first time elise buyer
Discussion
I am thinking about buying an elise 111s mk1. I have heard about head gaskets going on the rover k series engine; is this a common occurence in the elise? Also is it advisible to modify the engine at all? Unfortunately my budget won't stretch to a sport 160 but i really like how low the car sits; is there any way you can get the car as low as that for round about £500?
If anybody can give me any advice i would really appreciate it as i am a novice about the elise.
If anybody can give me any advice i would really appreciate it as i am a novice about the elise.
Head Gasket Failure is a 'known fault'. That doesn't mean you need to worry. The K Series is a solid little unit, but if it does go wrong it's likelyto be the head gasket.
You can lower the 111s but you're looking at more like £1k+.
I can whole-heartedly recommend the 111s. I'd suggest you pick one up, live with it for a couple of months and then if you decide you 'need' more, you can go down the usual route of induction kit, exhaust, manifold and throttle body etc.
Gruffy
You can lower the 111s but you're looking at more like £1k+.
I can whole-heartedly recommend the 111s. I'd suggest you pick one up, live with it for a couple of months and then if you decide you 'need' more, you can go down the usual route of induction kit, exhaust, manifold and throttle body etc.
Gruffy
Running costs? Well, I'm somewhere on the wrong side of 24k miles a year so my running costs aren't very representative. Having said that, in the 9 months I've had it I've had one problem. I snapped the bolt holding the alternator on, but that was a very cheap fix. I drive mine hard and it's well cared for.
The real cost comes when you start upgrading. Running costs soon pale into insignificance when your fettling addiction takes hold.
Gruffy
The real cost comes when you start upgrading. Running costs soon pale into insignificance when your fettling addiction takes hold.
Gruffy
Lowering the car need not cost 1k. You can get lower mounting brackets from eliseparts for 60 quid (plus you'll want to spend another 100 or so on reseting the geo but doing the geo is a good idea if it hasn't been done in a while anyway)
Next more expensive option is to get a S2 suspension kit (the S2 bilstiens are a good upgrade for the S1) from Steve Butts (find him on SELOC) for a bit over 500 quid. He can also supply the brackets for a few different ride hights as part of the kit.
Next step up is 1100 for Nitrons, which give you adjustable shock stiffness which is great for changing between road & track plus adjustable ride hight. Extensively developed to suit the elise & acclaimed by all who use them.
Beyond this there are various multiway adjustables from Nitron, Racing Dyamics etc but you really need to know what you're doing with your setup otherwise you're wasting your money.
Regarding engines...
The 111S has more punch in the low and mid range than an S160 and the 111S has a close ratio gearbox so in most day to day regular driving will be quicker (perhaps better to say 'easier'). When you rag them the S160 has a bit more up the top end of the rev range.
The 111S responds particularly well to the simple mods like filter, throttle body, exhaust, etc.
Without opening the engine you can typically expect to see 150bhp+ pretty easily and if you do all the induction & exhaust bits you might get near to 160.
If you are planning to have plenty of time on track then the LSS suspension and the top end power delivery make the S160 a better choice... but also consider that its easy to get near S160 power levels from a 111S with relatively inexpensive (& insurance friendly) mods which many people do anyway just to improve the noise :-) That plus the CR gearbox mean it can be just a quick as an S160 but with a stronger midrange, low end tractability (which is a minor issue with the 160, although fixable).
If you start spending a lot of time on track then get the Nitrons. They are generally considered to be much better than the LSS suspension on the S160 anyway.
Both great cars. In standard trim the S160 is a bit better for track and 111S better for road. Both can be improved to fill in their weak spots pretty easily.
Dave
Next more expensive option is to get a S2 suspension kit (the S2 bilstiens are a good upgrade for the S1) from Steve Butts (find him on SELOC) for a bit over 500 quid. He can also supply the brackets for a few different ride hights as part of the kit.
Next step up is 1100 for Nitrons, which give you adjustable shock stiffness which is great for changing between road & track plus adjustable ride hight. Extensively developed to suit the elise & acclaimed by all who use them.
Beyond this there are various multiway adjustables from Nitron, Racing Dyamics etc but you really need to know what you're doing with your setup otherwise you're wasting your money.
Regarding engines...
The 111S has more punch in the low and mid range than an S160 and the 111S has a close ratio gearbox so in most day to day regular driving will be quicker (perhaps better to say 'easier'). When you rag them the S160 has a bit more up the top end of the rev range.
The 111S responds particularly well to the simple mods like filter, throttle body, exhaust, etc.
Without opening the engine you can typically expect to see 150bhp+ pretty easily and if you do all the induction & exhaust bits you might get near to 160.
If you are planning to have plenty of time on track then the LSS suspension and the top end power delivery make the S160 a better choice... but also consider that its easy to get near S160 power levels from a 111S with relatively inexpensive (& insurance friendly) mods which many people do anyway just to improve the noise :-) That plus the CR gearbox mean it can be just a quick as an S160 but with a stronger midrange, low end tractability (which is a minor issue with the 160, although fixable).
If you start spending a lot of time on track then get the Nitrons. They are generally considered to be much better than the LSS suspension on the S160 anyway.
Both great cars. In standard trim the S160 is a bit better for track and 111S better for road. Both can be improved to fill in their weak spots pretty easily.
Dave
I Have an elise for sale, although not a 111s.
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/45209.htm
if you are interested im on 07834383391
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/45209.htm
if you are interested im on 07834383391
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