gonna buy an elise, help please
Discussion
Hi,
Firstly, great decission
Mileage isn't all that important, more important is a car that has been serviced at proper intervals and been looked after - A car that is used and serviced regularly should give less problems long term than a car that's been a garage queen and had nothing done to it.
Cheers,
Firstly, great decission
Mileage isn't all that important, more important is a car that has been serviced at proper intervals and been looked after - A car that is used and serviced regularly should give less problems long term than a car that's been a garage queen and had nothing done to it.
Cheers,
Edited by LivinLaVidaLotus on Tuesday 26th August 17:59
goto www.elises.co.uk for an explanation on Elise models
and to echo the above - DONT buy something thats 6-7 years old with silly low mileage on it ...chances are it will need a couple of grands worth of consumables that have perished, that would normally have long been replaced/upgraded by now on a car thats being used
'used' in Elise terms can mean many things - sure you maybe dont want one thats done 20k commuting miles a year, the same goes for the 15K miler thats done 14K of those miles on track
on here or SELOC is a good place to get to know some owners and some 'known' cars.
and to echo the above - DONT buy something thats 6-7 years old with silly low mileage on it ...chances are it will need a couple of grands worth of consumables that have perished, that would normally have long been replaced/upgraded by now on a car thats being used
'used' in Elise terms can mean many things - sure you maybe dont want one thats done 20k commuting miles a year, the same goes for the 15K miler thats done 14K of those miles on track
on here or SELOC is a good place to get to know some owners and some 'known' cars.
yeah, i'm not sure why you are after an 'early' elise with low miles?
You'd be much better getting a mid-age one with average miles - at least half of elise's are second cars, so this will be low by most other standards anyway, and you'll get a better car.
Ideally you want a short roof version, I think these started in 2003 - where the roof is much better, plus quicker and easier to add and remove.
There were various updates through the life, though I think 2003 and 2006 were the major ones.
Its worth noting there are a lot of different versions out there, so it can be tricky - the golden advice is buy on condition - better to buy a high mile car thats been looked after, than a garage queen thats not...
You'd be much better getting a mid-age one with average miles - at least half of elise's are second cars, so this will be low by most other standards anyway, and you'll get a better car.
Ideally you want a short roof version, I think these started in 2003 - where the roof is much better, plus quicker and easier to add and remove.
There were various updates through the life, though I think 2003 and 2006 were the major ones.
Its worth noting there are a lot of different versions out there, so it can be tricky - the golden advice is buy on condition - better to buy a high mile car thats been looked after, than a garage queen thats not...
In defence of the OP, I think it is perfectly natural he wants a low mileage car. Most, if not all, newbies are the same - I certainly was.
The feeling is a low mileage car = weekend driver = low impact driving. Sure, no guarantees but good chances this is true.
The opposite - high miles, many owners, loads of mods = unreliable, expensive to insure, potential boy racer(s) risk. ( Not saying this is 100% true every time, but just that it is read this way by nervous first time buyers....and it IS often true!! )
In fact, Harley Davidson shops baulk at exchanging bikes with over 15k on the clock - many Harley riders are newbies, and they just don't want big miles. A low mileage car need not have any problems at all, certainly not if it has been garaged or stored properly. ( And replacing squared, blistered or hardened tyres is far better than replacing a knackered engine or engine parts )
Low mileage tends to equate standard form, too - which is most desirable, not least from an insurance point of view.
The feeling is a low mileage car = weekend driver = low impact driving. Sure, no guarantees but good chances this is true.
The opposite - high miles, many owners, loads of mods = unreliable, expensive to insure, potential boy racer(s) risk. ( Not saying this is 100% true every time, but just that it is read this way by nervous first time buyers....and it IS often true!! )
In fact, Harley Davidson shops baulk at exchanging bikes with over 15k on the clock - many Harley riders are newbies, and they just don't want big miles. A low mileage car need not have any problems at all, certainly not if it has been garaged or stored properly. ( And replacing squared, blistered or hardened tyres is far better than replacing a knackered engine or engine parts )
Low mileage tends to equate standard form, too - which is most desirable, not least from an insurance point of view.
Do you not fancy a fully sorted Series 1 car? Will be more hardcore as a non-daily driver, and will depreciate less?
Otherwise, as others have said, forget the low mileage idea, it means nothing. Look for a well looked after car, that's far more important than some low mileage garage jewel that needs work doing...
Otherwise, as others have said, forget the low mileage idea, it means nothing. Look for a well looked after car, that's far more important than some low mileage garage jewel that needs work doing...
Fidgits said:
Ideally you want a short roof version, I think these started in 2003 - where the roof is much better, plus quicker and easier to add and remove.
Just a point on the above, I have an 02 Sports Tourer with the short style roof. I got mine around a year ago with only 16,000 miles on the clock. It hadn't been used much in the year or so before I bought it. Day after I drove it home the battery died because of its infrequent use and I had to go back and get it replaced. I think low mileage is fine but you will probably find a few things need sorting once they free themselves up. I found my car improved quite a bit after a couple of longer runs to loosen everything up.I would always recommend a hard top but that is personal choice. I think it looks better
As a current 'seller' of a car, I find this is very frustrating as many cars I see up for sale do not even have the correct amount of services (once a YEAR or every 9k). And are selling before my car because of lower mileage and the misconception that 'long tailed' roofed cars take longer to fit and leak horrendously. Again, both not true.
Just make sure 'BMX' that you take your time when looking and buy of a seller that knows what they are talking about and has looked after their car with all the 'common niggles' fixed etc, rather than buying on mileage and colour. the Elise is not a normal car and mileage alone is not a sign of a well kept car. Good luck in finding your Elise
p.s loads of useful info on the seloc wiki.
Just make sure 'BMX' that you take your time when looking and buy of a seller that knows what they are talking about and has looked after their car with all the 'common niggles' fixed etc, rather than buying on mileage and colour. the Elise is not a normal car and mileage alone is not a sign of a well kept car. Good luck in finding your Elise
p.s loads of useful info on the seloc wiki.
I own an S1 with the long roof. Absolute piece of p1ss to put up, and it doesn't leak a single drop even in the heaviest rain. Ignore the S2 snobs who have never even owned a long roof version rico28 said:
Fidgits said:
Ideally you want a short roof version, I think these started in 2003 - where the roof is much better, plus quicker and easier to add and remove.
Just a point on the above, I have an 02 Sports Tourer with the short style roof. I got mine around a year ago with only 16,000 miles on the clock. It hadn't been used much in the year or so before I bought it. Day after I drove it home the battery died because of its infrequent use and I had to go back and get it replaced. I think low mileage is fine but you will probably find a few things need sorting once they free themselves up. I found my car improved quite a bit after a couple of longer runs to loosen everything up.I would always recommend a hard top but that is personal choice. I think it looks better
speaking of which, do remember they are hand built, so each car is different...
oh, and ignore the S1 beardy-types talking about a harder-core drive, they are just making up for driving a 'cute' car
jondude said:
In defence of the OP, I think it is perfectly natural he wants a low mileage car. Most, if not all, newbies are the same - I certainly was.
The feeling is a low mileage car = weekend driver = low impact driving. Sure, no guarantees but good chances this is true.
The opposite - high miles, many owners, loads of mods = unreliable, expensive to insure, potential boy racer(s) risk. ( Not saying this is 100% true every time, but just that it is read this way by nervous first time buyers....and it IS often true!! )
In fact, Harley Davidson shops baulk at exchanging bikes with over 15k on the clock - many Harley riders are newbies, and they just don't want big miles. A low mileage car need not have any problems at all, certainly not if it has been garaged or stored properly. ( And replacing squared, blistered or hardened tyres is far better than replacing a knackered engine or engine parts )
Low mileage tends to equate standard form, too - which is most desirable, not least from an insurance point of view.
I'm not sure I agree with much of this. Firstly, i suspect that the miles done in a seldom used car will be done at banzai speeds where as a high mileage car is likely to have seen a range of driving.The feeling is a low mileage car = weekend driver = low impact driving. Sure, no guarantees but good chances this is true.
The opposite - high miles, many owners, loads of mods = unreliable, expensive to insure, potential boy racer(s) risk. ( Not saying this is 100% true every time, but just that it is read this way by nervous first time buyers....and it IS often true!! )
In fact, Harley Davidson shops baulk at exchanging bikes with over 15k on the clock - many Harley riders are newbies, and they just don't want big miles. A low mileage car need not have any problems at all, certainly not if it has been garaged or stored properly. ( And replacing squared, blistered or hardened tyres is far better than replacing a knackered engine or engine parts )
Low mileage tends to equate standard form, too - which is most desirable, not least from an insurance point of view.
I don't see why a high mileage car would have any more owners than a low mileage car. Surely age, is more significant for that generalisation? And why would a high mileage car be more likely to be modified or a boy racer car? I'm confused. Insurance is more expensive on modified cars but only if you go to a mainstream insurer. Chances are a specialist won't bat an eyelid at a sports exhaust or Nitron dampers.
I'm not suprised Harley Davidson don't like bikes with over 15k on the clock. No one will buy them, same with cars, but the point is that people should maybe look a little deeper than a number on a milometer.
How many cars are stored in a manner where by consumables won't perish? The only advantage I can see in a low mileage car is that the interior is likely to show little wear, ditto the exterior, but I'd still much prefer to go for a pampered high miler than a car that spends weeks doing nothing.
okay.... the simple fact is you have no idea how a car has been driven.
Yes, a low miles car could be a weekend/track toy that has been hugely abused, and a high mileage example could have never gone above 4k...
But the reverse could also be true.
Which is why, the golden advice is 'buy on condition' - okay you cant look inside the engine, but the general state of the car will suggest how well the owner has looked after it.
You look at the tyres to check if they have worn evenly.
You talk to the owner - okay its helpful if you are good at reading people, but most people can spot when someone is being shifty or getting uncomfortable with a line of questioning.
And you ask if its been on track, but dont walk away just because it has, its what they were designed for - but its another way of weighing up the seller...
Yes, a low miles car could be a weekend/track toy that has been hugely abused, and a high mileage example could have never gone above 4k...
But the reverse could also be true.
Which is why, the golden advice is 'buy on condition' - okay you cant look inside the engine, but the general state of the car will suggest how well the owner has looked after it.
You look at the tyres to check if they have worn evenly.
You talk to the owner - okay its helpful if you are good at reading people, but most people can spot when someone is being shifty or getting uncomfortable with a line of questioning.
And you ask if its been on track, but dont walk away just because it has, its what they were designed for - but its another way of weighing up the seller...
Fidgits said:
mr wiki said:
Fidgits said:
You look at the tyres to check if they have worn evenly.
Sorry, but Elise tyres DO NOT wear evenly, if they do something is wrong.The Standard Elise S1 & S2 Geometry is:
Ride Hight: 130/130mm
Front Castor: +3.8°
Front Camber: -0.1°
Toe: 0.2mm OUT Overall
Rear Camber: -1.8°
Rear Toe: 1.2mm IN each side
i.e:
http://forum.nyloc.org/
Unfortunatley you missed the meet in York yesterday. next one in a month. There is a forum if you want any more local info.
Might see you around!
Dunx.
Unfortunatley you missed the meet in York yesterday. next one in a month. There is a forum if you want any more local info.
Might see you around!
Dunx.
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