Discussion
Hi,
Have just arranged a test drive for this Sat in a 2003 03 Elise Sports Tourer.
It is metallic black, from a Lotus dealer, 11K, FLSH, doesn't have central locking or leccy windows, black leather, carpets, body coloured hardtop, cd player, tracker. On for £20495. They've had it for 3 months and over the phone the dealer said he would chuck in a free service. Would come with a 12 months Lotus warranty.
I haven't owned an Elise before, so was after some help:
1. would this car have the Toyota engine ?
2. do you reckon the price is fair ? if not what would you pay ?
3. how much can I expect to pay for a set of tyres ? I've read that the new cars are fitted with Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 LTS.
4. where can i get the best value insurance for an Elise - i tried my current insurer and they wanted £1100 for fully comp and insisted and Elise was fitted with a tracker ?
Cheers, Jason
Have just arranged a test drive for this Sat in a 2003 03 Elise Sports Tourer.
It is metallic black, from a Lotus dealer, 11K, FLSH, doesn't have central locking or leccy windows, black leather, carpets, body coloured hardtop, cd player, tracker. On for £20495. They've had it for 3 months and over the phone the dealer said he would chuck in a free service. Would come with a 12 months Lotus warranty.
I haven't owned an Elise before, so was after some help:
1. would this car have the Toyota engine ?
2. do you reckon the price is fair ? if not what would you pay ?
3. how much can I expect to pay for a set of tyres ? I've read that the new cars are fitted with Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 LTS.
4. where can i get the best value insurance for an Elise - i tried my current insurer and they wanted £1100 for fully comp and insisted and Elise was fitted with a tracker ?
Cheers, Jason
Welcome to pistonheads.
If it is the sports tourer, it will be the Rover engine. The toyota engined elise is the 111r. If it is a sports tourer, the price is ridiculous - at least 5K too much - possibly more. 111r with touring pack is a different proposition. If it is rover engined, walk away.
Check and post back.
If it is the sports tourer, it will be the Rover engine. The toyota engined elise is the 111r. If it is a sports tourer, the price is ridiculous - at least 5K too much - possibly more. 111r with touring pack is a different proposition. If it is rover engined, walk away.
Check and post back.
I wouldn't just walk away if you've booked a test drive - go and test it (invaluable if you've never driven an Elise before)
Then set a decent price and tell 'em you'll only buy at that price. Or work out the cost to change from what you have at the moment if you're trading in and get a deal that works out. Chances are they won't accept but nothing ventured...
Then set a decent price and tell 'em you'll only buy at that price. Or work out the cost to change from what you have at the moment if you're trading in and get a deal that works out. Chances are they won't accept but nothing ventured...
car comes with bridgestones as standard which are about 400 a set.
the yokohamas are slighly more expensive and have only just come out.
as for insurnace im with adrian flux.
also try elephant.com
car sound like a rover engine. the question is it the bog standard 120 bhp one or the 111s which has about 160 bhp??
car does sound expensive but i guess you gte a warranty.
ok this car has 30k but i'd choose it over the one you mentioned as it has the toyota engine and is less than 2 years old
www.pistonheads.com/sales/56379.htm
>> Edited by jfrf on Wednesday 15th March 20:14
the yokohamas are slighly more expensive and have only just come out.
as for insurnace im with adrian flux.
also try elephant.com
car sound like a rover engine. the question is it the bog standard 120 bhp one or the 111s which has about 160 bhp??
car does sound expensive but i guess you gte a warranty.
ok this car has 30k but i'd choose it over the one you mentioned as it has the toyota engine and is less than 2 years old
www.pistonheads.com/sales/56379.htm
>> Edited by jfrf on Wednesday 15th March 20:14
Way overpriced. I got a 2002 ST for 15K from an independent in December with v similar spec.
Sports Tourer is only the standard K series engines as far as I know. Not VVC, not 135 etc. The ST os the luxury one mind you - with carpets. Below ST is Race Tech, below Race Tech is the standard car, which is quite rare from what I found out looking at them. No performance difference between ST and RT, just trim basically.
Newer cars (03 onwards?) have electric windows and central locking.
Buy private and arrange for a specialist inspection is what I'd reccommend now. People who drive Lotus love them - you wouldn't if you didn't and tend to look after them as well.
I await correction on numerous points!
Sports Tourer is only the standard K series engines as far as I know. Not VVC, not 135 etc. The ST os the luxury one mind you - with carpets. Below ST is Race Tech, below Race Tech is the standard car, which is quite rare from what I found out looking at them. No performance difference between ST and RT, just trim basically.
Newer cars (03 onwards?) have electric windows and central locking.
Buy private and arrange for a specialist inspection is what I'd reccommend now. People who drive Lotus love them - you wouldn't if you didn't and tend to look after them as well.
I await correction on numerous points!
cheers for all the advice.
it did have the rover engine fitted, and as it was a 3 hour drive for me decided to cancel the test drive. is the rover engine bad ? i see so many 111S advertised and they always seemed to get great reviews. i know Lotus stopped using the Rover engine last year, but wasn't that because Rover went under, or would Lotus have done it anyway ? if i want to keep under my £20k top whack budget i'm going to struggle to get a toyota powered Elise aren't I ?
did have a look through the classifieds - really looking for a metallic black one and saw a few but most of them had the bright red interior which ain't my cup of tea.
last question - what's the difference between an S1 and an S2 ?
it did have the rover engine fitted, and as it was a 3 hour drive for me decided to cancel the test drive. is the rover engine bad ? i see so many 111S advertised and they always seemed to get great reviews. i know Lotus stopped using the Rover engine last year, but wasn't that because Rover went under, or would Lotus have done it anyway ? if i want to keep under my £20k top whack budget i'm going to struggle to get a toyota powered Elise aren't I ?
did have a look through the classifieds - really looking for a metallic black one and saw a few but most of them had the bright red interior which ain't my cup of tea.
last question - what's the difference between an S1 and an S2 ?
s1 and s2 are versions of the same car. The s2 is the newer of the two. The s1 is less refined and more focussed than the s2, but the s2 is easier to live with day to day (and has better suspension!). Both versions have their detractors and supporters and you would have to try them both to see which you likle best.
Nothing wrong with the Rover engine. It did have some problems with early s1 cars with head gasket failure but that has been solved AFAIK. The 111S has the vvc rover engine, all the others have the none vvc engine. Except the 111r which has the toyota block.
Again, I wait to be corrected by wiser and more knowledgable types.
Nothing wrong with the Rover engine. It did have some problems with early s1 cars with head gasket failure but that has been solved AFAIK. The 111S has the vvc rover engine, all the others have the none vvc engine. Except the 111r which has the toyota block.
Again, I wait to be corrected by wiser and more knowledgable types.
Is the K series a bad engine. No ! good torque and sound.
Should you get the 111R? For that money, yes !
S1 - no thrills, much more difficult to get in and out, leaky roof design (can be fixed !) But at the end of the day, its a bit more special as it the original, more roar
S2 - much smoother, way easier to get in and out, good roof design, a better every day car really. If its a weekend only, get a fast S1, you will prefer it !
Should you get the 111R? For that money, yes !
S1 - no thrills, much more difficult to get in and out, leaky roof design (can be fixed !) But at the end of the day, its a bit more special as it the original, more roar
S2 - much smoother, way easier to get in and out, good roof design, a better every day car really. If its a weekend only, get a fast S1, you will prefer it !
nwtony said:
Way overpriced. I got a 2002 ST for 15K from an independent in December with v similar spec.
Sports Tourer is only the standard K series engines as far as I know. Not VVC, not 135 etc. The ST os the luxury one mind you - with carpets. Below ST is Race Tech, below Race Tech is the standard car, which is quite rare from what I found out looking at them. No performance difference between ST and RT, just trim basically.
Newer cars (03 onwards?) have electric windows and central locking.
Buy private and arrange for a specialist inspection is what I'd reccommend now. People who drive Lotus love them - you wouldn't if you didn't and tend to look after them as well.
I await correction on numerous points!
There was a base car onto which Sports Tourer and Race Tech option packs were offered. Believe it or not, I think the Race Tech was more expensive by £100.
Mate you need to do some research.
Start here: www.elises.co.uk/
And here: www.elise-faq.info/
This will give you a good overview and some history. Then if you have questions do some searching using the forum search on PH and SELOC.
Part of the fun of the buying process is learning about the cars, their development and evolution.
Start here: www.elises.co.uk/
And here: www.elise-faq.info/
This will give you a good overview and some history. Then if you have questions do some searching using the forum search on PH and SELOC.
Part of the fun of the buying process is learning about the cars, their development and evolution.
Can't say I know anything about the specs but the cheapest insurance I could find was admiral. Also worth a try is diamond - supposedely its for women but they also do men. Also, when you are on the diamond website, add a few named drivers who would be regarded as low risk - i did this and got it down by about £300 - although it does bottom out after about 3 or 4 drivers.
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