Servicing

[Robmk1]

My car is a 1996 s1 and its coming up to 1 year since i bought it. I've done about 9000 miles since last service (40k in total) so its time for a service. Since being built my car has had the following services AABAA at regular intervals.

My question is , which one should i get done next , A, B or C?

Do i need to follow a specific pattern or is it down to me which one i choose?

Thanks

[alunr]

C

The Lotus service schedule is AABAACAABAAC etc etc

The C is important as it is a Cam belt change - you don't want that to go! Of course as the car is out of warranty you can take it to a specialist who will charge you a lot lot less for this work.

[robmk1]

thanks a lot.

Looks like its the big figures c service. I have been quoted £700 by a main dealer!!

Do you know of any specilists in the cheshire area? and would going to a specilist be pointless if i was thinking of buying another 1 year lotus warranty?

much appriciated
Rob

[jay_z]

Hi Rob,
As of yet I don't own an Elise. However, I'm thinking of purchasing one in the very near future - it has to be done doesn't it

I've already started doing a little bit of home work, to aid the buying process.

I'm not sure where you are within Cheshire, but I've managed to find two tuning firms, who MAY also carry out servicing work.

These are:

www.dpmotorsport.com These are based in Warrington, and I have used them in the past allbeit on my Cosworth. I was very pleased with the service I received, and the costs were also very resonable.

Not sure what they can do in terms of servicing an Elise, but they are mentioned under their tuning section, so it might be worth giving them a call.

The other one is:

ABP Motorsport in Crewe (teln: 01270 567177). I haven't had any experience with these guys, but again they offer upgrades for the Elise, so they MAY be able to service them also.

Hope some of this info helps, and saves you a few pounds along the way

Regards,
Jay.

P.S. I would be very grateful if you could give me any advice about buying/owning an Elise. The more information I can put together the better. E-mail me off line if you prefer.

[robmk1]

cheers Jay,

I suppose if your looking to buy one for the summer, the earlier you can get one the better the deal will be as prices will go up towards the summer. Not sure whether your thinking of private or dealer to buy from, but i went for the dealer in the end, mainly because an Elise is just affordable so any big problems and i would have had to go sell a body part!! I got a years warranty with it and have used it a lot, new exhaust, cat, shocks, problems with alarm, throttle pedal, heat sheild. There is no come back with a private sale, but if you have the money for parts the car will be cheaper with private sale.
But, if you buy private after having it looked over, you can go to a dealer and buy a warranty.

Mine was an impulse buy, went to the show room and saw, drove and bought - young lad with money to burn, but if doing it again i would drive a few and and find one that feels together and not like a bag of nails, i was lucky with mine, its a good one.

Owning one is brilliant and worth all the little niggles. Despite all people say, if the roof is fitted propertly it doesn't leak, never had a puddle!! Use mine everyday without problem, just have to keep an eye on the water level!! the engine can be suseptable to HG failure.

Running costs if you get a warranty are not as large as you may think, i have only had to get two new rear tyres, new rubber gators and a wiper in one year.

There are loads of sites with good buying guides, show you what to look for on a second hand one. And there is loads of people on these sites with a better knowledge than me who would be able to answer more detailed questions.

Buy bascially - get one!

Rob

P.s. close to chester, so warrington is not too far.