As I mentioned in my Elise's introduction, ownership hasn't exactly been a bed of roses, but considering how this car makes me feel, the hiccups along the way have been well worth the effort. The inconveniences started early, though.
I took delivery of the car in November, 2004 and it didn't take long to log my first 1,000 miles. Lotus required a quick service at that point, but the closest dealership was 40 miles away in Thousand Oaks, Calif. My boss at the time was borrowing my Lotus and dropped it off for me, along with a short list of things I wanted them to fix. The dealer ignored this list, and when I called them on it, they said, "Huh...well, it sounds like you know what you're talking about, so why don't you fix it?" That was the last time I brought my car to them.
A little bit later, a Lotus dealer opened up in Redondo Beach, only 20 miles away. Score! And the mechanic was courteous, helpful and an all-around cool guy. Sadly, they closed shortly thereafter. Then another one opened up in Beverly Hills, only 2 miles from my place. Double score! Then they closed, too. Out of necessity, I turned to my trusty toolbox to perform regular maintenance.
How hard could it be? Plus, I'd be saving a ton of money (they used to charge between $150 and $170 for an oil/filter change at the dealer). It's not that it was difficult, just tedious. To reduce drag and improve downforce, the Elise is a flat-bottomed car. That means that accessing the drain plug and filter requires removal of the aluminum undertray. I don't have a lift, so I had to use some low-profile ramps that gave very little room for work. Working on the hot engine like this was like playing limbo with a red-hot limbo bar. But hey, even after buying the ramps, oil and filter, I still saved enough money to justify the ordeal.
Then there's the headlights. "C'mon," you say, "how often do you have to replace the headlight bulbs?" Five times in about five years -- that's how often. My theory is that the suspension is as rigid as you'll find in any road car, and the filaments in the bulbs are simply too fragile for the vibrations. That, and I always drive with my headlights on. Replacing bulbs is as inconvenient as the oil change because you have to go in from the wheel well to unfasten the headlight cover - kinda like doing brain surgery, but going through the chest cavity.
Good thing I like working with my hands, I suppose. But like I say, "anything worthwhile usually involves some sort of effort."
Mark Takahashi, Associate Editor @ 35,161 miles
By brn
on February 17, 2010
10:52 AM
"the hiccups along the way have been well worth the effort."
A new motor is a hiccup?
By dougtheeng
on February 17, 2010
11:53 AM
must be a labouor of love!
By estreka
on February 17, 2010
01:24 PM
My headlights are positioned like that too, but luckily I haven't had to replace them yet...on my 10 year old car. HIDs rock. ;-)
I really like the Elise, but I don't think I could ever own one. In my line of work, one simply doesn't have the time to take care of one. Maybe when I retire.
By opfreakx
on February 17, 2010
07:57 PM
brn
the motor was explained. This car was tracked for tens of thosands of miles. IMHO, how long it lasted was pretty amazing.
By cruiserhead1
on February 18, 2010
07:42 AM
time to look into LED lights. No filaments and 50x the lifespan.
Underbelly pans are impressive. That's a clean, aero profile!
Why not get a oil filter relocation kit to avoid going underneath?
Curious what your thoughts are on living with one, daily driving it, etc.
Saw a black one like yours last weekend and it was so low! Cool looking.
It's got that exotic car look but also a shade of that British kit-car feel too.
By iskch
on February 18, 2010
07:52 AM
Don't feel bad about the headlights. Imagine you are driving a GM product that still up to this date can figure it out why the headlights or tail lights go out so early.
I love the Lotus but trying to find service for the car in my location is about 150+ miles to the closes service area.