Newbie here! Hello.

[petrolveins]

No luck with any of the Insurers listed on here either. I'm too young for all of them

 

AIB said there was a slim possibility they might be able to find cover but to call them soon as I have a Reg of a car I am going to purchased.

 

Looks like I'm stuck with the nasty people at Admiral.

[TomE]

Welcome Tom - good to have another namesake in the county on the forum, it keeps people on their toes

 

As well as Jamie at B&C have a chat to Scott too - he is a master of tracking down specific cars out in the market that aren't yet advertised or even sometimes being put up for sale!  Also worth talking to Will Blackham, an independent with an excellent reputation in the Lotus community.  He is another who actively looks around the community for stock and gets offered cars by owners looking to sell.  You'll find his adverts in the Lotus section on Pistonheads: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/dealer/675380?isexperiment=true

 

Insurance-wise it's worth looking at some of the Lotus specialists: REIS, Chaucher, Manning, OneAnswer, CCI, Heritage.  It's a factor with specialists that some won't touch under 40s, over 40s, commuters, track days, tall people etc so be prepared for some declining you completely.

 

We have a regular gathering every third Sunday of the month at Newlands Corner near Guidlford, joint with TLF and S3LOC for bacon rolls and a chat.  Lots of local Elises, Exiges, Europas, Esprits and Evoras.  Come along and meet a few of us - keep an eye on the SLEGS section of Regional Groups: http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/forum/334-uk-slegs-southern-lotus-england-group/

[robcarter]

No luck with any of the Insurers listed on here either. I'm too young for all of them

 

AIB said there was a slim possibility they might be able to find cover but to call them soon as I have a Reg of a car I am going to purchased.

 

Looks like I'm stuck with the nasty people at Admiral.

Give Andi a call! He will definitely have some good ideas re. insurance. So relieved you gazed at a Lotus at school and weren't distracted by Windsor's Caterham and classic bangers!

[petrolveins]

Give Andi a call! He will definitely have some good ideas re. insurance. So relieved you gazed at a Lotus at school and weren't distracted by Windsor's Caterham and classic bangers!

 

Already gave him a call, he's not back in till Tuesday.

 

I'd forgotten about the Caterham and the Midget! Neither of them did anything for me I'm afraid, both just looked leaky and a bit unloved.

[robcarter]

Already gave him a call, he's not back in till Tuesday.

 

I'd forgotten about the Caterham and the Midget! Neither of them did anything for me I'm afraid, both just looked leaky and a bit unloved.

 

Leaky & unloved - just like Mr. Windsor himself! About to come over this afternoon to B&C to pick the Evora up too! 

[petrolveins]

Leaky & unloved - just like Mr. Windsor himself! About to come over this afternoon to B&C to pick the Evora up too! 

 

I never had him as a teacher, but never warmed to him. Oh excellent, seem to be a lot of Evoras there lately for sale. Was on the phone to them earlier trying to work out what exhaust the S2 111S I test drove a few weeks ago had on. A friend of mine, also a Tom used to work there too. It's no wonder with all these Lotus people around me that I've fallen in love with them.

[Bibs]

Tom with the big yank tank?

[petrolveins]

Tom with the big yank tank?

And the noisy little Puma, and the Subaru and yes the yank tank.

[Bibs]

Nice guy. Racing Puma wasn't it. Say hi next time you see him for me

[petrolveins]

Nice guy. Racing Puma wasn't it. Say hi next time you see him for me

Will do!

[Kimbers]

The Stage 1 exhaust is a Factory one. I had one on my Exige. They are awesome and sound simply Amazing...and, unlike some of the cheaper options, they are about 95-99 decibels. If you want to track the car it must be under 100. They pop and bang on lift off and under acceleration sound like a racing car.

[petrolveins]

Got another question for you all. Been speaking to Lotus Newcastle about this 04 111S again, sounds good, just had C service done, tyres are all fairly new. Only thing is (other than the steep price) is that it's had 6 owners. Now this sounds like a lot to me, or is this usual for an Elise? Would it put off later buyers if I got the car?

[robcarter]

I always prefer a lower number of owners... what matters most is that it has been loved and looked after well.

[petrolveins]

I always prefer a lower number of owners... what matters most is that it has been loved and looked after well.

 

I just have a feeling this car hasn't been loved, high turnover of owners not keeping it long says to me it's been thrashed. 

 

Gotta play the waiting game now, spoken to all the people you've all suggested to look for cars, just gotta see what comes up now. Itching to go for a drive in this lovely weather, but the Skoda Fabia 1.6 sat outside isn't really appealing to me much.

[robcarter]

One more worth a look - only 2 owners.

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/lotus/elise-s2/lotus-elise-111s/2091749?isexperiment=true

[petrolveins]

One more worth a look - only 2 owners.

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/lotus/elise-s2/lotus-elise-111s/2091749?isexperiment=true

Ooh good spot, that's come up today!

 

Tyres aren't Yoko, I thought They were all meant to be AD07s?

[robcarter]

Looks like Bridgestone Potenza which I think were standard fit from the factory!? Someone will confirm!!

Worth looking here...

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&f=15&t=906257&nmt

[Bibs]

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/63321-immaculate-low-mileage-s2-lotus-elise-111s-unmarked-storm-titanium/#entry493908

Any good?

[petrolveins]

That one is also on PistonHeads, emailed the seller, its alright. Just the colour does nothing for me.

 

I'm hoping to keep this for a few years, so I want to get the right one, ideally one in yellow, red, orange or green or the stunning aubergine. Blue one at Newcastle Lotus looks great, but its too much money and has 6 owners.

 

Annoying though it is having to use my sisters car, I'm going to hold out for one that really feels right. Hoping with Spring around the corner a few more nice cars will start to appear. Also got the guys at B&C looking out for one, also spoken to Will Blackham who is looking too.

[petrolveins]

Hello again everyone,

 

Well I put a deposit on a car today. a 2002 111S with 29k in a very very nice colour.

 

It's perfect and very well cared for, never failed an MOT it's life and had only one advisory ever, for a tyre, new clean MOT on it two weeks ago. Owner has done about 8,000 miles in the last 7 years.

 

My only concern I wanted to ask you all on was the lack of stamped service history. First owner was Lotus themselves, I'm told it belonged to a Manager who had it as his company car, it was with Lotus for 4 years, only stamp from them over 4 years other than the delivery inspection is an 'A' in 2006 at 20,000. I'm told it wasn't stamped more as it was constantly being looked at and serviced by them and a suggestion some monitoring equipment was installed so it could be tested as the manager used it on the roads. The current owner actually met the man from Lotus who had it before by chance at a car meet when he recognised the car, and he confirmed it was his road car, and not a development or test vehicle, there is a second aerial on it which he claims was for monitoring equipment on the car.

 

It was then sold through a well known Lotus Specialist to the current owner who has had it garaged for 7 years, being a Director of and engineering firm he has serviced it himself since, and has odd receipts for oil and brake fluid here and there. But has never stamped the book. It has been back to the Lotus Specialist a few times, for example to check the brakes over and bleed the after he changed them, it also has the fan resistor pack changed about 4/5 years ago and receipts for all of that. We agreed that he is going to bring it back to them to have the 'C' service completed before I collect it.

 

I'm going to keep this car for 3 years minimum and I will be getting it serviced by specialists, the car was presented very well indeed, clearly very cared for, as the MOT history shows, and on the test drive (about 40 minutes) everything was spot on temperature settled at 87, went up to 94 when pushed hard for a while, and quickly settled back to 87 again when cruising, only amiss was a squeal from one of the brakes which is also being looked at. I took the plunge because I felt the car to be very good and the owner very honest, but do you think that I will struggle to sell it on in the future, probably relevant that I'm paying under £13k for it.

 

What are people's thoughts? Should the fact I'm getting the 'C' Service done now before I pay in full be able to cover the apparent lack of stamps. In the 7 years it's been garaged it can't have degraded things like the cam belt much? And it's being changed now anyway. If I knew I was keeping it forever I wouldn't really have a concern, it's just how it will appear to a new owner when I sell it. My gut feeling wasn't telling me to walk away at all. In fact I looked at the 2005 111S on Pistonheads on Saturday on 19k and that appeared much less cared for than this one.

 

Any advice welcome.

[robcarter]

Which was the specialist that had it?

Ask Bibs to check with someone inside Lotus as to whether it was a managers car. Was the registration AU...?

Looks like ownership is close!! Top news.

[petrolveins]

Brooke Kensington had it, and are going to do the 'C' service on it.

 

AP was the reg. I'll message Bibs now. Was gonna email the factory tomorrow.

[robcarter]

When are you picking up??

[petrolveins]

Friday morning, this week is the longest week of my life, can't wait to get it!!!!!

 

Sorted the insurance out today, went with Adrian Flux in the end. Got a better price and a non-black box policy with all the modifications covered. Yes that means soon as I have the car I am ordering a Larini Club Sport and a Hurricane Induction kit.

[petrolveins]

I picked it up today!!!!

 

Oh my God it's amazing, took the longest possible route home. Mind blown. Will take more photos when it's light tomorrow. 

 

Can't believe its mine, oh and rookie error, tried to put the roof on in the dark, only took me 15 minutes!