The Evora 400 Diaries

[Ccd]

JayEmm:

You made a great point in your last video that so many reviewers overlook: there is no such thing as a best car for everyone.  We all have different needs and values.  For example, I golf.  My bag fits in the trunk of the Evora and I would get a second bag in the back seat if needed.  That is a huge advantage to the Evora for me.  I am struggling with the lack of a back-up camera on my TT.  Again, another advantage for the Evora.  And of course, the Evora comes decently optioned while you generally have to option up a Porsche.  None of this has much to do with driving, but impacts true cost and day to day liveability.

[JayEmm]

Thanks @Ccd - as mentioned in the video when they are so close in performance and handling really it's going to be little things like that which make the differences.

[auRouge]

What we want to see now is an £80k 410 vs a "real world priced" £90k to £100k priced GT4... Maybe the brilliant halo GT4 wont be the obvious choice... (For those that know and understand more than just the ticket price!)?

 

[JayEmm]

GT4 prices are falling... I think you would need a race track to make a meaningful distinction between the 410 and GT4. I think that is the area where the Cayman would beat a 400 anyway

[chylld]

A very ownership-meaningful distinction between the 400/410 and GT4 is whether it can get up a driveway without scraping

I'm getting R-spec rubber on my car hopefully before the next trackday to see how close I can get my SMP Brabham laptime (2:19) down to the GT4's (2:12). GT4 driver was probably a better driver than me but it was the first visit to SMP for both 400 and GT4 so not an entirely useless baseline.

[JayEmm]

Most GT3 RS owners I know were a bit like Ferrari owners, they resigned themselves to the fact that the front lip was going to take a hammering, no matter how careful you were

[Stuno1]

There are 30ish gt4's for sale on autotrader with the cheapest being mid 80's. Only a. Only a month or so ago the cheapest was mid 90's. They are falling quickly but are still above mrsp. With rumours of a new gt4 and a manual gt3 prices will continue to come down. 

 

Looking at the mileage if the ones being sold they sold they are people who expected to make a pretty penny on them and now realise that isn't going to happen.

[JayEmm]

I think people were somewhat expectant this would be the last NA flat 6 Cayman, news that might not be the case I think has taken the wind from more than a few sails

[Cypriot]

and also that the new GT3 will be a manual will have hurt values, given that when the GT4 was released, it was going to be the only manual GT car available... anyway, both cars are cracking value at the 70-80k mark.

[JayEmm]

Well, on the Evora 400 front, I no longer feel left out for not having running issues. The last few weeks I had experienced the odd cough and splutter from it in the morning, which I put down simply to the very cold weather and most high performance cars not liking being very cold.

This morning it started running extremely rough, shaking and juddering, then working fine, then refusing to give any power, then throwing a warning light. Then it wouldn't start properly (started then immediately died). I've spoken with Lotus already and we have a few possible suspects but it is being taken to SMC soon for diagnosis. Was due to go there soon anyway as there are some other issues still pending fix (including my os headlight washer not working). We're presently arranging a tow for the car, just in case it gets worse. Current possibilities include faulty brake pedal switch, bad MAF sensor, Gremlins or my personal favourite - demonic possession.

I think I've had the full gamut of Lotus ownership today - in between bouts of it not working I had people waving, flashing, taking photos, all the usual stuff. Still puts a smile on my face... when it works.

[Stuno1]

You do seem to have had an unusually bad time of it. 

[JayEmm]

Thanks Stuno, I was beginning to feel a bit left out with Lotus ownership, not having had a car on the back of a recovery truck yet!

[C8RKH]

You should have bought an early S1. 2010's are pick of the bunch for reliability and worry free motoring. Mines been superb.

I would say you've experienced the worst of it. Not typical at all. Any possibility your car was built over a bank holiday weekend by Oodi factory infiltrators trying to ambush Lotus?

Seriously Jay, you do seem to have the lemon.

[JayEmm]

AA van just left. My car was one of the very first built, then sat around somewhere for six months before I took delivery. A fact that was not made known to me until well into my ownership. I think that's got something to do with it.

I'm more than aware that my car has been WAY more problematic than the vast number of Evoras out there, which makes is quite the PITA when trying to tell people LOTUS don't deserve that old acronym anymore!

What has upset me more than anything during the whole debacle is that JCT600 think what I've experienced should be "accepted as normal" for a hand-made car. It really, really shouldn't. Six months I've had the car now and still no sign of a seat fix, that issue I reported in the first week of ownership.

It's very possible today's issues stem from something very silly, or very minor. Obviously I'll keep you all up to date. 

[C8RKH]

I think the dealer needs to take a long hard look in the mirror!

Time to trade it in for a premium for a 410!

[JayEmm]

Hey @Barrykearley - you fancy an Evora 400??

[Barrykearley]

Yeah - hang on - just picking my numbers - should know more Saturday night

[chylld]

7 hours ago, JayEmm said:

The last few weeks I had experienced the odd cough and splutter from it in the morning, which I put down simply to the very cold weather and most high performance cars not liking being very cold.

This morning it started running extremely rough, shaking and juddering, then working fine, then refusing to give any power, then throwing a warning light. Then it wouldn't start properly (started then immediately died).

My 400 exhibited exactly the same symptoms, but rather than actually dying it just spluttered at idle and almost stalled (it's an auto). For your reference my problem was caused by a bad battery; replaced with a Supercharge Gold Plus MF66 and it's been perfect ever since.

[JayEmm]

Interesting you mention that @chylld. I know the battery in my car is NOT original, or it certainly isn't the original spec. After I had arrived at my destination, when I went to start the car again it started and immediately died four times in a row. Didn't sound at all like the battery was struggling, and started on the button - revs flared to 2,000rpm but instantly died, didn't even try and idle.

I can't think how a battery would cause it, or why my battery would be bad, but if I've learned anything about cars it is that a bad battery can do weird shit you'd never think possible

[Colin G]

Were you starting in sport mode by any chance?

[JayEmm]

@Colin G - nope

I assume there is a reason you ask?

[JayEmm]

First news on the car is it's suspected to be a MAF-related issue. Lotus are as confused as anyone, particularly as I had the MAF recall carried out very recently.

[Barrykearley]

Could be a neenor technician or storeman mixed up some maf sensors with old and new ??

[Colin G]

18 hours ago, JayEmm said:

@Colin G - nope

I assume there is a reason you ask?

Sorry @JayEmm been snowed under all day. I had pretty much all your symptoms, but the car cutting out happened while the MAF was faulty but I started in sport, which is why I asked.

[JayEmm]

@Barrykearley the MAF isn't/wasn't actually replaced during the recall, they just unplug it, replug it in and zip tie it in place. Bit low-tech!

@Colin G Funnily enough we seem to have gone full circle, when I had the issues I phoned Lotus and asked whether it might be MAF related, they didn't seem to think so and we went through many other things to see (I was fiddling with a brake switch on a layby to see if I could fix it), turns out it probably was the MAF but they can't understand the why of the matter, which is frustrating everyone.

To be honest I was always surprised given the vintage of my car that I HADN'T had these issues previously