Are these problems?
Discussion
Hi guys
I think i may have found my next baby, i just want to get your thoughts on a couple of things.
She is a Red 2002 LOTUS Elise, 02 reg with 17000 miles.
Its seems like an honest car, by that i mean that its not been tarted up for the sale - as such i wanted to get your thoughts on a few things:
1. The roof was dropped on the drivers sill and chiped the paintwork down to the fiber glass- its about an inch long and looks qute bad. Do you think this is an easy repair?
2. Below the bdge there is an area of the paintwork that has cracked - could have been a stone chip. Again, this is just on the surface and i wondered if its an easy fix.
3. Is there any reason why the badge has faded so badly?
4. Also its not a sports tourer, will this affect the resale - is this classed as a bottom of the range car or does it make any difference?
5. Its the long tail version, when did the short tail come in as its my prered option.
The buyer is asking five quid shy of £14k - to me this seems expensive, would it be to optimistic to offer £12.5k?
Thanks for all your help.
Mark
I think i may have found my next baby, i just want to get your thoughts on a couple of things.
She is a Red 2002 LOTUS Elise, 02 reg with 17000 miles.
Its seems like an honest car, by that i mean that its not been tarted up for the sale - as such i wanted to get your thoughts on a few things:
1. The roof was dropped on the drivers sill and chiped the paintwork down to the fiber glass- its about an inch long and looks qute bad. Do you think this is an easy repair?
2. Below the bdge there is an area of the paintwork that has cracked - could have been a stone chip. Again, this is just on the surface and i wondered if its an easy fix.
3. Is there any reason why the badge has faded so badly?
4. Also its not a sports tourer, will this affect the resale - is this classed as a bottom of the range car or does it make any difference?
5. Its the long tail version, when did the short tail come in as its my prered option.
The buyer is asking five quid shy of £14k - to me this seems expensive, would it be to optimistic to offer £12.5k?
Thanks for all your help.
Mark
The roof will be an easy fix but should cost no more that £150.
Badge cracked area could be due to car park moments, other cars knocking it etc... I think there has been some reports of cracked paint on the S2 but I cant be sure... respray - £150 to blend in...
Virtually every S2 badge I have seen fades. My S1 badge looks like new still so I think it may be a new supplier that has'nt used a UV stable colour.
Sports tourer doesnt really matter. Some poeple want them, others dont..
Short tail model must have been very soon after. It is a much better design and looks better too. Personally I'd wait and find a short tail one.
As for price, I'say thats quite steep considering the time of year, base spec, long roof and damage it has...
Good luck anyway.
Badge cracked area could be due to car park moments, other cars knocking it etc... I think there has been some reports of cracked paint on the S2 but I cant be sure... respray - £150 to blend in...
Virtually every S2 badge I have seen fades. My S1 badge looks like new still so I think it may be a new supplier that has'nt used a UV stable colour.
Sports tourer doesnt really matter. Some poeple want them, others dont..
Short tail model must have been very soon after. It is a much better design and looks better too. Personally I'd wait and find a short tail one.
As for price, I'say thats quite steep considering the time of year, base spec, long roof and damage it has...
Good luck anyway.
I was wondering what are excatly the differences between an early mk2 till 2002? and a later mk2 because I see your talking about a long tail version and a short tail version??
I've seen that the earlyer types have the older softtop(difficult one?) and the newer types the same roof as the VX...is that all you can see just the roof?
So what more is different between the mk2 till 2002 and the later mk2...?
GTRene
I've seen that the earlyer types have the older softtop(difficult one?) and the newer types the same roof as the VX...is that all you can see just the roof?
So what more is different between the mk2 till 2002 and the later mk2...?
GTRene
I have an september 2001 S2, the later ones have the short roof (personally I don't like) and also larger diameter driving lamps. Early one have smaller bullseye style lamps - later ones look better. A sad detail noticed is that later models have a bigger rubber seal around the front indicators.
As for the crack in the front clamshell, make sure it's done professionally and not just filler as it will reappear - get some money off and get the front clam redone, worth it as it probably has a load of stone chips..
As for the crack in the front clamshell, make sure it's done professionally and not just filler as it will reappear - get some money off and get the front clam redone, worth it as it probably has a load of stone chips..
Thanks for your help guys. I have expressed my interest and will probably make an offer in the next week or so.
I was just wondering, ignoring the "damage", what would you say the car is worth / a realistic price to pay as i dont want to pay over the odds - once i have a cost for the repairs i will also deduct that.
Cheers
I was just wondering, ignoring the "damage", what would you say the car is worth / a realistic price to pay as i dont want to pay over the odds - once i have a cost for the repairs i will also deduct that.
Cheers
Be careful, that car is well overpriced IMvHO
You sure? You've not seen the damage yet. I'd get a quote first. Respraying a hardtop properly will cost around £200 at least from what I've heard, that's before the fibreglass repair.
It could also have been from someone trying to lever it off. Check that there are no "spider web marks" around the crack, or anywhere else on the clam. If the gel coat's knackered this could get worse. Again get it checked and get a quote from someone who knows. My T79 had a similar problem and a proper repair and respray (where the whole clam has to come off to do the fibreglass and paint properly) was quoted at nearer a grand!).
All the above I agree with. What else have you compared it with? Great time to buy at the moment, lots of choice. Whatever you do, make sure you get it checked over mechanically by a specialist. If the wear and tear has not been taken care of, has anything been scrimped on with regard to the oily bits?
What condition are the brakes in?
The Tyres?
The Exhaust system?
The drive train, track-rod ends etc.
piooly said:
The roof will be an easy fix but should cost no more that £150.
You sure? You've not seen the damage yet. I'd get a quote first. Respraying a hardtop properly will cost around £200 at least from what I've heard, that's before the fibreglass repair.
piooly said:
Badge cracked area could be due to car park moments, other cars knocking it etc... I think there has been some reports of cracked paint on the S2 but I cant be sure... respray - £150 to blend in...
It could also have been from someone trying to lever it off. Check that there are no "spider web marks" around the crack, or anywhere else on the clam. If the gel coat's knackered this could get worse. Again get it checked and get a quote from someone who knows. My T79 had a similar problem and a proper repair and respray (where the whole clam has to come off to do the fibreglass and paint properly) was quoted at nearer a grand!).
piooly said:
Virtually every S2 badge I have seen fades. My S1 badge looks like new still so I think it may be a new supplier that has'nt used a UV stable colour.
Sports tourer doesnt really matter. Some poeple want them, others dont..
Short tail model must have been very soon after. It is a much better design and looks better too. Personally I'd wait and find a short tail one.
As for price, I'say thats quite steep considering the time of year, base spec, long roof and damage it has...
All the above I agree with. What else have you compared it with? Great time to buy at the moment, lots of choice. Whatever you do, make sure you get it checked over mechanically by a specialist. If the wear and tear has not been taken care of, has anything been scrimped on with regard to the oily bits?
What condition are the brakes in?
The Tyres?
The Exhaust system?
The drive train, track-rod ends etc.
Hi
Thanks for the advice, i do intend to get it checked over by the garrage in Kensington nearer the time and before i buy.
I know its a great time to buy, which makes it more frustrating. Ideally i would like a sport tourer with a short tail (i have seen a blue one in newcastle), the problem is that i only want a red one (not ruby) and not many have come on the market.
This one is £14k, i would pay £12.5 and no more (ideally less) - the issue is that this is one only ones i have seen of late, made more attractive as its one owner from new and covered just 17k!
My budget is £15k.
Thanks for the advice, i do intend to get it checked over by the garrage in Kensington nearer the time and before i buy.
I know its a great time to buy, which makes it more frustrating. Ideally i would like a sport tourer with a short tail (i have seen a blue one in newcastle), the problem is that i only want a red one (not ruby) and not many have come on the market.
This one is £14k, i would pay £12.5 and no more (ideally less) - the issue is that this is one only ones i have seen of late, made more attractive as its one owner from new and covered just 17k!
My budget is £15k.
Well, if you're intent on Red and Red only then I'd look around some more. Don't just jump in unless it's deffo a good car and the repairs needed to make it top whack can be done under budget.
Even if it was perfect, I doubt that car would make much more than £12.5 private now. Early S2's are going very cheap, and frankly, at under 15k you can do much better if you buy on condition not on how Red it is. By the way, Red cars show up stonechips like b*ggery - you'll want to budget for some armorfend once the front gets tidied up.
Even if it was perfect, I doubt that car would make much more than £12.5 private now. Early S2's are going very cheap, and frankly, at under 15k you can do much better if you buy on condition not on how Red it is. By the way, Red cars show up stonechips like b*ggery - you'll want to budget for some armorfend once the front gets tidied up.
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