Can i afford a lotus elise

They are spunky and sporty, and most importantly they are uncommon. Due to changing safety regulations in the US, Lotus was unable to continue to bring the Elise into the country, making the last production year to reach the states the model. There are several teams that specialize in professionally rebuilding Lotuses across the country, and once done you could almost do nothing to tell that the car was ever wrecked, to begin with. Dirt cheap. The way NB Miatas are now, cheap.

Just absurdly, almost irresponsibly, cheap. It may take more than a decade, perhaps two. I hope gasoline will still exist when it does.

But when it comes, it will truly be a magical day for us all. The A. Car Buying. It had a six-speed gearbox and, new for the Elise, power-assisted brakes. The new entry-level model, the Elise S, was now powered by a bhp 1. A supercharged S2, badged SC, landed in with bhp. This plus the aforementioned bhp S and bhp R models underpinned the S2 line-up until the arrival of the S3. In , this was replaced by a shorter roof.

Desirable S2 extras include a sports exhaust and upgraded brakes. Good S2s that have been garaged and cherished are becoming harder to find, and with the Elise now no longer made, prices are sure to rise. The Bilstein sports suspension is so good that S1 owners replace their Koni set-ups with it. The K-series cambelt should be changed every 36, miles or four years. Toyota engines use a chain. On K-series radiators, examine the plastic end tanks for leaks. Clutches on Toyota-engined cars can self-destruct.

The same cars can suffer with sticky third gear selection. Examine the single-piece front clamshell for cracks because repairs are expensive.

Inspect the body for blistering caused by moisture sweating out of the composite body. Expect the sills to be knocked about.