Viewing my first Evora - buyers advice

[mcdonaa]

Completely agree with Bibs. Buy on condition and service history....NOT worrying about milage (mine is on 78k now).

 

I would say the early clutches are not always heavy and from what I read, a heavy clutch can be a sign that the the plates are worn. Mine is pretty light actually...not far off the Elise I had. My first impression of driving the car when I bought it was NOT "Blimey, this clutch is heavy!")...so I would maybe be concerned with the one you looked at.

Bumper sagging/alignment can be sorted fairly easily (mine isn't great actually!) Same with the headlamp positioning in the front clam...pretty easy to do with the arch liners off.

Most Evoras this age will have some new paint unless they've done ultra low miles. The front bumper chips really easily. I've just had mine sorted, and matching the colour was a mare!

 

If it was me, I wouldn't be buying this car with the big gap in service history. What else (other than oil changes) haven't been done over the last 8 years? That would be my worry. 

[mcdonaa]

1 hour ago, jep said:

Early cars do have a heavy clutch, that's normal and you quickly get used to it. I commute in London with mine, as well as long runs, and heavy clutch is not an issue. 

I'd worry about lack of service history. And potential lack of recent use. COVID is no excuse. 

My car has had in the last 2 years: radiator, clutch master cylinder, starter motor. And in 2020, gearbox rebuilt, clutch, discs, pads. Wheels are being refurbished as I write. FSH, all Lotus main dealer until Steve Williams in 2023. 

Frankly, at £25k, it's a steal! 

Justin 

Honestly...if I didn't have an Evora, I would be all over yours Jep!

For the money too, it's had all the worrisome things done. Main dealer history too. Get along to see it Trevor 😉

[TrevS]

Hi all

Sorry, another quick question. I noticed on the front bumper of the car I saw today that the two small opening on the left and right of the main grille didn't have any mesh covers so I could put my hand right through. Should these areas be covered and if so is getting hold of these fairly straight forward?

 

It looked like this:

Edited September 28, 2023 by TrevS

[pete]

With all these questions obviously you have doubts, walk away and buy one that has everything done. The cheapest can very quickly become very expensive 

[mcdonaa]

8 hours ago, TrevS said:

Hi all

Sorry, another quick question. I noticed on the front bumper of the car I saw today that the two small opening on the left and right of the main grille didn't have any mesh covers so I could put my hand right through. Should these areas be covered and if so is getting hold of these fairly straight forward?

 

It looked like this:

The only opening in the S1 bumper is the middle. The end two are supposed to be 'fake' inlets with a plastic moulding.

[TdM]

Really? Mine are metal grills like the centre and 'real' vents (yet another complexity to specification obviously!)

[TrevS]

Found some pictures of a S1 bumper. Is this how the lower vents should look on an early 2010 car?

Or should they be like this?

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by TrevS

[TrevS]

Also some good news, I found out from Andy Graham at Lotus archives that the car was fitted with the standard gearbox and not the close ratio box. That's one more point in the positive column for the car.

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by TrevS

[tim_marra]

Don't be too hasty, a mate has the long box in his NA. It goes just fine!

[TrevS]

Sorry, think I made a typo. I actually want a long box car if I'm getting an early Evora, and this car has the long box. So happy days

[jep]

Close ratio would be my choice but I've driven both and long box is fine but just not as entertaining if using 3 and 4 on a sweeping A road.

Justin 

[TrevS]

Agree, it would probably by my preference too but not having that possible rebuild cost of an early close ratio box that's been mentioned is positive to me on this particular car.

[tim_marra]

23 minutes ago, TrevS said:

Sorry, think I made a typo. I actually want a long box car if I'm getting an early Evora, and this car has the long box. So happy days

It was the "one less more positive point" that had me in a spin 

[Markindevon]

19 hours ago, jep said:

Close ratio would be my choice but I've driven both and long box is fine but just not as entertaining if using 3 and 4 on a sweeping A road.

Justin 

I have the long box… just use 2nd and 3rd instead… 3rd goes to (ahem, theoretical of course) 115mph and is making a lovely noise by then 😁

[Rambo]

My advice is to buy the best you can afford rather than a doer upper that requires possibly some major expenditure.

Also buy from an enthusiastic, well respected car club owner. They will undoubtedly have spent lots of money and attention on their baby.

Of the 2 cars mentioned here it is obvious which one I'd go for. It's a no brainer, particularly the work that has been done and the purchase price.

[TrevS]

OK so the car I've been asking about was the yellow car that went under the hammer today at the CCA auction. After doing all my research I went in with a bid of £20k (£23k after fees) but was outbid with the car selling for £21,500 (£24,725). The car looked very nice but to me just wasn't worth the risk given that it hadn't been serviced for 7 years, needed the bumper sorting out and was running 9 year old tyres. It really needs a couple of couple of grand spent to recommission it. which would be £26-27k which for me felt too strong given the risk involved at buying at auction as I hadn't been able to drive it.

[Cdm2018]

You will find life with a 10-13 years old car will bring it costs annually obviously the initial price will be guided by what you feel and possess is a value for money decision ? 
I just spend £1200 on C service and MOT and still need to spend another £500-700 in next few months £150 odd went last night to polish headlights for starters 

it’s a labour of love and the reactions I get for my ugly child is priceless ! Oh yes I have standard long box I am no Lewis Ham but gear changes are good enough for me 

[TdM]

From driving the close ratio for a few years, I would say in day to day driving it makes little difference. Even back road runs you'll be fine because 2nd goes pretty high already. I think the difference will be that if you are really on it, which of course never happens on a public road... the close ratio box pulls equally hard in every gear. 3rd onward is still just a constant ramp well up into the mid triples... on a track.

The long ratio as I understand it has a gap into 3rd and then will be more lethargic but give you another few mpg which is definitely a nice offset. Seems you can get 40mpg on the long box but 35ish on the close box

[Jonathan Ashcroft]

Surprised that yellow one went for so much. Might just be auction trigger fingers but bodes better for the market as a whole. I wouldn't be buying a car that hasn't been serviced for that long. These cars really bees regular use as the ones I've seen that have gone wrong tend to have been sat for too long. Keep the wheels turning and they can be very reliable cars. 

 

I'd second Cdm2018's point, cars can give you a few very cheap years with basic service costs but then parts will. Perish or wear out and the bills can be a little bit more like a supercar. Suspension parts and brakes have been my most expensive costs over the years. 

Never begrudge it when I drive it though. Taken the same approach with our old SC range rover l322 which we've spent money on so it drives properly and should hopefully increase the lifespan and enjoyment. 

[andyj007]

if your still looking, in my opinion having owned a 2010. 

the CR box is nicer to drive if you like sunday morning drives on the b roads at legal speeds.. its nice to  use some  gears  (2nd will get you to the speed limit) ..  in the LR box 3rd from  memory of my test drives  was much longer and took away from the event.  - it was a big difference for to me ,  The car is almost too fast for Sunday morning blats /thrill and i much preferred my elise/ elan or europa for this, but for long drives . or as a daily the Evora was fantastic, i just didnt use it enough or had the need to use it ,  preferring the smaller classic cars that were more of an event to drive.    If i was to buy again id buy the standard long version..  (unless the CR box had been rebuilt)   the CR Box WILL fail at some point and cost big £££ 8k plus  .  confirmed manufacturing issues with the CR gears which they manufactured by a third party   up to about 2012 MY - somewheer is a gearbox list you can check when the problem gears  should not be a problem  ..this was another the reason i got rid of mine , It started to feel like  Russian roulette once i had  read about the failures  it really stopped my enjoyment..     My  clutch was lovely and light, and the gear change lovely and positive. 27k miles and still original ..  get the rear camber checked if the rear tyres burn out in less than 4000 miles, from factory some early cars had some aggressive camber ..  eating tyres . 

The air bag cover and dash lifts and comes  apart in  strong sunlight ,  look carefully especially at the join in the centre by the window-screen , it starts to split here.. the dash repair is awkward  and expensive.  .. i couldnt live with the passenger cover that lifted so repaired it, ..  check the headlights and side indicator LEDs, expensive to fix too or the headlights are  is an mot failure if one of the LED is out .. unless you have a friendly MOT man    nothing broke on mine (bar 1 front led  lights and side indicator  )  , it was as pretty reliable..  if it still has the 3rd cat in the exhaust its worth removing and adding  a better back box and it will sound as well as it goes.. . 

Personally i think the early cars gave the nicest drive position in the recaro CS seats and the supplest ride .

Great cars many fond memories of mine ..   

 

 

 

 

[C8RKH]

On 29/09/2023 at 12:17, TrevS said:

Agree, it would probably by my preference too but not having that possible rebuild cost of an early close ratio box that's been mentioned is positive to me on this particular car.

To be honest, there was an issue with a small number of early CR boxes, the serial numbers were identified and a search with google can find the range.  I would have thought that by now (almost 14 years later and at least 13 years later!) that if an early CR box was going to fail, it would have failed, by now. Some were recalled and retrofitted with the new harder internals. The numbers involved are a tiny fraction of the tiny number of Evora's sold. The clutch is the same and is more likely (but not as likely as people spout) to fail, but even then, it is down usually to the owners use.

The biggest problem with the internet as a tool, especially if you use social media entries, is the sheer amount of complete and utter shite that is spouted or regurgitated as "FACT" when the poster often has NO personal EXPERIENCE or knowledge and has either made it up, put two and two together and made 75, or is just spouting unadulterated shite.

It's like with McLaren's. If you read the rubbish on faecesbook you'd think every McLaren was a doomed money pit that broke down or failed every time you looked at it. But then when you talk to real, enthusiast owners, and people who "warranty" the cars like Thorney, you realise that actually, the vast majority are pretty solid IF you don't treat them like you are dick, and rev the shit out of them bouncing on the the limiter when on the high street etc. Unfortunately, some people who do not have the brain capacity to be worthy owners as the financial capacity to dickhead owners and then you get the "stories".....

[Jonathan Ashcroft]

But say what you really feel 😂. 

Owners guides are great but it does tend to focus the attention on issues that are more prevalent than you'd like but not foregone conclusions. Then the internet goes to work and faults become guaranteed imminent failures. 

That said bought a RR L322 4.2 sc on its second engine at 130k and it does appear this is shockingly common. However that's a bloody huge skip on wheels and they usually did lots of hard miles.

My Evora, cr box, original clutch 60k miles and it's feels as fresh as the day I bought it at 30k. The clutch will go one day as it's a consumable part really. If I still own it it will be a big bill but so far I've driven 30k miles and only replaced front brakes, suspension parts and a couple of batteries. I'd say that's pretty good. 

As a buyer we try to insulate ourselves from every cost possible but at some point it comes down to luck and a feel for how the car was looked after. 

[C8RKH]

2 minutes ago, Jonathan Ashcroft said:

But say what you really feel 😂. 

I do. Always! I'm entitled to. 

 

[jep]

Safest bet, buy fully loaded early NA with CR box rebuilt at 68k miles, FSH, in the best colour combo ever. 😁

Justin 

[andyj007]

@C8RKH relating to the CR BOX  "The numbers involved are a tiny fraction of the tiny number of Evora's sold. "  

  FYI My information is not from  internet but from conversations I  had with the  technical director at Lotus a few years back, therefore as i was informed it effects All  CR boxes   that were manufactured form the third party engineer  company that was appointed to manufacture the revised gearsets approx 2010-2012/13 

I agree the internet is not a great source for some items things .. take porsche IMS bearings , blown way out of proportion 

Aj