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Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024

Eric

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Eric last won the day on November 18 2023

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About Eric

  • Birthday 01/04/2005

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Warwickshire
  • Interests
    Lotii and stuff.

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  • Car Type
    Evora SR, Elise 220
  • Car Colour
    Nightfall B, Laser B

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  1. Eric

    Newbie

    Hi Jack Well, I'm about to throw another spanner into the works (so to speak). Having owned multiple Elise / Exige variants since 2006, I've got two recommendations for you... First up is an Elise model called the "SC". This has the Toyota 2ZZ engine with a very neatly integrated little supercharger that raises the power output to 217 bhp from the N/A 2ZZ's standard 197 bhp. It make a massive difference though because, along with the 2ZZ's appetite for revs, it only provides a much needed boost to mid-range torque, maxing out at 212 Nm. I loved my SC - it was damn near perfect! Next up is a model simply called the "S" (but beware 'cause Lotus have had two S designations, both with 1.8 Toyota engines). However, the first S (introduced around 2006 / 2007) was a bit limp-wristed since it was fitted with the basic, N/A 1ZZ engine putting out just 134 bhp. The much more interesting S (which was subsequently renamed the "220 Sport") was introduced around 2014 and ushered in Toyota's lovely 2ZR engine that completely replaced the 2ZZ. Now we're talking! This variant was only ever produced with a supercharger pumping out 217 bhp (same as the SC, in fact), but with a much flatter (and fatter) torque curve, maxing out at 250 Nm. And, along with new engine, Lotus also fitted a new gearbox with slightly longer ratios that makes the car just that tiny bit more civilized for, say, long motorway runs. I also loved my S - it was perfect! [Now back in a 220 Sport after having to part my beloved S back in 2021 though 🥰]. Looks like you may have already been swayed by multiple votes for the S1 and its dodgy K-series engine, but personally, I'd take advantage of all the progress made by Lotus since the S1 and wait a bit to try and grab yourself a good SC or later S. Just one postscript concerning the Elise 1.6 (yes, there is such a thing), fitted with Toyota's basic, N/A 1ZR engine. Avoid like the plague, even though they might look like good value!!
  2. I really like Hobnobs, especially the milk chocolate ones .
  3. Selling to a dealer will always be disappointing in terms of their PX offer. As Duncx says: "it's the cost to change that you need to be focussing on" and that's the figure I've always used to determine whether any given deal is worth it. Just to throw a spanner into the works though. Have you driven an Exige 350? I tried one at Lotus Silverstone a few years back and was totally underwhelmed by it. I would suggest lining up test drives in both a 350 and a recent Elise 220 Sport. You may actually find that the Elise is far more agreeable, being smaller, lighter, more nimble, and still very, very quick!
  4. Haha - yes, but the buying is just a means to an end. The driving is, of course, the most important bit.
  5. I think you're right about the S2 Exige as a daily. The Exige S I bought as my first ever Lotus was, shall we say, just a bit too extreme for a first time experience of Lotus life. That's why I went "down" to an Elise R, which was excellent in its own way, but I eventually tired of having to rev the nuts off it to make decent progress! The Elise SC (which then replaced the R) was absolutely bang on the money though - in fact, very close to perfection.
  6. The forums are a bit quiet at the moment, so thought I'd fire up a new thread with a whirlwind tour of my Lotus journey . Mine started back in 2006 with this ex-Lotus 2006 Exige S (a 2ZZ screamer with a very addictive chain saw supercharger sound-track) in Storm Titatium, bought from Nick Wale Sports Cars in Bromsgrove... Next up was 2007 and a brand new Elise R (with N/A 2ZZ screamer) in Canyon Red with cream leather interior, bought from Lipscomb down in Maidstone. The car was already in their showroom just begging to be bought!! Then... in 2008, along came a factory ordered Elise SC (another 2ZZ screamer but now with neat little integrated supercharger. Never once had any heat-soak probs though), in Canyon Red with cream leather interior (yep, again!), bought from Hadley Green down in Barnet. Loved that car, and only decided to sell in 2011 when temptation got the better of me with a once-only opportunity (up next)... And this is why, in 2011. A brand new 2011 Exige S 240 PP (with 2ZZ screamer, monster supercharger, and AP Racing big brake kit) in Ardent Red with black leather interior (didn't really have a choice). This car was already in the showroom at Stratstone in Leicester and after a couple of hours of tough(ish) face-to-face negotiating, the deal was done. Gosh, another Lotus that I loved to bits... and guess what, only decided to sell because of yet another once-only opportunity (up next!)... And this was in 2015. A brand new N/A Evora SR in Nightfall Blue with superb Recaros covered in premium Venom Red leather (and black piping). The car was in the showroom at Westover Sports Cars down in Poole (now part of the Hendy Group, of course). And it's still mine after 25,000 blissful miles, and still love it to bits. The only change I had to make was to have those dowdy black wheels professionally re-finished in silver. It's on its second set of Pirelli P-Zero Corsa rears, but I suspect next time it'll be Michelins... I did kind-of skip part of the story, but only to maintain the flow of successors. Anyway, in 2014 I had the idea of buying (don't laugh) a 1.6 Elise to use as a daily driver. So... off I went to Lotus Silverstone in January and dropped in a factory order!! Aimee couldn't quite believe how easy and straight forward that was - I knew exactly what I wanted, what extras to include (pretty much everything), colour, etc. And that was it, the car arrived at Lotus Silverstone after a humongous delay due to a massive specification cock-up (Lotus first built a left-hand drive car!!!), and then a shortage of parts. I think it's fair to say that buying that car was a huge mistake - the 1.6 was (IMHO) one of the worst cars Lotus ever produced and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. And I did - later in 2014 I did a trawl round all of the Lotus dealers at the time, asking whether they had any factory orders in the pipeline, and Westover came through again, with an Elise S (supercharged 2ZR) order already submitted that just needed tweaks to the final spec. So... off I went down to Poole and test drove an in-stock Elise S. Wow, what a revelation - I was blown away by the new-found mid-range grunt of that 2ZR, and also a very strong top-end too. Once again though (and mainly because of Lotus' unmissable 0% 50/50 offer at the time), I ticked almost every option available - Ardent Red, Touring Pack with black leather, Sport Pack, AirCon, and Hardtop. It also took longer to arrive than anticipated (thanks once again to a parts shortage at the factory), but it was worth every minute of the wait... Sadly, I had to sell my beloved Elise S in 2021 due to serious illness. But... we're not done yet, because after a long recovery, I started to get the Elise itch again around mid 2022 - ha!! And so started the search for a low mileage car with a good history, and, after a fairly dodgy start (I won't go into detail about that yellow piece of sh*t - bought from JCT600 and returned for a full refund), I found this one - a 2015 Elise S with 8,500 miles on it and a full Lotus main dealer service history, down at Caffyns Lotus in deepest Kent. It had all the right bits - premium paintwork in Aspen White, Touring Pack, Sport Pack, AirCon, and very good PPF. So, nipped down to Caffyns in October 2022, had a test drive (all good) and did the deal. Car arrived on a low-loader soon after... Now, you might think that this was the journey's happy ending, but you just never know what opportunities are going to pop up next!! And when this next beauty came up for sale, well, it was love at first sight (yuk I know, but true), so Hoffmans was paid a visit and the deal was done in early August this year - a pristine 2017 (2017.5 MY) Elise Sport 220 in Laser Blue with alcantara interior and Red interior color pack, AirCon, silver forged alloys with red calipers, 6,500 miles and full service history (plus geo set-up) at Hangar 111. It is most definitely a keeper and completes my perfect pairing... So that's it folks. How about YOUR Lotus journey?
  7. Quick question for the directors... Will we be having a photo competition for the 2024 MLOC Calendar?
  8. You can buy the filter from Elise Parts here... Elise Parts or from a Lotus dealer (if you're particularly fussy about where the part was sourced from) .
  9. Have a look at the official parts diagram here... Bell and Colvill The add-on TRD airbox and sandwich plate was available as part A127E6002F back in the day but is no longer available. You can, however (as I discovered recently), still buy the filter element itself from any Lotus dealer: part A127E6003F. It is a bit of a nightmare to fit though, so be warned!
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