A couple of questions

[Stewie177]

Having now had the Exige experience for nearly 7 weeks a couple of things have cropped up:

1. The windscreen takes an age to clear when cold. I parked overnight at a hotel, came back to a very misted interior windscreen which took 10 minutes to clear with the AC on. Is there a way to check the AC? Does it normally take that long - even on setting 3, the fan is a little asthmatic?
2. I noticed at 70ish, the front access panel develops a wobble. The centre is secure with the lock, but it’s the edges, there are some guide ‘pronges’ but they don’t seem to hold it in (in a vertical sense)
3. Is there a location which you can push / pull the car without fitting the towing eye? I want to get the car out of the garage to clean, but don’t really want to start it for 10 yards - I’m sure that’s no too healthy for the engine.

Hope the collective minds can help

[vd9]

1 hour ago, Stewie177 said:

don’t really want to start it for 10 yards - I’m sure that’s no too healthy for the engine

What's better reason to go for a pre-wash drive then? 

This engine is fitted to many Toyotas and Lexuses, I bet they have start-stop fitted on at least some of those - nothing will happen to it. 

[Stewie177]

Didn’t think of that - I am off

[KJD]

9 hours ago, vd9 said:

This engine is fitted to many Toyotas and Lexuses, I bet they have start-stop fitted on at least some of those - nothing will happen to it. 

They may well have, but it doesn’t start working until the engine is warm.

I push mine around “manually”. It doesn’t weigh much (unless you’re pushing uphill !).

[MrP_]

11 hours ago, Stewie177 said:

Having now had the Exige experience for nearly 7 weeks a couple of things have cropped up:

1. The windscreen takes an age to clear when cold. I parked overnight at a hotel, came back to a very misted interior windscreen which took 10 minutes to clear with the AC on. Is there a way to check the AC? Does it normally take that long - even on setting 3, the fan is a little asthmatic?
2. I noticed at 70ish, the front access panel develops a wobble. The centre is secure with the lock, but it’s the edges, there are some guide ‘pronges’ but they don’t seem to hold it in (in a vertical sense)
3. Is there a location which you can push / pull the car without fitting the towing eye? I want to get the car out of the garage to clean, but don’t really want to start it for 10 yards - I’m sure that’s no too healthy for the engine.

Hope the collective minds can help

1. Yeah it’s a bit rubbish. Lotus’s winter testing regime probably amounts to a run to the shops on a chilly morning, rather than a year in the arctic circle. Keeping the screen spotless helps, and using an anti fog can help, but it just seems to attract dirt

2. Do you mean the front or back? If the back you should have two rubber bungs rather than prongs, at least I do and think we have the same carbon panel (rather than the flat one). Mine holds in fine, but I know @mark248am had his lifting on circuit. Not sure if he knows the resolution, or if the dealer just sorted it.

3. Not really. Just don’t put the car away dirty. Maybe not the most helpful suggestion, but apart from pushing the rear clam. If I have put it away dirty I go for a drive and then wash once it’s warmed

[mark248am]

I had that issue with the front panel, on the track the left edge would pop out while the center stayed secure. The dealer sorted it out for me, turns out the center lock was a bit too high so they lowered it slightly and problem is solved

[Forkhandles]

1, I have a micro fibre cloth to assist in de misting the windscreen.

2, Go faster to to stop yourself looking at any rattles.

3, i always like to wash and then go for a run to dry the car off.

4, use it, kane it, enjoy it.....

hope this helps

[Stewie177]

Thank you all

It's in for a service next week, so I will have them tweak the front panel

A drive then clean I think

[Mark030358]

9 hours ago, Forkhandles said:

4, use it, kane it, enjoy it.....

Just a brilliant line..... 

[Stewie177]

ETA

You can turn the back wheels by hand and it magics its way out of the garage - just another advantage of Mr Chapman's genius

[LotusPilot]

The two metal pins at the extremes of the access panel engage in two corresponding rubber-lined sockets.  Clumsy fitment of the access cover can cause damage to the rubber sockets, resulting in them not holding the pins in place.  As you observe, this can lead to instability of the access panel at speed.

The rubber sockets are replaceable assemblies - each held in place by two screws.  Deroure list them at about £17 each - part number A120B0325F

When re-fitting the access panel, just take a little care with alignment of the pins before pressing-down on the corners of the access panel - then (and only then) press-down on the centre-rear edge of the panel to latch.  This should avoid damage.  Engagement of the pins to the rubber socket should have a positive engagement - which you can “feel” as you press them into place.

[Stewie177]

11 hours ago, LotusPilot said:

The two metal pins at the extremes of the access panel engage in two corresponding rubber-lined sockets.  Clumsy fitment of the access cover can cause damage to the rubber sockets, resulting in them not holding the pins in place.  As you observe, this can lead to instability of the access panel at speed.

The rubber sockets are replaceable assemblies - each held in place by two screws.  Deroure list them at about £17 each - part number A120B0325F

When re-fitting the access panel, just take a little care with alignment of the pins before pressing-down on the corners of the access panel - then (and only then) press-down on the centre-rear edge of the panel to latch.  This should avoid damage.  Engagement of the pins to the rubber socket should have a positive engagement - which you can “feel” as you press them into place.

thanks Derek