Hello community
Just joined and wanted to say hi.
2006 Black S2 220 absolutely stock as it came out of Hethel, in fact I discovered today it’s still running the original AO48’s on the front!
I turned down a number of modified cars for this one as I wanted any changes to be mine but I’m now in a bit of a dilemma as to whether I make any modifications (thinking induction kit for a bit more of an interesting noise) or do I keep it stock for that rarity value?
Would welcome thoughts.
Congratulations the car looks great, I do like an all black car, very stealth!
With regards to mods, it all depends on what you want to do with the car ie track days. Due to the low noise limit on most if not all tracks you perhaps won’t get past scrutineering. I don’t do track days but there’s plenty on here that do so they can advise more then me.
I’ve got a TRD airbox and an oval tip Larini Club Sport exhaust on my car.
On the stock vs mods thing, it really depends on your reasoning.
If you’re worried about resale value, then providing you don’t hack holes up in everything then you’re really in no danger of hurting yourself on resale value, and very few mods for the Elise/Exige platform require that type of intrusion anyway, and almost all are easy to revert.
Stuff like intakes (providing it’s not a MAF destroyer), toe links, baffled sump coilovers and exhaust probably make a car more desirable on the used market anyway.
If you’re worried about ruining the car for yourself, then again this depends on how far you go - I personally feel that stock Exige bilsteins are not very good road dampers, whereas the contemporary Elise models had it so, so right… so going aftermarket will allow you to soften things up a bit and give that “Elise feel” of soaking up cambers and bumps on the road, but also give you the option to stiffen things up when the right road/track calls for it.
As Hoon describes, exhaust and intake choices can be a bit of a minefield when it comes to trackday limits, so keep that in mind if you do fancy the odd jaunt on track.
The Lotus world seems very sensitive about wheel choices, but I think that’s partly because the Lotus factory options for forged wheels is so good in the first place.
Re mods, as others have said make it all reversible and keep the parts. Upgrading toe Links, baffled sump etc all a good idea and not really seen as mods, just protecting your investment. But I have kept all of those bits should I ever sell so they next owner can revert the car to OEM spec if they wished.
Personally I am of the view on this one, if I can bolt on and off, then its all good so its reversible.
But also, its your car do what you want, no point keeping the car for the next owner
Wise words all!
Thanks for the replies and nice words. I’d considered keeping anything I change out to be reverted if need be, but you have confirmed my thoughts on it all.
Very interesting point on the shocks, clearly a lot more homework and endless hours reading the forums ahead of me
One question though…MAF killer? Which inductions kits are known for that behaviour? (I suspect the answer lies within eh chaps?!)
@constantdetail, been following you for a while on the Insta, lovely paint job!
Not so much a Lotus specific thing but oiled foam filters can often foul up the MAF A bit and give the occasional running problem, but nothing major. The TRD airbox is a very popular upgrade, was available on some later Lotus cars from the factory and I’ve never known one cause an EML or anything like that, but they probably don’t unlock the most noise possible.
Osram night breaker bulbs, so I could see where I was going at night.
VW Golf wiper relay, which gives variable speed wipers with no stalk changes.
I also had, Nitrons, baffled sump, trd airbox, big brakes on the front, Alcon discs on the rear, stiffer ARB, motorsport gear cables, catch cans, competition clutch, harness sears, harness and belts… They helped for track days but not really on the road. I took all the bits I could off when I sold it and thought it was quieter and better. It was a lovely car, all black like yours.
Fir a type 99 or 197 relay in place of original. Normally from a mk3 golf
When you wash the screen, it’ll wipe just twice, and you’ll have variable intermittent.
To use the Variable intermittent, flick the wiper stalk to wipe the screen once. Then wait for period of time “x” and put the stalk to intermittent setting. The intermittent delay between wipes will now be “x”. That’s it. It’s a 5 min mod
Relays now harder to find than the old days as VAG have a newer way of doing it
