don’t get me wrong, i’m not unrealistic, i am totally prepared for the running costs of my S1 111S and i’ve run a alfa gtv for 2.5yrs… i’m just slightly concerned that with an exige an out-of-warranty engine rebuild appears to be just ‘one of those things’…
i don’t have problems with c-services and such like but i’d be pretty miffed if i was stung with a �3k engine rebuild within a couple of years of ownership
i’ll probably be doing 10k per annum
so should i stick with the elise or go with the exige?
Heads you win, tails - perhaps you loose! I’m afraid nobody knows the answer to your question - but for a 2 year warranty you’ll need to buy a new Exige.
You can only negotiate the best warranty you are able, then after that it’s a matter of regular servicing at the Lotus intervals by a dealer - but it’s also recommended (by owners) to change the oil every 3000 miles. You would be unlucky to need an engine rebuild (refresh) in 20000 to 30000 miles of road use (with say 3 or 4 trackdays pa too).
Perhaps I was lucky, but before I swapped my K series for the Honda, I’d covered about 36K miles in 3 years (including 30 trackdays, & 4 returm trips Bolton to Le Mans), & the only problems I had were a knackered alternator & another electrical fault caused by chaffed wiring as it passed through the bulkhead. However, the oil was changed every 2 to 3K miles, & the engine was refreshed (new piston rings, glaze busted) & strenghtened (motorsport head bolts/big end bearings/oil pump shaft) at 26K miles - not because it needed it, but because I took the precaution of having it done!
The majority of owners haven’t needed rebuilds/refreshes, but as stated above, interim oil changes coupled with regular oil/water level checks are advised.
As the saying goes, if it’s got wheels or tits, it’ll cost you , so go for it
due to the nature of the vhpd engine, i’m concluding that the only way i would consider taking the plunge would be if i had a proper 1yr lotus warranty behind it… hence the persual of the nick whale car… i quite like the idea of getting involved with a car i can look after myself… ie. doing the oil changes etc… i might actually learn something and be able to solve some of the little foibles myself???
i also though that if i had an eliseparts remote thermostat fitted at time of purchase, the chances of a hgf would dramatically decrease, is there any logic in this?, and before i seem really stupid, the remote thermostat isn’t a feature of the 190 upgrade is it?
…the remote thermostat isn’t a feature of the 190 upgrade is it?
No, and if it’s an Air Con car it’s gonna be difficult. It’s a good thing to do, but perhaps after you’ve driven it a bit and the Nick Whale cover is coming to an end (they’ll give you some warranty).
Also it’d be probably be cheaper to have it done at Plans or Lakeside (both down south, near Guildford).
I got a 2yr warrenty on mine as part of the deal when I bought it from Nick Whale, worth pushing them if you go that route.
The engine was on 28k miles when I bought it so it was looking like it was getting old but still going strong at 38k miles (incl approx 12 trackdays)and 9 months warranty left .
Same here, doing a lot of the work myself which helps keep costs down but my engine is at 35k and still feels OK and as long as topped up with oil and looked after than really there’s no reason for it to explode