S2 Exige - What to look out for?
Discussion
Sorry if this has been done before but I'm looking at getting an Exige (S or N/A, not sure yet) and can't seem to find any posts for a buyers guide to S2 Exiges or any potential problems to look out for. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
The car I'm thinking about is a private purchase (06 Exige S).
Many thanks.
The car I'm thinking about is a private purchase (06 Exige S).
Many thanks.
is basically the same as a S2 Elise, Toyota engined, try www.elises.co.uk or the techwiki on www.seloc.org
Check the tyres. It should have the semi slick Yokohama AO48. They only come with 5mm of tread and you will be lucky to get 5000 miles out of the rears without doing any trackdays or hoonong around. A new set of 4 will set you back about £700 so if there isnt much life left in them use it to knock them down a few quid.
The only other problem I had with mine was the interior heater packed up. This is apparently something to do with one of the components housed in the front clam being housed in a recess where water builds up over time and eventually corrodes the part. Mine was done under warranty but probably would have been about a grand all in to fix if it wasnt covered. Might be worth checking to see if this has been done as its a common problem and the repair fixes the problem for good.
The only other problem I had with mine was the interior heater packed up. This is apparently something to do with one of the components housed in the front clam being housed in a recess where water builds up over time and eventually corrodes the part. Mine was done under warranty but probably would have been about a grand all in to fix if it wasnt covered. Might be worth checking to see if this has been done as its a common problem and the repair fixes the problem for good.
I bought exactly what your after privately about three months ago and like any car purchase check out the history and any provenence that is with the car and ask lots of questions.
you should be aiming for between £23k and £25K for an "S" if youre buying private, preferably with Sports and Touring and defo Air Con, IMHO.
Take it for a test drive for at least Half an hour paying attention to how the gearbox feels when you change gear and the general feel of the car.
If you can get a garage to check it over then all the better but it just wasnt possible for me to do this.
If it "feels" right it probably is, The one i bought hadnt done any track days "allegedly", but i wouldnt let that put you off. Ive done two track days so far and have more booked and the car has been great.
I bought with 22,000 miles so dont be put off by a higher mileage as long as you can see that the car has been looked after and has been correctly maintained.
Good luck, they are a cracking car!!
you should be aiming for between £23k and £25K for an "S" if youre buying private, preferably with Sports and Touring and defo Air Con, IMHO.
Take it for a test drive for at least Half an hour paying attention to how the gearbox feels when you change gear and the general feel of the car.
If you can get a garage to check it over then all the better but it just wasnt possible for me to do this.
If it "feels" right it probably is, The one i bought hadnt done any track days "allegedly", but i wouldnt let that put you off. Ive done two track days so far and have more booked and the car has been great.
I bought with 22,000 miles so dont be put off by a higher mileage as long as you can see that the car has been looked after and has been correctly maintained.
Good luck, they are a cracking car!!
Thanks for all the reply's guys, very helpful.
Scream, it's good to hear from someone who's done the same thing and has had the same concerns.
Davey S2, thanks for the comments on the heater matrix and A048 tyres. One thing that does worry me a little me is how suitable these tyres are for general road use, especially with winter coming. Is this something to worry about or should I be looking at Toyo R888s (supposedly a little safer in the wet) or something a little less track biased?
Scream, it's good to hear from someone who's done the same thing and has had the same concerns.
Davey S2, thanks for the comments on the heater matrix and A048 tyres. One thing that does worry me a little me is how suitable these tyres are for general road use, especially with winter coming. Is this something to worry about or should I be looking at Toyo R888s (supposedly a little safer in the wet) or something a little less track biased?
Hall C said:
Davey S2, thanks for the comments on the heater matrix and A048 tyres. One thing that does worry me a little me is how suitable these tyres are for general road use, especially with winter coming. Is this something to worry about or should I be looking at Toyo R888s (supposedly a little safer in the wet) or something a little less track biased?
R888's are not much different to AO48's. They are still effectively a cut slick with less tread than a normal tyre.To be fair the AO48's are ok in the wet but where there is a lot of water and standing water they can be plain dangerous, especially where they only have a few mm's of tread left.
I had one motorway trip which was probably the scariest time I have ever had in a car and could feel the car aquaplanning all the time. You cant go in the slow lane ither as the ruts caused by the lorries just hold even more water.
If you are going to use the car as an everyday car and have regular long trips to do then Iwould try and get another set of wheels and put some normal road tyres on it for the winter.
Hall C said:
Thanks for all the reply's guys, very helpful.
Scream, it's good to hear from someone who's done the same thing and has had the same concerns.
Davey S2, thanks for the comments on the heater matrix and A048 tyres. One thing that does worry me a little me is how suitable these tyres are for general road use, especially with winter coming. Is this something to worry about or should I be looking at Toyo R888s (supposedly a little safer in the wet) or something a little less track biased?
Id listen to Daveys advice too - another here who much preferred a regular set of road tyres, I did 83K miles in my Elise over 6 years, including nearly every winter, A048s and R888s are not fun on a wet day, let alone anything worse..as you can only feel the benefits on a dry track, Id recommend some road tyres too Scream, it's good to hear from someone who's done the same thing and has had the same concerns.
Davey S2, thanks for the comments on the heater matrix and A048 tyres. One thing that does worry me a little me is how suitable these tyres are for general road use, especially with winter coming. Is this something to worry about or should I be looking at Toyo R888s (supposedly a little safer in the wet) or something a little less track biased?
I just simply cannot understand the sense in running 048s on UK roads in the darker months. Get yourself two sets of wheels and tyres and run one set on eagles or TR1's and the other on 888's or 048s. Cheaper, and safer.
If it aint got aircon walk away.
And double check the car you buy has had the heater actuator mod done.
HTH
Rpm
If it aint got aircon walk away.
And double check the car you buy has had the heater actuator mod done.
HTH
Rpm
The N/A represents a bit of a bargain now IMO but I much prefer the extra torque of the Exige S - feels like the pull you'd get from a 3 litre engine
The lack of rear view mirror is something you'll get used to but it does hamper rear visibility. I had some reversing parking sensors fitted which are useful - better than a scuffed/cracked rear clam - when reversing into garages/spaces etc.
Save for the standard brakes (see below) I've had no mechanical issues at all (Exige S MY07) - it's been faultless thus far (touch wood!)which I'm pleased about.
If you intend to use the Exige S regularly on the road then it does make sense to get a cheap set of rims and some road orientated tyres for the reasons outlined above by others.
Yoko 048's are an excellent track tyre but as others have said, they're expensive and designed for the track - and unless you intend to drive everywhere at 10/10ths (which would be insane) then as others have pointed out there are cheaper road tyres for all weather mundane road use.
Apart from the Toyo's TR1 (which i've not tried), I've always been a fan of Goodyear F1's on my sporty VW's. The tyres are comparatively cheap, last well, are good in the wet and seem to be easily available from many outlets.
I also drove an Exige 240R on Continental Sport Contacts around a very greasy Silverstone and that was fine too - so that's another option.
Air-con is a must - it gets very hot in the cabin otherwise and you'll probably find that resale value will suffer without it.
Now to the brakes - no issues on the road but on the two occasions that I visited Donington in the Exige, the front left brake disc had to be replaced - they still worked but started complaining by graunching and vibrating. I think the heat build up simply warped them or something like that. Not had that problem anywhere else so perhaps it's just me ???
Anyway, both the N/A and S are great cars so have fun choosing your new toy
The lack of rear view mirror is something you'll get used to but it does hamper rear visibility. I had some reversing parking sensors fitted which are useful - better than a scuffed/cracked rear clam - when reversing into garages/spaces etc.
Save for the standard brakes (see below) I've had no mechanical issues at all (Exige S MY07) - it's been faultless thus far (touch wood!)which I'm pleased about.
If you intend to use the Exige S regularly on the road then it does make sense to get a cheap set of rims and some road orientated tyres for the reasons outlined above by others.
Yoko 048's are an excellent track tyre but as others have said, they're expensive and designed for the track - and unless you intend to drive everywhere at 10/10ths (which would be insane) then as others have pointed out there are cheaper road tyres for all weather mundane road use.
Apart from the Toyo's TR1 (which i've not tried), I've always been a fan of Goodyear F1's on my sporty VW's. The tyres are comparatively cheap, last well, are good in the wet and seem to be easily available from many outlets.
I also drove an Exige 240R on Continental Sport Contacts around a very greasy Silverstone and that was fine too - so that's another option.
Air-con is a must - it gets very hot in the cabin otherwise and you'll probably find that resale value will suffer without it.
Now to the brakes - no issues on the road but on the two occasions that I visited Donington in the Exige, the front left brake disc had to be replaced - they still worked but started complaining by graunching and vibrating. I think the heat build up simply warped them or something like that. Not had that problem anywhere else so perhaps it's just me ???
Anyway, both the N/A and S are great cars so have fun choosing your new toy
show me a n/a that represents a bargain the prices have dropped about a fiver for the last 2 yrs.. no oil cooler cars are way way way too much money...for four to five grand more you can have a s which is much better car with all the new rafinements
Edited by Mclovin on Sunday 14th September 12:04
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