Leaking; are some models worse than others? hardtop help?

[Spathodus77]

Hi,

I'm thinking of purchasing an elise, budget brings S1, 111S, S2 and S2 111S up as possibilities (+ the VX220s). I would be keeping the car on my drive so I'm worried about leaking. I'd rather not fit a shower cap or have to carry a towel in the car. Please could you let me know if any of these models are better with respect to leaking and if this can be eliminated by fitting a hardtop?

Thanks,

Ralph

[junks]

It's not necessarily the soft top at fault, later S2's have an extra piece of rubber inserted from about 2004 but this can be retrofitted. The most common reason for leaks is badly adjusted doors/windows. I had a S160 with a soft top that never leaked even in a storm but my S2 Exige leaked slightly until I adjusted it. In essence the later cars, if adjusted properly are propably slightly better but all should be ok perhaps bar the early S1's (Pre 99) with early style cant rails.

Edited by junks on Thursday 6th June 18:07

[ad243S]

They are all the same, the hardtop helps a little but still leaks.

If you have time to spend fiddling with the windows and roof you can get it 95% watertight. Lotus do put a disclaimer on the soft top saying its only suitable for light showers and water may enter the cabin.

[addz86]

My hardtop leaks worse if I point it downhill. Uphill it just gets wet round the lining and drips on my shoulder for the first few corners

[kambites]

Generally speaking, the newer the car the less likely it is to leak. There were loads of different versions of the roof/seals/etc. over the year. I think the last fix was in MY04 when they fitted a pair of little cups to the top of the A-pillar seals in order to catch the drips where the front of the side window meets the roof. This can be retro-fitted, but only by replacing the entire seal which is (a) quite expensive and (b) an arse.

In over six years, my car hasn't leaked a drop.


However, it's a tiny cabin and even if it doesn't leak it'll still probably get damp inside to the point where it mists up. Personally, I'd want air conditioning for dehumidifying duties if I was going to keep the car outside.

[pthelazyjourno]

ad243S said:

They are all the same, the hardtop helps a little but still leaks.

If you have time to spend fiddling with the windows and roof you can get it 95% watertight. Lotus do put a disclaimer on the soft top saying its only suitable for light showers and water may enter the cabin.

You can get it a lot better than 95 per cent - it depends on the door seals. If you're lucky enough that there are no gaps at all, water doesn't get in. Simple as!

[Captain Muppet]

I've got a 97 S1 that I keep outside all year.

The OEM soft top didn't leak if I fitted it just right.

The replacement soft top leaked a bit, but I could tweak it so that it was always the passenger sill - I'm pretty sure that with some window adjustment I could get it to work on both sides at once.

Since I've fitted the hard top I don't have to worry about leaks at all. I do get a dribble of water down the inside of the window where the roof meets the windscreen, but that doesn't wet the inside of the door or the sill.

[ad243S]

pthelazyjourno said:

You can get it a lot better than 95 per cent - it depends on the door seals. If you're lucky enough that there are no gaps at all, water doesn't get in. Simple as!

Or park it in a garage

[pthelazyjourno]

ad243S said:

Or park it in a garage

Oh how the other half live!

[Spathodus77]

OK, thanks. It sounds like if I get an S2 with hardtop it is less likely to leak and if it does adjustment of windows or replacement of seals may improve the situation. It seems that there may be a degree of luck involved in whether or not the car can be made completely watertight?

Ralph

[Captain Muppet]

Spathodus77 said:

OK, thanks. It sounds like if I get an S2 with hardtop it is less likely to leak and if it does adjustment of windows or replacement of seals may improve the situation. It seems that there may be a degree of luck involved in whether or not the car can be made completely watertight?

Ralph

I suppose you can always ask the seller if it's OK to tip a bucket of water over the roof to check for leaks. I'd be fine with it as mine doesn't leak.

[Cotty]

Spathodus77 said:

OK, thanks. It sounds like if I get an S2 with hardtop it is less likely to leak and if it does adjustment of windows or replacement of seals may improve the situation. It seems that there may be a degree of luck involved in whether or not the car can be made completely watertight?

Ralph

I have an S2 with a hardtop and it has never leaked.

[kambites]

Cotty said:

I have an S2 with a hardtop and it has never leaked.

I have one with a soft-top and it's never leaked.

Well I do have a hard-top, but I only put it on once before deciding it was completely pointless.

[RYH64E]

ad243S said:

Or park it in a garage

...and only take it out on sunny days.

Mine saw the light of day for the first time in 2013 last weekend, now safely tucked away again.

[Lotusevoraboy]

I used to get a trickle in absolute downpours in mine, just at the front of the side window in the top corner where it met the roof and A pillar. It really did not matter...more rain got in, as in any car, when stepping in and out of it in the rain.