Lotus M100 buying advice
Discussion
I never "got" the M100 in it's day, even though I went to a presentation by the Lotus Engineers about the car and was told how much faster it was arund a circuit than a RWD car. I was a staunch RWD car owner at the time and probably still am.
However I'm beginning to turn. I see these cars advertised at really low prices, they just don't seem to have followed the upward classic car trend yet.
I recall gear change cables are hard to come by (?) and read on other threads on PH about seals etc., rear lights are the same as the Alpine GTA so unavailable (?) is that all I need to worry about?
Chassis?, Do they rot like old Elans or are the galvanised like the Excel etc?
How do they compare with say a Boxster, a car similarly in the price doldrums.
Thanks
Having owned an M100 for 30+ years I can give some views.
I’ve owned it in parallel with Elises, Boxster & 911s. An Elan is not an Elise, totally different animals. I would liken it more to a Boxster than an Elise.Its comfortable, conventional & practical (oh except the roofs leak). For their time they were quick, very quick. MX-5s of the same era wouldn’t see which way they went. They could do a decent job of keeping with 911s.
Reliability is good. The little Isuzu engine was very reliable. Panel fit a bit questionable. It was a parts bin special in many ways with bits from all over the place. Some are readily available, other less so. Most specialist have found the alternatives fro the bits that aren’t available.
They are a very underrated car. And with pop-up headlights what’s not to like!
I’ve owned it in parallel with Elises, Boxster & 911s. An Elan is not an Elise, totally different animals. I would liken it more to a Boxster than an Elise.Its comfortable, conventional & practical (oh except the roofs leak). For their time they were quick, very quick. MX-5s of the same era wouldn’t see which way they went. They could do a decent job of keeping with 911s.
Reliability is good. The little Isuzu engine was very reliable. Panel fit a bit questionable. It was a parts bin special in many ways with bits from all over the place. Some are readily available, other less so. Most specialist have found the alternatives fro the bits that aren’t available.
They are a very underrated car. And with pop-up headlights what’s not to like!
GT03ROB said:
Having owned an M100 for 30+ years I can give some views.
I’ve owned it in parallel with Elises, Boxster & 911s. An Elan is not an Elise, totally different animals. I would liken it more to a Boxster than an Elise.Its comfortable, conventional & practical (oh except the roofs leak). For their time they were quick, very quick. MX-5s of the same era wouldn’t see which way they went. They could do a decent job of keeping with 911s.
Reliability is good. The little Isuzu engine was very reliable. Panel fit a bit questionable. It was a parts bin special in many ways with bits from all over the place. Some are readily available, other less so. Most specialist have found the alternatives fro the bits that aren’t available.
They are a very underrated car. And with pop-up headlights what’s not to like!
+1I’ve owned it in parallel with Elises, Boxster & 911s. An Elan is not an Elise, totally different animals. I would liken it more to a Boxster than an Elise.Its comfortable, conventional & practical (oh except the roofs leak). For their time they were quick, very quick. MX-5s of the same era wouldn’t see which way they went. They could do a decent job of keeping with 911s.
Reliability is good. The little Isuzu engine was very reliable. Panel fit a bit questionable. It was a parts bin special in many ways with bits from all over the place. Some are readily available, other less so. Most specialist have found the alternatives fro the bits that aren’t available.
They are a very underrated car. And with pop-up headlights what’s not to like!
ran as our daily in parallel with 911 and a superleggera
owned for 21 years and had a cam angle sensor failure ( fixed by Lotus for a token one hour's labour ), a gear linkage break ( drove 150 miles home in third gear ! ) and a coolant pipe split ( cost £1 to replace )
we managed to trace a replacement hood to a company in coventry
only sold because the mrs had a big side impact in another car, and could only imagine worse consequences in the elan
eta, when i say daily...
Edited by andrew on Thursday 7th November 11:45
I know some spares are difficult to find, I think a rear light cluster is at least £500 unless you get lucky. But yes, I think they're fairly reliable as such.
There's a surprising amount out there and in use, I think 4 turned up to our little local Lotus meet over weekend; making it the most popular model there!
There's a surprising amount out there and in use, I think 4 turned up to our little local Lotus meet over weekend; making it the most popular model there!
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