111R+Winter=Disaster?

[shot2bits]

Kind of early to be thinking about this but the 111R is my car for blasting / work - will I need to purchase a cheap run around for the winter or will the Elise cope with the UK weather?

[kevin ritson]

It will cope, I did the same last winter, although I did give most of Feb's snow a miss.

[bogie]

done 60K miles in mine over the last 3 years now, in all weathers..no probs really, except in deep snow !

[S Works]

They're fine in winter, just need to be gentle on the inputs when it's wet and slippy.

Snow's your only bugbear but generally most people I know wouldn't drive without 4x4 on snow anyway unless they REALLY had to so was never a problem for me.

[boggy]

kevin ritson said:

It will cope, I did the same last winter, although I did give most of Feb's snow a miss.

Hi Kevin,

Haven't seen you post before mate

Boggy

[ninjadave]

I'm really really hoping it's not a huge problem.

I will have to be in the car no matter what the weather, come snow drifts and artic freezing to those nice summer days with sticky tarmac.

I am - in an odd and sadistic sort of way - looking forward to getting an Elise out on the roads in the winter months. I will just have to remember to keep things smooth and hope the hills nearby aren't really as steep as they appear.

[bob_defly]

It will be fine except for driving on hardpacked snow, driving in snowy/icy weather on salted roads is no problem.

Driving on hardpacked snow in any car is dangerously slippy, but the elise/exige is so light, it will slip easier. To quote someone else on these boards, "It's like bambi on ice!"

[kevin ritson]

boggy said:

kevin ritson said: It will cope, I did the same last winter, although I did give most of Feb's snow a miss. Hi Kevin, Haven't seen you post before mate Boggy

Only officially joined PH last week - did post a hello on the Lotus forum but I gather some of you are more 111'ed than others!

[garydvo]

5 years in an S1 from new 90,000 miles in all weather no problem.

Just take it easy with Ice & Snow. A Hardtop a must in Winter.

Gary

[shot2bits]

garydvo said:

5 years in an S1 from new 90,000 miles in all weather no problem. Just take it easy with Ice & Snow. A Hardtop a must in Winter. Gary

Thanks for all your replies. [k]arl also mentioned the hard top as being a sensible winter purchase. I didn't order one as an option and don't really want to spend the extra cash - the soft top appears to be OK in fairly hard rain (it hasn't stopped since I collected the car!).

[bher]

Here in Belgium, the sun is there since saterday.
I knew I should have my car before yours. ;p
Today in the parking was a green Mk2, my chairman was thinking "Hourra he got it, he will smile again..."
Unfortunatelly it is not mine,just a visitor...

Speaking about winter I had once to take my Esprit (sorry but this is the past) and it was heavelly snowing. I was afraid to be locked in the tunnels I did the all trip on surface, pass no one car, was sliding at each green light,... but what a souvenir.....

Ben
Better the car than the weather,
but both..........................................

[bogie]

on an S2 an hardtop isnt really required as they are more leak free than S1s ..never felt the need for one anyway - a shower cape is handy, just to keep the ice off, as the demister is not so hot in the mornings

[Arno]

I use my car all year round and just use a set of winter/snow tyres and wheels. No problem as you can see



Ice and compacted snow do still require a careful right foot, but other than that it's quite driveable in these conditions with such tyres.

Just watch out for deeper loose snow as the car tends to start working as a snowplough

Bye, Arno.

[ninjadave]

Fantastic pic!

Does the snow go up it's nose
I'm so used to the engine being at the front, I'd never considered the snow staying on the front and not melting away - can it cause visability issues as it sprays off and onto the wind screen?

[kevin ritson]

It can be an issue if it's in the intakes for the radiator - if you've ever seen a winter rally you'd notice that cars that hit the banks head-on often retire as the snow stops cold air getting into the rad, which often makes the car overheat.