Waiting for March... any ideas on pre-delivery check..?
Waiting for March... any ideas on pre-delivery check..?
Author
Discussion

bogie

17,101 posts

303 months

Friday 10th February 2006
quotequote all
nothing really different to whats listed there to be honest...they are quite simple cars

...what you tend to find is that due to lack of time for final checks in production (I think they get 1/2 hour) is that the geometry may not be quite as good as it should be.

...problem is you cant get this under warranty really ...so on anew car, Id run it in, then get the geo checked and adjusted...also check the headlight alignment

S Works

10,166 posts

281 months

Friday 10th February 2006
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Have a look on SELOC mate, a few guys there have some daft stories... like asking for a Lotus keyring and being told £4.95 please sir after just handing over £30 odd grand!!!

Also steering wheel alignment. But hopefully they've ironed this kind of BS out. I know it sounds daft, but I'd be wanting to see a GEO printout on the car to check it's been set-up right. I've heard stories of doom there too.... but those are 'just' stories of course.

Janitor

Original Poster:

2,372 posts

250 months

Friday 10th February 2006
quotequote all
Ola!

Ok, yes, going slightly mad watching the clock go round, so I got to thinking about some info I read at: www.elises.co.uk/miscellaneous/predelivery.html

This has some great info of course, but I'd like to volunteer to make an updated and slightly more relevant list for new models. As I have no previous when it comes to the Elise, I have no idea how much of what is included in that article is still bang on the button today..?

Yes, the basics are a given, but has anyone else got some industry gems or personal experience from which I could compile & make available a methodical checklist approach to what to look for and make certain of when collecting your new pride and joy?

Admittedly, when I take the trip to the Dealership on 1st March, I really, really don't want to be finding very much at all... nothing in fact! But I suppose it's better found there and then as opposed to some days / weeks later. Humm, not sure actually, but you know what I mean!?!?

I tend to think my fine-tooth comb will be held at arms length and viewed through one half closed eye anyway as I'll just be busting to have it, but it does make some sense I guess... and it will at least occupy some of the next three weeks of waiting!

There's several that I know of going through the waiting game right now... and this will of course be of some use to plenty more in future

Post away and I'll try to whip something into shape!

Cheers!


RobM77

35,349 posts

265 months

Friday 10th February 2006
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I'll be buying from Lotus soon. Do you think it is out of order and/or rude to ask for a geometry printout? I asked at BMW when I bought my present car and was told that such a thing wasn't available (so I drove the car straight to Micheldever Tyres and got one done for £20).

bjc388

459 posts

255 months

Friday 10th February 2006
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Getting the Geo print out is a good idea although I suspect most dealerships will not have any sophisticated alignment equipment to produce the report.

After 1100 miles on my 111R of careful running in I had Sinclaires look at the Geo and it was out!!

Don't worry too much about the PDI etc ... it's covered by warranty and the salesman should take you through the handover process when you take delivery. And anyway you would have have to exercise too much discipline to carry out your own detailed PDI correctly and that would be a crying shame when you have SO MUCH ENJOYMENT to look forward to ...

I think you should simply take along your digicam and a big GRIN and let yourself fall in love ... ...

Janitor

Original Poster:

2,372 posts

250 months

Friday 10th February 2006
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True bjc388, spot on with that of course and I'll certainly be chomping pretty damned hard at that there bit!

Good points with GEO though - I'd tend to agree that a post run-in GEO check is probably the only way to go with that

Anyhow, was just thinking ...it may well be that someone will throw a simple but essential experience in to the hat

...oh, why did my original question end up part way down the thread..? Odd

RobM77

35,349 posts

265 months

Friday 10th February 2006
quotequote all
Thinking of geo.. Knowing Lotus the 111S probably has a different setup to the 111R etc - the Esprit even ran different geo if it had aircon, or so I heard anyway! Does this mean that mistakes are common with Geo settings? Does it have to be a specialist that you really trust? I mean, your average tyre centre are surely just going to look up 'Elise' and probably put the wrong settings on? Am I right?

Janitor

Original Poster:

2,372 posts

250 months

Friday 10th February 2006
quotequote all
Rob - I'm no seasoned Lotus owner, nor am I a car techie-whizz... but, I'm 100% sure that there's more to it than the chavs at your local Kwik-Swizz can manage!

I'd say a specialist - particularly with Lotus experience - is a must. It's not just 'tracking' as such. Camber, toe and all that needs to come into it

I think specialists are looking at about £150 to do it right

Whilst on the subject - anyone ever known a new Elise come straight out of the box with correct GEO settings? I have read a little on some 'alternative settings' to 'factory specified' - but is that any indication that 'factory' settings have been correctly applied in the first place?

S Works

10,166 posts

281 months

Friday 10th February 2006
quotequote all
Mine is going for a set-up asap (bonus just came in ) and there's one consistent recommendation in the South East for a job well done...

Plans Motorsport