M@r]{

So did you buy the Vantage?!

They do look good, I'm tempted. You've probably seen the guy with the yellow V6 Exige (HE11 SLO), he's had them for a while, apparently, they had to keep going back as they kept failing. May have been early sets so better now? Anyway, EliseShop supply them now, so at least if there are issues you have someone local to deal with returns rather than shipping back to the states. Only thing stopping me now is I can't decide what style to get, there are about 4 different options, tinted lenses, reflectors etc

I love the Vantage, lucky enough to have two over the last 4 years. First was a manual V8 Vantage Roadster MY2008 (57 plate) Sounded great, made you feel really special driving it and always an occasion. Definitely got a lot of appreciation and courtesy on the road. Sports Cats perfect the sound and give a little more performance. The 4.3 isn't that quick, needs it neck wrung to get the most out of it, but the sound and the theatre that creates makes up for it. Just don't expect to be competitive on track, it's a road car. A common issue to look out for is the clutch, they tend to go after 40-60k miles. Sportshifts are particularly susceptible. Cost around £5k. Most tend to go for an uprated one with lightened flywheel, helps with the heavy clutch. The other common issue is LED failure on the front sidelights. At the time it was a new headlight job at £1500 each. However I'm still a member of some groups and it seems there are people out there now who will split them and replace the LEDs, no experience of this though. If you can stretch to the 4.7 do so. 4.3 are still great though, try to get the MY2007+ though, revised seats, Bluetooth and some other tweaks and improvements. Dealer support is good and some great independents about to use for servicing, upgrades and maintenance. Bamford Rose, McGuirks and my preferred choice, David Appleby engineering. Earlier suggestions that servicing is stupidly expensive aren't accurate. £300-£800 for most services. I suppose it's relative, it's not cheap, but not Ferrari, Lambo stupidly expensive. More high end BMW money. Anyway sold mine to Marcus when I made the decision to upgrade.... ......to my second one, my dream car, a MY2011 V12 manual coupe. I so loved that car. Had the performance to match the looks and the sound!!! Nothing like it. I got rid of that in the end as I wasn't using it that much. I'm not a millionaire, so that money tied up in that car was life-changing for me, I was just too worried about losing it by putting miles on the clock or getting car park dings. So made the really hard decision to move it on. Started looking again though, but think unless I come into some money my head will win this battle and I'll stick with what I have.

I know Jonny, your input is really appreciated. I need people to table any ideas as I'm a bit baffled. What I was getting at is this car is no heavier than my last Exige, that had 40bhp (actually after Hangar 111 dyno'd it seems it was more like 60bhp less) than this car. Yet this car feels slower. I've no doubt there are some weight savings to be had, but this particular issue I don't believe is related to weight, something else is slowing it down. Once I've got to the bottom of this I'd love to pick your brains sometime and get some ideas about how to get the weight down on this.

Thanks for that input, it is looking more and more that drag is the issue. Will definitely have a play with some settings at Rockingham on the 8th

I’m surprised you say that, a standard Exige is booked at over 900kg? (And I’m comparing this with my last Exige) And I imagine that Lotus quotes oem figure is without any fuel. My car was fully wet when weighed, oil, water and half a tank of fuel. I’m not sure when Lotus quote the oem cars weight all that is included either?

I want that!!! Looks great. Can I pay you to do mine?

Blyton - struggled to keep up on the straights with a factory Elise SC. Other Exige SC seem to pull on me. Spa last week, can run out of puff at 120 down the back straight. Just doesn't feel as quick as my last exige (260bhp) So took it along to CAD motorsport today, they have a Dyno and lots of experience with Lotus. Stuck it on the dyno and....... What the actual f**k. I really did think it would get around 200bhp. Apparently this dyno under reads compared to most (fondly nicknamed the heart-breaker) I'm baffled, don't get it. It definitely doesn't feel that quick out on track. Alan stuck it on his scales, just over 900kg wet with half a tank of fuel. So it's not weight. Spoiler is set at max rake so could be acting as an air brake? But that would only effect at high speed right? Springs are quite soft, tyres show rubbing, perhaps the downforce is so high it's pushing the car on to the tyres? But wouldn't I see plumbs of tyre smoke? Part of me is over the moon that the car is obviously in very good health, but part of me is disappointed that I still don't know what the issue is (or is it just me?) Someone want to give me a ride out in their Exige so I can compare?

Really like that! Well done

Or buy one...... https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F253658011448

Talk to Craig at DynoTorque in Birmingham. He’s just put an LS3 in to a DeLorean! No idea where the guy lives etc but it’s a lead for you....

That is going to be soooo quick! Congrats mate, can’t wait to see it in the flesh