Upkeep Costs

[Scott_Mac]

Oh and since then i've also bought a shower cape and a 160TB... so there's another £100.

 

[GCCK]

Don't worry - Elises can be REALLY cheap to run. Had mine 18 months (S1, 99 vintage) and apart from a B service and a wonky window, I've not shelled out so much as a penny (er, not counting the autocation with a roadsign).

 

Admittedly that's about to change:

Headlamp covers & S2 wiper (bought - must fit them)

1st Lotus day - words of wisdom from the driving deity, Andrew Walsh - shake down suspension, shopping list

S2 suspension

Advans + Geo

Clutch trunnion & gear linkage kit

C service incl cambelt

 

Budget £1700

 

 

Subject to bonus:

Head job at time of C service/ cambelt

Induction & Exhaust

Braided hoses + Pagid pads

Budget - up to £3000

 

Graeme

[Dixie]

I shouldn't worry to much about bills. The cars are so easy to work on! I changed a heater matrix in just under 2 hours in the dark last month!! Bits are realtively cheap, and the engines are fairly bomb proof. I can't see it being any worse than many of the other sports cars in the same price range on the market.

 

Although you'll never know unless you try it!! Go on!!!!

[Skute]

wow! Thanks for all the responses. Ill try to get some replies out here:

 

Lotus 1st Driving Day:

Does that actually lower your insurance? I presume they teach you howto drive your Elise properly?

 

Have you taken along RAC / AA or someone to look at a car when you bought it? Or you use a more specialist person closer to Lotus?

 

A/B/C services - are these distance / yearly services? , ie A every year, B every 3, C every 5 or something? Or just when something goes *boom*?

 

So what are the main things to go wrong?

Red clutch hose, wheel bearings,

 

What difference does the S2 wiper make? And also, whats a "geo" and "shower cape" - last one sounds like the thing old grannies put in their hair to stop the blue rinse coming out haha? Advans are tyres, think i got that much hehe.

 

MattyB:

Finished uni last year, working as a Software Engineer in Derby at the moment.

Driving a toyota corolla g6. Nice car, quite nippy but for the last 2 / 3 years ive been drooling over an Elise, waiting for the day i can actually afford one haha.

 

 

 

So from what your saying i think my budget is gonna run like this:

 

£13,000 Car

£1500 Insurance

£1000 "Extras"

------

 

Approx £15K

 

 

Ouch.

 

Also, whats the approx cost of an MOT from a Lotus approved place?

[malbon]

Lotus 1st Driving Day:

Does that actually lower your insurance? I presume they teach you howto drive your Elise properly?

 

It will for next years premium - as your less likely to total it !

 

Have you taken along RAC / AA or someone to look at a car when you bought it? Or you use a more specialist person closer to Lotus?

 

Best to take a specialist or an owner from one of the boards should be happy to oblige. one that is mechanically minded. unlike me.

 

A/B/C services - are these distance / yearly services? , ie A every year, B every 3, C every 5 or something? Or just when something goes *boom*?

 

Sounds about right. the intervals are 9k. usually goes something like AAABAAC or something like that. so 1,3,5 sound about right. A usually involves checking and an oil change. B usually involves checking, oil change and 50/50 on fixing something dependent on age/mileage/usage

 

So what are the main things to go wrong?

Red clutch hose, wheel bearings,

 

Head Gasket Failure is common (ish) costs about £400 to fix. Wheel bearings, Track Rod Ends, steering gaitors, ball joints do wear. The suspension is hard so they do need replacing now and again.

 

What difference does the S2 wiper make? And also, whats a "geo" and "shower cape" - last one sounds like the thing old grannies put in their hair to stop the blue rinse coming out haha? Advans are tyres, think i got that much hehe.

 

S1 wiper is like a chocolate fireguard. S2 one works - just. shower cape is used because all S1 hoods leak a little bit. Pirelli tyres on the elise are crap so Yoko Advans or Toyo Proxyes are the replacement favourites. Geo or geometry check is used to make sure the wheels are facing the right way ! so that the car handles like it was guilt to handle. Little knocks like curbing can put it out. recommended to do it once a year really. costs about a ton.

 

Don't bother with the MOT from Lotus. Anyone can do it. Its an easy car to work on. don't let people tell you its unreliable and prone to problems.

 

Its a bathtub with a rover engine and a hard suspension. The engine can break and the suspension will wear but it won't cost you an arm and a leg if u get a good one to start with.

 

Day off sick ? - YES.

Bored ? - YES

 

[Skute]

Ahh, cheers for breaking it all down

 

I guess the only thing left todo now is the hardest bit, raise the finances lol.

[Wuddie]

The shower cape has a a better use than Malbon's "it covers the leaks up" use When its a nice sunny day and your out driving, say you pull in to a pub but dont want to put the roof back on, then you can use your shower cape, 1 it will protect the car from getting wet if there is a "shower" and 2 it will stop people from seeing your nice shiny Stereo, mobile phone etc that you might have left in the car.

 

Probably one of the most useful things i have bought for my car.