S2 135 reliability

[jitsukadave]

After a lot of poking around the web, I've decided to get a 2nd hand stock S2 and get Brookes-Kensington to fit a K20A engine sometime later on - if I'm allowed by the misses and the government to keep it that long :rolleyes:

However, I recently test drove an S2 with the 135 upgrade and stage 1 exhaust. I really liked it!

Is it worth me forking out an extra couple of grand on a 135 in the first place? Worry about the upgrade much later on? How reliable is the 135 setup? I'm used to having a car I can just service every 6 months and overhaul a few bits every few years. Would this still be reasonable, especially as I want this car on the track a fair bit?

[xxplod]

The 135R was made with more of a nod towards track use. IIRC it had the Lotus Sport suspension. No issues with servicing/reliability - same as any other Elise, every 9K.

[S Works]

Take care not to confuse the 135R with a Sport 135 upgrade. Very different things.

Sport 135 upgrade does not have all the trick bits that the 135R had and is not an apples/apples comparison.

I'll give you more grunt and torque on a standard engine and I've heard good things about the conversion. Miles @ Fibreglass Services reckons it's the best compromise out there for the Elise.

[jitsukadave]

Cheers guys.

This was the upgrade, I've not had a look at any 135Rs, but a quick check with Tesco insurance tells me that I'd be paying an extra 350 (to just over 1400!) for the Sport 135 upgrade, not done the 135R yet, but if it's a standard offering with more track focus, I can nly see it costingmore again.

I think I'll get a completely stock S2 - if such a thing exists for sale - and upgrade it later.

I'll have to get in touch with my brokers to see what estimates they can give me for inusrance costs - hopefully it will be less than I currently pay, I can't see how they can justify charging any more.

[theweeninjaguy]

i've been quoted 600 from admiral and 400 from adrian flux for a standard 2002 S2 elise and that's taking into account that i smashed my A3 up earlier this year.

adrian flux - 0870077788

or try

insurance4U - 01902829190

ninja

>> Edited by theweeninjaguy on Friday 17th June 13:42

[jitsukadave]

Cheers, I'll give them a call.

I'm in a high risk catagory anyway )I live in a very low risk area though) - 24 but will be 25 when I have the car, 3 points from an SP60 in 2003 (damn that unmarked silver Accord on the Fosse Way!)

The misses brings it down a bit but she's old and drives like a saint - though she was crashed into recently which doesn't help her insurance risk level

p.s. You may decide to change your name from <anything>ninja<anything> on here, some people kept assuming I had a Kawasaki bike

Edit - then again, maybe you do!

>> Edited by jitsukadave on Friday 17th June 14:06

[theweeninjaguy]

lol i'm actually "the wee ninja guy" cos i actually study ninjutsu and i'm only 5'7"! also i'm that user name on another forum and it's just easier to remember, i ahve a cr*p memory for passwords etc. i do have a bike but it's a ducati

my insurance dropped by 100 quid when i put my dad on the insurance - he'll probalby never drive the car but just having him as a named driver made a noticable difference.

ninja

[jitsukadave]

That's why I was ninjadave too. It also stuck for the same reasons after I stopped doing it. After the hassle I got (a bit unfair as it was only a couple of friendly questions) here, I decided to change it to stop the ambiguity. I still use ninjadave everywhere else though.

[S Works]

Mate, you need to shop around.

Here you go for starters, that should keep you busy. Try Autotorque and Eggar Lawson/CCI. Both did me very good quotes this year and both with trackday cover included.

Also things which will bring your premium down... join SELOC (car club discount from 10-15% depending on insurer), book 1stLotus day, get a limited mileage policy if you can, stick the missus or your mum on it (with elephant this brought my quote down by £150!!).

Insurance:

Chris Knott 0800 917 2274
Auto Torque 0161 278 5226
Elephant 0870 0401 140
Footman James 0121 561 4196
Adrian Flux 08700 777 888
Egger Lawson / CCI 0115 941 5255
Lotus / AON / Esteem (Official) 01483 706 051
Tesco 0845 300 4400
Direct Line 0845 246 8701
Priviledge 0845 246 0275
Liverpool Victoria 01202 292 333
Admiral 0800 600 800
Bell Direct / Admiral 0800 140 180
More Than / Hastings 0800 072 4186
Quoteline Direct 0870 442 9049
Norwich Union Direct 0800 092 9564
budget 0800 072 0644
esteem 01483 706051/706070/706065
frizzel 0800748748
cheam 0208 7701001
adrian flux 01533774477
Aplan 01494 677776
argos 0800 015 4835
insurance world 01604 615415
ASDA 0845 300 2310

www.confused.com
www.elephant.co.uk
www.budgetinsurance.com/
www.asda.com

[scuffham]

xxplod said:

The 135R was made with more of a nod towards track use. IIRC it had the Lotus Sport suspension. No issues with servicing/reliability - same as any other Elise, every 9K.

you having a laugh?

S2 135's have one of the highest rates of HGF of any of the K engined Elises...

An awful lot of them ended up with having to have the heads replaced due to them going porus..

[tuscan_thunder]

try elephant.

they were £500 cheaper than anywhere else for me including flux's.

[S Works]

scuffham said:

xxplod said: The 135R was made with more of a nod towards track use. IIRC it had the Lotus Sport suspension. No issues with servicing/reliability - same as any other Elise, every 9K. you having a laugh? S2 135's have one of the highest rates of HGF of any of the K engined Elises... An awful lot of them ended up with having to have the heads replaced due to them going porus..

Only the first 100. The Saffron Yellow one's are ok. All HGF's were dealt with under recall/warranty anyway so should not be a problem.