Paintwork problems – are they common?

[buzzer]

I am looking to buy an Elise S2. Do they suffer any paintwork problems like micro blistering, bubbling of cracking and crazing?

Also, are the Toyota engine cars better than the Rover engine ones? Have to say I am not a fan of the Rover engine… what was the year the Toyota engine was introduced?

While I am looking at different cars, are there any desirable extras I should look for? I think I want one with Air Con, is this reliable?

So many questions!

[SeanyD]

Yes some Elises do suffer minor paint bubbling, commonly on the lower part of the rear clam, I believe (from other threads) it can be caused by a build up of water under the surface of the paint in the fibreglass.

Regarding Rover v Yota engines, theres mixed opinions on here. Some prefer the simplicity of the Rover engine, HGF is a reported issue but a) tends to be blown (!) out of proportion, b) chances can be reduced through letting it warm up etc c) is a cheap repair (on the grand scheme of things). Personally I think both are good engines, so whichever appeals to you.

(I'm by no means mechanically minded, so this is just my pennies worth based on a) personal experience, b) hanging around these forums, and c) mixing with other owners)

Others feel free to say your pennies worth.

HTH

[kambites]

Bubbling is pretty common, apparently it's down to the fibreglass not being dried out properly before painting. Mine is bubbling on the rear clam just behind the boot opening, a single large (~2cm x 4cm) bubble but it's not very noticeable unless the light catches it.

[Beachbum]

Paint also doesnt adhere to the fibreglass as well, as a result stone chips on the front can be far more prevelant and the size of them much larger than metal bodied cars.

[Lawrence5]

Interestingly I was told the other day its not moisture but fatty type of material that sweats out of the fibreglass ??

111R was launched 2004

http://www.elises.co.uk/models/index.html

K series is a great engine - light, easy to tune and suits the concept

[Anatol]

At least according to the spiel on the factory tour, the Exige is still hand-laid fibreglass, but all other current panels are a machine-pressed composite, manufactured in France. The issue of water in the glass fibres of the GRP is therefore simply not an issue for the current series, Exige excepted. Bubbling in the paint will have another cause. On older cars, moisture trap may be the reason.

The "paint adheres poorly to composite panels" myth is widespread, but a myth nonetheless. Stone chips are very rarely down to the GRP, what you almost always see is primer (or paint when the lacquer layer has chipped). This means that the adhesion has failed between primer and paint (or paint and lacquer) and not between the GRP and the primer coat. Properly prepared with the correct choice of primer, GRP is just as good a substrate as metal.

Lotus still have a hand-sprayed paint line. This means that inconsistencies in finish such as film build, inclusions (most usually introduced into any booth process on the body of the sprayer) and the like are more likely than with an entirely enclosed, machine-sprayed line, even though there is a robust finish inspection and QA process at Hethel.

Tol
Edited for signing off twice (!)

Edited by Anatol on Wednesday 22 October 10:55

[F.C.]

As said above it's fiberglass in general, my Noble had "micro blistering" around the front clamshell Dzus fastners (probably water ingress) and stone chips were an issue because it wasn't the paint chipping but the rather more brittle gel coat beneath, hence the larger chips.
This can be remedied to a large extent by a good paintshop used to fiberglass repair as those in the know use a "rubberized" flexible undercoat to "spread" the impact of stones etc.
F.C.
ETS just read the post above, so maybe Lotus are different.
Just my experience with the Noble.

Edited by F.C. on Wednesday 22 October 11:01