Lotus Evora GT410 Sport & Honda e

[Purso]

Love the pics Alex, especially the picture in Burford, a dirty car just looks purposeful!

[Jester86]

Such a wonderful colour combo!

A good read as well.

[leglessAlex]

Thanks for the kind words guys. I'm still thinking about adding more green (roof, mirrors, half the rear deck, front access hatch) but I can't find the right shae of green wrap to get an idea of what it looks like and I'm not sure I have the money or the balls to dive right in and get it painted.

Fonzey said:

Looks great Alex, and really good going on the 10months so far - puts most Lotus owners to shame!

After reading your comment but before seeing the weigh scale picture I was expecting it to be much heavier by the way you built up to it - 1400kg has still got to be pretty damn good (in class) when you consider just how much more liveable an Evora is compared to the contemporary Exige at only a couple hundred KG lighter.

Thanks Fonzey. I guess that in 2020 terms it's still quite a light car, and I know that Lotus aren't exempt from physics. The 911 991.1 GTS is supposedly around 1470kg with the PDK, but I don't know what the real figure is like. I see that car as very much the main competitor price and performance wise.

It's not really a big deal, but with me on board it's 270-285bhp/ton and I guess I'd just like some more. 350bhp/ton would be rather tasty, and getting on for what the Exige 410 can offer. Not too fast for the road, but more than fast enough for every possible road and situation.

[TheDoggingFather]

leglessAlex said:

The 2bular exhaust was sourced courtesy of Nick at PJS Sports Cars who did an excellent job of fitting it as well as the carbon panel I bought myself.

Yeah, I'd be checking that... VERY dubious character...

[leglessAlex]

TheDoggingFather said:

Yeah, I'd be checking that... VERY dubious character...

Now you mention it, there's a few hours I just can't remember and when I sat in the car to drive back to London my arse was awfully sore...

[fridaypassion]

Fair play for the mileage Alex mine has been keeping the garage company most of the time still just over 6k in 2 years. Mine might be going this week pending inspection of a possible replacement. I'll miss it but I do get a burning need to change cars every couple of years. The 410 wil always be a benchmark car it truly is the best car nobody ever bought. Any Porsche owners reading this sort your life out and buy one of these fantastic amazing cars!

[TheDoggingFather]

leglessAlex said:

Now you mention it, there's a few hours I just can't remember and when I sat in the car to drive back to London my arse was awfully sore...

Scrub everything I said, that sounds like exceptional service.

[leglessAlex]

Back Again, with another fairly mundane update. Closing in on 15,000 miles now as the car nears it's first birthday, I think it's at about 14,700.

Mechanically, it's been faultless! I was aware that the days of 'Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious' were in the past, but it's always nice to have that proven with your own car. It's not really changing much anymore either, since about 7,000/8,000 miles it's been what I would consider to be properly broken in, and the engine feels nice and loose. I'm still very undecided whether it's actually fast enough or not, but I feel less of a need for extra power than I once did.

I've decided what to do with it! I'm going to sell in 12 months and buy the new car that Lotus is releasing I think, so someones's going to get a bargain! No doubt by then it'll have covered 35-40k miles

I haven't made this decision because it's a bad car, quite the opposite in fact. It's confirmed to me that I like the car and the company, and so I'd like to try a product from them that is hopefully being developed with fewer corners being cut! My gripes about the placement of things in the interior remain, but given how broke Lotus were when developing this thing, they're easily forgivable. The next car will be looked at with a much more critical eye.

Big plans for the next 12 months. A euro roadtrip to Evora, Portugal is going to happen, as well as a second NC500 trip. The Lakes and the Peaks have to be visited, as well as Wales (it hasn't been there at all yet!) and Cornwall. Until then, have a mix of old pics from the NC500 and some recent ones from Caffeine & Machine since it reopened.

Somewhere in Scotland... by Alex D, on Flickr

Somewhere in Scotland... by Alex D, on Flickr

The view from The Torridon, I think by Alex D, on Flickr

Loch Ness by Alex D, on Flickr

Those NC500 Vistas by Alex D, on Flickr

Sun! In Scotland?! by Alex D, on Flickr

Beads and Bug Splatters by Alex D, on Flickr

Blagdon Lake by Alex D, on Flickr

Let Me Begin by Alex D, on Flickr

1 Green Boi by Alex D, on Flickr

Purposeful by Alex D, on Flickr

Just a bit of fun by Alex D, on Flickr

Those Lazy C&M Mornings by Alex D, on Flickr

[MrC986]

I saw the OP & his car at Caffeine & Machine the first day they reopened....the car looked great. It’s good to see one being properly used as I said to the friend I was with whose coming with me to do the NC500 hopefully in late September.

[leglessAlex]

MrC986 said:

I saw the OP & his car at Caffeine & Machine the first day they reopened....the car looked great. It’s good to see one being properly used as I said to the friend I was with whose coming with me to do the NC500 hopefully in late September.

Thank you! I'm trying my best.

Well, a few days short of it's first birthday, a small update. It's on 15,700 miles now, or 25,266 kilometres for those that are that way inclined. I'm a little bit sad that I didn't manage two services in a year, but there's always the next 12 months. The 'rona ruined my plans, which is not such a big deal considering what others have had to go through with loss of jobs and family members.

The car appears to have worn through it's ARBs, so I'm replacing those and the drop links. The drop links don't really need it, but they're cheap and apparently the Evora does rather like to consume them, so I might as well. The windscreen has cracked too, which is a massive pain in the ass, I'm in Ireland at the moment and will be for a while. On the one hand, it's a single crack, not a chip, this is kinda good news because it means the whole windscreen is unlikley to shatter. On the other hand, this means it's a replacement, not a repair job. Very, very difficult to source the glass in Ireland and insurance wouldn't pay for it anyway. Its going from the top edge to the passenger A pillar, although it's not all the way across yet. I've ordered a replacement through Auto Glass in Belfast, but no word on when it's going to arrive.

Other than that it's plain sailing as always. Three wheels now have pavement rash on them because I'm a bit ham fisted, I think when I'm back in London I'll get get all four refurbished. For the miles I've done I'm happy with how the finish held up. The Evora seems to be a very reliable model (oh god I'm tempting fate) with it's Toyota powertrain, and this one has certainly been put through it's paces and not mollycoddled.

Have some pics! The first pic annoys me a lot, I think I've got the structure of it nailed but I then blew out the sky by shooting into the sun and not using a graduated filter, which I think would have fixed it. I tried to rescue it, but I'm not going to post that as no one needs to see my utter lack of editing skills. Some might say those skills are still on display in the following photos, but eh, I'm still very much learning.

This time next year the car will be up for sale, with hopefully about 35,000 miles on it. Someone's going to get a bargain, that's for sure.

Taking a break, getting bitten by midges by Alex D, on Flickr

All a man could ever want... by Alex D, on Flickr

Getting those angles, or at least trying to! by Alex D, on Flickr

Hope the handbrake holds... by Alex D, on Flickr

Kinda wish I was on the boat instead by Alex D, on Flickr

Lough Corrib views by Alex D, on Flickr

Lough Fee by Alex D, on Flickr

In this pic you can see the look of the new 2bular exhaust. Now I have it I'm not actually entirely sure I like the twin tips, but I sure do like the build quality and sound. If I'm really not happy I'm sure Jim wouldn't mind knocking up something else, it's excellent that they're a bolt on to the main silencer. I also very much like the lack of restriction you get with the valve closed, it no longer feels choked up as the factory one can sometimes do. It's bedded in really well over the last few thousand miles, very happy with it overall.

The end of the road by Alex D, on Flickr

View from Sky Road by Alex D, on Flickr

View from Sky Road 2 by Alex D, on Flickr

[Str6mik]

leglessAlex said:

My numbers were roughly as follows: £104,000 list, £86,000 minus VAT, £2,000 discount and then 50% of it financed for two years at 0% interest. I'm in for £42,000 or so, and if I keep it just one year I expect to get about £28-30,000 of that back. This would maybe go up to as much as £36,000 back if it was driven as little as sports cars often are.

Is that a lot? Yeah, it is. £1,200 per month on depreciation is no small amount, but if you were to look at a 24 month lease of, say, a 911 GTS, the Lotus is still significantly cheaper I believe. Obviously, those are fairly 'worst case' numbers, and if you didn't drive it much and kept it two years, you might only lose £500pm. Cheap.

How does that work ? Are you assuming that to get out of it you would have to pay off the entire amount and sell The car privately as you would a pcp?

[leglessAlex]

Str6mik said:

leglessAlex said:

My numbers were roughly as follows: £104,000 list, £86,000 minus VAT, £2,000 discount and then 50% of it financed for two years at 0% interest. I'm in for £42,000 or so, and if I keep it just one year I expect to get about £28-30,000 of that back. This would maybe go up to as much as £36,000 back if it was driven as little as sports cars often are.

Is that a lot? Yeah, it is. £1,200 per month on depreciation is no small amount, but if you were to look at a 24 month lease of, say, a 911 GTS, the Lotus is still significantly cheaper I believe. Obviously, those are fairly 'worst case' numbers, and if you didn't drive it much and kept it two years, you might only lose £500pm. Cheap.

How does that work ? Are you assuming that to get out of it you would have to pay off the entire amount and sell The car privately as you would a pcp?

Oh man, I definitely didn't need reminding of that really optimistic calculation

No idea how it'd work in practice, I guess I might have to end up paying the money outstanding on it first to clear the finance and then selling it back to B&C? Not really that big of a deal, I wouldn't ever end up losing more than I had in the car, or at least that's very unlikley.

I think with the amount I'm driving it I might lose £35,000 in the two years, so about £1500 a month. Lots, but it's given me lots of smiles too so I don't mind.

[Str6mik]

leglessAlex said:

Oh man, I definitely didn't need reminding of that really optimistic calculation

No idea how it'd work in practice, I guess I might have to end up paying the money outstanding on it first to clear the finance and then selling it back to B&C? Not really that big of a deal, I wouldn't ever end up losing more than I had in the car, or at least that's very unlikley.

I think with the amount I'm driving it I might lose £35,000 in the two years, so about £1500 a month. Lots, but it's given me lots of smiles too so I don't mind.

Haha sorry! It’s a lovely car and I hope you have a lot of pleasure with it before you have to worry about the finances!

The 50/50 always appealed to me - but not being in the fortunate position to be able to offset the total amount if I needed to at any particular time meant I could never enter into it

Thanks for the reply and enjoy !

[leglessAlex]

Ah I was only joking, and to be fair I have to think about it some time. Sticking my head in the sand has never done me much good in life


I don't know how paying it off early would work, although now I think about it, it would be pretty harsh if you did have to stump up the money before selling it on. Who knows?

Either way, the vast majority of people will see more back after two years than I will, I don't doubt. Can't be too many Evoras out there with 15k+ miles a year

[Str6mik]

leglessAlex said:

Ah I was only joking, and to be fair I have to think about it some time. Sticking my head in the sand has never done me much good in life


I don't know how paying it off early would work, although now I think about it, it would be pretty harsh if you did have to stump up the money before selling it on. Who knows?

Either way, the vast majority of people will see more back after two years than I will, I don't doubt. Can't be too many Evoras out there with 15k+ miles a year

Whenever I’ve had pcp cars I’ve always factored in having to settle the finance off in full before selling on privately.

The 50/50 always appealed to me as a way of getting into a newer car which is what you’ve taken advantage of. I’m probably too risk averse - might just have to take a leaf out of your book

Good on you enjoy!

[Tin Hat]

Whilst admiring the menacing Evora approaching me today near Richmond, I saw that it was also famous ( in these parts ).

Anyway, it looked superb, good to see one out and about - A rare sight!

[leglessAlex]

Tin Hat said:

Whilst admiring the menacing Evora approaching me today near Richmond, I saw that it was also famous ( in these parts ).

Anyway, it looked superb, good to see one out and about - A rare sight!

Thank you so much! It's filthy, as usual, but I think it still looks pretty good. It's a shame I'm not able to drive it much, but we're all in the same boat.

However, that said, I should finish up posting the pics from my August and September spent in Ireland! Brace your eyeballs.

Ireland. Seriously. by Alex D, on Flickr

The road was as good as it looked... by Alex D, on Flickr

Touring the Burren no.2 by Alex D, on Flickr

Arse by Alex D, on Flickr

It was closer to the edge than it looks by Alex D, on Flickr

Sometimes, reaching the end of the road isn’t so bad. by Alex D, on Flickr

Serenity by Alex D, on Flickr

Chasing sunsets. Again. by Alex D, on Flickr

As darkness falls by Alex D, on Flickr

This photo really highlights just how green it is in the sunlight. I still think a green roof would look ace, but I don't think I'll be keeping the car, so it's not worth painting it.

#greenovertan by Alex D, on Flickr

When I came back to London mid-September, I didn't do a whole lot in the car, a couple of trips around Surrey with my now ex-girlfriend, and a few trips to C&M. The winscreen was still cracked at this point, with Autoglass seemingly not able to get a replacement in.

However, I had mentioned earlier that I thought the car had worn out something in the front suspension, but it turns out it hadn't! I was hearing a clunking on rougher roads or when the car hit a sharp bump, but I wasn't really feeling anything, which puzzled me. When I got back to London i took it to B&C to have a look, and they solved it, of course. A clamp that holds the power steering fluid lines had snapped, leaving the piping free to hit the chassis. Not at severe risk of failure, but very loud! Anyway, all sorted now.

Unfortuantely in November I broke up with my girlfriend, and I decided to go back to Galway early December to let her move out in her own time and not under any pressure from me. I did a 10 day quarantine rather than 14, as the WHO reckon that's more than good enough, and oh boy did it drag! I was also restricted to travel only within my county after that, but lucky for me Galway is large, and most of my favourite roads are within the border.

And so, have a load of winter pictures! I also got a polarising filter that I'm still learning to use, but I think it has the potential to bring the car's colour out from more angles.

Oh, and for the eagle eyed amongst you, yes it's wearing winter tyres in the correct, slightly undersized fitment. They're Conti WinterContact TS850S and I'm very happy with them. I was wondering whether it would be worth it, but I think they have been.

Lotus in Connemara by Alex D, on Flickr

Chasing rainbows by Alex D, on Flickr

Ireland, eh? by Alex D, on Flickr

Sky road by Alex D, on Flickr

Trying out the polariser. by Alex D, on Flickr

Frosty! by Alex D, on Flickr

A last snap of Ireland in 2020 by Alex D, on Flickr

And that's it! I've been back in my newly empty flat since December 31st and frankly it's been incredibly st. Only really been able to drive to the shops, and to some physio appointments because legless problems. Joy. The windscreen did finally get repaired, and Autoglass did an okay job. They've scuffed the hell out of one of the A pillars somehow, but it's not deep and the whole car is due a polish anyway, so I don't mind. I'm just glad it's done.

So, what next? Well, it's just below 25,000 miles now, and the aim is add a good chunk to that when we're allowed to drive again. I'll get the wheels refurbished at some point, but I've got to say that Chelsea Coachworks in Wandsworth did an excellent job, the finish has held up really well. I've curbed two of them because I'm a complete tool sometimes, but other than that there's only been minor pitting from stones. I'll be taking them back there, and I'll time it so that I can get some Pilot Sport 4S fitted at that time too.

The PPF needs looking at as it's bubbling in places, and the whole car needs a proper, several day polish I think. I'm unsure what do to here, do I remove the PPF entirely, or do I replace it, and polish the car inbetween removal and re laying? Who knows. I'm also thinking about getting the wing mirrors and front access hatch done in body colour.

Only other thing I've been thinking about is fitting a new washer nozzle, the current one that sprays two single jets is crap. I'd like one that sprays with a much better spread, but I'm not really sure how to go about this. Buy on ebay and then just make it fit? I got a 3D printer for Christmas, if it needs an adaptor or anything.

Apologies for any spelling mistakes, this lockdown and winter combined has turned my brain to mush. Tired, all the damn time.

[CABC]

leglessAlex said:

Lotus in Connemara by Alex D, on Flickr

Chasing rainbows by Alex D, on Flickr

some great photos there, contenders for the seloc calendar!

[leglessAlex]

That’s very kind of you to say, CBAC! I am, of course, never quite happy with the photos I take but I’m oh so slowly getting better at it.

[mikewilliams79]

Great thread Alex