New Exige S 240, what do I do first??

[LotusLaw]

Im about to buy a 08 Exige S 240, who has one and what are the recommended upgrades and what order? I will be tracking the car occasionally but really just want to make the car stand out in the street and maximize the performance and durability.

Also what issues does this car have that i should be aware of?

[Green Ghost]

How many miles are on it?

And on the new car.

[bgsterling]

My suggested upgrades in order of importance:

1. Track school or other advanced driving instruction
2. Seat time/HPDE
3. More track school or other advanced driving instruction
4. Seat time/HPDE
5. Replace worn tires



It's a little bit of a snarky response. But if you're looking for better performance, look to upgrade the weakest part. Short of having extensive track experience, the weakest part is probably you. I know that I was(am) the problem with my car's performance. Please don't be offended. The comment is not a reflection of your abilities (I don't know you), it's a reflection of the car's.

As for standing out, no worries there. You can't help but stand out. You're driving an Exige.

For durability, the drivetrain is Toyota based and quite durable. The big concern would be the body. Park away from the crowds, back into parking spots, and drive carefully in and out of parking lots and driveways and you'll be fine.

Enjoy the new ride.

-Brad

[buzzy]

Just drive it...

[LotusLaw]

I already have performance classes scheduled. im looking to modify the car, are there any issues that need to be corrected? Oil starve? BAttery? After that what is the best mods to increase Hp and performance that arent to crazy or expensive.

[PatrickShim]

Congrats!!! Enjoy the car!

[LordZ]

Originally Posted by LotusLaw

I already have performance classes scheduled. im looking to modify the car, are there any issues that need to be corrected? Oil starve? BAttery? After that what is the best mods to increase Hp and performance that arent to crazy or expensive.

Not much you can do to cheaply gain power. If you start doing all of this you probably would have been better off getting an NA exige and going up.

If I was to just buy an S240 I would probably do the following;

Safety equipment for track.
Moroso Oil pan.
RTD brace (yours should have a toe brace already).
Not drive on less than half a tank of fuel.
driving instructor/coach.
track time.
driving instructor/coach.
track time.
driving instructor/coach.
track time.

Assuming you aren't worried about keeping the warranty when asking about power upgrades.

Change out the IC to something that will actually cool
Drop pulley size
Custom tune
delete cat pipe
headers
exhaust
open up intake

If you are going to start jacking up the power then be aware of the weaknesses in the stock pistons, valves/springs, oil pump, and tranny.

Lots of info on here and moremonkey.

Like everyone else, just go drive it.

[shinoo]

Add safety harnesses first. You can go faster when you are firmly in place behind the controls.

Reduce weight before adding power. It will improve all performance aspects: braking, acceleration & handling. Add a lighter exhaust that comes out above the rear diffuser. This will help with heat dissipation and improve aero.

Feel free to call me to discuss: (951)296-6762

[Green Hornet]

Shinoo +1

don's skimp on safety gear like a helmet and belts etc. buy good stuff - you have too much riding on it

Good Luck and Welcome

[xtn]

Single biggest performance increase on track definitely comes from driving experience. Second place trophy goes to tires and a proper alignment.

[MickOpalak]

1) Get it aligned. The factory alignment is notoriously bad
2) harness bar and harnesses
3) fire extinguisher
4) upgrade the brake pads and brake fluid
5) light weight battery, light weight muffler
6) and of course, plenty of HPDE time

[MpBrady7]

Honestly if you're looking to change the car so that it's a head turner you have to spend approximately $0. The car already does that trust me! I agree with Shinoo though.

[spectre]

As an s240 owner I think you have to get the adjusted for track settings so lowered, proper rake, camber, corner balance, etc. I would recommend getting harnesses as the s240 comes with the bar. The stock exhaust is really heavy so as others have mentioned and light battery. I would do the exhaust/battery first than the suspension to get a more accurate corner balance. Then drive it, drive it. You will want a moroso oil pan or a baffled setup. Also, oil catch cans as you get blow by, I keep the gas topped off but it would be smart to also get a solution for fuel starvation. Then off course the IC as the stock unit just is not enough. So your roughly looking at 4-5k. The one thing I think is great are the brakes and I wouldn't touch them until your driving has out grown them. My beef is that the car has way to much body roll so after driving it for a while you will get the itch to upgrade to nitrons or something which is another couple grand and then you will than want slicks so you get the idea as it snowballs pretty quickly. Enjoy it and drive

[MikeinAlexandria]

When I was at the Lotus factory this summer, car upgrades were a topic of contention. The factory guys can't understand why us Yanks keep changing around thier feats of engineering! Their point was that all Lotus (Elise, Exige, in all their variants) come to their owners fully track ready. Other than keeping an eye on fluids, tires, and bolts, you should be concentrating on driving more smoothly, rather than worrying about what you can do to make the car itself go faster. I thought they made good points. I especially liked that the tire pressure was set to stock for our class. Then the instructors showed us what an Elise can really do on the track. OMG... I was hanging on for dear life, and that was in a 111s, single cam.

So, agreeing with others here, best upgrade is one's own driving experiance. If you have a couple grand to add stuff to your car, spend it on a couple of days in England at the Lotus factory. You'll be the envy of your friends and learn to be a better driver!

Good luck, and enjoy your car!

[308tr6]

On a minor point, did you buy the car yet? I thought I was the only one to start mod lists on something I don't own....

Hope you're driving it home now!

[wallabyguy]

Bed the brakes properly (VERY important). I would agree with the other comments posted here that the next area of focus needs to be driving classes. A lot of "time" can be saved simply by learning to get the most from the car. An Exige 240 is frankly more capable than 99.9% of the drivers out there. Skip Barber has a HPDE that includes the Exige and there is also the driving school at Spring Mountain.

[spectre]

Originally Posted by MikeinAlexandria

When I was at the Lotus factory this summer, car upgrades were a topic of contention. The factory guys can't understand why us Yanks keep changing around thier feats of engineering! Their point was that all Lotus (Elise, Exige, in all their variants) come to their owners fully track ready. Other than keeping an eye on fluids, tires, and bolts, you should be concentrating on driving more smoothly, rather than worrying about what you can do to make the car itself go faster. I thought they made good points. I especially liked that the tire pressure was set to stock for our class. Then the instructors showed us what an Elise can really do on the track. OMG... I was hanging on for dear life, and that was in a 111s, single cam.

So, agreeing with others here, best upgrade is one's own driving experiance. If you have a couple grand to add stuff to your car, spend it on a couple of days in England at the Lotus factory. You'll be the envy of your friends and learn to be a better driver!

Good luck, and enjoy your car!

Well the s240 does not come setup right from the factory that is part of the issue...I think we all would love it if it did.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by MikeinAlexandria

The factory guys can't understand why us Yanks keep changing around thier feats of engineering! Their point was that all Lotus (Elise, Exige, in all their variants) come to their owners fully track ready. Other than keeping an eye on fluids, tires, and bolts, you should be concentrating on driving more smoothly, rather than worrying about what you can do to make the car itself go faster.

Mike,

All valid points, perhaps us Yanks do tinker too much with the factory's excellent engineering work, and adjusting the loose nut behind the wheel will do the most to improve track performance.... But .... even Lotus offers some key improvements/products (found in the LMS catalog) to make the car, dare I say, more track ready and dependable .... like stiffer engine mounts, oil catch cans, improved radiator, accusump, double adjustable Ohlins, etc. I think even the factory personnel would agree that at a certain point in a driver's development, at a minimum, adjusting the ride height, alignment and performing a proper corner balance will yield on-track benefits.

Of course, a stock Exige/Elise right off the showroom floor is one of the most capable track cars out there, even more so than most P-cars, BMW's and the offerings from other "racing heritage" manufacturers.

Did I say that I love my Lotus.


And, congrats to the OP on the new car -- enjoy it to the max!

[bryanf]

Multivex mirrors are very useful for an Exige S.

[MikeinAlexandria]

+1 on multivex mirrors. Especially in an Exige... The rear camera looks like it would be nice as well.

Originally Posted by bryanf

Multivex mirrors are very useful for an Exige S.