Why dont more people drive these cars??
Discussion
This was one of my thoughts 15 minutes after part-exing my Boxster for a gorgeous Elise S2 - instantly fell in love. Another thought was, why did it take me so long to get behind the wheel of a Lotus?
Anyway, Im preaching to the converted here. But just wanted to share my joy and say hello.
Now then, where are those keys...
Anyway, Im preaching to the converted here. But just wanted to share my joy and say hello.
Now then, where are those keys...
admoss said:
This was one of my thoughts 15 minutes after part-exing my Boxster for a gorgeous Elise S2 - instantly fell in love. Another thought was, why did it take me so long to get behind the wheel of a Lotus?
Anyway, Im preaching to the converted here. But just wanted to share my joy and say hello.
Now then, where are those keys...
Anyway, Im preaching to the converted here. But just wanted to share my joy and say hello.
Now then, where are those keys...
Thought exactly the same thing earlier today...
Heebeegeetee said:
WHY DONT MORE PEOPLE DRIVE THESE CARS??
Because of the K series engine. For me, anyway...
Because of the K series engine. For me, anyway...
I LOVE the K-series.... I think its character suits the car pretty well and for its (widely exaggerated) shortcomings, it's still a great little engine in such a light car.... well in the case of the S1 anyway.
the only negative thing I can say about my Elise is that it doesn't have a Honda engine from factory. And I'm not able to insure a Honda swap. 
But I'll stick with the Rover K, it's not that bad anyways .
The reason that there's not many Elises here is the price,caused by the worlds highest taxes on cars.
The car is great fun. I'm surprised by the very good fuel economy,I can easily go 40mpg even though I drive it hard at times
I love my 'liz
But I'll stick with the Rover K, it's not that bad anyways .
The reason that there's not many Elises here is the price,caused by the worlds highest taxes on cars.
The car is great fun. I'm surprised by the very good fuel economy,I can easily go 40mpg even though I drive it hard at times
I love my 'liz
A thought that many have thunk admoss!
As for the K, sure it's an overbored engine from one of the worst shed's in "modern" (ahem
) motoring, but as above, it's a good little unit that suits the Elise well.
Properly built, tuned, and maintained it's reliable and some people are getting some extraordinary outputs from it (SteveB on SELOC recently weighed in at 250bhp with some more fettling of his car's engine).
Sure the Honda/Audi/Duratec are excellent but (relatively) expensive options, but they're not the bee-all and end-all.
I loved my 160 like almost no car I've ever loved before (and I'm a bit soft in the head like that
).
As for the K, sure it's an overbored engine from one of the worst shed's in "modern" (ahem
) motoring, but as above, it's a good little unit that suits the Elise well. Properly built, tuned, and maintained it's reliable and some people are getting some extraordinary outputs from it (SteveB on SELOC recently weighed in at 250bhp with some more fettling of his car's engine).
Sure the Honda/Audi/Duratec are excellent but (relatively) expensive options, but they're not the bee-all and end-all.
I loved my 160 like almost no car I've ever loved before (and I'm a bit soft in the head like that
).I know feck all about engines and sometimes I think that ignorance is bliss. To me the whole thing just seems so... right. Even the comfort of it stuns me. Ive just come out of a soft soft top (Boxster) and I could never get comfortable in the damn thing, even though it had 1000 motors for adjusting the seats. Elise is perfect. I guess when something is design probably it works probably.
ADM
ADM
Have to admit that I've thought that on many occasion also
The (market-forced) change to Toyota engines definitely sealed it for me... I also have to openly concede (and I can't even start to back it up with solid engineering reason) that I would not have bought one with a Rover engine in it
But that's just me and its a Rover allergy that stretches back a long way
The (market-forced) change to Toyota engines definitely sealed it for me... I also have to openly concede (and I can't even start to back it up with solid engineering reason) that I would not have bought one with a Rover engine in it
But that's just me and its a Rover allergy that stretches back a long way
I've got to say that the K-series element of my Liz is, for me, the only negative factor about the whole car. I find myself holding back quite a lot as I'm not 100% sure about revving the engine, certainly as it seems that HGF lurks just around the corner (if you believe half the threads on the tech forum of seloc). However, I'm sure impending doom is not the case and I'm pretty strict about allowing the car to warm up correctly before giving it any beans. If I had the bomb-proof unit that resides in the 111r or the equally tough vx220 gm lump then the liz (apart from the damn rattles!) would be nigh-on perfect!
I can't understand some peoples problems with the K. My car is an early S1 and is absolutely caned everywhere. 6500rpm upshifts every day on the way too and from work. It loves it. It starts every time, doesn't burn any oil or lose any coolant and it flies. My mate never revs his cos he's scared of killing it and it's my car than runs like a dream. I tell him the engine is 'work hardened...'
It is, however, properly serviced and maintained regardless of cost, as it's my baby.
It is, however, properly serviced and maintained regardless of cost, as it's my baby.
I have thrashed the heck out of my k series and it hasn't missed a beat on the track. They need to be warmed up gently and cooled down gently. The toyota engines are not as bulletproof as folks have made out - there have been oil starvation problems, the engines don't stand up to being buzzed - increasing numbers here, in the US and Australia have had catastrophic failure after buzzing to 9000 rpm. The k series seems to be a little more resistant to failure under that particular circumstance.
Add to that, that I can replace my entire engine and gearbox for £1500, means that I would have to go through 3 or 4 new engines to exceed the difference in price between my 111s and a 111r at the time that I bought mine - or have Head gasket failure 12 times.
There is a K series belonging to a bloke on seloc that has done over 170000 miles. For cost vs performance it is not as much of a problem as people make out.
Stop worrying about what might happen and enjoy the cars (whatever engine) for the reasons you got them in the first place.
Add to that, that I can replace my entire engine and gearbox for £1500, means that I would have to go through 3 or 4 new engines to exceed the difference in price between my 111s and a 111r at the time that I bought mine - or have Head gasket failure 12 times.
There is a K series belonging to a bloke on seloc that has done over 170000 miles. For cost vs performance it is not as much of a problem as people make out.
Stop worrying about what might happen and enjoy the cars (whatever engine) for the reasons you got them in the first place.
Mr_C said:
I can't understand some peoples problems with the K.
I think the hordes of people who've had HGF in all the various cars the engine has been fitted in can't understand it either.
A mate of mine has a garage business - you want to hear him sound out about the K series. He reckons its the best thing going for his trade, with the sheer amount of business that engine provides them with. He was telling us about a Disco they had in recently, who's owner had continued to drive after HGF. The whole coolant system - rad, hoses, pipes, heater matrix, the lot was filled with mayonaise. They've had to replace the whole lot, at a cost possibly greater than the cars value.
Insufficient coolant capacity, soft engine through bolts, plastic head dowels, poor quality control, the K series is one shite engine. Its just so bloody depressing that yet again Britain has produced another boat anchor of an engine, leaving the owners to do the development work and sort the problems out.
Yes, I know they don't all fail, but then many engines have suffered muliple hgf. But I don't think the fact that some engines are caned and some do high mileages is much to shout about, 'cos in this modern age you can say that about every single engine out there (except possibly the TVR Speed Six engine, another British wonder.)
Anyway, thats my view on the question posed in the thread title. Undoubtedly that engine has cost Lotus dearly in sales, warranty costs and reputation.
However, no doubt like many, there is one here who is watching 111R prices keenly.
I dont think it is as simple as the percieved undesirability of the rover K engine. For me that was a reason (before I knew better). There is a perception that the Elise is underpowered for a sports car and difficult to live with from a practical sence. It is also an expensive car.
The modern motoring media has also convinced people that the more buttons a car has the better the car.
Mostly, people dont want to drive, they dont see driving as a sport or a hobby or an activity, driving is simply a means to get from a to b.
The modern motoring media has also convinced people that the more buttons a car has the better the car.
Mostly, people dont want to drive, they dont see driving as a sport or a hobby or an activity, driving is simply a means to get from a to b.
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