On The Hunt For My First Elise

[nordberg]

Glad you are happy with your new purchase

 

I am always amazed at how well the car travels on the poor UK roads. My wife says the Elise is the comfiest car she has driven in. We dis 3k miles in 2005 on the Stelvio Pass and she didn't complain once.

 

Enjoy

[chris_h]

Or is it that you couldn't hear her complain!

[E1Geoff]

Well as promised here are a couple of pictures (taken after its first clean...well after its first clean + 80 mile journey). I stripped the interior out on friday and hoovered out what must have been all 38k's worth of crap. Under the pass seat was a ring, 2 packs of tissues, and pink air fresher, an unexplained key, and a shedload of dusy... no change though!

 

 

 

I've done the best part of 600 miles in it now and I don't see the grin ever coming off my face, can't wait to get it onto a track!

 

I'd like to get some opinions on a few bits I've noticed from those with some experience:

1) When warmed up and edging along in traffic, with a slight blip of throttle the revs seem to hang a bit, before dropping back to idle - is this a normal quirk?

2) Theres a fair bit of vibration at idle once warmed up (although the speed is reasonable solid at about 850-900rpm) again is this normal and to be expected?

3) Once warmed up I can hear the ticking of the valves reasonably clearly at moderate speed and RPM, I'm expecting this is probably normal, and I'm only noticing it because the engine is right behind my head, but still wanted to confirm it is?

4) I had to do a semi-permanent repair on the heatshield around the exhaust U bend where the lamda sensor is mounted as the mounting holes had split and it had fallen loose. I intended to access it by removing the rear 'grill' that the reg plate is mounted on, but after getting all the bolts off and getting it loose, I couldn't actually withdraw it because of the flange at the top of the grill itself, and also the heatshield rivetted to it wouldnt fit throught the gap between the clam and silencer heatshield - is it a clam off job to take this out or was I missing a trick? Following from this, how is the exhaust removed?

 

 

 

All in all its been great so far, starts instantly, drives great and getting the soft top off on saturday in the sun was a pleasure. Next thing to do is get it booked in with Allon White for a geo check and wheel balancing and a health check from an expert eye.

[darryl]

Hi Geoff,

 

Happy to hear you are enjoying your special little car, hopefully you will be at Chatsworth in July?

[E1Geoff]

I certainly am!

 

If I can make it I would definitely like to come along, it would be great to meet some other owners and absorb as much knowledge and experience as possible. I'll look into the dates and see what's possible!

[marky_p72]

Hi Geoff

I'm new around here swell, having purchased my 1st Lotus in December (a 111r).

With regard to your question 1) and the revs hanging on before settling down - mine does the same and I had wondered the same thing, so will now assume that's normal!!

 

Mark

[E1Geoff]

Hi Geoff

I'm new around here swell, having purchased my 1st Lotus in December (a 111r).

With regard to your question 1) and the revs hanging on before settling down - mine does the same and I had wondered the same thing, so will now assume that's normal!!

 

Mark

 

 

Hi Mark,

 

Great to hear from a fellow new owner, I hope your enjoying the car, December's a brave month to take ownership of your first Elise! Fortunately the weather has been mild. Thats interesting, I'm certainly happy to accept is normal in that case, it doesn't seem to affect drivability so I'll be forgetting about that one then

[marky_p72]

Yep, loving the car - especially now it's warming up! I picked it up on 30th Dec, so not too bad, but my patience has been tested waiting for the weather! I'm heading over to Snetterton on Saturday to see some Lotus racing and have a 'car limits' day booked for next week!

[TimSportsTourer]

Yay! A Walshy day in an Elise. Surely the best fun there is! Enjoy! Glad you are enjoying it - but not surprised. All the feelings you describe seem completely natural to me, and probably to pretty much everyone else here too. I've never owned a 111R, but I sure wanted to. I accidentally bought an Esprit while waiting to fine 'the one'. I think the 111R is a truly marvellous combination. Good luck with it, but do be careful on wet roads. Don't join the (large) club on here of people who learned this the hard way.