Hello!

[breezer]

Hi all, new potential S2 owner here. I've done a bit of research and I think this is the best model M100 to buy, but I'm open to other opinions.

There's a low mileage (but horribly expensive) example at a dealer in Canterbury that looks great: especially in black!

Having just sold my Z3M Coupé (clownshoe), I'm looking for a quirky, fun-to-drive car to have a bit of fun in for a year or so while I save for a classic I have my eye on. I appreciate the Lotus will be a lot slower, but I'm not overly bothered. The important thing is that it's fun.

One issue is ground clearance - my compound has electric gates with a 10cm seating post sticking out of the ground in the centre of the two gates [don't get me started on how stupid this is) which might be a bit tight. I also regularly use a TVR Tuscan and that doesn't quite clear it unless I line up the wheels very precisely. I read somewhere the Lotus has 13cm ground clearance - is this likely to be accurate? In your experience, how much would adding c.140kgs (wife and I together!) drop this?

Many thanks, I look forward to reporting on my test drive!

[HJ2]

Hi Breezer, welcome to LEC.
you will find that the Elan is not that much slower than your Z3M, but on the straights you are absolutely right
10 CM sounds like a potential problem to me! Be careful not to scratch the oil pan or the exhaust...
Try before you buy?

Good Luck!

[Rusty Wishbone]

As the springs age, perhaps you would expect the ride height to drop. Certainly, mine rubs the black plastic speed hump at the entrance to a local car park. We shall see whether things improve as I replace my rear springs & shocks.

Are you close enough to the garage that you could take the car on a test drive to your compound?

[novacaine]

Hey,

I looked at 7 elans before I found mine ( only had it a week) including that black one. I would think twice about biting feom the guy in canterbury, all the elans I've seen there are pretty tatty for the prices he charges. That black one needs new seal all round and the paint is pretty iffy in my opinion.Take your time trying to find one, unless you have time and money to spend sorting out the many problems it may have.

I was worried about the ride height, due to the slope on my drive. Mine sits about 12.5cm from the sump to the floor. But it had new shocks about 20k miles ago.

[rip]

Some would argue that an S2 is the best model to buy. Others would disagree.
A 10cm post would concern me. My adjustable suspension was originally fitted to math the ride height of the OEM setup which I later discovered had sagged considerably.
Is it really slower than a Z3M? I have driven an M3 & 330. I can throw my Elan around & off a roundabout faster than either of them.

[novacaine]

The only bad thing about an S2 is that it doesn't have the centre consol compartment behind the hand brake

[HJ2]

Hmmzz... It was on the SE there to store nothing but your elbow to begin with

[rip]

The only bad thing about an S2 is that it doesn't have the centre consol compartment behind the hand brake

What about the catalyst which chokes 10bhp from the engine?
New MOT regs state these cannot be removed.

[novacaine]

To be honest 155BHP is still pretty good as standard. Not like we can use all the speed the Elan has anyway, unless you take it for a track day

Plus didnt the S2 have like 100+ improvements over the SE

[GeoffSmith]

New MOT regs state these cannot be removed.

Depends on the age (long after #170 rolled off the line) dear boy. They can be removed, but you must meet the more stringent requirements - without a cat, you haven't got a cat in hells chance of meeting the new figures though.

[rip]

New MOT regs state these cannot be removed.

Depends on the age (long after #170 rolled off the line) dear boy. They can be removed, but you must meet the more stringent requirements - without a cat, you haven't got a cat in hells chance of meeting the new figures though.

I'm pretty sure they changed the regs on that earlier this year so you need one fitted if it was originally there.
I doubt any examiner will check that a cat actually exists in its housing though!
Knock it out & they will never know

[GeoffSmith]

Peco=definitely no cat=pass.

[paulous]

I have an S2 fitted with a full Piper 2.25 with PCE and sportcat, manufactured Nov 94 (no idea if that was considered by the tester) but it passed no problem in April. Maybe I got lucky? I'll let you know next April!!