It's All Your Fault....
It's All Your Fault....
Author
Discussion

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

8,264 posts

300 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
...that I went out at the weekend and ended up buying a Sport 190...

After going back through posts from the past several months, and the answers I got to my post asking about keeping the car outside, I was sure an Elise was the car for me, so I went down to see Richard at Sportomotive in Salisbury for a test drive.

That's all it was supposed to be, a test drive. I've been on track in Elises before, so I knew how capable they were, this was just to get a go in one on the road, just to be sure.

And I was only going to spend £10-£13k on a standard S1.

Then I took the Sport 190 that he had out for a drive.

And now I appear to have bought it. I pick it up in a couple of weeks.

I haven't stopped grinning since I left the showroom. I have to say Richard was very helpful, and at no time did I feel under pressure to buy anything, he's obviously got a passion for cars in general and knows his stuff when it comes to Lotus. I've heard good things on here about the workshop there too, so I know the car will be prepped well and all the niggles will be sorted (ie. speedo was a bit random).

Can't wait to get it on the road, and looking forward even more to taking it out on the track...

Finally, thanks to all on here who've over the last few months posted so much valuable information, I haven't asked many questions, but that's because all the info I needed was here already, so to you all.

gooby

9,269 posts

265 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Congrats!

You will have to come and join the BoLOCS!

cheekymonkey

1,139 posts

255 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Nice one! Cripes everyone's out buying new cars at the moment!

Well done & great choice!

Are you still building the Fury? My brother in law is in final stages of his (with bike engine) needs some final ECU mapping and other bits then maybe ready for the summer. Trying to get him along to a NorthWeald airfild day when it's ready as will be great to watch in action!

GTRene

22,754 posts

255 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
The S1 sport 190 is a wonderfull little racecar and if you know what you can espect with such high tuned engine, you wil have a wonderfull time driving and owning it! but ofcorse you will have a bit higher bills I guess then the more standard cars, but your grin will be wider too
good luck to you mate.
GTRene

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

8,264 posts

300 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
gooby said:
Congrats!

You will have to come and join the BoLOCS!


What exactly is BoLOCS? I keep seeing it referred to, but not a clue what it is.....

EDIT - It's Bournemouth Lotus Owners Club isn't it.... I'm a way north of you guys, near Marlborough, but the left seat brake (her name's Kate) likes it down that way so I'll no doubt be visiting a lot during the summer.

>> Edited by Mark Benson on Monday 20th February 14:45

cheekymonkey

1,139 posts

255 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Hurrah... roll on summer meets! That's not too far from us, I think a few of the members come even further!

beachbum

2,610 posts

262 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
We could all go to Marlborough, least we could do, to induct a new member

RobM77

35,349 posts

265 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Richard is a top bloke, yes I was seriously considering an Esprit V8 a while ago, and he gave me a very good test drive (and put up with me stalling the damm thing about five times trying to pull away!).

Well done on your purchase I'll look out for you in your new toy at the weekend if you look out for me in my new toy!

Mark Benson

Original Poster:

8,264 posts

300 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Well, I won't be on the road until the weekend after next, some of the money I'm using to fund the car is in shares in the US currently, so the money won't be changing hands untilnext week sometime.

It's torture I can tell you.

Oh, and a quick question, where's the best place to find out more about the VHPD engine?

RobM77

35,349 posts

265 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Mark Benson said:
Oh, and a quick question, where's the best place to find out more about the VHPD engine?


For online forums, PH Elise and Caterham forums or www.blatchat.com (for Caterhams - you'll have to be a L7 Club to post though). I was on blatchat for my three years of Caterham ownership, and did some digging on the VHPH for some friends of mine and always came up with good answers.

Any Caterham or Elise specialist will have info I'm sure.

As a percentage of total ownership, Caterham people probably have more experience as the VHPD was the standard engine in the Superlight R, whereas in Lotuses it only made an appearance in the 340R and Exige S1. Caterham people are probably also more likely to fiddle with their engines than owners of rare Lotuses!

Janitor

2,372 posts

250 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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Nice one Mark - great innit?

Can tell you for sure that time is gonna drag do badly. You can try keep busy and all that, but it's gonna make ya cuckoo!

Davey S2

13,394 posts

285 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Mark Benson said:

Oh, and a quick question, where's the best place to find out more about the VHPD engine?


Look on Exiges.com as well, there is a whole section devoted to the VHPD

s111dpc

1,517 posts

260 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Well done mate I'm sure you'll have lots of fun.

Also good to see another S1 in Wiltshire, if you fancy meeting up sometime give me a shout.

Dave