Hi guys, I have been browsing this board for months, and I have decided I want an S2 Lotus Exige. The problem that I now face is that I live in Dubai, UAE, and there is no Lotus dealer here. I have sent Lotus an email, but no reply, so I have narrowed my search to (2) S2 Exiges in Bergamo Italy. I am going to fly there on Sunday and take them for a spin on Monday. (Not rich just get deals on Airfares). I had a few questions for you guys and would really appreciate your help:
What should I look for when driving these 2 exiges? (one is a 2004 with 3400 km’s and the other a 2005 with 9000km’s)
Does anybody know of any board members on here who live in the Middle East?
Can anybody point me in the right direction in finding a company in Italy or in Europe that would ship the car to Dubai for me?
If I ship the car out of Europe, do I get the VAT back?
Thanks so much in advance. I could go buy a Porsche here, a new cayman, or a used 911 for the same price, but there are NO exiges here, and I absolutely love them… worth the upcoming $$ and effort I think! They have a beautiful F1 spec new race track the Dubai Autodrome (www.dubaiautodrome.com) and I would love to keep the Porsche boys out here on their toes… or drive right over them!
Thanks!
Phil…
P.S. You can check out the cars on www.autoscout24.com, and I promise to keep you guys posted on the progress of getting the Exige here…
Definitely!!! But I doubt the AC will be very good in this climate anyways… I already have a 97 Range Rover (to tow the dirt bike and kart) so that’ll be my daily driver, the Exige will rarely see sunlight from May to Sept.
I’ve been doing a bit more research, will make sure it has at least one oil cooler, and might do the DIY 2nd oil cooler like Mark, just to be on the safe side!
Hi Steve, I hadn’t thought of Asia due to them being RHD cars and in Dubai most cars are LHD and Euro Specs. I will give these guys a call though about shipping from Italy to here, or see if any LHD Exiges available in Asia! Thanks so much!
maybe not if its fot direct export? My thinking was just the temp conditions if the car has a middle/far east spec and the direct sea route meaning cheap delivery.
What should I look for when driving these 2 exiges? (one is a 2004 with 3400 km’s and the other a 2005 with 9000km’s)
As Steve says you will probably want to get a car with the twin oil coolers fitted for the climate you will be driving it in. Not all of the early cars here in the UK (I can only presume italy also) have them fitted. Mines 2004 and doesn’t have them. So just check and make sure.
so I have narrowed my search to (2) S2 Exiges in Bergamo Italy. I had a few questions for you guys and would really appreciate your help:
What should I look for when driving these 2 exiges? (one is a 2004 with 3400 km’s and the other a 2005 with 9000km’s)
Does anybody know of any board members on here who live in the Middle East?
Can anybody point me in the right direction in finding a company in Italy or in Europe that would ship the car to Dubai for me?
If I ship the car out of Europe, do I get the VAT back?
Thanks so much in advance.
The ones you have picked both have AC and the twin oil coolers (as the have the performance pack fitted). So no worries there.
Try to find out a bit about the history of the car. It should be possible for the dealer to make a printout of the engine-data. Then you how the engine been used. Secondly I’d check the bottum of the car, whether it has any jacking-up damage. There are only a few re-inforced jacking point. Not using these will cause damage and invalid warrenty. And then the obvious damage, respray, tyrewear etc.
No help on board mebers in dubai, sorry.
Can the dealer assist you to get the car shipped to the middle east? Maybe he has some expirience with this.
As for VAT refund. Don’t know about the italian laws, but normally it should be doable. Since they are not new cars, you will have to ask specifically. It will involve a lot of paperwork, though.
Just got back from Bergamo this morning!!! WOW!!! What amazing cars!
The best part of the trip was finding out I can get a brand new 2006 with no VAT at all and it would be cheaper then even the used ones he has for sale. He can arrange it to be in the italian port of Ancona, so I just have to get that sorted. What options should I get? Color ideas? I’m thinking Dark Blue with Sports and Performance packs?
Also guys has any of you heard of PBRacing? It’s a shop next to his, and he said that for 4000 euros they replce the headers, exhaust, and cams, and filters and it give the car about 240 hp? Does that sound right? I kinda took it with a grain of salt, and my italian is not the best, but 240 is supercharging territory, no?
Anyways, I am on cloud nine, just have to figure out how I want my baby (her name will be betty) fitted!
Just got back from Bergamo this morning!!! WOW!!! What amazing cars!
The best part of the trip was finding out I can get a brand new 2006 with no VAT at all and it would be cheaper then even the used ones he has for sale. He can arrange it to be in the italian port of Ancona, so I just have to get that sorted. What options should I get? Color ideas? I’m thinking Dark Blue with Sports and Performance packs?
Also guys has any of you heard of PBRacing? It’s a shop next to his, and he said that for 4000 euros they replce the headers, exhaust, and cams, and filters and it give the car about 240 hp? Does that sound right? I kinda took it with a grain of salt, and my italian is not the best, but 240 is supercharging territory, no?
Anyways, I am on cloud nine, just have to figure out how I want my baby (her name will be betty) fitted!
If you’re talking about this colour, I totally agree. Sportspack, Ohlin dampers (or Nitrons), chassis brace are the interesting add ons.
That’ll make a difference to the option suggestions.
I don’t know on the engine upgrade. I don’t think many people have modded their S2 lumps other than with SCs. 50bhp sounds quite alot for only �4k and it’s a long way to go if it goes pop. Why not just go to an Exige S, that has 220bhp?
I agree with IDG… why don’t you just go for an exiges S. In any case the options I’d want in your case would be twin oil coolers and sports seats/harnesses.
If I was you I would stay well away from mod’ing cams and stuff before I had collected the car… I have heard of PBRacing but even so I agree that 240hp is supercharging teritory and you DO NOT want to start messing with VVTLi cams on a brand new motor… If you want exhaust changed then why not go for the factory fitted options ? If you have money to spend then I’d use it for Ohlins and an accusump… unless you go for a spec that has these already from the factory.
colour is up to you… so no comment from me on that… but i like yellow, orange and Krypton