Buying an Exige

[fhwong]

The time has come! Years of dreaming of buying an Elise S2, I actually find myself in a position that I can actually think I can afford an Exige S2.

However all the advice I can find on buying a Lotus is for the Elise.

Can anyone offer any advice or point me to any websites where I find more information on the specification and ranges of secondhand Exiges? And what I should look out for?

I am looking to spend around £20k.

Thank you.

[ruston]

This is a good place to start http://www.exiges.com/


Evo did a buyers guide to the Exige a few issues back so that might be worth looking up.

[21TonyK]

Essentialy the advice is going to be the same for Exiges as Elises. Buy on condition and history not milegae or track use etc (unless an ex-Lotus / Silverstone car).

Personally, if doing it all again, I'd buy privately and I'd go for an Exige S. I'd rather buy an older tired "S" that I could refresh over time and tweak than a newer NA that has a limited value.

/ I speak as an NA owner

[cyberface]

Had the same quandary myself. Was either going to get a nasp Exige or a factory S. The aftermarket supercharger conversions looked attractive (note I'm a supercharger addict) but with uncertain financial times, a standard car would be easier to liquidate if required.

Also, given that I have no concept of saving or accumulating wealth, buying a nasp Exige and then supercharging it would require £5k+ of cash to do the conversion, whereas a Lotus dealer would sell me a pre-supercharged car without needing a huge cash outlay other than the deposit (which would be needed for the nasp car as well).

The S cars can be boosted to decent power (rather than the limited 218 bhp my car has) for a couple of grand with bigger injectors and a Gotham ECU tune. Though when I go for this, I'll also put a better clutch in - the 218 bhp car doesn't have a good clutch IMO (and mine has 6660 miles on the clock, and I've only done around 1000.... and I don't abuse the clutch).

Only thing I regret with my car (not much, since I absolutely love it) is that the 'touring' car (which I needed, wanting a reasonably civilised car and air-con) has seats which, whilst reasonably comfortable (but not as good as the VXT seats even though they look better) are not ideal for 4-point harnesses. And for track use, even the base Exige S has enough grip with those 48R tyres to throw you out of the seats with inertia-reel belts. So for reasonably skilled trackday driving, harnesses are damn useful. Which means swapping to Sport Pack (motorsport) seats with harness slots. And these cost a fortune.

So if you want to do loads of trackdays then make sure you get the seats with holes!!! I'm going to have to spend a couple of grand to get harnesses in my car, which is a pain. And I know I'll be faster with them...

[bjc388]

cyberface said:

Only thing I regret with my car (not much, since I absolutely love it) is that the 'touring' car (which I needed, wanting a reasonably civilised car and air-con) has seats which, whilst reasonably comfortable (but not as good as the VXT seats even though they look better) are not ideal for 4-point harnesses. And for track use, even the base Exige S has enough grip with those 48R tyres to throw you out of the seats with inertia-reel belts. So for reasonably skilled trackday driving, harnesses are damn useful. Which means swapping to Sport Pack (motorsport) seats with harness slots. And these cost a fortune.

So if you want to do loads of trackdays then make sure you get the seats with holes!!! I'm going to have to spend a couple of grand to get harnesses in my car, which is a pain. And I know I'll be faster with them...

Nice to hear that you're enjoying the "ownership" experience.

On the issue of harnesses you also have the following options:-
1. Try the CG-Lock - not expensive for what it does and may save you a bundle;
2. Get Sinclaires http://www.sinclairebodyshop.co.uk/ to fit a harness bar and get some bolt in harnesses (Willans Silverstone etc). The standard seats are fine on track - it's the added benefit of being firmly located via the harnesses that's useful.
3. Buy the Lotus motorsport shells/aftermarket seat(s) perhaps something like th tillets from http://www.hot-lap.com/#/raceseats/4529666377 or Reverie/Mog etc plus bar and wrap round harnesses

Good luck

Edited by bjc388 on Sunday 29th March 12:39

[fhwong]

Thanks for all the replies. I have been searching more and some further questions.

This is going to be my first car, so I am not really looking for something with max power so I don't need a supercharged car.

However I am considering buying the Exige S; only because I think it maybe easier to sell on? Is this assumption correct? Or would an Exige with the touring pack be just as easy?

Should I be wary of buying cars with 30k miles on the clock? Is there a specific mileage where a major service is required which would be expensive?

Roughly what sort of service costs am I looking at?

Or alternatively am I complete idiot looking to buy an Exige? Am I getting into something I have no idea about and something I cannot handle? Should I be sticking to just buying an Elise as it will be easier to drive and more manageable??

I will probably buy from a trader to ensure I can get 12 months warranty and use my credit card. Are there any specific traders that people would highly recommend?

Thanks

[fhwong]

Also I don't have a garage!

How does a Lotus fair in our great british weather? Will it survive with a cover or does it need a garage?

[The Bandit]

fhwong said:

Thanks for all the replies. I have been searching more and some further questions.

This is going to be my first car, so I am not really looking for something with max power so I don't need a supercharged car.

However I am considering buying the Exige S; only because I think it maybe easier to sell on? Is this assumption correct? Or would an Exige with the touring pack be just as easy?

Should I be wary of buying cars with 30k miles on the clock? Is there a specific mileage where a major service is required which would be expensive?

Roughly what sort of service costs am I looking at?

Or alternatively am I complete idiot looking to buy an Exige? Am I getting into something I have no idea about and something I cannot handle? Should I be sticking to just buying an Elise as it will be easier to drive and more manageable??

I will probably buy from a trader to ensure I can get 12 months warranty and use my credit card. Are there any specific traders that people would highly recommend?

Thanks

Depends what you're looking for from the car-
Are you going to track it a lot?
How 'fast' a driver are you?
Do you enjoy roof off motoring?
Is it going to be a daily driver or weekend fun car?

To broadly simplify here:
The Exige is more track focussed with stiffer suspension and semi-slick tyres(which can be interesting when its very wet),will you use its full potential?
The Elise is a slightly better all-rounder,you can still track it if you want to but the ride is a little softer,take the roof off on sunny days and is a good year rounder on all weather tyres.

My thought process went like this:Convertible,hmm not really my cup of tea-now i actually have one,the roof never stays on,it adds to all the sensations you get whilst driving!Feels like a proper little sportscar
Trackdays,hmm not really my cup of tea-done three this year already and got another two booked!!
Just shows how your opinions can change.
I bought the base model 134bhp Elise S with the view to,firstly,learning how to handle a mid-engined RWD car after years in FWD hatches,and secondly learn how to drive it 'properly' before moving to a more powerful model.No regrets whatsoever.
Some others will say "sod that,buy the quickest one you can afford",but again that comes down to driver experience/skill and confidence.

In my opinion,buy an Elise S or R,(or if you're really set on an Exige the standard 190bhp model is still a great car).
For £20k you'll get a mint good spec 2007 S or a slightly older R,service costs are around £200-£250 per year(1 yr or 9000 miles)and the dearest one is around £350 for the year 6 C service.
Depending on where you are in the country either Lipscombes in Kent,Frosts in Sussex or Bell and Colvill in Surrey are good places to start looking.Join SELOC www.seloc.org and have a read through the TechWiki for more useful stuff.

Best idea is to take a few for test drives and see what suits you most because as we know opinions are like aholes,everyones got one
Good luck.Whichever model you end up with you'll love it anyway!

[ruston]

fhwong said:

Thanks for all the replies. I have been searching more and some further questions.

This is going to be my first car, so I am not really looking for something with max power so I don't need a supercharged car.

However I am considering buying the Exige S; only because I think it maybe easier to sell on? Is this assumption correct? Or would an Exige with the touring pack be just as easy?

Should I be wary of buying cars with 30k miles on the clock? Is there a specific mileage where a major service is required which would be expensive?

Roughly what sort of service costs am I looking at?

Or alternatively am I complete idiot looking to buy an Exige? Am I getting into something I have no idea about and something I cannot handle? Should I be sticking to just buying an Elise as it will be easier to drive and more manageable??

I will probably buy from a trader to ensure I can get 12 months warranty and use my credit card. Are there any specific traders that people would highly recommend?

Thanks

First things first, nobody 'needs' a supercharger. However, it does make a significant difference to the way the car drives. The supercharger makes for effortless rapid pace whereas the NA cars require more work to keep the revs up. Both are seriously quick relative to most other cars on the road.

I'm not sure the S is going to be easier to sell than an NA car. The S will always command a premium but then you'll pay for that in the purchase price. Aircon is a definite advantage and will make selling on easier.

As said previously, condition is all-important. As long as the car has been well maintained then 30k or more miles shouldn't be a problem. Take someone along who knows about these cars when you're looking.

As to it being a first car, as long as you are sensible and appreciate what it is you are buying, then there is no reason why not. However, assuming you have little driving experience, I would strongly recommend some driver training (www.carlimits.com being a good start) before you start to explore the full performance on offer.

There are plenty of people who keep their cars outside with no significant ill affects so the lack of garage shouldn’t be a showstopper.

[ruston]

The Bandit said:

Whichever model you end up with you'll love it anyway!

I'll second that.

[eowen]

Welcome.

All my Elises/Exiges have lived outside. Not much metal to rust, and they haven't leaked. I do keep my current Elise under an outdoor breathable cover, mainly because I get fed up of cleaning that "dusty rain" crap off it all the time.

At £20k I'd get a newer Elise R or Exige N/A rather than a leggyer/older Exige S.

I'd agree an S is woth it if the budget allows. A/C whilst not essential on the Elise I would say was important on an Exige - the cabin can get hot. You can take the roof off an Exige and also convert it to take the soft-top, but check with your insurance first as this could invalidate it.

Regards what to look for - anything older than late 06 either needs to have had the new heater matrix, or an allowance to do it (front clam off job), as it will go.

Check carefully for poor repairs to the clams. Go for an 06 on car as these had some enhancements like LED rear lights, drive by wire throttle.

LOADS of info at seloc.org

If you will use the car regularly on the road, then touring pack is nice, as is traction control.

These cars are quite sensitive to colour, so do your research as if you don't plan to keep it for a very long time, some colours can be harder to sell on and have a smaller market.

Edited by eowen on Friday 10th April 15:59

Edited by eowen on Friday 10th April 16:00

[andy_s]

ruston said:

As to it being a first car, as long as you are sensible and appreciate what it is you are buying, then there is no reason why not. However, assuming you have little driving experience, I would strongly recommend some driver training (www.carlimits.com being a good start) before you start to explore the full performance on offer.

Best advice yet.

[STEVEY_SC]

"Should I be wary of buying cars with 30k miles on the clock? Is there a specific mileage where a major service is required which would be expensive?"

Not at all. Mine has done 57k miles (had it since 8k miles) and hasn't missed a beat. The car cost me peanuts to run (~£500 per year + tyres) up until the point where I was doing track days and got a Katana conversion. At 50k miles things like suspension bushes, steering racks, clutch & suspension start to get a little tired. It's also important you get a GEO done every year as it can make a massive difference to the car's handling.

Not many engine failures reported on the toyota cars, in fact almost all I've heard of are due to driver error (downshifting and buzzing the engine). Make sure the oil is topped up and you can't go wrong.

If I was in the market I'd get a cheap Exige S @ 22k or so.

[fhwong]

eowen said:

Welcome.

All my Elises/Exiges have lived outside. Not much metal to rust, and they haven't leaked. I do keep my current Elise under an outdoor breathable cover, mainly because I get fed up of cleaning that "dusty rain" crap off it all the time.

At £20k I'd get a newer Elise R or Exige N/A rather than a leggyer/older Exige S.

I'd agree an S is woth it if the budget allows. A/C whilst not essential on the Elise I would say was important on an Exige - the cabin can get hot. You can take the roof off an Exige and also convert it to take the soft-top, but check with your insurance first as this could invalidate it.

Regards what to look for - anything older than late 06 either needs to have had the new heater matrix, or an allowance to do it (front clam off job), as it will go.

Check carefully for poor repairs to the clams. Go for an 06 on car as these had some enhancements like LED rear lights, drive by wire throttle.

LOADS of info at seloc.org

If you will use the car regularly on the road, then touring pack is nice, as is traction control.

These cars are quite sensitive to colour, so do your research as if you don't plan to keep it for a very long time, some colours can be harder to sell on and have a smaller market.

A late 06 model is going to be difficult for me to get with only £20k. They all seem to be around the £25k mark.

I will almost definitely be going for NA Exige with Air Con.

Having only started looking at the Exige how has it faired with the credit crunch and depreciation? Have the prices dropped or are they holding steady?

[The Bandit]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/924374.htm

Speak to Ken Morgan down there,very helpful bloke

[Mclovin]

dont listen to them when they say track use means its better looked after....every tracked one i've seen the owners usually swear that the car has had no expense spared on it but that usually means annual road car servicing....track use means more wear and tear to the car and more things likely to go wrong in the short term because the owner that is trying to get the best price is not going to spend money renewing and refreshing things like toe links, clutch, suspension, rack, disks etc

[Justin S]

If I was looking for an Exige, I would look at a normally aspirated 190 and get a Katana kit.You can get a sensible 190 for 17k and then when you get used to it bolt on the charger.Will give more power than standard s and with the price of the s cars being more than the car purchase and kit, would be rude not to do it. I still like the wind in the hair motoring.Yes, you can take the roof off the Exige, but for convenience, the elise is easier and is also a bit more forgiving in the wet. You could get the 190 in the elise, although security maybe an issue if you live in an iffy area with a soft top.

[4pot]

Mclovin said:

dont listen to them when they say track use means its better looked after....every tracked one i've seen the owners usually swear that the car has had no expense spared on it but that usually means annual road car servicing....track use means more wear and tear to the car and more things likely to go wrong in the short term because the owner that is trying to get the best price is not going to spend money renewing and refreshing things like toe links, clutch, suspension, rack, disks etc

I see your thinking, but you will find the vast majority of Elise & Exige's used on track are very well looked after. Why? Well because they have to be, to ensure the cars not going have a failure whilst on track.

Like anything, there'll be one or two cars that fit your description, but this would be the exception as opposed to the norm.

What you really have to look out for are cars with limited mileage, as due to the lack of use, have a variety of niggles.

[The Bandit]

Mclovin said:

dont listen to them when they say track use means its better looked after....every tracked one i've seen the owners usually swear that the car has had no expense spared on it but that usually means annual road car servicing....track use means more wear and tear to the car and more things likely to go wrong in the short term because the owner that is trying to get the best price is not going to spend money renewing and refreshing things like toe links, clutch, suspension, rack, disks etc

What a load of bks.

Unless its an ex Silverstone track basher or the like,reasonable track use does'nt do these cars any harm-what do you think an Exige is designed for ??
These cars are very light on consumables,relatively speaking,and most people upgrade suspension/brakes/toelinks etc anyway for track use.

Its not a Porsche for Christs sake!

[RonnieP]

Only Exige is an S1 - S2ers are imposters