Anyone aware of an Elise buyer’s guide? Or is it possible to pin one here? Saw a nice one this weekend, would like to learn more about them.
Lots around, suggest you visit the Lotus Forum(s) and try pistonheads for latest owners views and known issues etc. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
elisetalk.com They got better or tighter with each year. Like all used cars mileage and care are big factors. Suspension, is it track pack or standard, motor supercharged or NA. What mods if any. 2005 was the only eyar not drive by wire, 2011 75 odd cars with the updated styling. Otherwise theyre all pretty much the same. the biggest mechanical malady is wiped out cam lobes on some, but its essentialya toyota celica Gts motor and transmision.. There are two good places to get aftermarket upgrades if thats of interest, and depding on what youre lookign for. If you can find an adult owned low mileage one, thats a great place/platform to start.
Weak spots I would check: *Radiator (has it been replaced?) *Wiped cam lobes (as noted above) *The later drive-by-wire actuators were prone to fail *Were the oil cooler hose clamps replaced under warranty? These fail, spewing oil everywhere (including on the tires). Also: get a read-out of the ECU. It has a lot of information about how the car was driven/treated. This is a good guide: https://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f259/lotus-elise-buyer-s-guide-video-237633/
I owned a 2005 (first model year offered in the US) for several years and it was, overall, a great car that seems to be, if anything appreciating these days (no longer offered, very few true competition in that price bracket - I suppose until the Alfa Romeo 4cs depreciate further - and many have been totaled often due to the scarcity and cost of the clam shell, which only somewhat recently became more readily available on the "aftermarket"). The oil cooler hose clamps is, as far as I know, a factory recall, so if it hasn't been done and you have a dealer near you (or the seller), you should be able to have them done at little to no cost to you. There are aftermarket radiators the are stronger and longer lasting than the factory ones that I hear aren't too difficult to replace, it's primarily a matter of safely removing the front clam shell.
For me, it's a matter of getting something more modern that I can enjoy more. I have an E-Type and a Ferrari 308 - both great cars and I'm lucky to own them. However, with increasing work and personal responsibilities, and hot NJ summer, I have a very limited window to use them. Would still be a weekend warrior, but get far more use. I work from home, and my oldest daughter is driving now, so an Elise (or comparable) is a cost-effective enthusiast car that I could get more use from. I'm an eternal tire kicker - I talk more than I do when it comes to cars, but I like to have as much info as I can and this car is turning my head at the moment.
Get in and out of one first. Entry and exit is not for those with bad backs or weak knees. (Having the top off helps.)
Hey I own an E-Type and a 308 - neither of those are easy either! I'm very short too, so this shouldn't be an issue for me at all.
I have a 328 and an Exige, and trust me. Ingress and egress with the Exige is on an entirely different level than the 328. You really should “try one on” before committing.
