Lotus Elise S2 thinking of buying one....NEED advice!

[Alfachick]

Hello there,
I have been thinking about buying a S2 Elise for a while and now they seem to be getting more and more affordable. I can afford one of the earlier models but am a bit wary of the fact that it has a K series engine. Is it worth stretching the extra bit for a newer model or is the K series more reliable in these cars than Rovers?
Also is it worth going for the R over the S models?
Cheers guys for any advice.

[bogie]

the K series is just fine to be honest, its only the head gasket scare tales you hear....and its only a £500 fix, should that go anyway.

Chances are that any car you pick up will be well below the mileage where the HGF happens anyway as its usually high milers.

so dont worry about it, get the best car you can afford.

lots of info on models here www.elises.co.uk and on the tech wiki here www.seloc.org

[Sparxy]

Hi,

I have an S2 on an 03 with the K series engine and it's never failed me.

I think the key is buying any S2 with low mileage and make sure you get a test drive if you can. Try and forget how excited you are and listen to the noises it makes. Have a good look over the car and look for corrosion on fixings and fasteners. That way you know how much it's lived in the wet. Also stone ships on the front clam and rear arches can be annoying.

I'd also go for one that hasn't had too many modifications unless that is exactly what you are looking for. Mine has a road sport exhaust and it sounds sooo much sexier than the stock exhaust :-)

When you said about R and S, did you mean the 111S and the 111R?

I own a 111S which is the K series VVC engine which is quite a bit more powerful than the standard S2 and I have to say I'd miss the extra power. The 111R is the toyota engine and again is more powerful than the standard S2. If you can stretch to it, get a 111R.

[kambites]

The Elise doesn't seem to suffer quite as badly as other cars that the K-series is installed in, presumably because it's lighter. The engine should be pretty reliable as long as you don't stress it when cold - I suppose it's easier to avoid stressing an engine in an Elise than a Freelander.

Compared to anything else of comparable performance, you could afford to replace the head gasket every couple of years on the savings in fuel costs anyway.

[Hollywood Wheels]

Better to get a late S1 than an earliier S2?? It won't depreciate as much and will be more hardcore. Forget the HGF problems, lifes too short. Get an AA warranty. It almost certainly WILL go at some point, but it's an easy fix and won't break the bank.

[SeanyD]

Depends what you want whether s1 or s2 is your best bet - theres enough threads on here discussing this to let you make your own mind up. Both cracking cars, both have their advantages.

Regarding your specific HGF concerns - yes there is a well documented issue there, but I own one, and they're cracking engines, generally rock solid (believe me I've given mine some stick ;o). Let it warm up, give it the recommended service, and its as good as any other. I'm coming up to 2 years of ownership, give it full volume every other weekend, and its fine.

As others have said, IF you should suffer HGF, its going to be few and far between, and wont break the bank if it does happen, especially if you have a warranty that covers it (budget 70 quid to 200 quid a year depending on where you go).

[TIPPER]

If you look at the 111S vs 111R thread you'll see that each type of Elise has its own followers. Try a few and see what you think. Don't let HGF worries put you off a 'K' engined car. Its a cheap fix and, without wishing to be rude, if a £500 bill worries you then the Elise is not for you.

[Scuffers]

TIPPER said:

without wishing to be rude, if a £500 bill worries you then the Elise is not for you.

put like that, best advice I have seen in a while....

[Justin S]

I have just bought a 111s s2 and is a fab car. The wife finds it easier to drive than the Westie I had.I bought the 'S' as it is a week end car and if the new tax bands come it, mines on £145 a year. The yota engine cars will be over £300. Thats a lot of free fuel.45 mpg ish is possible and although I have a C service due, it will be cheaper next 2 years to service. Look for body cracks also as paint is expensive to repair, tyres are reasonable,driving it is addictive. My mate has an S2 exige and I felt it a bit slow until the second cam came in,enough for me to consider the K series a more useable unit on the road.

[Alfachick]

Thanks for the pointers guys. I think its just a case of buying the best one that I can afford, although its still going to take a lot of thought. Am really really looking foward to owning one hopefully in the not to distant future. It will probably be a K series engined one as it will be a daily driver (for the days that im at home).
Cheers!