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Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024

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  1. Today
  2. It was not on track, on road. I think the problem is an Aston, McLaren or even a Range Rover 😵‍💫 has much more family appeal.
  3. Thanks for that info. We'll if there's no interest in s1 exige rides then I have no chance in my elise. I certainly don't want to join if all I will be doing is sitting around 🙈
  4. I was a member, good cause. I went to one event offering dream rides at Donington. Fair to say the general public has no interest in an S1 Exige. I only gave rides to other sporting bears!
  5. Yes. When I took my car to PJS Sportscars to get it's Geometry setup, I asked them to give the car a good check whist it was up in the air. I was happy to pay a little extra labour for the service.
  6. All good points being made. Keep them coming. I think its helpful to get the full range of views out there. I completely get that not everyone is confident tackling certain mechanical jobs, therefore its understandable to get a specialist to do the work. I dont think this is a right or wrong topic. There are a lot of factors every owner will consider, so keen to get everyones perspective, as Id say all are valid. A Lotus is in many ways a unique vehicle, and to maintain it properly, needs to be understood. But on the other hand, they have gone back to basics with some to keep things simple, its still a vehicle with a combustion engine (From Rover and Toyota) that functions and performs like any other car. The oil, ignition, cooling, braking, etc are all consumables with recommended replacement timings. In a way I am more confident at replacing those elements, than perhaps the unique features that go with a particular model that perhaps a specialist would spot. i.e. areas that wear and tear and affect performance or go unnoticed. If I go down I the self service route, Id consider doing the consumables and completing a Service Sheet from the service manual. But consider taking it to a specialist to give it an annual mechanical inspection to fully 'check over'. Has anyone used a specialist for an inspection only?
  7. Same for me I enjoy working on my cars and bikes trying different set ups, and improve parts. It is all part of the experience of owning something like a Lotus for me that you can still work on them yourself. In my view a car that has been maintained by an enthusiast would be a better buy that one just serviced by a garage.
  8. Yesterday
  9. This echoes my approach exactly - and you get to improve the car as you go along. And I’ve used the tools many, many times so not only have they paid for themselves, but I’m using them to maintain and fix the other cars in our fleet as well …..👍🏻
  10. I’ve gone down the self service route because I’m confident in my abilities when it comes to doing maintenance and spotting things and because I know that I’m doing it I don’t have to decide if job a or b gets done, both can be done because the labour is just my time so more can be done for the same outlay as using a garage for just one of them. It’s also allowed me to buy and make some tools which has been useful when working on my car. Plus I get 4 months over the winter to play so it’s a win win.
  11. Yes I am. As its on a public road and you're not being paid to give passenger rides, you're normally ok. I recall when I first joined they asked me to get a letter/confirmation from my insurance company I'm covered
  12. All very fair points well made Dean, can’t argue with that….
  13. Hi, is anyone a member of sporting bears, I am thinking of joining but just wanted to see if anyone knows if you require any change in insurance policy? Thanks. Luke
  14. Dave you are not comparing like for like. If a punter had a choice between a car with service stamps from a main dealer or a car that the owner simply serviced himself - and had receipts for consumables - most would ptefer the former, all other things being equal. If however you are comparing a car with service stamps to a car that has been partly disassembled by an enthusiast owner with previous experience (you for example) that has meticulously cleaned, restored or replaced everything that needed it to a proper standard and documented all of it with lots of photos then a prospective purchaser may well prefer the latter. I would add that a really skilled amateur mechanic with experience of these cars can also spot and rectify most if not all of the issues a specialist professional can (I suspect Lithospian is such a chap, so is Martin R) but how would a prospective purchaser know who knows their shit and who doesn't?
  15. Last week
  16. Apart from the tie rod to fit, I'd say the passenger side rear is done with wishbones derusted, painted and lacquered, new bushes and ball joints, caliper painted and new brake flexi and clips, hub cleaned and painted, plus transmission seal replaced
  17. I had an indicator take flight on an 03 111s when it was a month old, the car had various other issues and went back to Lotus to have them all fixed. 10 miles after collecting it the “fixed” unit made another bid for freedom. Lotus fixed the problem by shortening the loom to the indicator😂, which to be fair did solve the problem of it flailing all over the paintwork. The front clips are a real weak point and combined with poor tolerances around the indicator recess they do tend to break at an alarming rate. New units are not cheap(as you now know) there are several fixes out there but the best I’ve found is this one:https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2837864, if you get them made in abs they will solve the flying indicator problem. I got some printed by Shapeways https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace/other?q=uk but that was quite some time ago so there may be cheaper options out there.
  18. Whilst I appreciate where you’re coming from I disagree when it comes to the older K series cars. Continuing the FSH is no guarantee that it’s a good car - so many S1’s for example need a whole heap of stuff doing to be really tip top, and most of that falls outside regular servicing. If I were to get everything done at a garage that I typically do to my Elises it would run into tens of thousands……! The last few of my Elises (and two Evoras for that matter) have sold, sometimes without being advertised, for the same if not a chunk more than the ‘retail’ price, because people want cars that have been properly sorted too to bottom by someone who is very attentive to detail.
  19. Lying on the floor trying to get the under-tray off my Elise was enough to tell me it’s best for someone else to service my car!!! I can do oil/filter/plugs/fluids without too much difficulty. However, due to my inexperience, I don’t spot other areas of concern. This is why I pay for an expert to service my car. Most importantly for me is I expect a lot from my car when driving it hard. Ensuring it’s as good as it possibly can be is worth paying extra for IMHO. I use PJS Sportscars and cannot recommend them highly enough.
  20. I'm capable of doing it myself (and do it on my MGB GT), but Specialist stamps in your Service Book are invaluable if you have to sell. I use my local specialist in Sheffield - David Underwood or enjoy the beautiful scenic drive to Fouldsy at Holmfirth. If you've bought a car with a full specialist Service History Dave, I think it would be a false econiomy to start doing it yourself. Most 'Indys' labour charges are reasonable anyway and the last time I saw a PJS advert, they were very reasonable too.
  21. Ok, so my 2006 S2 has no handbrake cover. Looks like that's how most come out of the factory. Gear shift has the standard perforated leather. Im looking at the option of getting a HB cover, preferably to match the gear leaver cover, looking to keep it as OEM as possible. What have other owners done with their handbrakes? Aftermarket to match? Or a set to swap out for a new look? Nearly all I have seen go over the top and outside. Any neat ones that tuck inside the HB slot? Show us what you got.......
  22. Hi It's not happened to me but I know it isn't unheard of. If you do a search on Seloc there will be threads I'm sure. They aren't Porsches that's for sure!
  23. I service my own S1. Easy enough with the right tools and time. I don't plan on selling ever.
  24. Thanks for the replies. Happy to see more come through..... Ive got the Garage service stamps, up to last year. Its a 2006 model. So not new by any means. But the oil is golden with over a 1k miles since last service, so plan on keeping it in tip top condition. Im just thinking about the next service. I plan on keeping this for the next 5-10 years. Certainly no intention sell in the near future. The Lotus Service document in the manual has all the boxes to tick. With the stamps you dont get the details always. I am thinking of doing it myself and keeping a comprehensive record, receipts etc.
  25. Hello all, just out curiosity has anybody else experienced either one of there front side indicators taking flight mid drive ? I was driving back from Whitchurch yesterday and mine decided to do exactly that. haven’t hit any pot holes, nor had I previously loosened it off around the seals etc…. Just very bizarre as I’ve never had a car like this where bits and pieces just fly off lol. also when getting a replacement as I have now ordered are there any ‘upgrades’ you can do to prevent this as I’ll be honest I’ll be driving with a bit of PTSD. Lol
  26. Another good idea! Really helpful. 👍
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