Evening all. For some time now i've had this incredible itch and unfortunately it won't go away. It's about the size of an Elise/Exige and tbh I don't know if I can resist the urge to scratch it. So I've been looking around at Mk1's and Mk2 and I really like both of them. An Exige would be nice but they are getting on for silly money and the part of the temptation for a lotus is to mod it so I think I'd be better off with a cheaper Elise as a base. Has anyone ever owned one, what should I look out for and which version is best. Mk1 or 2?
I too have that itch, but as I have just got my motorbike license and bike I can't be having two forms of transport that can't carry luggage! Just be careful with the Rover engined ones. Once the head gasket goes once it can be a right nightmare to stop it happening again and again. If they are serviced properly the rover engines are brilliant, but if done badly the head gasket will go. That said, the Rover engine does get good power for it's size, better than the Toyota I believe
I have heard people say they prefer the Rover engine. I'm thinking Audi conversion would be on the cards anyway
Missus has an S2 and am local to you if want a poke around. Rover engine is lovely. HGF is an issue, but it's easy to sort out out. Not an nightmare to stop it from happening again! Toyoda is nice too, HOWEVER they come with brake servo (EWWWWWWWW), ruins drive. Suffers oil starvation, and is crap on fuel too. I'm looking to build up an new engine for it when I have some money again........180bhp NASP. Wouldn't bother with a turbo, ruins the drive.
This mans got the idea. 135/160 are the ones, in S1 range, very steep though. £15k for a 15 year old plastic/alu car!
Might have to take you up on the offer, from looking around i'm leaning towards an S1. Quite fancy putting a full carbon body on it
a friend had a S2 111S? I think. 160bhp k-series. It was really slow in a straight line, I think you would get bored of it very quickly. He traded it in for an exige 240 with touring and performance packs. Now that thing is fun! Good car to buy as well as will hold value. The S2s even going up in price right now with the release of the new car as its a very different beast.
I have been out in most iterations of the elise / exige. the s1 exige is awesome. Engine howls. I have on the other hand also been out in a s2 exige with GT1 prep. 400+ bhp. Was a touch scary canary TBH. It lost its soul as well. I know there are tuners doing TDi variants.
