Looking at Exige S

[amcphillips]

Hi all,

Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be looking at an Exige S. Basically it is brand new as it has only covered a few hundred miles and was only registered a couple of months ago. Having never owned, driven or been driven in any Lotus is there anything particularly important to look at? The closest I have ever been before is the motorshow stand! What is the running in period on these cars? As this one has not hit 1,000 miles yet I assume that the run in is not yet complete? Any other comments, hints, tips or general advice greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks
Andrew

[dunxs1]

Sorry don't know much bout the Exige s but the local owners in your nieghbourhood might

http://forum.nyloc.org/

Local meets ect.

Dunx.

[exx]

amcphillips said:

Hi all, Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be looking at an Exige S. Basically it is brand new as it has only covered a few hundred miles and was only registered a couple of months ago. Having never owned, driven or been driven in any Lotus is there anything particularly important to look at? The closest I have ever been before is the motorshow stand! What is the running in period on these cars? As this one has not hit 1,000 miles yet I assume that the run in is not yet complete? Any other comments, hints, tips or general advice greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Andrew

Hi Andrew, just running in (nearly finished) a 240 Cup and here's the advice I was given and things I've come across:

Running in is two stage - for first 600 miles, keep the revs below 4500rpm and don't forget to vary the speed and RPM by changing gear lots! 600 to 1000 miles, open up and start to use more RPM. Keep an eye on the engine temperatures i.e. until you see the engine temperature display light up with a reading, take it easy. You can now start to explore the higher rev ranges but don't overdo it. 1000-1500 miles = first service. After that you're free!

Thing to listen out for:
Vibration from engine bay at 2500-3000rpm, commonly when coming off the throttle - Loose heat shielding somewhere in engine bay or possibly exhaust.

That's about it so far.

Best of luck!

[boggy]

amcphillips said:

Hi all, Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be looking at an Exige S. Basically it is brand new as it has only covered a few hundred miles and was only registered a couple of months ago. Having never owned, driven or been driven in any Lotus is there anything particularly important to look at? The closest I have ever been before is the motorshow stand! What is the running in period on these cars? As this one has not hit 1,000 miles yet I assume that the run in is not yet complete? Any other comments, hints, tips or general advice greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Andrew

Hiya Andrew,

Don't want to put you off in any way but was this a demonstrator ? if so it's obviously it's been thrashed within an inch of it's life on all the test drives, I'd be pushing for at least free servicing for the remaining balance of the warranty as part of the deal

Boggy

[Joe - Exige S]

exx said:

[quote=amcphillips] Thing to listen out for: Vibration from engine bay at 2500-3000rpm, commonly when coming off the throttle - Loose heat shielding somewhere in engine bay or possibly exhaust.

Mine has done approx 2000 miles and the other day I started to hear a vibration type rattle when coming off the throttle circa 2500-3000rpm - Thank god it's as simple as a loose heat shield or exhaust! - I have read horror stories on exiges.com where a number of superchargers have self-destructed!!!!!

[moominter]

I get my Exige S in two hours, no sleep last night.
Will post some pics later.

[bogie]

not much on a car that new...what cars have you owned/driven before? ...I wouldnt say that an Exige S on A048s is *that* friendly for a novice to mid engine RWD cars...Id recommend some driver training with www.carlimits.com once you have it run in so you can get used to it in safety ....forgive me if Im being patronising and you have an international race licence etc

[Joe - Exige S]

Joe - Exige S said:

exx said: [quote=amcphillips] Thing to listen out for: Vibration from engine bay at 2500-3000rpm, commonly when coming off the throttle - Loose heat shielding somewhere in engine bay or possibly exhaust. Mine has done approx 2000 miles and the other day I started to hear a vibration type rattle when coming off the throttle circa 2500-3000rpm - Thank god it's as simple as a loose heat shield or exhaust! - I have read horror stories on exiges.com where a number of superchargers have self-destructed!!!!!

Oh and the flexible ducting between the intercooler and the scoop is prone to coming apart - The vibration from the engine shakes the end of the rubber ducting out of the jubilee clips.

I have had to re-fit the ducting twice - Both times the top clip was dangling precariously in the engine bay - It's a miracle I've not lost it yet

[Joe - Exige S]

boggy said:

amcphillips said: Hi all, Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be looking at an Exige S. Basically it is brand new as it has only covered a few hundred miles and was only registered a couple of months ago. Having never owned, driven or been driven in any Lotus is there anything particularly important to look at? The closest I have ever been before is the motorshow stand! What is the running in period on these cars? As this one has not hit 1,000 miles yet I assume that the run in is not yet complete? Any other comments, hints, tips or general advice greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Andrew Hiya Andrew, Don't want to put you off in any way but was this a demonstrator ? if so it's obviously it's been thrashed within an inch of it's life on all the test drives, I'd be pushing for at least free servicing for the remaining balance of the warranty as part of the deal Boggy

Hell yeah I agree with Boggy, I can't imagine there is a demo car in the country that hasn't been thrashed from day 1 by people wanting to "evaluate" it's performance.

[boggy]

Joe - Exige S said:

boggy said: amcphillips said: Hi all, Hopefully tomorrow I'm going to be looking at an Exige S. Basically it is brand new as it has only covered a few hundred miles and was only registered a couple of months ago. Having never owned, driven or been driven in any Lotus is there anything particularly important to look at? The closest I have ever been before is the motorshow stand! What is the running in period on these cars? As this one has not hit 1,000 miles yet I assume that the run in is not yet complete? Any other comments, hints, tips or general advice greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Andrew Hiya Andrew, Don't want to put you off in any way but was this a demonstrator ? if so it's obviously it's been thrashed within an inch of it's life on all the test drives, I'd be pushing for at least free servicing for the remaining balance of the warranty as part of the deal Boggy Hell yeah I agree with Boggy, I can't imagine there is a demo car in the country that hasn't been thrashed from day 1 by people wanting to "evaluate" it's performance.

Hi Joe,

Well we all took it in turn's to drive the Exige S demo and one thing that really stuck in my mind is how easy it is to drive in traffic, really fell in love with the performance, I'm just waiting on a call from Wilson's might be buying a 240 Cup

Boggy

[amcphillips]

thanks for all the replies everyone, I am assuming it is a demonstrator as it is from Gordon Lamb in Sheffield. I had a feeling that it may not have had the most gentle introduction to the roads so was planning on trying to get some form of free servicing or significant discount! Has anybody on here actually seen the car themselves?

In terms of my driving experience I have never driven anything like this before, however it isn't going to be me that will be doing the majority of the driving as it will be a hire car!

Think I'll give them a call now....

[bogie]

"as it will be a hire car! "

eek ! ...thats scary...have you got a local bodyshop?

[amcphillips]

hmm I knew there was something I'd forgotten to organise!!! Wonder how much Lotus charge on their labour rate for repairs.....

[Joe - Exige S]

amcphillips said:

it isn't going to be me that will be doing the majority of the driving as it will be a hire car! Think I'll give them a call now....

I'd start building up a good stockpile of front and rear clams at the ready if I were you

[amcphillips]

Joe - Exige S said:

amcphillips said: it isn't going to be me that will be doing the majority of the driving as it will be a hire car! Think I'll give them a call now.... I'd start building up a good stockpile of front and rear clams at the ready if I were you

Sorry for my ignorance but do they damage easily? How much we talking etc?

[boggy]

amcphillips said:

Joe - Exige S said: amcphillips said: it isn't going to be me that will be doing the majority of the driving as it will be a hire car! Think I'll give them a call now.... I'd start building up a good stockpile of front and rear clams at the ready if I were you Sorry for my ignorance but do they damage easily? How much we talking etc?

Hi

There only winding you up, but on a more serious note they are very expensive to repair. I'd get some driver training and I'm not in any way insulting your driving skill's they are very light on the rear end and fairly quick and nimble

www.carlimits.com/ As Mr Bogie has already posted

Boggy

[Joe - Exige S]

boggy said:

amcphillips said: Joe - Exige S said: amcphillips said: it isn't going to be me that will be doing the majority of the driving as it will be a hire car! Think I'll give them a call now.... I'd start building up a good stockpile of front and rear clams at the ready if I were you Sorry for my ignorance but do they damage easily? How much we talking etc? Hi There only winding you up, but on a more serious note they are very expensive to repair. I'd get some driver training and I'm not in any way insulting your driving skill's they are very light on the rear end and fairly quick and nimble www.carlimits.com/ As Mr Bogie has already posted Boggy

Sorry - I was just teasing you

Boggy is absolutely right - I, along with a lot of the people on this forum have spent a day with Andy Walsh on the Carlimits driver training day. Not only is the day massive fun it is a real eye opener and a potential life saver.
See Janitors excellent post on this:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=257328&f=15&h=0&hw=janitor+walshy


Have fun!

Joe



>> Edited by Joe - Exige S on Thursday 11th May 18:19

[bogie]

lets put it in simple terms:

1. hire it out on a dry summers day - the customer will come back in awe of the grip/handling after only sampling 80% of what the chassis/A048s can really do on the road...they will have shit their pants going around corners before they ran out of grip

2. hire it out on a damp day, maybe some rain, or has been raining and is drying out ...the first corner/roundabout they chuck it into a bit too quick and it lets go, they panic, back off and go around some more.....with a bit of luck and 30mph no hard objects its a few grand ..anything solid and 40-50mph + and its good bye car - written off

so Id either fit it with some road based rubber - Toyo T1Rs will do the job or consult the weather forecast before hiring it out !