Getting back into a Lotus Yipieeeeeeee

[eswmartin]

Hia all, So years ago I fell in love.... with an Elise S1! but i needed to get a little sensible so I bought a Porsche 986 then a 987 then I got really sensible and bought a 330 Estate! Finding that a little boring in the Summer I bought an MGF (OK I know!). This has made me want to be totally irresponsible, so I'm selling them both and gonna get another Elise an S2. Around 2003 I guess. I have 5 questions.

1. The S2 as an everyday car ... is it OK
2. What is the 'racetech' option
3. What to watch for when buying - and the pitfalls..
4. Anyone wanna buy a 330 estate (2002 M trim auto) or a pretty MGF freestyle (51 Reg in black)... just a thought!
5. Anyone with a nice Sub 13k S2 for sale?

Any advice would be good!

Thanks


Martin

[Ikemi]

I can answer some of your questions for you

1. Many of us use the S1 and S2 Elise has everyday cars. My S1 has been incredibly reliable over the two years and 44,000 miles I've owned it, as well as being more economical than most other cars on the road! However the S2 is considered to be the better option due to being more comfortable, more refined and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis. The S2 has the advantages of lower sills, a bigger boot, better sound-deadening and improved interior.

On the other hand some of us like the rawness, impracticality and lightness of the S1

2. The RaceTech package was a £3K option, which includes:

* Cross-drilled brakes
* Black brake callipers
* Front mudflaps
* Sill protection tape
* Alarm system (Cat 1)
* Body coloured door mirrors
* Pearlescent or metallic paint
* Alcantara/carbon seats with lumbar support
* Alcantara trimmed dash, door panels and steering wheel
* Steel blue high tech floor covering (?)
* Aluminium handbrake sleeve, heater knobs and window winders
* Leather and aluminium gear knob
* Passenger foot rest
* Luggage bag
* 2 speaker audio system with CD head unit

[Milks]

as for question 1 it's really down to you and what you can tolerate. The S2 is better everyday than the S1 but still too hard for a lot of people. Also the level of fit and finish varies from year to year. For 13k I think you'd be looking at 2003-2004 which is around the time the trim was updated with leccy windows, slightly plusher seats and more sound proofing. My car, a 2002 111S pre dates this so is a little noisier and tends to have a few more rattles and squeeks but on the upside it is a little more raw and lighter for it.

Assuming (for the money) you're going for a k series car look for signs of HGF, check the radiator and hoses for signs of leaks or failure and check there is no play on the steering wheel as the steering rack is relatively weak. A car that has been used frequently and looked after is probably a safer bet than a low mileage car that has been sitting in a garage most of its life. Other common faults are with the air con (if fitted) and the heater, so make sure you push all the buttons when inspecting. A prrt and all aluminium radiator are good upgrades to look out for.

I'd highly recommend the 111S a lot of people comment on it having good driveability alongside other variants due to the power delivery (I think 90% of max torque across 70% of the rev band)