw a gritter truck about an hour or so on the same road so maybe it was a bit icey too.
Cheers
Web-dude.
web-dude said: Thanks for the comments guys.
135sport...you said your car was off the road for 4 months! Was this just to have the rear clamshell repaired? Surely not! Please say something else happened! What are typical repair times for these things?
A little more than just rear clam....
Both clams, both doors and sills needed repairs. Only panels not touched was bonnet, boot and passenger wing mirror. Front and rear suspension, windshield, 4 wheels and 2 tyres, plus all the other little bits!
I think the major problem is getting hold of parts these days. Lotus seem to produce spares in batches, so you could be lucky or not. Some parts they were able to get quickly, but others that took ages to source delayed the whole re-build.
But as you have an S2 this should not really be a problem.
Back to your ding.....have you checked the road surface for oil or something. Not to lay blame somewhere else, but more to give you a possible answer as to what caused the ding.
I had heard the S2 was not so twitchy in the wet as the S1.
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