service intervals
Author
Discussion

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

259 months

Saturday 18th September 2004
quotequote all
can anyone explain how the Elise servicing works with all this A, B C stuff? I thought it was 6,000 mile intervals and the cam belt at 45,000, but have seen ads with people having had new cam belts at 20,000. Were they just being cautious or is it a time thing ( 45,000 or X years). I am trying not to be bamboozled by all this when I come to buy an Elise and agree a price. How much do A, B and C services cost from a specialist and from Lotus (good bargaining point on the price?).

Davey S1

13,389 posts

278 months

Saturday 18th September 2004
quotequote all
For the S1 I think the service intervals are every 9,000 miles. The services go in the order A, A, B, A, A, C, A, A, B ETC

The cam belts were supposed to be done every 5th year but Lotus now advise every 4th year. My last service was a B service but with the cam belt done as well.

Next one should be a relatively cheap A service.

jfrf

406 posts

278 months

Saturday 18th September 2004
quotequote all
near me independent A service costs 180 quid

main dealer is 250 quid

saying that this official lotus dealer on the south costs
100 quid for an A service
www.fibreglassservices.co.uk/dealer;sales.html

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

259 months

Sunday 19th September 2004
quotequote all
Thanks for that, now much clearer. I feel invigorated in my search!

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

259 months

Sunday 3rd October 2004
quotequote all
Ok, bought the car. Still to stop smiling. A service due in about 2-3000 miles. Now the question is, what does the A service cover and does it need to be done at the dealer/specialist or is it, as I have had described 'just an oil change' in which case could my local trusty garage do it? I am in South Yorks if anyone knows of a 'specilaist' in the area to whom I could just get my company to pay my wages directly each month and cut out the middle man.

malbon

280 posts

285 months

Sunday 3rd October 2004
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If your near Sheffield then Bruce @ Ragtops Roadsters may be quite close in Macc, Cheshire.

The A service can cover f all or lots of stuff depending on mileage. A std A service on a good nick car should be just an oil change and a general check. but on an older higher mileage car it could involve ball joints, toe links, susp. part, discs, pads, etc.

v. hard to say. sure someone more knowledgeable will be around soon

whats your year/mileage ?

GCCK

66 posts

283 months

Sunday 3rd October 2004
quotequote all
Depends on the age of your car, which you've not stated.

Cambelts are on a "whichever is sooner" basis for age v mileage. Any garage which knows K series can look after the engine aspects of a simple service but the issues are more with jacking up, access through undertrays & wheelarch liners etc. Once in, the mechanicals are pretty basic. In other words, do you trust them with your pride & joy?

I've got a brilliant garage about 1/4 mile from the house and he's since done a whole bunch of Elises. The Norlog crowd could probably advise the "safe" places in your area, but unless you've got a warranty to consider, there's little point going to a main dealer if there's a good specialist available.

Graeme

malbon

280 posts

285 months

Sunday 3rd October 2004
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Little nipper keeping u up graeme ?

Go to bed mate !

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

259 months

Monday 4th October 2004
quotequote all
My car is a 2000 Series 1 with 18K on the clock. I have a good local garage who I have used on other performance cars and they have always been spot on, and I now have the service manual. I may pop up and see how they feel about it, as they are honest folk with loads of work so I guess they won't take it on if they don't feel confident (although they may just do it for the test drives!).

j25

2 posts

258 months

Monday 4th October 2004
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i'm in the market for a simolar age/milage elise at the moment, can you tell me how much you paid to give me an idea of the market. It seems that there are lots of cars in the market that have been there a while and prices are dropping fast

S Works

10,166 posts

274 months

Monday 4th October 2004
quotequote all
j25 said:
i'm in the market for a simolar age/milage elise at the moment, can you tell me how much you paid to give me an idea of the market. It seems that there are lots of cars in the market that have been there a while and prices are dropping fast

IMHO it's a good time to buy, lots of deals to be had. Not sure that prices are "dropping fast" but you're deffo seeing a natural check in the market due to:
a) Crappy weather/end of summer
b) 111r/new Exige
c) More older S2's coming onto the market and a resultant (albeit fairly small) downwards check on S1 values as a result.
d) More older S1's coming on the market around the 10-11k mark.

A good low mileage, well looked after S1 which is a bit different will still command a decent price I reckon. The good news as far as I'm concerned is that the brand moves from strength to strength and there's a good market in used Elises.

I'm looking forward to upgrading sometime next year, but I'll be sorry to see the current one go - I love it!!

shirepro

Original Poster:

11,838 posts

259 months

Monday 4th October 2004
quotequote all
I spent many happy hours on the autotrader web site watching prices. In the end I paid £13,500 for mine which is in Titanium with black leather and hood. It had a momo steering wheel, braided hoses and uprated drilled/grooved brakes and a new sports exhaust and half decent tyres. It also had Elise mats,passenger footrest intact and the hood storage bag. It seemed to have been loved, and the only defects were a few very small front end stone chips and very light wear to the pad on the drivers entry sill. I rang about a number of the 'better value' Elises but they had always gone, been withdrawn or had some problem (no SH or mods I didn't want and which might push up the insurance yet more).

j25

2 posts

258 months

Monday 4th October 2004
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Thanks guys, hope to get my hands on one very soon!!