Thinking of moving to an Evora

[cloud]

Hi all,

I've owned a few lotus's over the years, mainly Elises and Exiges. Now as the wife and I are expecting our first child it seems like a no brainer to get an Evora.. I'll admit I've never driven one or even sat in one, so would any honest input would be great. Especially the bad!

Now while the wife has a Q5 which is fine for pretty much most journeys, she only really drives when I'm not around or when I've been drinking, so I am thinking I could purchase an Evora and use it has my daily driver, but also when going out with the wife/child. 

Firstly, to do this successfully it needs to be reliable, I cannot be doing with waiting for the AA or a replacement part for months from Lotus. It needs to just work as they say.

Secondly, how easy can you get a child seat in the back with the wife also in the front?

Thirdly, I'm used to fairly good infotainment but I assume it isnt too hard to replace the stereo with one that does apple carplay?

I prefer the styling of the S1 Evora, both the exterior and interior compared to the 400 but I'm sure the 400 has many positives over the earlier car and I'd be interested to hear them. Honestly I prefer the Evora GT410 Sport styling over the 400 but at that price I'd probably pick something else as the Evora is a bit too dated for me to part with such cash. 

The gear shift (and clutch) has taken an absolute pasting online so I am also considering the auto options.

Thanks in advance your help.

Edited December 24, 2020 by cloud

[scotty435]

1 hour ago, cloud said:

Hi all,

I've owned a few lotus's over the years, mainly Elises and Exiges. Now as the wife and I are expecting our first child it seems like a no brainer to get an Evora.. I'll admit I've never driven one or even sat in one, so would any honest input would be great. Especially the bad!

Now while the wife has a Q5 which is fine for pretty much most journeys, she only really drives when I'm not around or when I've been drinking, so I am thinking I could purchase an Evora and use it has my daily driver, but also when going out with the wife/child. 

Firstly, to do this successfully it needs to be reliable, I cannot be doing with waiting for the AA or a replacement part for months from Lotus. It needs to just work as they say.

Secondly, how easy can you get a child seat in the back with the wife also in the front?

Thirdly, I'm used to fairly good infotainment but I assume it isnt too hard to replace the stereo with one that does apple carplay?

I prefer the styling of the S1 Evora, both the exterior and interior compared to the 400 but I'm sure the 400 has many positives over the earlier car and I'd be interested to hear them. Honestly I prefer the Evora GT410 Sport styling over the 400 but at that price I'd probably pick something else as the Evora is a bit too dated for me to part with such cash. 

The gear shift (and clutch) has taken an absolute pasting online so I am also considering the auto options.

Thanks in advance your help.

Like you I have many lotus cars Elise and Exige and a Evora S1 stock NA and now the latest 410 GTsport. The early versions of the Evora get and I don’t no why unfair criticism, my NA was fantastic, gear change as good as my 2020 410. My 2010 na did have a pioneer stereo upgrade with Apple car play, just as good as the latest car head unit if not better. Depending what previous lotus you have had you might find a NA underpowered because no matter what people say it is. That saying it can be a great daily.

[cloud]

Yeah I think I'll need a supercharged version.

I briefly had a V6 Exige when they first came out but it was a true friday afternoon car and I ended up returning it.

[jep]

Welcome to TLF.

My 10 year old NA has been great in the 3 years I have owned it. Amply fast enough, even when I drive it back to back against a 600bhp alternative. But only you can decide what is right for you, power-wise. 

If you will resent the car for breaking down, you could be disillusioned very quickly. Modern Lotus are very reliable but you should not expect mass-production levels of efficiency. Evora is a niche product but at a relatively normal price point compared to other low volume sports cars (for a myriad of reasons). In reality, you are paying for the low mass, ride, handling and steering - you could say the rest of the car is free. That is the rub and I think best to accept this going in, rather than be frustrated if the odd hic-cup occurs. 

Gear change: derogatory comments miss the point. The gear change is supposed to be 'mechanical' and a bit old school. When you are pushing hard on your favourite B road, you really don't think twice about it. 

I have never had a parts supply problem with Lotus in 30 years with the marque but again, you cannot expect a company making 2000 cars a year to be like Nissan.

I very much doubt you will have any problems but you have to give some slack. The Evora is a very special driving experience, an 'event' car that I have used far more than I thought I would. I basically use it daily but alternate with some classics. 

Book a test drive with a Lotus dealer - Bell and Colvill will allow an extended run out, as I am sure Lotus Silverstone would.

Justin 

 

[C8RKH]

I've had an NA and have a Sport 410. With trepidation I have to disagree with @scotty435that the NA is underpowered. Despite having an extra 135bhp or so in the 410 I do miss the involvement of the NA. 

The 410 is blindingly fast, but the NA, to me, was more rewarding to drive fast on the road  The damping on the NA is simply just wonderful. You can realy feel the car "settling down" and hunkering into the corner and as you apply the throttle on exit it just settles down further and provides more grip. When "on it" in the NA you feel and hear when the car switches its timing/cam and the sheer satisfaction of driving a manual NA at 4-7k revs using the gears is just divine. There are many professional drivers who have chosen the NA as their preference and that is because of how it drives. Add into the mix much better economy, much lower car tax and consumables and as a daily it makes perfect sense surely? On IoM and other trips my NA was never dropped by an S, a 400, a V10 R8 and a host of other performance cars. Hence my view it is not underpowered.

My NA was 2010 and never missed a beat. The drivers window actuator failed but that was fixed under warranty. Nothing else in my ownership. My NA gearchange was as good as my 410 is.  The main issue (same with ALL Evoras is the clutch - it's clam off to change so anywhere between £1800 and £3500 to change depending where you go). There is a poll on here that shows most even with highish miles are still on first clutch. 

There are several threads on here re baby seats in an Evora and many options. Also many examples on here of 2 adults, 2 kids and a dog in an Evora the latest pic being from @Barrykearley.

I changed my head unit no issue and DAB worked fine with a stick on windscreen aerial. Plenty others have changed theirs with no issue.

Do remember that the 4xx cars are easier to enter/exit as the sills are considerably lower. However the S1 has the superb Recaro seats and a more Exige like fitted feel.

The S is a great car, it adds BHP at the expense of weight that raises the CoG and the bigger wheels spoil the ride slightly and mean pricier tyres over the NA.

The 4xx cars are superb too. They sound immense but will depreciate still over an S1. I ran my S1 for 4 years and it dropped me £500 in depreciation (no I did not drop off a "0" there) when I px'd it for my 410.  

Do buy on condition and service history. It's a Toyota engine and bullet proof as a result. On the S1 do look closely at the passenger airbag cover, which is prone to warping, and the leather on the dash along the windscreen which is prone to shrinking at splitting at the centre seam. They don't affect the drive, just look unsightly and are expensive (time consuming) to fix! These are not an issue in 4xx cars.

Drive an NA hard and you'll love it. Drive an S hard and I think you'll wonder what your really getting over the NA for your dosh. Undoubtedly the S will be quicker on track, the 4xx cars quicker again.

sorry for the rambling response. Maybe the best way to finish is to say would I have my NA back? Hell yes. Sat next to my 410 in the garage would I always choose the 410 for a spirited Sunday drive? Hell no. Would I consider an S over my NA? Hmmmmm, would need to think about it and colour/spec choice at time between NA and S would probably be the deciding factor.

Good luck with your search. You won't regret it (Oh, and yes you can get a buggy and change bag in the boot!).

[jamesbilluk]

I used to have an Exige S, and now have just purchased an Evora N/A. The Evora for me, is fast enough to be honest, and sounds fantastic. Mines a daily driver, the N/A does get better MPG, and cheaper tax too. 

Reliability wise, it's been a bit annoying as a start, (windows failing the day after  I bought it) I have to keep on reminding my self its an hand built 11 year old car with 68000 miles!  The car seems generally very rattle free though! And my gearbox action is lovely. They really are an experience to drive, and that suspension is magic! It is an event to drive, and one that everyone else seems to like too. 

Our little one is 18 months old now, and is a front facing, that fits OK in the back, the front seat is quite far forward though, we did manage to get a baby carrier, and some other things in the boot too. I'm sure I've read of people getting a rear facing seat in the back. 

Edited December 25, 2020 by jamesbilluk

[Barrykearley]

It’s all down to luck on some older cars. Mileage and price balance is key.

Folks do seem to forget these cars are 10 plus years old now - so stuff will need replacement and fettling. It’s about the driving experience and that’s fantastic.

I’ve had a few folks message me about mine - they’ve asked all the typical questions about clutches, windows and service history. Some information on forums is invaluable - but the plain hysteria behind some of the minor issues that so rarely occur is ridiculous.

The stereo, reverse camera and boot seals are indeed shit however.

 

And if you are ham fisted enough to struggle changing gear in a car then frankly you should buy a bloody auto

[C8RKH]

3 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

the plain hysteria behind some of the minor issues that so rarely occur is ridiculous.

So true. Usually brought up by non owners too lol.

[Barrykearley]

Sadly @C8RKH when folks are doing research all they find is bad news - oh and the missing cup holder issue.

I now know why I hate selling some cars - as answering some becomes a real chore. I’ll advertise mine in the new year properly - or punt it into a mates garage for him to sell. But at £25k with full history and 20k on the clock I’m really not sure what folks worry about. 

[C8RKH]

3 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

I’m really not sure what folks worry about

The thing that makes me laugh Barry is that it is often "owners" or "Lotus fans" that are talking the cars down and the problems up!  As you say, you buy a 170mph, 0-60 in under 5 secs car, 8-10 years old with 20-40k miles on the clock for £25-30k in great condition and all many people want to do is point of the negatives!  Barmy indeed.

For the performance on offer the Evora must be one of the bargains of the century out there and even if you factor in one clutch change in your ownership period it will still be much less to maintain than other "exotics" with similar performance.

At £25k with 20k on the clock I might bloody well buy it off you! Absolute bargain. Pity it has those bloody biohazard seats in the back 

 

[jamesbilluk]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

The thing that makes me laugh Barry is that it is often "owners" or "Lotus fans" that are talking the cars down and the problems up!  As you say, you buy a 170mph, 0-60 in under 5 secs car, 8-10 years old with 20-40k miles on the clock for £25-30k in great condition and all many people want to do is point of the negatives!  Barmy indeed.

For the performance on offer the Evora must be one of the bargains of the century out there and even if you factor in one clutch change in your ownership period it will still be much less to maintain than other "exotics" with similar performance.

At £25k with 20k on the clock I might bloody well buy it off you! Absolute bargain. Pity it has those bloody biohazard seats in the back 

 

Seems a shame with quite a few car brands, various issues being blown out of proportion. My last car (bmw i8) has a very small percentage of  issues that can happen, but is all you read about on the Facebook group, and my brother, who has a 996, IMS bearings are always mentioned, but also rare. 

I'm quite pleased its just the windows on mine that are having a moment! 

[Barrykearley]

Always worth remembering never to drive an i8 in Bromyard 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jEXGEJc93vE

[jamesbilluk]

1 hour ago, Barrykearley said:

Always worth remembering never to drive an i8 in Bromyard 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jEXGEJc93vE

Ah yes! I remember seeing that, quite an expensive mistake there..

[C8RKH]

For once you cannot blame the BMW driver for queue jumping as the guy with the yellow flag clearly waved him on. Wonder if the organisers insurance had to pay?

[cloud]

Thanks chaps.

If an old S isn't going to be reliable I'll get a newer one, a daily for me needs to be reliable. If an Evora can't do that then I'll get a 911 instead. Which would be a shame.

I strongly disagree with the ham fisted gear change comment, none of my lotuses have ever had what I would call a great gear change. They get worse when driving hard in my experience, maybe the Evora change is much better than the V6 Exige's change, I hope it is.

Happy to try an NA, perhaps I wouldn't need an S. I do have a mclaren if I want scary acceleration.

Problems do get blown out of proportion online, so good to hear the clutch issues are sorted.

[Barrykearley]

All evoras are reliable - more so than any pork. 
Gear change wise - the only poor change I’ve ever found in a lotus was on my esprit when the linkage was knackered. Maybe I’m just used to driving old triumphs - the lotus gear changes are like a rifle bolt and very precise.

 

worth bearing in mind the tax brackets for ved. The NA is cheap as is the 400 series cars - the S as I recall is over £500 a year

[Bravo73]

9 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

oh and the missing cup holder issue.

Er, your car has got two. RTFM. 
 

😉

[Barrykearley]

Not that you can fit a decent brew travel mug in there ain’t 😎

comeon - don’t try and gloss over the biggest failing of all 😬

[exeterjeep]

2 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

worth bearing in mind the tax brackets for ved. The NA is cheap as is the 400 series cars - the S as I recall is over £500 a year

My S was £555, the gt430 is £475  

[Bruss]

You are going to buy the best driving car on the road that is a sports GT and you are worried about cup holders and car tax?

Both my early dealer purchase S and my current later factory purchase, but first S built have had no gearchange issues. The early cars do need a cable upgrade to the later type as they go stiff very quickly- heat related and routing issues. Other than that the gearchange is dependent on correct adjustment. It's not difficult but you really need to remind your service dealer/mechanic to do it each time it goes in.

The only other issue that I haven't had but more than the average has, is water ingress so check that out on any purchase. Any signs of dampness will need fixing somewhere, not just drying out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cloud]

12 minutes ago, Bruss said:

You are going to buy the best driving car on the road that is a sports GT and you are worried about cup holders and car tax?

 

 

Who me?

[Bruss]

Someone is worried, I may have rolled more than one reply in together so apologies.

I just get a little fed up with some of the negative comments about the Evora. They have had problems and continuous upgrades and fixes as any car does but cup holders? Really? Having to pay car tax on a 80k and upwards car? Really?

 

 

[Barrykearley]

Maybe @Bruss the gentle piss taking has been somewhat subtle 🤭

mpg is better on the NA as well 💪

[cloud]

Ah okay I'm no hater at all. I can't think of a single car other than the Evora that has 4 seats and is mid engined. I'd like to see Lotus invest some serious cash into the Evora but I believe it will be soon dropped.

[Bravo73]

19 minutes ago, cloud said:

I can't think of a single car other than the Evora that has 4 seats and is mid engined.

Ferrari made a couple - 308 GT4 & Mondial. 

But they are both a bit older than an Evora. The obvious ‘4 seats with the engine in the back’ equivalent is a Beetle. AKA 911.