noble info please
Discussion
hi, i currenty own a bmw z3m coupe, and am thinking of getting a noble as my next car, and would just like some general info on the car, i will be going for an early model as i only have around £35k to spend.
1- what are the early models like?
2- how is the reliabilty?
3- what are the servicing costs?
4- do you have to go to a noble dealer for the above?
5 if the car is out of warrenty can you buy a warrenty from noble after the 3 years are up?
6- what sort of mpg are you guys getting?
many thanks for any replies, and would just like to say you guys have great looking cars
cheers kieron
1- what are the early models like?
2- how is the reliabilty?
3- what are the servicing costs?
4- do you have to go to a noble dealer for the above?
5 if the car is out of warrenty can you buy a warrenty from noble after the 3 years are up?
6- what sort of mpg are you guys getting?
many thanks for any replies, and would just like to say you guys have great looking cars
cheers kieron
speedfreak said:
hi, i currenty own a bmw z3m coupe, and am thinking of getting a noble as my next car, and would just like some general info on the car, i will be going for an early model as i only have around £35k to spend.
many thanks for any replies, and would just like to say you guys have great looking cars
cheers kieron
Kieron, I'll have a stab at a couple of your questions, I'm sure my Noble compadres will provide plenty of input ot assist you!:
1- what are the early models like?
That'll be an M12 2.5l - also know as 'Darth Vader' - you'll hear why as soon as you drive it! If it is fully serviced and has been back to the factory over time then it should have all the latest mods - remember to ask!
2- how is the reliabilty?
Good (but see note 1).
3- what are the servicing costs?
Dunno yet!
4- do you have to go to a noble dealer for the above?
Yes and there's a new service-only agent in north London.
5 if the car is out of warrenty can you buy a warrenty from noble after the 3 years are up?
Possibily but ask!
6- what sort of mpg are you guys getting?
Dunno, don't care!!!
Hope this helps!
Rob
thanks rob, can i just ask what are the lastest mods that should have been done? and if it has not been done should i not buy the car?
just a guess is it called darth vader cos of the sound of the waiste gates or dump valves?
>> Edited by speedfreak on Monday 29th March 16:46
>> Edited by speedfreak on Monday 29th March 16:46
just a guess is it called darth vader cos of the sound of the waiste gates or dump valves?
>> Edited by speedfreak on Monday 29th March 16:46
>> Edited by speedfreak on Monday 29th March 16:46
I bought a 51 plate used 2.5 with 10.5k miles on the clock and it's been fantastic. I've had no huge problems with it other than one hose coming off and a flat battery (while I was away - alarm drained it flat). Easily sorted with trickle charger.
The only issue I have got is that as its an early one it hasn't got the ECU and wiring loom upgrades. Like Rob said - Check for this. I'm waiting for a price from the factory for these upgrades....and I've got a comfy chair and a stiff drink ready cos it's gonna be pricey!!
I had a minor service from a local sports car specialist after I blew the hose off. They do a few Astons, Ferraris and Porkers but had never seen an M12 before. When they'd finished, they commented that they were amazed how well it was built and that it was "Great to work on". They really did have nothing but praise for the car and it's build. I will be happy to take it back to them for minor stuff, but would really advise taking it to dealer or factory for main services.
If I was to go back now and have the same money to buy a car, I would still buy the Noble. If you haven't driven one yet, give one a go. You'll be astounded, the dump valves really are something else!
>> Edited by obes on Monday 29th March 17:07
The only issue I have got is that as its an early one it hasn't got the ECU and wiring loom upgrades. Like Rob said - Check for this. I'm waiting for a price from the factory for these upgrades....and I've got a comfy chair and a stiff drink ready cos it's gonna be pricey!!
I had a minor service from a local sports car specialist after I blew the hose off. They do a few Astons, Ferraris and Porkers but had never seen an M12 before. When they'd finished, they commented that they were amazed how well it was built and that it was "Great to work on". They really did have nothing but praise for the car and it's build. I will be happy to take it back to them for minor stuff, but would really advise taking it to dealer or factory for main services.
If I was to go back now and have the same money to buy a car, I would still buy the Noble. If you haven't driven one yet, give one a go. You'll be astounded, the dump valves really are something else!
>> Edited by obes on Monday 29th March 17:07
In addition to Owen's points to consider (ecu and loom upgrades) I was thinking that it should have the latest front cooling fans and cowling, it should also have a powder-coated chassis (wasn't there a rust issue on some early models?) and check the a/c carefully (this is an optional item)- don't get me wrong, even without these updates you could always find an early model that is totally reliable, suits you fine and looks great outside your house!
1- what are the early models like?
Pretty bullet proof nowdays. Guinea pigs like me have found almost everything there is to find wrong with the car
. As said above though, ensure you have the upgrades done.
2- how is the reliabilty?
You aren't talking BMW here, so you have to be prepared for it being a small run car. Having said that the X5 I have has had it's fair share of serious and cosmetic faults so you can never be sure.
3- what are the servicing costs?
Around
6000 miles - £500
12000 miles - £600
24000 miles - £700
4- do you have to go to a noble dealer for the above?
No - any decent garage should be able to service the car, the difficulty is that they won't be aware of the service bullitens that Noble put out. Every time mine goes in it comes back with something new and improved so it's generally best for the 6k, 12k etc. ones to go to a main dealer, and you'll protect your resell values.
If you track it you'll want to change the oil & filter more regulary (every 4 or so track days seems sensible depending on the milage inbetween) and pretty much anywhere can do that if they have a 4 post lift (but make sure they lift it on the cross beams!)
5 if the car is out of warrenty can you buy a warrenty from noble after the 3 years are up?
Dealers do extended warranties but normally they have to supply the car to you with it. I'm not aware of anyone that does warranties to the general public...
6- what sort of mpg are you guys getting?
www.lotus-elise.org.uk/noble/runningcosts.htm
and would just like to say you guys have great looking cars
We know
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 29th March 19:02
Pretty bullet proof nowdays. Guinea pigs like me have found almost everything there is to find wrong with the car
. As said above though, ensure you have the upgrades done. 2- how is the reliabilty?
You aren't talking BMW here, so you have to be prepared for it being a small run car. Having said that the X5 I have has had it's fair share of serious and cosmetic faults so you can never be sure.
3- what are the servicing costs?
Around
6000 miles - £500
12000 miles - £600
24000 miles - £700
4- do you have to go to a noble dealer for the above?
No - any decent garage should be able to service the car, the difficulty is that they won't be aware of the service bullitens that Noble put out. Every time mine goes in it comes back with something new and improved so it's generally best for the 6k, 12k etc. ones to go to a main dealer, and you'll protect your resell values.
If you track it you'll want to change the oil & filter more regulary (every 4 or so track days seems sensible depending on the milage inbetween) and pretty much anywhere can do that if they have a 4 post lift (but make sure they lift it on the cross beams!)
5 if the car is out of warrenty can you buy a warrenty from noble after the 3 years are up?
Dealers do extended warranties but normally they have to supply the car to you with it. I'm not aware of anyone that does warranties to the general public...
6- what sort of mpg are you guys getting?
www.lotus-elise.org.uk/noble/runningcosts.htm
and would just like to say you guys have great looking cars
We know
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 29th March 19:02
Upgrades to my 2.5L are which is probably about as far as you can get:
1. Latest wiring loom with New ECU plus Power Upgrade to 340bhp
2. Cooling fans upgrade - really works well in very hot weather. Car sounds like there is Darth Vadar in the back with hovercraft in the front!
3. Turbo cooler pipes upgrade
4. Remote battery terminals for easy access to charging and jump starting (convenient option)
5. Rear suspension upgrade (improved toe-in). Not that necessary but does improve cornering ability a little bit.
6. Insulation mods to the handbrake cable and to the pipe to the turbo guage (to prevent possible heat damage from the exhaust)
7. Upgrade to more powerful fans for the aircon - makes a big difference in keeping one's cool.
8. Slightly longer gearstick - improves gear selection and reduces the chance of your pricey watchstrap catching on the handbrake during downshifts.
9. Lowered handbrake - less intrusion into the cockpit.
10. Plus a whole bunch of minor stuff such as addition of map pockets, sun visors, detachable headrests etc.
11. Oh yes, nearly forgot, brake balancer valve to reduce the chance of rear wheel lock up during heavy braking. Brake pedals repositioned to improve heel and toe for my size 11 feet.
12. The only mod I have not added is the track day sump since the car is not used on the track.
I am not suggesting all the above are must do's since my car is an early model but this scopes out many of the improvements/additions made to the production of the 2.5L Nobles during a very short period of time. A credit to Lee Noble and the team.
By the way, my Noble will be enjoying its' first MOT in August and I am pleased to say that I still have the same excited feeling when I bought car every time I start it up.
>> Edited by SteveJT on Monday 29th March 19:43
>> Edited by SteveJT on Tuesday 30th March 14:37
1. Latest wiring loom with New ECU plus Power Upgrade to 340bhp
2. Cooling fans upgrade - really works well in very hot weather. Car sounds like there is Darth Vadar in the back with hovercraft in the front!
3. Turbo cooler pipes upgrade
4. Remote battery terminals for easy access to charging and jump starting (convenient option)
5. Rear suspension upgrade (improved toe-in). Not that necessary but does improve cornering ability a little bit.
6. Insulation mods to the handbrake cable and to the pipe to the turbo guage (to prevent possible heat damage from the exhaust)
7. Upgrade to more powerful fans for the aircon - makes a big difference in keeping one's cool.
8. Slightly longer gearstick - improves gear selection and reduces the chance of your pricey watchstrap catching on the handbrake during downshifts.
9. Lowered handbrake - less intrusion into the cockpit.
10. Plus a whole bunch of minor stuff such as addition of map pockets, sun visors, detachable headrests etc.
11. Oh yes, nearly forgot, brake balancer valve to reduce the chance of rear wheel lock up during heavy braking. Brake pedals repositioned to improve heel and toe for my size 11 feet.
12. The only mod I have not added is the track day sump since the car is not used on the track.
I am not suggesting all the above are must do's since my car is an early model but this scopes out many of the improvements/additions made to the production of the 2.5L Nobles during a very short period of time. A credit to Lee Noble and the team.
By the way, my Noble will be enjoying its' first MOT in August and I am pleased to say that I still have the same excited feeling when I bought car every time I start it up.
>> Edited by SteveJT on Monday 29th March 19:43
>> Edited by SteveJT on Tuesday 30th March 14:37
i understand thats its not a bmw and is a hand built british sports car, and after driving a lotus elise as my everyday car for 2 years before i got my z3m im prepared to have minor things go wrong from time to time.
my nearest dealer is mole valley, about 5 min drive from me, but as far as i know dont thing my £35k will get me a noble from them just yet
my nearest dealer is mole valley, about 5 min drive from me, but as far as i know dont thing my £35k will get me a noble from them just yet
speedfreak said:Mole V supplied and service my car - lovely people.
my nearest dealer is mole valley, about 5 min drive from me, but as far as i know dont thing my £35k will get me a noble from them just yet
Their Yellow Bannana one is currently under offer - it was £35,995 - why not offer them around 35k and see if they bite????
It's a cracking car and the previous owner is on the Noble owner's mailing list if you want the history (he's just chopped it in for a 3R). J
The track day sump is essential if you track a car.
The Noble can generate such massive lateral and deaccelerative G forces that a few 2.5l engines suffered from oil starvation.
However it seemed that it was somewhat down to "luck" (or unluck...) and your driving style as there were many cars that were constantly tracked and never suffered any problems, and others that were tracked once and had engine damage.
The factory were great about the early cars with regards to fixing them. However, after the track day sump was developed (basically it holds another 3l of oil to stop the starvation) they then sensibly said that if you wanted to track the car you needed the sump in order for any warranty to be valid.
No car with a track day sump has ever since suffered a failure so no issue going forward.
In addition, and in line with all good manufacturers Noble factory warranty's are still valid after track days, but the T&C's of them exclude any consumables or things that suffer accelerated wear (like brakes pads/discs, joints, rubber mounts, oil etc.) aren't covered.
3rd party / dealer warranties may have different clauses with regards to track days - check the small print.
So - if you aren't going to track the car, don't worry about it. If you are, then absolutly ensure that it has a track day sump in it (you can tell easily enough when it comes to oil change, if it has a track day sump it requires 8l of oiL!)
One thing to bare in mind of course is that if you don't track it oil changes are slightly more expensive with a track day sump - Shell Helix Ultra isn't cheap!
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 29th March 22:03
The Noble can generate such massive lateral and deaccelerative G forces that a few 2.5l engines suffered from oil starvation.
However it seemed that it was somewhat down to "luck" (or unluck...) and your driving style as there were many cars that were constantly tracked and never suffered any problems, and others that were tracked once and had engine damage.
The factory were great about the early cars with regards to fixing them. However, after the track day sump was developed (basically it holds another 3l of oil to stop the starvation) they then sensibly said that if you wanted to track the car you needed the sump in order for any warranty to be valid.
No car with a track day sump has ever since suffered a failure so no issue going forward.
In addition, and in line with all good manufacturers Noble factory warranty's are still valid after track days, but the T&C's of them exclude any consumables or things that suffer accelerated wear (like brakes pads/discs, joints, rubber mounts, oil
etc.) aren't covered. 3rd party / dealer warranties may have different clauses with regards to track days - check the small print.
So - if you aren't going to track the car, don't worry about it. If you are, then absolutly ensure that it has a track day sump in it (you can tell easily enough when it comes to oil change, if it has a track day sump it requires 8l of oiL!)
One thing to bare in mind of course is that if you don't track it oil changes are slightly more expensive with a track day sump - Shell Helix Ultra isn't cheap!
J
>> Edited by joust on Monday 29th March 22:03
thanks joust very helpful indeed, to be honest and i know some of you will be saying what the point of getting a noble then, but i dought i will be doing track days with the car, even though i maybe tempted when i start driving it, but really i just want a supercar for the road, and a car for really good posing.
i have just come back from mole valley and had a look round, the yellow one was there, a blue 3r and a titanium 3r, all looked amazing, one thing i did not like so much was the old m12 wheels that the yellow one had, i much prefered the 3r wheels.
i have just come back from mole valley and had a look round, the yellow one was there, a blue 3r and a titanium 3r, all looked amazing, one thing i did not like so much was the old m12 wheels that the yellow one had, i much prefered the 3r wheels.
speedfreak said:Why? The Noble is one of the ultimate A-B road machines....
to be honest and i know some of you will be saying what the point of getting a noble then
speedfreak said:
but i dought i will be doing track days with the car, even though i maybe tempted when i start driving it
I'm sure you will be. The Noble is even more fun on a track, and it's a very good place to learn the (very high) limits of adhesion that the car has and how it reacts when it breaks away. speedfreak said:
but really i just want a supercar for the road, and a car for really good posing.
nothing wrong with that. speedfreak said:I suppose you might be able to buy a set of 3R wheels but they are somewhat expensive, and then you'd look "odd" next to a real 3R with the different front clam. Me - I like running a "classic" Noble
one thing i did not like so much was the old m12 wheels that the yellow one had, i much prefered the 3r wheels.
I've sent you an email as well.
J
speedfreak - Kerridges have some 2.5 models for sale:
www.kerridges.co.uk/noble_used.asp
I'm sure some of the other dealers might be able to help you.
www.kerridges.co.uk/noble_used.asp
I'm sure some of the other dealers might be able to help you.
thanks to all those who have replied, been very helpful and friendly indeed, but cant go for one just yet, have to wait a few months first as i have just bought my first place, so all the money went on that, but should not be to long til i have enough to get one, i should get £29k for my z3, so maybe by the summer, but i will be keeping in touch on here and might need some more advice nearer the time.
cheers all
cheers all
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